Things To Do In Girona And The Ultimate Guide To Spain’s Best Kept Secret

Spain gets incredibly crowded. Everyone rushes to the massive cities. They wait in long, hot lines. Visitors pay way too much money for bad food. It gets entirely exhausting. The travel industry constantly pushes cheap tours to packed places. 

Look, you can just ignore all that noise. Just a short train ride away sits a much better option. This city is beautifully quiet. It boasts a deep, rich history. It actually feels like a real place instead of a fake theme park. 

Today is May 2026. Summer is approaching very fast. Planning a trip early is a truly smart move. This town features ancient stone streets. Bright colorful houses line the peaceful water. The local food tastes genuinely fantastic. People living there actually welcome visitors with a warm smile. 

Finding the perfect Things To Do In Girona takes a little bit of insider knowledge. Avoid following huge crowds of tourists with bright umbrellas. Dig a little deeper. You will easily uncover the real magic of this medieval destination.

Walk The Ancient Roman City Walls

Consider the massive stone walls surrounding the old town. Locals call them the Passeig de la Muralla. The ancient Romans built the very first parts of this wall. Later groups added more heavy stones to make it stronger. 

Now, anyone can walk right along the top. The entire walk costs absolutely nothing. Honestly, free activities that deliver amazing views are incredibly rare. You get a perfect look at the whole city. You can even spot distant mountains on a clear day.

But listen closely. The stairs are completely brutal. Your legs will definitely burn. Wear decent walking sneakers. Please do not wear thin flip-flops. People always wear silly shoes and then complain loudly about the pain. That gets extremely annoying to watch. 

The stone path stretches for a very long distance. Old watchtowers stand along the route. Climb up inside the dark towers for an even better photograph. The view from the tiny windows is spectacular. You can see ancient rooftops spreading out below.

Morning remains the absolute best time for this walk. The morning air stays crisp and cool. Massive tourist buses have not arrived yet. By noon, the hot sun beats down extremely hard. There is zero shade up on that wall. Sunset looks beautiful, but the morning is completely empty. Empty is always the better choice for smart travelers.

Spot The Bright Houses On The Onyar River

Water completely changes the vibe of a city. The Onyar River cuts right through the middle of this town. Tall houses lean heavily over the banks on both sides. They wear crazy, vibrant colors. 

You will spot mustard yellow walls. Burnt orange balconies hang over the rushing water. Brick red roofs complete the beautiful scene. It looks exactly like an old painting. Travel magazines love putting these colorful houses on their covers. That sells a lot of magazines. Actually seeing it in real life brings a totally different feeling.

You need to stand on a bridge for the perfect view. Many different bridges cross the river here. The Eiffel Bridge is definitely the most famous one. A famous man named Gustave Eiffel designed it. Yes, he built that massive iron tower in Paris. The famous builder finished this small red bridge first. 

It looks like a giant metal cage stretched over the water. Walk across the thick wooden planks. Feel the metal shake just a tiny bit. It remains perfectly safe. Still, the shaking makes your heart beat much faster.

The Stone Bridge sits nearby. It feels thick and incredibly heavy. There is absolutely no shaking on that solid bridge. From there, the bright houses reflect perfectly in the calm water. That colorful reflection creates pure magic for photography. 

Cross your fingers for a sunny day. The colors practically glow in the bright sunlight. Rain just makes the town look sad and gray. Umbrellas block the narrow sidewalks. Wet cobblestones turn into slippery traps. Interestingly, the city smells like river mud and baking bread. It sounds strange, but visitors quickly grow to love it.

Climb The Huge Cathedral Of Saint Mary

Churches in Europe are basically everywhere. Seriously, every single town has a massive church. But the Cathedral of Saint Mary stands out completely. It sits proudly on top of a giant hill. 

A visitor must climb 91 stone steps just to reach the front doors. Those steps are world famous. They also feel incredibly exhausting. Take plenty of time climbing up. Sit on a stone step halfway up the hill. Watch unprepared people struggling below you. It honestly provides very decent entertainment.

