Barcelona’s Best Day Trip: Why You Must Visit Girona

Girona’s colorful building-lined river is reason enough to make the day trip from Barcelona

Barcelona day trips abound, but you’ll be hard pressed to find one that offers as much goodness as that of Girona. Situated just over an hour away from the big city, it’s the place to go to delve into the region’s rich and diverse history, experience modern-day culture, and, given its ideal location, to discover other noteworthy destinations in the region. With that in mind, here are a handful of solid reasons why you must visit Girona, Barcelona’s very best day trip.

The Jewish Quarter

Girona’s old town isn’t just pretty, it also happens to have a particularly notable Jewish quarter, which is named the Call. Indeed, there was a time, prior to the Jews’ expulsion by the Catholic monarchs in 1492, when Spain was home to thriving Jewish communities, and Girona was one of them. The first Jews arrived here in Girona in the 9^th century, reaching some 1,000 people come the 12^th century. Though relatively little remains of Girona’s Jewish past, the Call is nonetheless considered one of the best-preserved Jewish quarters in Europe, and a great place to discover the region’s Sephardic past (particularly by visiting the Museum of Jewish History).

The Jewish quarter, or the Call, is one of the most well-preserved in Europe

The Cathedral

Girona isn’t just appealing because of its Jewish history, of course (though the Call is pretty darn special), but it also offers other historic and varied sights. Among the most notable is — if not hard to miss — is the main cathedral, which sits upon the foundations of a former Roman temple. The Romanesque-meets-Gothic church is located atop a staircase of some 90 steps, and claims the widest Gothic nave in the world. While here, check out the cathedral’s museum, as well as its tranquil cloistered courtyard.

The extravagant Baroque exterior of the city’s grand cathedral

The Arab Baths

Take a dip into another aspect of the city’s diverse culture by visiting the Banyes Arabes, or Arab Baths. The quiet, relatively crowd-free space is located not far from the base of the cathedral, and is where you can let your imagination travel back to the 12^th century. The baths include traditional elements, such as cool and warm rooms, along with a changing room and steam room (all for visitor viewing only; not actually bathing!). Of particular interest is the octagonal, column-surrounded central pool that sits below a light-filled cupola, and a visit to the rooftop, where you can view the city and cathedral from a different angle.

Escape the crowds by visiting the city’s 12th-century Arab Baths

The Walls

Get an even better view of the city by scaling its ancient walls. You can do so by taking a jaunt along the roughly 3-kilometer-long Passeig de la Muralla, a path that allows visitors to walk atop the ancient barriers, sneaking tower-top views of the city’s roofs, the cathedral and distant Pyrenees Mountains. Though much of the wall has been restored after having been destroyed, it is said that some of the oldest sections date back to the first century during Roman times.

One of the best ways to see the city is from atop its ancient walls

Game of Thrones Season 6

During the fall of 2015, Girona turned into a proper set for upcoming episodes of Game of Thrones season 6. Scenes were filmed in various areas throughout town, including upon the giant staircase of the main cathedral. Which scenes and spots will make the final cut remain to be seen, but expect to see Girona’s medieval streets appearing on a TV screen near you soon. Game of Thrones fans, take note: there are other locations in Spain that have also served as set for the famous award-winning series. They include the Royal Alcazar in Seville, as well as the bullring in Osuna — both located in the southern region of Andalucia.

Coming to a TV screen near you soon: Game of Thrones on these very steps

The Flower Festival

Come May, Girona is taken over by flowers, almost very literally, as this is when the city’s weeklong Temps de Flors takes place. The famous annual flower festival has been around since 1954, and is celebrated by converting the old town’s monuments, streets, gardens and more into proper floral exhibitions. From flower blanket-draped staircases, to lily-pad-like flowers floating in the river, and courtyards caught under a rain of petals, the city positively fills with vibrant color and the sweet fragrance of blooms. Ranging from quirky to artistic and abstract, the installations are the work of both amateurs and professionals — and the overall result is nothing short of magical.

During a week in May, Girona becomes overtaken by flower installations

Beyond Girona: The Dali Art Triangle

Not only is Girona a totally doable day trip from Barcelona, but Dali fans will delight in knowing that Girona is also very close to the so-called Dali Art Triangle. First on your stop of Dali discovery should be a visit to the the artist’s hometown of Figueres, which is just a half hour’s drive away from Girona. It is there that you can explore his namesake theater and museum, which was designed by the artist himself. The museum – which resides in a former theater that was destroyed during the Spanish Civil War — is filled with thousands of works spanning the artist’s life, including holograms, paintings and photography. If this sounds like a stop you’re keen to make, then plan on exploring Dali’s birthplace, and some of Girona’s top sights mentioned above, on a Girona, Figueres and Dali Museum Tour from Barcelona.

Get to know the world of Dali by visiting his hometown as well as his namesake museum

You can dive deeper into the world of Dali by heading to the coastal village of Portlligat, where the artist lived in his later years. Here, too, you can visit another Dali-dedicated museum, which is situated in his cozy and coastal former home, which is still decorated with eccentric décor and a kitschy collection of odds and ends. While in the area, don’t miss a trip to neighboring village Cadadques, where you can wander its tiny, white building-lined streets that funnel down to the fishermen boat-filled sea.

Dive deeper into Dali’s world by visiting his still-furnished and -decorated coastal home in Portlligat

Finally, make a stop at Puból Castle, which is practically a stone’s throw away from Girona. This is where Dali moved after his wife’s passing. The castle, which Dali in fact originally bought for his wife, was in a state of disrepair before he restored it. What remains today are more reminders of Dali’s world, including his wife’s high-fashion gowns, and the underground mausoleum, which he designed. Not sure you can squeeze in all of these stops in one day? If you can carve out some time for another day of excursions, take a Salvador Dali Museum and Cadaques Small Group Day trip from Barcelona.

Peruse Pubol Castle, which Dali bought for his wife

Explore More of the Region

If you’re keen to see more darling village goodness, the medieval town of Besalu is also just a short drive away from Girona. The vision of it upon your arrival is enough to make you glad you came, as the stoney village sits at the end of a magnificently arched 12^th-century Romanesque bridge. Besalu is packed with history too: you can visit the remains of a medieval synagogue as well as the still-water-filled Jewish bath, and make a stop at the Church of Sant Pere, which was consecrated in 1003. If you have another day to spare and would like to see more regional villages, join a Small Group Medieval Villages Day Trip from Barcelona.