Girona is how the name is pronounced in Catalan, and in Spanish it is «Herona». This small cozy city with a population of about 100,000 people was founded in the 1st century AD. Girona was of strategic importance and was besieged 25 times, but only 7 times it was conquered. In the XVIII century the city several times passed from Spain to France and back. And nowadays Girona dreams of the secession of Catalonia from Spain.
The movie «Perfumer» and episodes of «Game of Thrones» were filmed here. I’ll tell you about the sights that didn’t make it into the American TV series, but will be of interest to those who devote at least one day of their trip to the ancient Catalan city.
Girona is small, all the iconic places can be reached on foot in a few hours. I recommend taking a free map and sightseeing booklets, which are given out by the staff of tourist offices(Oficina de Turisme). There are two such offices in the city:
- Main tourist office at the entrance to the old town. Open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 to 19:00—20:00 depending on the season, Sunday and holidays until 14:00. Saturday break from 14:00 to 16:00.
- Tourist office on Carrer Berenguer Carniner. In November through March, it is open from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays. The rest of the year is weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Saturdays until 5:00 p.m., and Sundays and holidays until 2:00 p.m.
Onyar River (Onyar)
The Onyar River runs through Girona and divides it into two parts: the historic and the modern. There is no embankment on the old town side, and the river is lined with colorful houses built on the remains of an ancient fortress wall.
You can cross to the other side of the river on one of ten bridges. The Eiffel Bridge (Puente Eiffel) is Girona’s most famous bridge. This red iron bridge was built by French engineer Gustave Eiffel a few years before the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
La Casa Masó (The House of Rafael Masó)
It is the only house on the Oñar River that is open to the public. The mansion belonged to the family of the Catalan architect Rafael Maso, who worked in Girona at the beginning of the 20th century.
The building consists of essentially four houses, the last time the complex was remodeled was in 1919. Inside you can see early 20th century furnishings and a collection of works by Spanish artists such as Velázquez and Goya.
You can only get into the house with a guide in a group of up to eight people. The tour must be booked in advance on the website.
- Working hours: Tuesday — Friday from 10:00 to 18:00.
- Admission: adults — 6 €, for students and pensioners — 3 €, children under 16 — free of charge.
- Website of the home of architect Rafael Maso.
La basílica de Sant Feliu (The Basilica of St. Felix)
The basilica was built in the XIV century on the site of the temple where the patrons of Girona, St. Philix and St. Narcissus, were buried.
The basilica was built over several centuries under the influence of three architectural styles: Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque. Inside the church you can see eight pagan and Paleo-Christian sarcophagi from the 4th century and a life-size figure of Christ from the 14th century.
The temple is active and you can enter free of charge during services. A visit to the Cathedral of Girona is also included in the price of the tourist ticket.
- Mode of operation for tourists: Monday through Saturday 10:00 — 18:00, Sunday: 13:00 — 18:00.
- Admission: for adults (including audio guide in Russian) — 7 €, for students and pensioners — 5 €, children under 7 years old — free of charge.
- St. Felix Basilica website.
Fortress Wall (Passeig de la Muralla)
One of the most visited and unusual sights of Girona is the wall of the ancient Roman fortress, built in 75 AD. At that time, the Via Augusta, the route from Seville to Rome, was guarded from the wall. A part of the wall has survived to this day, and in the second half of the 20th century it was restored and opened for walking.
Be sure to walk along the 2-kilometer wall 60 meters above the ground. Along the way, you’ll come across several observation platforms and towers from which you can see the old town. Prepare comfortable shoes — you will have to climb up and down the steps frequently.
- Open to the public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Admission is free.
Girona Museums
There are five museums in the city that provide an introduction to history and art. You can visit any of Girona’s museums for free on the first Sunday of the month.
Girona Art Museum (Museo de Arte)
It houses a collection of artworks from Romanesque times to the present day: frescoes, paintings, sculptures. The museum’s collection includes more than 8,000 exhibits.
The museum building — the former Bishop’s Palace of the XVI century — deserves special attention.
Admission to the museum is free not only on the first Sunday of the month, but also on May 18, July 25, September 11 and October 29.
- Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday and holidays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Admission: adults — 6 €, students and adults over 65 — 4 €, children over 16 — free of charge.
- Girona Art Museum website.
Girona History Museum (El Museo de Historia)
A place where you can learn about the history of the city from its founding to the present day. It houses Roman mosaics from the 3rd-4th centuries and documentary evidence of the Napoleonic siege of the city.
The museum is housed in a former monastery of 18th century Capuchin monks.
- Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Sunday and holidays until 1:30 p.m.