Inside the building, the stone ceiling looks massive. It officially boasts the widest Gothic nave in the entire world. A nave is the main empty space inside the church. There are absolutely no thick columns holding up the center. 

The ancient builders were completely crazy to even try it. It looks like the heavy roof should instantly collapse. Yet, it has stood strong for many centuries. That simply proves they used fantastic engineering.

Visitors must pay a small fee to go inside. Some tourists complain about the cheap ticket price. Just pay the money anyway. Your ticket also includes a pass to a cool little museum. 

This museum holds a famous cloth called the Tapestry of Creation. This massive fabric is incredibly ancient. It features colorful thread pictures of animals and stars. Old kings and priests used to wear the heavy gold crowns sitting in the glass cases. Now, remember to stay quiet inside. Security guards get extremely mad at loud voices.

Get Lost In The Old Jewish Quarter

El Call is the historic Jewish Quarter. The entire area feels like a complete maze. These old streets are incredibly narrow. Sometimes, a person can touch both stone walls at the exact same time. 

The ground features rough, uneven cobblestones. Tiny plastic wheels on heavy suitcases make a terrible noise here. So, carry your bags instead of rolling them. 

This neighborhood remains one of the best kept historic areas in Europe. Hundreds of years ago, a large Jewish community lived here peacefully. They built busy schools and lovely public baths. Then, bad rulers forced them to leave their homes. 

It carries a very dark history. The city finally respects that difficult past today. The Museum of Jewish History sits right in the middle of the maze. Go inside the building. Look closely at the old stone carvings. Read the sad stories. Travel involves learning hard facts, not just eating sweet ice cream.

Outside the museum doors, dark alleys twist and turn. People always get lost. Actually, everyone gets lost eventually. A cell phone map will absolutely not work. Thick stone walls block the internet signal completely. 

Just keep walking forward. Eventually, you will find a hidden courtyard. A tiny stone fountain might drip clean water. A lazy cat might sleep in a warm patch of sun. Small shops sell really nice handmade jewelry. Skip the cheap plastic magnets. Buy something real from a local artist. Support the actual people living in the neighborhood.

Track Down Famous Movie Filming Spots

Hollywood ruins a lot of good places. A massively famous television show filmed many scenes here. Maybe folks watched the big dragon show. Maybe they never saw a single episode. Either way, crazy fans ruined the peace and quiet for a while. They dressed up in heavy costumes. They swung plastic swords around the peaceful streets. It looked completely ridiculous. But the crazy hype has mostly died down now. The city feels perfectly normal again.

The filming locations are still very cool to see. The giant cathedral steps hosted a huge dramatic scene. An actor actually rode a horse straight up the stairs. That is totally wild to think about. 

The narrow streets in the Jewish Quarter appeared in a fight scene. Fans can stand in the exact same spots. Comparing the real street to the television screen is honestly fun. 

Other movies filmed here too. The entire city looks exactly like a perfect movie set. It features old stone arches and dark mysterious shadows. Some lazy tour guides charge fifty bucks just to point at a wall. They will proudly say a famous actor touched it. Save your money. Smart travelers easily find simple maps online for free. Walk around the city alone. Treat it exactly like a giant treasure hunt.

Taste Real Catalan Food And Sweet Treats

Food always acts as the best part of any trip. Forget about your strict diet. Catalonia serves wild and tasty food. Locals deeply care about what they put on their plates. 

They definitely do not eat dinner at six in the evening. Tourists wanting dinner that early will get bad microwave food. Real restaurants open around eight at night. Travelers really must get used to this late schedule.

A person simply must eat a local pastry called an Xuixo. Bakers fry the dough in hot oil. They stuff it full of sweet cream. Then, they roll the entire thing in thick sugar. 

It tastes like a delicious heart attack inside a paper bag. It might be the best thing anyone will ever eat. Buy one from a real bakery early in the morning. By noon, they sit in the hot sun and get terribly soggy. Nobody wants to eat soggy dough.

