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Before you go
Your trip to Girona.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Girona – Catalonia Destination Costa Brava and Girona about 103 km from Barcelona
How to get there
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Aeroport de Girona-Costa Brava (GRO) Vilobí d'Onyar · 17 km
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Aeroport de Barcelona-El Prat Josep Tarradellas (BCN) El Prat de Llobregat · 105 km
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Estació de Girona 1 km
Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.
Check before you buy. From Barcelona, the high-speed train typically takes about 40 minutes to Girona station; regional trains take more than an hour. Girona-Costa Brava Airport (GRO) is 10 km to the south, with buses to the station. From the station to the Barri Vell it's about a 15-minute walk.
How many days
One full day covers the cathedral, the wall, the Call and the Onyar bridges. With two days you can take your time in the museums, such as the Art museum, the Archaeology museum in Sant Pere de Galligants and the Cinema museum. Girona also serves as a base for visiting Figueres and Púbol Castle.
When to go
Spring (April to June) and early autumn (September and October) usually have the most pleasant weather. In July and August the average high exceeds 30 °C. In winter, from December to February, mornings are often cold with frost, and the days are short.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Do you need a car?
No. The Barri Vell is meant to be explored on foot, with narrow streets, slopes and staircases. Trains connect Girona with Barcelona and Figueres. A car is only useful for going to Púbol, Portlligat or the beaches of the Costa Brava.
Suggested itinerary
An order that works
Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.
One day in Girona
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Morning
Cathedral and Banys Àrabs
Start by climbing the staircase of the Catedral de Girona and see the single nave and the Romanesque cloister. Walk down to the Banys Àrabs, just a few minutes away, and explore the rooms of the medieval bath.
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Afternoon
Call and Sant Feliu
After lunch, enter the Call via Carrer de la Força and visit the Museu d'Història dels Jueus. Then stop by the Basílica de Sant Feliu, with its pointed tower and the Roman sarcophagi.
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Late afternoon
Passeig de la Muralla
Go up to the Passeig de la Muralla and walk along the wall, entering the towers to see the roofs of the Barri Vell and the surrounding mountains.
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Evening
Onyar bridges
Go down to the river and cross the Pont de les Peixateries Velles to see the Onyar's colorful houses lit up. Dine in the Barri Vell or in the Mercadal, keeping in mind that kitchens usually open after 9 pm.
2 days in Girona
Day 1
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Morning
Cathedral and Museu d'Art
Visit the Catedral de Girona and, beside it, the Museu d'Art in the former episcopal palace, which houses the altar of Sant Pere de Rodes and Gothic altarpieces.
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Afternoon
Banys Àrabs and Sant Pere de Galligants
Visit the Banys Àrabs and follow the same street to the Monestir de Sant Pere de Galligants, where the Museu d'Arqueologia occupies the Romanesque church and cloister.
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Late afternoon
Wall at dusk
Enter the Passeig de la Muralla from the northern section, near Sant Pere de Galligants, and walk the route down to the south of the Barri Vell.
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Evening
Onyar River
End the day on the banks of the Onyar, looking at the Cases de l'Onyar from the bridges, and have dinner around the Mercadal.
Day 2
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Morning
Call and Jewish museum
Spend the morning in the Call: walk along Carrer de la Força and the side alleys and visit the Museu d'Història dels Jueus at the Centre Bonastruc ça Porta.
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Afternoon
Sant Feliu and Museu del Cinema
Visit the Basílica de Sant Feliu and cross the river to the Museu del Cinema in the Mercadal, with four centuries of moving-image devices.
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Late afternoon
Photos of the river houses
Return to the Onyar bridges to photograph the facades in the low light and walk along the bank to the Pont de les Peixateries Velles.
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Evening
Dinner in the Barri Vell
Choose a restaurant on the streets of the Barri Vell to try Catalan cuisine. Those continuing on to Figueres can catch the train the next morning.
Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.
Before you go
Frequently asked questions
Can you see Girona on a day trip from Barcelona?
Yes. The high-speed train usually takes about 40 minutes between Barcelona and Girona, and from the station the historic center is within walking distance. In one day you can fit the cathedral, the wall, the Call and the Onyar bridges. To visit the museums at a relaxed pace, it's best to spend a night.
Is Girona's center good for people with reduced mobility?
The Barri Vell is on a slope: there are hills, cobbled streets and staircases, such as the cathedral's 90-step stair. The Passeig de la Muralla has steps and narrow stretches. The Mercadal neighborhood, on the other side of the river, is flat.
What language is spoken in Girona?
Catalan and Spanish are spoken. Girona is a city where Catalan is very present on the streets, signs and menus. In Spanish the city is also called Gerona, but the official name and the one on signs is Girona.
Which museums are worth visiting in Girona?
The Museu d'Història dels Jueus, in the Call, tells the history of the Jewish communities of Catalonia. The Museu d'Art, next to the cathedral, gathers art from the Romanesque to the early 20th century. The Museu d'Arqueologia occupies the Monestir de Sant Pere de Galligants, and the Museu del Cinema displays the Tomàs Mallol collection. Many museums close one day a week: check before you go.
Is Girona a good base for visiting the Costa Brava?
Yes, if you're traveling by car: the beaches of the Baix Empordà and Púbol Castle are less than an hour away. By train, Figueres is just a few minutes. For coastal towns like Tossa de Mar, public transport from Girona requires transfers.