Photograph the Colourful Houses on the Onyar
These vibrant, stacked houses lining the riverbank form one of Catalonia’s most iconic and genuinely photogenic views.
Free Travel Guide
Girona Travel Guide.
A practical introduction to Girona, including why to visit, what to see, where to stay, local food and how to plan a break in this colourful, beautifully preserved Catalan city.
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Girona at a glance
Girona is a beautifully preserved medieval city, its colourful houses lining the Onyar River forming one of Catalonia’s most photographed views. The city holds a remarkable, largely intact Jewish Quarter known as the Call, a significant cathedral with the widest Gothic nave in the world, and complete medieval city walls that can be walked in their entirety. In recent years, Girona has also become a major Game of Thrones filming location, though the old town’s genuine historic substance extends well beyond that recent fame.
Spain · Catalonia
Perfect for
Colourful riverside architecture, a remarkable Jewish Quarter, Gothic cathedral architecture and walkable medieval walls
Recommended stay
2 days
Trip type
City break • Riverside Architecture • Jewish Heritage • Medieval Walls
Don't miss
The colourful houses along the Onyar, the Call and Girona Cathedral
MapMagnet Picks
These are the Girona experiences we think most first-time visitors should prioritise. They give you a strong feel for the city without going into the deeper curated detail that will come later in the full MapMagnet Girona Guide.
Explore the Call (Jewish Quarter)
This remarkably well-preserved medieval Jewish Quarter, among the best-conserved in Europe, offers narrow stone streets and genuine historical depth.
Walk the Medieval City Walls
These complete medieval walls can be walked in their entirety, offering sweeping views over Girona’s rooftops and the surrounding countryside.
Why visit Girona?
Girona offers a genuinely beautiful, well-preserved medieval city, its colourful riverside houses forming an iconic image that holds up to closer inspection. The Call, one of Europe’s best-preserved Jewish Quarters, provides real historical substance, while Girona Cathedral’s extraordinary Gothic nave, the widest in the world, offers genuine architectural significance. The city has recently drawn attention as a Game of Thrones filming location, but its actual depth as a historic Catalan city extends well beyond that.
Our take
We think Girona rewards visitors who look past the postcard river view to the Call’s quieter stone streets and the cathedral’s genuine architectural weight. Walking the complete medieval walls at a relaxed pace gives a much fuller sense of the city’s scale and history than the riverside photo alone.
What to See in Girona
Girona’s sights combine a significant Gothic cathedral, a remarkable Jewish Quarter and complete medieval fortifications. These are the places we would recommend starting with on a first visit.
Girona Cathedral
This significant Gothic cathedral holds the widest Gothic nave in the world, and its dramatic stepped facade remains one of the city’s defining landmarks.
The Call (Jewish Quarter)
This remarkably well-preserved medieval Jewish Quarter, among the best-conserved in Europe, offers narrow stone streets and genuine historical depth.
Colourful Houses on the Onyar
These vibrant, stacked houses lining the riverbank form one of Catalonia’s most iconic views, best seen from the Eiffel Bridge or the riverside.
Medieval City Walls
These complete medieval walls can be walked in their entirety, offering sweeping views over Girona’s rooftops and the surrounding countryside.
Sant Feliu Basilica
This significant Gothic basilica, with its distinctive truncated bell tower, houses important medieval tombs and remains a genuine architectural highlight.
What to Do in Girona
Girona’s medieval streets and riverside setting mean much of the best of the city happens through slow wandering and quiet discovery. These are the experiences we think every first-time visitor should consider.
Explore the Call’s Narrow Streets
Beyond the main thoroughfare, the Call’s quieter side streets reward slow, unhurried exploring, revealing genuine medieval atmosphere away from the crowds.
Cross the Eiffel Bridge
Designed by Gustave Eiffel’s firm, this iron footbridge offers one of the best vantage points for photographing the colourful houses along the Onyar.
Visit the Jewish History Museum
Housed within the Call, this museum traces Girona’s significant medieval Jewish community and offers essential context for the quarter.
Browse Rambla de la Llibertat
This arcaded shopping street, one of Girona’s oldest, offers cafés and shops beneath elegant medieval porticoes.
Where to Stay in Girona
Girona is compact enough that most central neighbourhoods keep you within walking distance of the main sights. The right base mainly depends on whether you prioritise the old town or the riverside.
Barri Vell (Old Town)
Staying within the old town puts Girona Cathedral, the Call and the medieval walls all within easy walking distance, making it the best base for a first visit.
Near the Onyar River
Staying close to the riverside puts you right by the colourful houses, with easy access to both the old town and newer districts.
Eixample District
This more modern district offers a practical, less touristy base with good shopping and dining, a short walk from the old town.
Near the Train Station
A practical base for arriving with luggage or planning day trips to Figueres or Barcelona.
What to Eat in Girona
Girona has a genuinely serious culinary reputation, home to some of Catalonia’s finest restaurants. These are some of the dishes and specialities worth looking out for during your visit.
Fideuà
This Catalan seafood dish, similar in spirit to paella but made with short noodles instead of rice, is a genuine regional specialty worth seeking out.
Botifarra amb Mongetes
This traditional Catalan sausage served with white beans is a genuine hearty local classic found on traditional menus throughout Girona.
DO Empordà Wine
The nearby Empordà wine region produces excellent local wines, well represented in Girona’s restaurants and wine bars.
