Articles about BCN

7 Best Places To See In Girona

By Erasmus Barcelona

March 06, 2017

Girona is a medieval and lovely gem of Spain, divided into two parts by the river Onayr: the old town and the modern town. Don’t make any plans for one day and visit it!

History of Girona

Catalonia’s largest city is Girona and it is located in northeast of Spain. Girona is the most varied city of Spain: it’s located along the beautiful Costa Brava, it has many great campsites, cycling and walking routes.  Moreover you can find graceful restaurants and good shops. Girona is called “The city of the four rivers”, in fact it’s surrounded by the rivers Onayr, Guell, Galligants and Te. If you are a careful visitor you can’t miss the opportunity to visit this jewel! It is also well known as the “Small Florence” for its landscape and the structure of its houses. Girona has a wonderful Historic Jewish quarter that is easy to visit by feet. In addition there are lots of museums there and the buildings are all made of stone. Girona has a lot to offer you! There are activities for families, couples, young people and seniors.  You’ll fall in love with it, if you go there!Guaranteed!

 Now check this list of things to do in Girona:

1.Pont de ferro and river Onayr

It is called also Peixateries Velles and it was built by Gustave Eiffel in 1876. This bridge acrosses the river Onayr between the two parts of the town, the new and the old one: Mercadal  and the Rambla de la Llibertat. This bridge is one of the most remarkable of Girona for the intense red colour that reflects in the river, during the sunset it’s a wonderful show!

2.The Cathedral

Symbol of the city, the cathedral is located in the highest point of Girona. It’s interesting to see its single Gothic nave because is the second largest in the world (the first is St. Peter’s in the Vatican ). Surely if you visit it, you’ll find it impressive.

3.The Call

The old city, built in 13th century, is a Jewish quarter. The Call is also konwn for its lovely stairways such as the “Vieil escalier” of 96 steps that lead up to the cathedral and it was used in Game of Thrones serie ( in season  6) as the exteriors for the Great Sept of Baelor in King’s Landing when Jaime Lannister climbs this stairs on his horse.

4.The art museum

If you visit the Cathedral you must go to the art museum, located inside. Tickets are only 7€ or 5€ (students, pensioners) and it includes also audio guide! It contains the most important collection of art in the diocese and province of Girona, dating from the Romanesque age to the dawn of the 20th century. It’s a jump in the past! For more information click here: http://www.girona.cat/turisme/eng/monuments_catedral.php

5.Museum of cinema

This museum is in Mercadal neighborhood and it shows the history of the cinema, the development of film and moving images. There is also an interactive and creative space for all ages.

6.Dali museum

Do you need to enjoy a two hours surrealistic moment?  The answer is Dali’s Museum! You can move to Figueres, about an hour from Girona, the birthplace of Salvador Dalì and visit this museum. During the Spanish Civil war this museum was destroyed, so Salvador Dali decided to renovate the old theatre in a new surrealistic museum. It is the last great work of Salvador Dali, inaugurated in 1974.  In the museum there are 22 rooms full of pictures, sculptures and optical illusions of Dali and other artists. The first room is the entrance of the theatre, here you will see a strange sculpture of a statue above a car and around there are several golden statues, one for each plant of the museum. There is also an important room dedicated to the crypt of Dali. Carrying on the visit you will be in an amazing room of audio-visual projects, optical illusions and pictures in 3D. If you visit it, you will remain breathless. Moreover you can take beautiful and funny photos for example in the Loggias room with the exhibition of portraits by Philippe Halsman that represent the variants from Dali’s mustache! The aim of showing  these portraits is to give greater importance to the presence of the artist in his own museum. So, there are a lot of exciting and weird rooms inside. It’s a sensational labyrinth and a deep breath in the art. Book now! https://www.salvador-dali.org/en/services/entrades/?cancel&m=FIG.

7.Besalu

The show must go on! Move from Figueres to Besalu (30 min) and enjoy it! Besalu is a medieval, lovely and small city that offers you a pleasant and peaceful landscape! When you enter there, you will relax thanks to the sounds of rivers and wind. Inside the town there are graceful medieval shops and you can taste the typical products of Besalu, such as the chocolate and the almond biscuits. What do you wait? Visit it!

Don’t waste your time and organise your trip here!