Girona

A beautifully preserved medieval city with colorful riverside houses, ancient city walls, and a well-kept Jewish quarter. Its cathedral steps and cobbled lanes have also made it a filming location for Game of Thrones.

Things to do

• Climb Girona Cathedral's steps — Ninety steps lead up to a Gothic cathedral with the widest nave in the world, famous as the Great Sept of Baelor in Game of Thrones.
• Wander the Call Jueu — Stroll the tangled medieval lanes of one of Europe's best-preserved Jewish quarters, dating back to the 9th century.
• Walk the ancient city walls — The Passeig de la Muralla lets you walk atop Girona's Carolingian and medieval ramparts with sweeping views over the old town.
• Photograph the riverside houses — The pastel-colored houses lining the Onyar River are best viewed from the Pont de les Peixateries Velles, an iron bridge designed by Gustave Eiffel's workshop.
• Visit the Arab Baths — These 12th-century baths, built in Romanesque style inspired by Moorish design, are among the best preserved of their kind in Spain.
• Explore Sant Feliu Church — This basilica outside the old walls mixes Gothic and Romanesque styles and holds a collection of Roman and early Christian sarcophagi.
• Follow the Game of Thrones film trail — Many corners of the old town, including the cathedral steps and city walls, were used as filming locations for the show's later seasons.

Food to try

• Crema catalana — This custard dessert with a caramelized sugar crust is said to have Catalan (and possibly Girona) roots and appears on menus across the city.
• Xuixo — A Girona specialty pastry, this fried, sugar-dusted roll filled with creamy custard is best enjoyed fresh from a local bakery.
• Botifarra amb mongetes — A hearty Catalan dish of grilled pork sausage served with white beans, found in traditional taverns throughout the old town.
• Fideuà — A noodle-based cousin of paella cooked with seafood and a touch of alioli, popular along the Costa Brava near Girona.
• Tasting menu at El Celler de Can Roca — Run by the Roca brothers, this three-Michelin-star restaurant is regularly ranked among the best in the world, though reservations require planning months ahead.

Local customs & good to know

• Book Can Roca far in advance — Reservations for El Celler de Can Roca open on specific dates and sell out within minutes, so plan months ahead if you want to dine there.
• Expect afternoon closures — Many small shops close for a few hours in the early afternoon, a lingering practice of the traditional Spanish siesta schedule.
• Catalan pride runs deep — Locals primarily speak Catalan rather than Spanish, and you'll see Catalan flags (Senyera and Estelada) displayed throughout the city.
• Visit museums on free days — Several city museums, including the Cathedral and Arab Baths, offer free or discounted entry on certain days of the week, so check schedules to save money.