Girona

By crossing the city bridges over the Onyar River, you can see the pastel-coloured houses that line the bank on the site of the old city walls. Pont de Ferro, an iron bridge built by Gustave Eiffel, offers beautiful views of the city's trademark facade, the quintessential Girona experience.

Crowning Girona’s skyline, the Cathedral of Santa Maria commands attention from the top of a majestic 86-step staircase. Its soaring Baroque façade, added in the 17th century, belies a far older history: foundations date to the 5th century, with a Romanesque church and 12th-century cloister still preserved within. The cathedral’s most notable feature is the 23-metre-wide Gothic nave (widest in the world!) completed in the 14th century and illuminated by vast stained-glass windows. Inside, the Museum of the Cathedral safeguards extraordinary treasures, including the 11th-century Tapestry of Creation, a vivid Romanesque depiction of divine order, and a gem-studded 14th-century silver altarpiece. The cloister captivates with carved capitals portraying biblical tales and mythical beasts. For context, use the included audio guide to unravel layers of history, from Roman forums to medieval masterpieces.

Girona’s El Call is one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval Jewish quarters, a labyrinth of narrow, steep alleys centred around Carrer de la Força. At its heart lies the Museum of Jewish History, housed in a building that once held a 15th-century synagogue and now vividly recounts the story of Catalonia’s Jewish communities. Exhibits trace their profound contributions to medicine, astronomy and philosophy, while also confronting darker chapters like the Inquisition and the 1492 expulsion. Highlights include an 11th-century miqvé (ritual bath), funerary slabs with Hebrew inscriptions, and the original expulsion edict. Detailed multilingual panels guide visitors through themes of daily life, rituals, and cultural exchange. Beyond the museum, the quarter itself whispers with history. Wander its cobbled lanes to sense the resilience of a community that shaped Girona for centuries.

The Arab Baths are a striking example of 12th-century Romanesque architecture, inspired by Roman and Islamic bathhouse traditions rather than built by them. Designed during a period of Christian rule, they served as public baths for Girona’s diverse medieval community, blending functional elements from Roman thermae, Muslim hammams, and Jewish purification rituals. The centrepiece is the apodyterium (changing room), a sublime octagonal space crowned by a dome and supported by slender columns, where a central pool reflects light from above. Other rooms — the frigidarium (cold bath), tepidarium (warm room) and furnace-heated caldarium (sauna) — showcase sophisticated hydraulic engineering. Despite damage during sieges and later use by Capuchin nuns, the baths were meticulously restored in the 20th century. Today, they offer a quiet glimpse into medieval daily life and the cross-cultural exchanges that defined the era.

Perched high in the Serra de Rodes mountains, the Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes is a masterpiece of Catalan Romanesque architecture. Founded in the 10th century, this former Benedictine complex features a sophisticated church, a majestic bell tower, and cloisters arranged on terraces with sweeping views of the Cap de Creus peninsula. Notable for its classical-inspired sculptures and the remnants of a finely carved portal, the monastery was a major spiritual centre until the 14th century. Nearby, the ruins of Santa Creu de Rodes medieval village and its pre-Romanesque church complete this historic landscape.

Panorama Trails offers the chance to admire the Catalan countryside on horseback, to wander along sandy beaches, through medieval villages and atop rolling green hills. Take the chance to experience the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean the way they were experienced for thousands of years.

Just north of Girona lies the Lake of Banyoles, a crystal clear body of water about 2 kilometres long, favoured particularly by rowers. Stroll, swim or row your way around the picturesque lake, and stop for a rest, a snack and a coffee at the nearby establishments in the town of Banyoles.

The Basilica of St Felix is one of Girona’s oldest churches, a site of continuous worship since the early Christian period. Its architecture is a palimpsest of styles: a Romanesque core, a majestic Gothic nave, and a Baroque façade topped by a distinctive truncated bell tower. The interior safeguards priceless treasures, including eight rare Roman and early Christian sarcophagi and the ornate 14th-century Gothic tomb of Sant Narcís, the city's patron saint. Though never the cathedral, its historical and artistic importance is profound. It remains an active parish church, offering a quieter but deeply atmospheric counterpoint to the larger cathedral nearby.

La Devesa Park is Catalonia’s largest urban green space, a 40-hectare oasis framed by the Ter, Güell, and Onyar rivers. Its defining feature is a stunning grid of over 2,500 plane trees, many planted in the 1850s and soaring over 55 metres. The vegetation creates shaded avenues perfect for walking and cycling. Beyond its natural allure, the park serves as a vibrant community hub. It hosts weekly markets, the annual Festes de Sant Narcís fair, sports facilities, and cultural venues like the Girona Trade Fair (Fira de Girona) and Girona Auditorium & Conference Centre (Auditori Palau de Congressos). The French-style gardens and historic gatehouses add elegance to this protected landscape.