Girona Tourist Guide

To many, Girona is an airport and not a city - a cheap way of getting to Spain with Ryanair and not a city worth visiting for its own merits. But there is actually quite a bit to do in Girona.

A popular day trip from Barcelona takes in Figueres and Girona.

See Pictures of Girona.

Whenever Ryanair have their flights to Girona at rock bottom prices (which is quite often). Read more about Cheap Flights to Spain.

• Take a look at the cathedral - it has the widest Gothic nave in Europe.
• On the other side of the cathedral is the Passeig Archeologic, a beautiful set of gardens.
• Watch the world go by in Plaça de la Independencia, Plaça del Vi and Plaça de la Catedral.
• Check out Girona's museums - there's one on art, one on cinema and one on archeology.
• Wander through The Call, Giron's Jewish quarter.

If you're coming in to Girona on one of those early morning Ryanair flights, then you should at least spend your first day and night here. You could fill a second day with the city's museums.

Read more on How Long to Stay in Each City in Spain.

For Hotels in Girona, check out the following links:

• Hotels in Girona with Venere (book direct)

If you're after a budget-priced bed in a dorm, try Hostelworld.

Ever considered a home exchange? A bit like couch surfing for grown-ups, Home Exchange is a website where you post details of your home online and arrange a swap for a week or two, whereby they come and stay in your home and you stay in theirs. A single home exchange will pay for itself in terms of membership fee and you can use the service as often as you want for no extra charge. Check out HomeExchange.com.

One of the best things about Girona is that it makes many places in northern Catalonia much more accessible than if you were trying to get to them from Barcelona. Some of the most important sights include the Dali museum in Figueres and the volcanoes at Olot.To Barcelona, of course.For car hire in Girona, check out the following links:

• Car Hire in Girona (book direct)
• Compare Car Hire Prices in Girona (book direct)

From Barcelona 100km - 1hr by car, 1h30 by train. No convenient bus.

From Madrid 700km - 7hrs by car. No train or bus.

From Seville 1124km - 12h by car. No train or bus.

Check Prices on Flights to Girona

Check Prices on Trains to Girona or look at getting a Rail Pass.

Check Prices on Buses to Girona

Don't let the disgruntled British tourists who thought Girona was a suburb of Barcelona put you off - Girona is a perfect first stop on your Spanish vacation.

Take the short walk from the bus/train station across c/Barcelona and Gran Via de Jaume I. Cross the river and you'll find the tourist information center on Rambla de la Libertat, where you can get a good map of the area.

The streets and squares around the information center, such as c/ dels Ciutadans, Plaça del Vi and the aforementioned Rambla de la Libertat, have a number of pleasant cafes and bars. They vary greatly in price and quality - avoid the really cheap stuff aimed at tourists and go for something two or three euros more - it'll be a lot better.

Beyond these streets is where things get really interesting, with a number of squares, narrow streets and churches, before you come across the cathedral. But don't stop there, continue on past the cathedral to find some beautiful gardens.

Once the interesting sights dry up, turn back on yourself, cross over the river and visit Plaça de la Independencia, a vibrant square that is perfect for finishing off your walk.