- Admission: adults — 4 €, students — 2 €, children under 16 and pensioners — free of charge.
- The website of the Girona History Museum.
Cinema Museum (Museo del Cine)
This first movie museum in Spain was opened at the end of the 20th century in a three-story 19th-century building. Here you will learn all about the shadow theater, see what the first film show looked like and how special effects were created, and see the Lumière brothers' first movie camera.
- Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. — 7:00 p.m., Sunday and holidays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Admission: adults — 6 €, pensioners (from 65 years old) and students — 3 €, children under 14 years old — free of charge.
- The movie museum website.
Museum of Jewish History (Museo de Historia de los Judíos)
The museum is located in the oldest Jewish quarter in Western Europe. It is a museum of the life of Jewish communities in Catalonia and Girona from the 9th century until the expulsion of Jews from Spain in the 15th century for refusing to accept Catholicism. During this time, the quarter was both Girona’s wealthiest neighborhood and a ghetto for Jews.
The museum’s valuable exhibits are medieval Jewish tombstones and everyday objects. They tell about the traditions of medieval Jews, their professions and their contribution to the development of the city.
- Open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm — 8:00 pm, Sunday and holidays until 2:00 pm.
- Admission: adults — 4 €, pensioners (from 65 years old) and students — 2 €, children under 14 years old — free of charge.
Archaeological Museum (Museo de Arqueología)
This museum was founded back in 1846. It includes archaeological materials found during excavations in Girona and the surrounding area. It is considered one of the oldest museums in Catalonia and occupies the Monastery of San Pedro.
The museum exhibits are historical treasures from prehistoric times to the Middle Ages. It will be interesting if you are interested in archaeology.
- Open May through September: Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., Sunday and holidays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Admission: adults — 6 €, pensioners (up to 65 years) and students — 4 €, children (up to 16 years) — free of charge.
What else to visit in Girona
Medieval sights, museums and Game of Thrones sets are not all that attract travelers from all over the world to this small Catalan city. Some events are worth planning a trip to Girona for.
Girona Flower Festival (Girona Temps De Flors)
In mid-May, Girona hosts an annual flower festival, first held back in 1955, which now attracts over 200,000 tourists every year — twice the population of the city.
During the holiday, the city is decorated with flowers: houses, landmarks, streets, courtyards and parks. Professionals and local residents take on the task of creating floral compositions and installations. The center of the Flower Festival is the Jewish Quarter of the Old City.
During the festival, the Flower Fair sells seeds, dried flower souvenirs, jewelry, flower soaps and perfumes. There is also a Gastronomic Fair, where flower sweets such as rose petal jam and candies with flowers are sold.
- The 2020 festival is scheduled for May 9 — 17.
- Girona Flower Festival website.
El Celler Can Roca Restaurant
Girona’s gastronomic landmark is the El Celler Can Roca restaurant. The highest honor for any restaurateur is a Michelin star, and El Celler Can Roca has the maximum number of three.
In 1926, when Michelin created a classification depending on the number of stars, they decided that three stars would be awarded to restaurants that were worth organizing a separate trip to visit. And indeed, many people come to Girona to visit the legendary restaurant.
El Celler Can Roca is a family restaurant. Recognized several times as the best in the world and included in the «Best of the Best» list of the prestigious The World’s 50 Best Restaurants award.
The restaurant was founded in 1986 by the three Rock brothers: chef, sommelier and pastry chef. The new building, opened in 2007, can accommodate a maximum of 40 guests at a time. Here they create dishes — works of culinary art and molecular cuisine. The restaurant has one of the best wine libraries in Europe with 60000 wines.
El Celler Can Roca is very popular among gourmets, so you should book a table in the restaurant in advance on the website or by phone. The system allows you to make a reservation 11 months before the visit, the record opens at 00:00 of the first day of the month. Reservations are guaranteed only if you provide your bank card details.
- Opening hours are Tuesday from 21:0 to 22:30, Wednesday through Saturday from 13:00 to 15:00 and 21:00 to 22:30. Closed on Christmas holidays, Holy Week and from August 9 to 24, 2020. For dates of Holy Week in Spain, see here.
- Cost (without alcoholic beverages): tasting menu — 135 €, full menu — 165 €.
- El Celler Can Roca restaurant website.
Useful information
- Girona’s tourism website.
- The beaches of the Costa Brava are half an hour’s drive from Girona. If you visit the city in summer, you can combine it with a beach vacation.
- Girona’s public transportation is buses, but you won’t need them for sightseeing, everything interesting is within walking distance.
- The most tourists on the streets of the city are in May, during the Flower Festival. Choose other months for relaxed strolls.
