Girona: Catalunya’s Second City

Barcelona is known as the Catalan capital, but Girona—located 100 km to the northeast, which is about 1.5 hours by regional train or just over half an hour on the high-speed AVE—is often considered to be Catalunya’s second city. With a population of just over 100,000, it’s not as physically large as Barcelona, but it’s rich with its own history, culture and centuries-old traditions. It even has its own airport and is popular with tourists who are looking for a more tranquil, “authentic Catalan” experience than the frenetic, highly commercialized center of Barcelona.

While people from a number of countries have emigrated there—you’ll find Portuguese, Bulgarian, Honduran, and Indian residents—over 98% of the population is Catalan.

Girona is the capital of the province and the comarca of the same name, and it’s located at the meeting point of four rivers: the Galligants, the Guëll, the Onyar and the Ter rivers. The barri vell, or old city, dates back nearly 2,000 years and is extremely well-preserved. As a result, parts of it (including the Cathedral de Santa Maria, which dates back to the year 1038) have been featured in various films and television series, including Game of Thrones.

Girona is known for its sports culture as well as sports tourism, including hiking, cycling, running and swimming. Its futbol club, Girona FC, was promoted to the second division of La Liga 2017, which pleased its dedicated phalanx of fans. The mountainous area around Girona is also popular terrain for hiking, and for training for professional, semi-pro and amateur cyclists. A number of American and other non-European cyclists have spent time or even lived in Girona, including Lance Armstrong—arguably the most recognizable cyclist in modern history of the sport.

The city has made its mark as an arts and culture destination with its plethora of festivals and gastronomic offerings. It is also home to the well-respected Universitat de Girona, which specializes in architecture, law, biology and other sciences. The former Convent of Sant Domènec, one of the first Gothic buildings in Catalunya, dates back to the 13th century and currently houses the Humanities Department of the University.

Begin at the Beginning: Ancient History

The founding of Girona is said to date back to 79 BCE. The small Iberian village was later taken over by the Romans and christened Gerunda. Part of the modern city street Carrer de la Força follows the path of the original Via Augusta, the Roman road that ran from Cádiz in the south of Spain to Rome in Italy.

Due to its strategic location, the settlement attracted the interest of pretty much every nation or group that was bent on conquering the ancient world. The Visigoths, the Moors and Charlemagne all conquered the town over the subsequent eight centuries.

It was officially declared a city by King Alfonso I of Aragon and Navarre in the 11th century, and even had its own prince for a short time during King Ferdinand’s reign in the 15th century. It was during this period that the medieval section of the old city was constructed, just north of the Carrer de la Força. The Roman walls were extended and fortified, and today the walkways and towers are popular vantage points from which to view the city.

Girona had a well-established Jewish community whose roots date back to the 12th century, until King Ferdinand expelled them in the 15th century along with all the other Jews in the country. The marks left by this historically important community can be seen in the winding streets of the historic Jewish Quarter—called El Call, just like in Barcelona—as well as in the name of Girona’s very own Montjuïc, which used to house a vast Jewish cemetery. 

Girona continued to attract multiple would-be conquerors, including Napoleon in the year 1809. In that instance it was ruled by the French for three years before it was returned to Spanish and Catalan rule.

The parts of the ancient city walls that still exist are a popular tourist attraction, as are the nearby villas and other buildings later constructed in both the modernista and noucentisme styles of architecture in the following century. Examples include the façades and arches in the square called the Plaça del Vi, where the Town Hall and Municipal theater are located, and which was the Catalan Government’s center of administration for Girona in the 16th and 17th centuries.

One of other famous modernista buildings in the city is the Casa Norat, built in 1912 and located in the area of town that was once a 13th-century marketplace along the Onyar River. Another, located a stone’s throw away, is the Casa Masó, former home of famous Catalan architect Rafael Masó, which has been converted into a museum.

Today, this area is called la Rambla de la Llibertat, and is one of the city’s commercial and nightlife hubs.

