How To Spend The Best One Day In Girona From Barcelona

Thinking of doing a Girona day trip? If you’re travelling through Spain, and if you’re staying in Barcelona, it’s well worth spending at least one day in Girona.

Girona is a small town in Catalonia region in Spain, close to Barcelona. You might’ve heard of it before as a filming location for Game of Thrones, but it’s also known for some of the best views in Spain.

I’ll go over the best things to do in Girona from what to do, where to eat, and even where to stay. This way you can make the most of your one day in Girona Spain?

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

Where Is Girona?

Girona is a small medieval town in the province of Girona in the North of Spain. It’s in the middle of Barcelona and Figueres. It’s around a 30 minute train ride from both Barcelona and Figueres.

Why Is Girona Spain Worth Visiting?

Girona is worth visiting because there’s a lot of different things to do in Girona that you’re bound to find something you’ll want to do.

First off, you can visit Girona for the view alone, it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve visiting in Spain, and I’m saying this coming from Barcelona (with all the Gaudì architecture!).

The views you’ll see when you visit this city are unreal! From river reflections to skyline views, it seems like they have it all!

But there’s also a huge historical aspect to Girona. You’re transported back in time visiting the old city walls, and unique historical landmarks. You learn a different side of Spanish history in Girona.

One day in Girona is definitely a must do if you’re in Spain, and you might even want to stay longer!

Where To Stay In Girona

A Girona day trip might not be enough time for you to explore this wonderful city, so you may want to stay overnight. I mean, you definitely won’t be able to visit all the museums with just one day in Girona!

Girona is such a small city that there really isn’t a bad location to stay in. As long as you’re in the city centre, you’re in the heart of all the action.

I didn’t end up staying over night, but they had a great night life scene that I would have loved to check out. Here are some accommodations I found in Girona.

Full Location: Little Home Girona offers you quite literally, a little home in the heart of Girona. You’ll be able to live like a local in a fully equipped apartment just 350 feet from both the Arabian baths and the Cathedral. See rates & availability.

Best View: Girona Santa Clara is the perfect place to stay for a romantic weekend getaway. The apartment has an outdoor patio with unbeatable view of the Onyar River and the colourful apartments of Girona. See rates & availability.

Budget-Friendly Bed and Breakfast: Bed & Breakfast Bells Oficis is the place to stay for a personal Girona experience. A delicious breakfast is also included with your stay of course! See rates & availability.

For more accommodation options, click here.

How To Get From Barcelona To Girona By Train?

The easiest and quickest way to get to Girona is to take the train (it’s even faster than driving!). But, there are a few things to watch out for when you go from Barcelona to Girona by train.

First, there are two options to get to Girona from Barcelona-Sants. There’s a fast train that’ll get you there in 38 minutes, and a slow one that could take up to 2 hours. In case it wasn’t obvious, you want the one that gets you there in 38 minutes, it’s more expensive but it’s worth it. We were able to find one-way tickets for €13- €17 (see updated prices).

Once you’re at the train station in Barcelona, it’s a bit confusing to know where to go as well.

You won’t see Girona on the departures screen. Instead, look for Figueres-Valifant, that’s your final destination. So be aware when you have to get off the train, otherwise you’ll end up in Figueres. Also, don’t freak out if the train number doesn’t match up, it would often have a different number, I still haven’t figured out why though. 

You’ll also want to be prepared to go through security if you booked the fast train. Make sure to leave enough time before your train leaves in case there’s a line. 

Side note: You can also go on a day trip to Figueres from Barcelona, it’s an extra 10 minutes past Girona on the train. If you love Salvador Dalí then a trip here is a must! Figueres is his hometown, and where his largest collection is. If you’re interested, check out my post on what to expect from a day trip to Figueres!

Arriving In Girona By Train

Once you arrive in Girona, the train station is about a 10-minute walk from the city centre. Remember where you came from when you leave the train station (next to Café Pans).

You have to go back there for your train home. It’s confusing because there aren’t any signs and its oddly passed the regular train station.

Don’t judge Girona by your first impressions. The area around the train station is nothing special and even when you first see the river it’s VERY underwhelming (but don’t worry the picture perfect view is there, it’s just a bit further). 

The Game of Thrones Girona Connection

Girona’s biggest claim to fame is that it was a filming destination for the sixth season of HBOs hit series Game of Thrones. If you were a fan (until season 7 at least) you might recognize it as parts of Kings Landing, Braavos, and Old Town.

Even if you never watched Game of Thrones, it’s still worth visiting these spots to get lost in Girona’s enchanting medieval alleyways and architecture.

Where Is Kings Landing Set In Girona

The set for Kings Landing is Girona Church, one of the main attractions in the city. It was used to film the Great Sept of Baelor. The steps are where Margaery Tyrell had her planned walk of atonement.

You might notice when you visit that the church isn’t on the water like it is in the show, that’s because that background was CGI. They set up green screens on the buildings at the bottom of the grand staircase.

Where Is Braavos In Girona

There are a few areas in Girona that Game of Thrones used as Braavos, but the most recognizable is The Pujada de Sant Domènec. It’s used for the scene where Arya is escaping from the waif.

It might be hard to recognize because when Arya was running down the stairs there was an entire market set up.

The rest of her escape was filmed in the Jewish Quarter. Make a point to walk around its narrow streets and admire the architecture.

Things To Do In Girona

There’s quite a lot of things to do on a Girona day trip!

Visit The Old Jewish Quarter Of Girona?

