Girona is one of the most complete medieval cities in Europe, and one of the least visited relative to its quality. An hour north of Barcelona by train, it has a well-preserved Jewish quarter, an extraordinary cathedral, Roman walls you can walk along the top of, and a river lined with tall coloured houses that have been photographed from the same bridge for about two centuries. It is very manageable for a day trip from Barcelona, though it rewards a night or two if you have the time.
A little history
Girona has been inhabited for a very long time and by a number of different peoples, which accounts for the unusual layering of its old city. The Romans built a fortified settlement here — Gerunda — in the first century BC, on a hill above the junction of several rivers. The Moors held the city from the early eighth century until Charlemagne’s forces took it in 785, and it became part of the Carolingian March. The Jewish community that established itself here from the ninth century onwards built one of the most significant centres of Jewish scholarship in medieval Europe. The Call — Girona’s Jewish quarter — was a self-contained world of synagogues, schools, and densely packed houses that survived remarkably intact. The community was expelled in 1492 along with all Jews in Spain.
Girona was also, by the late 2010s, a set. The city appeared extensively in the sixth season of Game of Thrones as several locations — Braavos for much of it, where Arya Stark trained at the House of Black and White, and parts of King’s Landing and the Citadel. The Cathedral steps stood in for the Great Sept of Baelor. The Sant Domènec stairs were where Arya was chased by the Waif. The Arab Baths served as the interior of the House of Black and White. This is mentioned here so you can decide in advance whether you want to follow the trail or quietly ignore it; the city works perfectly well either way.
What to see
The Cathedral sits at the top of a flight of 90 steps and is worth the climb several times over. It is a Gothic structure with elements spanning from the eleventh to the eighteenth century — begun Romanesque, extended and transformed over the centuries, finished with a Baroque façade. The nave is the widest Gothic nave in the world: 22.98 metres across, built in the fourteenth century by a bishop who declined to follow the conventional plan of a nave flanked by aisles, and was vindicated by the result. The treasury contains the Tapestry of the Creation, an eleventh-century Romanesque embroidery depicting the world’s creation, which is one of the most significant surviving medieval textiles in existence. Open daily; admission approximately €7.50 (check current hours on the cathedral website, as they vary by season — roughly 10am to 5:30pm in winter, to 7:30pm in high summer).
The Jewish Quarter (El Call) is a short walk from the Cathedral and constitutes one of the best-preserved medieval Jewish neighbourhoods anywhere in Europe. The streets are narrow enough that two people pass with some negotiation, the buildings lean towards each other overhead, and it is genuinely atmospheric rather than merely restored. The Museum of Jewish History (Centre Bonastruc ça Porta) sits on the site of Girona’s main synagogue and covers the community’s history through eleven rooms; admission around €4. Worth an unhurried hour.
The Arab Baths (Banys Àrabs) are a twelfth-century public bathhouse — built in 1194, which makes them Romanesque rather than genuinely Moorish, though the design draws directly on Arab and Roman bathing traditions. The central room, with its small pool beneath a skylight supported by slender columns, is one of the more quietly beautiful spaces in the city. Admission is a few euros; check locally for current pricing. Open daily except during civic events.
The City Walls — Girona’s Roman and medieval walls survive in good condition and can be walked along the top for much of their length. The section that runs above the old city offers views over the cathedral, the old town’s roofscape, and on a clear day out towards the Pyrenees. Free to walk; accessible at various points around the old town.
The Onyar River Houses are the image most people associate with Girona: tall, closely packed houses painted in ochre, rust, yellow, and terracotta, reflected in the river below. The best view is from the Pont de Ferro (Iron Bridge), a footbridge designed by Gustave Eiffel’s firm in the 1870s. The houses are better seen in the morning before the light becomes flat. They are private residences, not museums, which perhaps explains why they look genuinely lived in.
Eating and drinking
Girona’s food scene is quietly serious. The city has been home to El Celler de Can Roca — for several years ranked among the best restaurants in the world — though booking there involves a waiting list measured in months. The old town has good restaurants at more accessible prices; look around the streets between the Cathedral and the Rambla. The local market (Mercat del Lleó) on Plaça del Lleó is the better introduction to what the region produces.
Getting there
Girona is served by frequent trains from Barcelona Sants — the journey takes around 38 minutes on high-speed services or around an hour on regional trains. Services run at least hourly throughout the day. Girona also has its own airport, primarily used by Ryanair for budget flights from across Europe. The city itself is compact and best explored entirely on foot.
Cost and hours
The old town, city walls, and riverfront are free. Cathedral: approximately €7.50; hours vary by season (roughly 10am–5:30pm winter, 10am–7:30pm summer). Arab Baths: a few euros, open daily. Jewish History Museum: approximately €4. The Pont de Ferro and all outdoor public spaces are free at all times.