3 Days in Girona, Spain: Exploring History, Food and Costa Brava

What Makes Girona Worth Visiting?

What’s not to love about Girona?

This Catalan city is packed with history, charm, and amazing food, yet it somehow still feels underrated. It’s over 2,000 years old, and you can see its past everywhere—from the medieval walls to the Gothic cathedral towering over the old town.

Walking through Girona feels like stepping into another time. The Jewish Quarter is one of the best-preserved in Europe, with its narrow, winding streets full of stories. The Eiffel Bridge, designed by the same guy behind the Eiffel Tower, gives you a perfect view of the colorful houses lining the Onyar River—a sight you’ll want to capture from every angle.

And if you’re a Game of Thrones fan? Girona doubled as parts of King’s Landing in Season 6, something we didn’t realize until locals excitedly told us.

Of course, the food is reason enough to visit. Girona is home to the legendary xuixo pastry, some of the best jamón, and one of the most famous restaurants in the world, El Celler de Can Roca. Plus, it’s an easy starting point for a trip to Costa Brava, where the coastline will completely steal your heart.

How to Spend 3 Days in Girona

After disembarking from our cruise, we picked up a rental car and drove from Barcelona to Girona. The journey takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes on the highway, making it straightforward.

Side note: Driving outside of Barcelona was easier than expected. My husband drove the entire time, and we found the traffic and navigation much more manageable than what we’re used to in Los Angeles.

Pit Stop in Besalú

On the way to Girona, we stopped in Besalú, a small medieval town known for its well-preserved historic center. Walking under the main gate and across the Romanesque bridge over the Fluvià River felt like stepping onto a movie set.

The only downside? The flies. It had been raining, and the town’s surrounding moat likely contributed to the swarm that greeted us. Despite that, Besalú was a charming stop.

Heavy rain cut short our time in Besalú, so we ducked into the first café we found—Can Cintet—and ended up with a fantastic meal. We had a three-course prix fixe lunch, a common offering in Catalonia during the mid-afternoon. If you see flan on the menu, get it—it was the perfect ending to our meal. Once the rain let up, we explored a bit more before deciding to continue on to Girona.

Arriving in Girona

We booked an Airbnb in Girona’s old town, and to my surprise, it was just down the street from the Girona Cathedral. The moment we entered the historic center, we were speechless at the sight of it. I literally stopped in my tracks and just said, “Wow, wow, wow,” completely losing the rest of my vocabulary.

With our luggage in tow, we found ourselves standing at the bottom of the cathedral’s massive staircase, along with a few others, just gawking. Photos don’t do it justice—not even the Game of Thrones scenes filmed here. Seeing it in person? Completely different experience.

The Girona Cathedral is a stunning mix of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. Its entrance is reached via an enormous staircase. The cathedral dominates the old town skyline, making it impossible to miss.

Once we got over the initial shock, we checked into our Airbnb, precisely as described. (If you’d like the link to where we stayed, feel free to reach out!) After dropping off our luggage, we returned to the cathedral for a closer look—only for the skies to open again with another downpour.

Dinner from Volver Empanadas

After a long day, we opted for takeout and found Volver Empanadas, a local gem. Every empanada we tried was fantastic, but the roasted eggplant stood out. We loved it so much that we ate here twice during our stay.

With a week of nonstop travel behind us, a quiet night in with great food and some TV was exactly what we needed before diving into Girona’s sights the next day.

Day 2: Exploring Girona

We packed in most of Girona’s highlights on our first full day. If you’re considering a Barcelona to Girona day trip, you could cover many of these in just one day.

Food & Walking Tour with Girona Food Tours

Whenever we stay in a city for more than a couple of days, we always try to book a food tour—it’s the best way to experience local culture through food. We knew it had to be part of our trip when we found Girona Food Tours. They typically don’t offer tours on Mondays, but they graciously accommodated us.

This tour ended up being the highlight of our time in Girona. It took up half the day, and we were fed well. Our guide, Patricia, was fantastic—and we say that with the same enthusiasm she had while sharing her city and its traditional foods with us. As a foodie and a Girona local, she was the perfect person for the job.