Back in the day, I’m talking like in the 1400s, Girona had one of the largest Jewish populations in Europe. Then the Spanish inquisition happened in 1478 and the Jewish people either fled or were killed. Kind of crazy how there haven’t been Jews there for so long but it’s still known as the Jewish Quarter.

As I said, it’s a must-see on a Girona day trip because it’s the nicest (well really the oldest) part of town. It’s made up of cobblestone streets, charming stairways, and archways. You can very easily get lost in the maze of streets in the centre of town.

If you’re interested in learning more about Jewish history in Girona they have a museum you can visit.

Explore The Old City Walls

Exploring the old city walls was my favourite thing to do in one day in Girona. It’s made even better by being totally free to visit, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they start charging in the next few years.

They’re some of the best-kept ruins I’ve seen in all Europe that you can spend your entire morning or afternoon exploring them. Make sure to go onto the wall itself and walk across for some excellent views of the city.

Find The Picture-Perfect Spot

The Jewish Quarter and the Old City Walls have potential for outstanding pictures but you won’t find that iconic picture of Girona in either of them. You know the one I’m talking about, it’s the reason you decided to make the trip here. It’s the curved red and yellow buildings with their reflection in the river Onyar.

For that shot, you have to visit one of three bridges. The most popular one is Pont de les Peixateries Velles, it’s the red caged pedestrian bridge.

But my favourite views were on either Pont de Sant Agusti or Pont d’en Gómez. You can get to them from Independence Square in the New Town.

One Day In Girona: Go To An Arabian Spa!

Visiting the Banys Àrabs (Arabian Baths) is a truly unique experience (and another one of my favourite things to do in Girona!). This isn’t another ruin or museum, instead, it’s a snapshot in history of what people used to do for leisure. The Arabian baths were public bath (essentially a spa) from 1194 built in the Romanesque style.

I’ll be honest, you don’t see much, but what you do see is pretty interesting. You don’t normally get to learn about that side of society, it’s always about royalty and war.

It’s not an expensive activity, only costing about €2 a person, but it’s also not very long. I think we were there for about 20 minutes. It’s one of of the things to do in Girona that you absolutely cannot miss!

Stop By The Hidden Gem of Girona: La Lleona

You can’t spend one day in Girona without paying a visit to (and kissing) the famous lion of Girona (La Lleona). This is a lion hugging a column, but to be honest, it doesn’t look much like a lion anymore these days.

Like throwing coins into the Trevi Fountain in Rome, if you want to return to Girona, you have to kiss the Cul de la Lleona! FYI, that translates into, kissing the lion’s butt!

This statue is believed to date back to the 11th century, and the legend used to be to simply touch the lions bottom. But over the years it changed into kissing it. 

As you can probably imagine, they don’t want everybody walking up to this century-old statue and kissing it. So the one in Plaça de San Feliu is indeed a copy. 

The original one does still exist, it’s safely kept in the Girona History Museum, so you can see it there.

Girona Day Trip: Go Museum Hopping

I’m not really sure why, but Girona loves museums. They have so many scattered around this small city that there’s no shortage of museum on a Girona day trip.

The museums close at around 6:00, so I’d recommend going to a few of them in the afternoon before they close.

You already know about the Jewish History Museum and the regular History Museum of Girona but there’s also one of five Archeology Museums of Catalonia in an old Benedictine Abbey!

My favourite museum in Girona, being a huge cinema buff, was the Cinema Museum. It’s nothing specific to Girona or even Spain though, but it’s a fun, inexpensive activity on a Girona day trip!

Go On A Shopping Spree In Girona!

On both sides of the river Onyar, you’ll find several blocks filled with stores to shop in. There’s a good mix of bigger stores with smaller (but still reasonably priced) boutiques. 

Shopping is a good activity to do after all the museums close at 6:00 P.M. and before the restaurants open at 7:00 P.M. for dinner.

Where To Eat One Day In Girona?

Girona is your classic Spanish town. That means meals are served a bit later than you may typically eat in North America. Knowing this, we packed our own lunch and enjoyed it while gazing at the old city walls.

Breakfast & Coffee Spots,

If you make it early enough for breakfast or want brunch, I’ve heard some good reviews about La Fabrique. It’s tucked away from the bulk of tourists in a quaint alleyway.

For coffee, we enjoyed a nice pick me up at Mana Espresso and El Cafe. If you want to fit in, don’t forget to order a tallat (Catalan for macchiato!).

The Ultimate Snack For On Day In Girona!

If you want an afternoon snack or have some time before dinner on a Girona day trip, you must stop at l’Antiga chocolateria. You can’t get more authentic than this, they barely spoke English here! 

There’s no need to look at the menu there, we noticed everyone orders the same 3 things: hot chocolate, melindros, and/or grandma’s cake. This is traditional Spanish hot chocolate though, so it isn’t as sweet and it’s way thicker than the North American style you’re used to.

That’s why you order the hot chocolate with either Grandma’s cake or melindros (we, of course, ordered both!). Grandma’s cake is a sponge cake and melindros are sponge cookies (essentially lady fingers) that you can dip in or pour chocolate over. It’s absolutely to die for!

Where To Eat Dinner On A Girona Day Trip

We struggled to find a place for supper because kitchens open later (around 7:00) but we had to catch our train back. We ended up a bit off the beaten path at a new bike-themed restaurant Hors Categorie.

The food was delicious, very reasonably priced, and I love the bike theme. Some nights they even have a DJ that comes to set the mood!

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Last update on 2024-05-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API