Try the traditional local sausage. It looks thick and very juicy. Chefs serve it hot with soft white beans. It is basic peasant food. Interestingly, peasant food literally always tastes the best. 

Drink the local table water. It remains perfectly safe. Order the sweet crema catalana for dessert. It features a hard shell of burnt sugar right on top. Crack the dark sugar with a metal spoon. It sounds exactly like breaking glass. 

Stay far away from places holding shiny plastic menus. Menus written in eight different languages mean trouble. Those places operate as giant tourist traps. Eat where old men sit playing cards in the corner. That serves as the golden rule of traveling.

Smart Tips For Dodging Tourist Traps

Here’s the thing. Traveling easily becomes highly frustrating. Things frequently go wrong on the road. Trains get terribly delayed. Pickpockets sometimes steal unguarded wallets. 

This city remains mostly safe. But people still need to use their brains. Read these incredibly blunt facts to survive the trip without crying.

First, the old stones get very slippery. Rain turns the streets into dangerous ice rinks. Wear comfortable shoes with solid grip. A twisted ankle ruins a vacation extremely fast. 

Second, learn five simple words of the local language. Do not just speak Spanish. Try to speak a little Catalan. Say a quick greeting in the morning. Say thank you when buying hot coffee. Local workers always treat polite people much better. Bartenders get very tired of rude tourists shouting loudly in English.

Third, beware the afternoon break. Small shops often close right around noon. They absolutely do not open again until late afternoon. Do not plan a huge shopping trip directly after lunch. The streets look just like an empty ghost town. Go take a nice nap instead. Naps are always a fantastic idea. 

Fourth, completely skip the expensive taxi rides. The fast train from Barcelona works perfectly fine. That high-speed train takes roughly 38 minutes. A taxi takes over an hour and costs an absolute fortune. Work smarter instead of harder.

Wrapping Up Your Spanish Adventure

So, that is the honest deal with this old city. It feels tough and beautiful at the exact same time. Visitors will walk until their feet ache. They will eat amazing local food until their pants feel uncomfortably tight. 

It remains a deeply honest place. The town has not completely sold its soul to the cheap tourist dollar yet. That fact feels incredibly rare these days.

Do not rush the experience. Do not try running through all the historic sights in three hours. That fully defeats the whole purpose of traveling. Finding enjoyable Things To Do In Girona requires slowing down. Sit quietly on a wooden bench. Watch the river gently flow by. 

Listen to the heavy church bells ring. The old bells sound extremely loud. They will absolutely wake people up early in the morning. Just accept it. Enjoy the slow and steady pace of daily life.

The world currently moves entirely too fast. Everyone stays constantly glued to a tiny glowing screen. This city physically forces visitors to look up. People look up at the massive cathedrals. They admire the colorful painted houses. They watch the actual human beings walking around them. 

Bring a good warm jacket in the winter. Pack lots of sunscreen during the summer. Just buy a train ticket and go. Travelers will never regret spending a few slow days wandering these ancient stone streets.

FAQs

What is the best month to visit this city?

May or September remain the absolute best choices. The weather feels cool and highly comfortable. Summer months get dangerously hot. Large tour groups also crowd the streets during July and August.

Do locals speak English?

Many younger people speak English very well. Older folks mostly speak Catalan and Spanish. Learning a simple hello in the local language always helps you make friends.

Are the streets easy for a stroller or wheelchair?

No, they are very difficult to navigate. The old town has incredibly steep hills. Rough cobblestones make rolling anything very hard. Many interesting places only feature tall stone stairs.

Is the train station close to the old town?

Yes, it sits very close. A person can easily walk from the main train station to the historic center. The entire walk only takes about fifteen minutes.

Can you drink the tap water safely?

The tap water is perfectly safe to drink. Carry a reusable plastic bottle. Fill it up at the public fountains to easily save your money.