DAY TRIP: GIRONA

Girona is a city in Spain, more specifically in the northeastern region of Catalonia. The city is famous for its medieval architecture, colorful riverside houses, and more recently, its filming locations for Game of Thrones. As Girona is just a 40-minute train ride from Barcelona, it is a great place to make a day trip!

Once you get off the train, walk over to the Casas de l’Onyar, colorful houses along the Onyar River. This river runs directly through the city, splitting the old town from the more modern area. As you cross over the river to make your way to the older part of town, you might start to recognize some locations if you are a Game of Thrones fan. Specifically, take some time to walk around El Call, or the Jewish Quarter. Here you will spot your first Game of Thrones location, which is the Rise of Sant Domènec (or Pujada de Sant Domènec).

Then for a sweet breakfast, make your way to La Moderneta, a vegan donut shop. After you’ve enjoyed your sugar intake, walk to the intersection of Carrer del Pou Rodó and Carrer de les Mosques. Here you will see some fly sculptures. These flies honor the legend of Saint Narcís, the patron saint of Girona. The story claims that after French soldiers disrespected the saint’s tomb, giant flies emerged from his body and attacked the soldiers, causing them to flee. The sculptures were made to honor this tale!

Next, walk to Basílica de Sant Feliu and Girona Cathedral, both beautiful buildings dedicated to worship for the Catholic community. These structures are extremely close to each other, and you can even get a combination ticket to visit both! Again, if you are a Game of Thrones aficionado, you might recognize Girona Cathedral’s staircase as the steps in front of the Great Sept of Baelor. While you will find many people on these stairs, I encourage you to go into Girona Cathedral, as my favorite part of the building is actually the Romanesque cloister found inside!

Then make your way over to Sant Pere de Galligants, a Benedictine Abbey. Not only can you admire the 12th-century Romanesque architecture of this monastery, but you can also enjoy the Museum for Archaeology of Catalonia, which is housed inside. Afterwards for a bit of a break, head over to Jardins dels Alemanys, a peaceful park.

This park is also a great entry point to our next activity, walking Passeig de la Muralla, or the city walls of Girona! The walkway is a free public attraction that offers panoramic views of Girona. If you follow the walk from Jardins dels Alemanys until you can descend the wall again, you will find yourself very close to our last stop: grabbing food at Bèstia before hopping back on the train!

*views from walking the Passeig de la Muralla*

Enjoy Girona!

48 HOURS IN BARCELONA