Crema Catalana
This Catalan take on custard dessert, with its signature caramelised sugar crust, is a genuine regional classic worth trying.
Fine Dining
Girona’s surrounding area is home to some of Spain’s most celebrated restaurants, reflecting the region’s genuinely serious culinary reputation.
Best Day Trips from Girona
Girona’s position in Catalonia makes it an excellent base for reaching dramatic coastline and charming historic towns. These are three we would consider first if you have extra time.
Costa Brava
This dramatic stretch of Catalan coastline, with its rugged cliffs and charming coastal towns, offers one of the most rewarding day trips from Girona.
Figueres
This nearby town is home to the extraordinary Dalí Theatre-Museum, offering a genuinely unmissable surrealist art experience.
Besalú
This exceptionally well-preserved medieval town, with its iconic fortified bridge, offers a genuinely picturesque and relaxed day trip.
Barcelona
Catalonia’s vibrant capital is an easy train ride from Girona, making a day trip genuinely simple for those short on time.
Getting Around Girona
Girona’s old town is compact and walkable, with buses useful for reaching the airport and outer neighbourhoods.
Airport to city centre
Girona-Costa Brava Airport is around 12 km from the centre, with a bus taking around 20–25 minutes.
Walking
The old town is compact and pedestrian-friendly, with Girona Cathedral, the Call and the medieval walls all within easy walking distance.
Local buses
City buses cover areas beyond the compact old town, though most visitors find walking sufficient within the centre.
Train connections
Girona’s train station has fast connections to Barcelona and Figueres, making day trips genuinely straightforward.
Car for the Costa Brava
A car is genuinely useful for exploring the Costa Brava or Besalú at your own pace, though buses also serve some destinations.
Buses for day trips
Regional buses connect Girona to the Costa Brava and Besalú, useful for those without a car.
MapMagnet tip
Explore the old town entirely on foot, and use the train for day trips to Barcelona or Figueres. A car becomes genuinely useful for exploring the Costa Brava or Besalú in depth.
Best Time to Visit Girona
Girona works well across most seasons, with the Costa Brava coastline adding a genuine summer dimension to the usual seasonal trade-offs.
Spring
A pleasant time to visit, with mild temperatures and comfortable conditions for exploring the old town on foot.
Summer
Warm and busy, with excellent conditions for combining city sightseeing with Costa Brava beach time.
Autumn
An excellent season, with warm days, fewer crowds than summer and pleasant conditions for exploring the medieval walls.
Winter
Mild by northern European standards, making Girona a genuinely comfortable winter city break option.
MapMagnet tip
For a good balance of weather and manageable crowds, aim for April, May or September. If Costa Brava beach time is a priority, June to August offers the best conditions for combining city and coast.
Know Before You Go
A few practical Girona tips can make your trip smoother. These are the things we would want to know before arriving.
Card payments are widely accepted
Most restaurants, shops and attractions in Girona take cards, though it is worth carrying some cash for smaller stalls.
Wear comfortable shoes
The old town’s cobbled streets are charming but can be tough on your feet over a full day of sightseeing.
Book the Cathedral and Call in advance
These popular sights can involve queues in peak season, so booking online ahead of time saves significant time.
Know there is more beyond the famous filming locations
Girona has genuinely become a major Game of Thrones filming spot, but the city’s real historic substance extends well beyond that recent fame.
Learn a little Catalan alongside Spanish
Catalan is genuinely the primary local language, and a few basic phrases are appreciated by locals.
MapMagnet tip
Look past the riverside postcard view to the Call’s quieter streets and the cathedral’s genuine architectural weight. Girona holds up to closer inspection well beyond its famous photo spot.
Suggested Itineraries for Girona
If we were visiting Girona for the first time, this is how we would spend our time. These simple itineraries are designed to help you experience the city without over-planning every hour.
Girona Highlights
A compact route focused on Girona’s riverside views and historic quarters.
Morning
Girona Cathedral and Sant Feliu Basilica
Lunch
Fideuà in the old town
Afternoon
The Call and the medieval walls
Evening
The Eiffel Bridge at sunset and dinner nearby
The balanced getaway
A two-day plan mixing Girona’s riverside views, Jewish heritage and medieval walls.
Day 1
Girona Cathedral, the Call and Rambla de la Llibertat
Day 2
The medieval city walls and Jewish History Museum
Evening
Dinner and drinks in the old town
Girona and Catalonia
A slower trip with time for the city’s highlights plus day trips into the surrounding Catalan coast and countryside.
Day 1
Girona Cathedral, Sant Feliu Basilica and the Call
Day 2
Medieval city walls and Jewish History Museum
Day 3
Colourful houses walk and Rambla de la Llibertat
Day 4
Day trip to Figueres
Day 5
Day trip to Besalú or the Costa Brava
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Similar destinations
Explore other destinations with the same colourful riverside charm, remarkable Jewish heritage or beautifully preserved medieval old town.
Toledo
A fellow Spanish city with a remarkable, well-preserved historic Jewish quarter and dramatic setting, echoing Girona’s own layered heritage.
Ljubljana
A city with its own colourful buildings lining a river through a charming old town, closely echoing Girona’s riverside visual identity.
Ghent
A fellow colourful canal city with a beautifully preserved medieval centre, sharing Girona’s postcard-worthy riverside charm.
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