Art, Culture, Gastronomy

The city of Girona is known for its many museums, including the Museum of Jewish History, the Museum of Cinema, the Girona History Museum (located in an old Capuchin monastery), the Girona Art Museum (in the old Episcopal Palace), the Cathedral Treasury Museum, and the Archaeology Museum, which is one of the oldest museums in Catalonia. The province of Girona has been the site of a number of significant archaeological digs over the years, including the ancient Greek city of Empurion, now known as the Empúries archaeological site. There are also a number of cultural centers, civic centers and private art galleries in the city. Most of these private galleries are open to visits by the public, or by appointment.

Gironéses also love to eat, and the city’s restaurants include the internationally-praised and Michelin-starred El Celler de Can Roca, a project of the famous Roca brothers. The area is known for the quality of its wines, embotits or cured sausages, mushrooms, xuixo pastries, chocolate, olive oils and ratafía (a traditional Catalan liquor made of herbs). The city’s central marketplace, El Lleó, is the main source of many of the local restaurants’ fresh ingredients—as well as fresh neighborhood gossip.

Every March, Girona hosts its Gastronomic Week, one of the oldest culinary events in Catalunya and which is only one example of the various food-centered events that take place in the city throughout the year.

Festivals and Nightlife

The most unique festival that Girona offers is its yearly flower festival, called Girona Temps de Flors, which takes place each May. The center of town is festooned with flowers of all shapes and colors, with particularly impressive displays at popular city landmarks: the Cathedral, Sant Nicolas’ Chapel, Girona’s 12th-century Arabic baths, the city squares and other sites throughout the city. There are over 100 official flower displays, as well as countless doorways and balconies decorated with blooms.

Girona is also known for its music festivals. Locals pride themselves on supporting regional Catalan-language artists, but the city is also supportive of a variety of styles of music: the Black Music Festival (which focuses on blues, soul, funk and R&B), Festival Strenes (celebrating new and experimental music), In-somni Festival (mostly pop, rock, electronica and some folk music), the Nits de Clàssica concert cycle, as well as a jazz festival, an acapella festival, a Catalan rumba week and more. 

But Girona doesn’t stop at just music festivals—it also hosts the Festival Internacional de Circ (an international circus festival), FITAG (an international amateur theater festival), various film festivals, literature festivals, trade fairs and crafts markets too. And of course, you shouldn’t miss the festa major (main city festival) of the City of Girona—the Fires de Sant Narcís. Held every year at the end of October, the festival converts all of Girona into one huge celebration.

Even when there isn’t a festival scheduled, the center of town offers entertainment options for nearly every taste. From the hipster-friendly Yeah indie rock club to old-school bars offering live acoustic music—like L’Arc en el Cercle or El Vermutet—to large-format performing arts theaters like La Troca or the Girona Municipal Theater, there is always live music on offer in the city. 

For those who just want to have a drink, some tapas, and a chat with friends, the bars and terraces (terraces) at Plaça de la Independència, Plaça de Sant Feliu and the surrounding areas are usually buzzing with activity on weekend nights, while the younger crowd packs into discotheques like Platea or Salero Girona until the wee hours.

Outside the City Limits: Green Spaces, Sports

If you’ve exhausted the list of incredible restaurants, bars and museums in Girona and are looking for a change—or maybe you simply want to get outside and connect with nature—Girona has much to offer. 

Just outside of the city, you can visit the Vall de Sant Daniel, a vast green space dotted with natural springs. The 14th-century church houses the tomb of Saint Daniel, and the convent dates back to the 12th century. From there, you can follow the Galligants River through wooded areas and farmland to the spectacular nature preserve of the Gavarres, or up to the panoramic views at the top of Sant Miquel mountain.

The Anella Verde (the “green ring”) is one of the region’s most famous hiking itineraries. It begins on the banks of the Onyar River, passing through gorgeous landscapes and ending in the rural Campdorà region. The green “ring” is not actually a circular path, and can be traveled north to south or south to north. Public buses are available to take hikers back to the center of Girona. Yet another popular route is the path between Girona and the Catalan town of Salt, which follows the course of the Ter River and takes travelers through the famous gardens, the Horts de Sant Eugénia and the peaceful meadows outside of Salt.

Professional guides are available to lead you on cycling or hiking adventures if you don’t want to go it alone, as well as white-water rafting or kayaking trips—and even hot-air balloon rides.