Beyond the food, we loved hearing the local legends tied to different parts of the city. The walking tour took us through Girona’s main highlights, including Eiffel Bridge, the Jewish Quarter, and Mercado del Lleó, with stops along the way to sample local specialties. Patricia also shared behind-the-scenes stories about Game of Thrones, since parts of Season 6 were filmed here. At the time, we hadn’t seen the show, so we didn’t realize we were walking through filming locations! The locals were very proud to share Girona’s role in the series.

Food-wise, a couple of things stood out:

• Xuixo – A local Girona pastry that quickly became a favorite.
• Jamón culture – Hubby loved tasting different cuts of jamón and even got a lesson in slicing. Spoiler: it’s way harder than it looks!

By the end of the tour, Patricia gave us great restaurant recommendations, and we left with full stomachs and a deeper appreciation for Girona’s food scene. We highly recommend Girona Food Tours, especially because their business card reads: “WTF (Where’s the food)”—a motto we can fully get behind.

Tour Ideas:
Walking Tour in Girona History and Gastronomy with Tasting [book here]
The Original Girona Food & Market Tour [book here]

Visiting the Cathedral of Girona

Later that day, we finally explored the interior of the Girona Cathedral—something we almost skipped. After visiting so many churches in Europe, they can start to blur together, but this one stands out.

The cathedral’s Gothic architecture is breathtaking, and the sheer scale of the space makes an impression as soon as you walk in. Climbing the 100+ steps (we lost count) to reach the entrance is a small effort for such a spectacular sight. It’s absolutely worth it—both for the views and the experience inside.

Walking the City Wall

After the cathedral, we set out to walk the ancient city wall, which offers incredible panoramic views of Girona. One of the entrances is right behind the cathedral, making it an easy next stop.

Walking along the medieval walls, you get a different perspective of the city. From up here, the mix of historic rooftops, rolling hills, and the winding streets of the old town make for some stunning photo ops.

Day 3: Day Trips from Girona

Morning Café con Leche at Casamoner

On our final morning in Girona, we returned to Casamoner, a café we discovered on our food tour—the place where we first met xuixo and instantly fell in love. This flaky, fried pastry, stuffed with Catalan cream and rolled in cinnamon sugar, is Girona’s signature treat—and absolutely delicious.

We started the day with a café con leche and a xuixo, the perfect pairing before heading off on a day trip to Costa Brava. If you’re ever in Girona, this is a great spot for café con leche, pastries, or a light sandwich.

Day Trip to Tossa de Mar

Our plan was to visit Tossa de Mar, a coastal town in Costa Brava, about an hour’s drive from Girona, but the rain had us second-guessing. Thankfully, as soon as we arrived, the rain stopped and the sun came out—as if Costa Brava was welcoming us. Okay, maybe not exactly like that, but we were grateful for the change in weather!

Tossa de Mar is a stunning coastal town with sandy beaches, dramatic cliffs, and a medieval castle perched on a hill overlooking the bay. We walked along the shore, explored the old town, and hiked up to Castle Hill, where the views were even more breathtaking than we expected. Behind the castle, on the other side of the bay, is La Mar Menuda, a scenic spot with incredible ocean views.

Just as we finished exploring, it started raining again, so we got back in the car, hoping to outrun the storm. And sure enough, at some point, the rain stopped again. Do you see the pattern?

A Quick Stop in Pals

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A post shared by Kathy | Coffee • Food • Travel (@tastyitinerary) on Dec 3, 2018 at 8:32am PST

Checking our GPS for nearby towns, we made a quick detour to Pals, a small medieval town in the province of Girona. Cobblestone streets, stone archways, and charming old buildings made it feel like something out of a fairy tale—quiet, picturesque, and perfect for slowing down.

We stopped at a local café for a few tapas and drinks before returning to Girona. It was a short visit, but Pals left an impression. If you love small historic towns, this one is worth a stop.

Last Night in Girona

We made it back to Girona before nightfall, but instead of calling it a night, we did one last thing—wandering the old town after dark.

At night, Girona takes on a completely different atmosphere. The tourists are gone, the shops are closed, and the streets are quiet, with only a few bars and restaurants open for late-night diners. The dimly lit alleyways and historic buildings create a peaceful, almost romantic vibe.

Tour Ideas:
Half-Day Game Of Thrones Walking Tour in Girona [book here]
Girona Walking Tour Small Group from Girona [book here]
Girona Private History Tour [book here]

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