Plan two nights in Girona, or a private day from Barcelona under 40 minutes away by high-speed train, ideally from May to June or in September and October. Your licensed guide leads you through the medieval Jewish quarter and the cathedral, and on to Dalí’s Figueres and the coves of the Costa Brava. Private journeys including Girona start from $884 per person per day, based on double occupancy, excluding flights.
At a glance. Ideal stay: two nights, or a day from Barcelona · Best months: May and June, September and October · Nearest airport: Girona (GRO), or Barcelona El Prat (BCN) for most international flights · From $884 per person per day, double occupancy, excl. flights
Kiss the stone lioness on her column and, the saying goes, you will come back to Girona. Locals and visitors climb the little steps to do it every day, and the bottom of the statue shines. It is the city’s way of saying you are welcome, and many who make the climb do come back.
What does a licensed guide show you in Girona?
Your licensed guide shapes each day around what you love, with the quarter and the cathedral seen at the quiet hours.
The Call, Girona’s Jewish quarter
For some six centuries, until 1492, Girona had one of the most important Jewish communities in Catalonia. The rabbi and philosopher Nahmanides was born here in 1194. In the narrow lanes of the Call, the Bonastruc ça Porta center now holds the Museum of Jewish History, built around the remains of a medieval synagogue and a ritual bath found in 2014.
The widest Gothic nave in the world
Girona’s cathedral rises at the top of a long Baroque stairway, and inside, its single nave spans nearly 75 feet, the widest Gothic nave in the world. Fans of Game of Thrones will know the steps from the series, and the old town played the streets of Braavos and King’s Landing. Below, the painted houses of the Onyar river front face the water in ochre, rust and cream.
Where do Gironins eat?
Girona is home to the Roca brothers, whose restaurant El Celler de Can Roca has twice been named the best in the world, a short walk from the family restaurant their parents opened in 1967. Beyond it, the Empordà grows its own wines on the slopes toward the sea, and in L’Escala on the coast, families still salt and cure anchovies by hand, a tradition dating back centuries.
Market mornings belong to the Mercat del Lleó, and on request a local chef leads you through it and cooks lunch with what you choose. We can direct you to the best tables, from a Costa Brava fish stew to a long tasting menu.
What are the best hotels in Girona?
Two of the finest are the Hotel Esperit Roca and Mas de Torrent. The Hotel Esperit Roca, from the Roca brothers, has just 15 rooms in a restored nineteenth-century hilltop fortress outside the city, beside their Esperit Roca restaurant. Mas de Torrent, an eighteenth-century farmhouse turned country hotel, sits among fields near the Costa Brava, a short drive from the coves. Both sit within our standard of vetted luxury five-star and deluxe four-star boutique hotels.
How many days should you spend in Girona?
Two days. One for the old town, the Call and the cathedral, and one for Dalí’s Figueres and the Costa Brava. Short on time, a private day from Barcelona covers the old town at an easy pace.
When is the best time to visit Girona?
May and June and September and October bring warm days and swimmable seas on the coast. In mid May, the Temps de Flors festival fills the old town’s courtyards, steps and churches with flower installations. July and August are hot and the coast is busiest. Hotels, like airlines, use dynamic pricing, so rates rise with demand. A higher price marks a popular week, not a poor time to travel.
Where can you hike near Girona?
The Camí de Ronda, the old coast guard path of the Costa Brava, links coves and fishing villages along the cliffs. We know the light hiking trails with the finest views, between Calella de Palafrugell, Llafranc and Tamariu, with a seafood lunch at the end. Inland, the Garrotxa volcanic zone offers gentle walks through beech forest and around old craters.
What are the best day trips from Girona?
Dalí’s Theatre-Museum in Figueres, about half an hour north, holds the largest collection of his work. The Dalí triangle continues to Púbol, the castle he gave to Gala, and to his house at Portlligat by Cadaqués. Medieval Besalú, with its fortified bridge, and the coves of the Costa Brava fill the rest of the map.
How does Girona fit a journey through Spain?
Girona sits under 40 minutes from Barcelona by high-speed train, so it works as a private day or as two nights before or after the city. Many of our travelers pair Barcelona and Girona with Madrid, and Jewish heritage journeys link Girona with Toledo, Córdoba and Seville.
Private Girona Journeys
Spain
Private Jewish Heritage Tour of Spain: 10 Days from Seville to Barcelona
Sephardic Spain by high-speed train: Seville, Córdoba, Toledo, Madrid, Barcelona and Girona. 10 days from $9,984 pp.
Spain
Spanish Masterpieces: 14-Day Private Tour from the Prado to Gaudí’s Barcelona
The Prado, Toledo, Segovia, Seville, Carmona, Ronda, the Alhambra, Gaudí and the Costa Brava. 14 days from $13,972 pp.
Spain
10-Day Spain Private Luxury Tour: Barcelona, Mallorca and Madrid
Gaudí’s Barcelona, Mallorca’s mountain villages, the Prado and Toledo. 10 days from $11,462 pp.
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How do you want Girona to feel?
Our sample trips are a starting point. Tell us your dates and what you love. Your first itinerary carries no planning fee and no obligation, and you’ll hear back within one business day.
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Frequently asked questions about private Girona tours
What are the top attractions in Girona?
The cathedral and its stairway, the Call and the Museum of Jewish History, the Onyar river houses, the Arab Baths and the city walls, with Dalí’s Figueres and the Costa Brava nearby.
What are the best off-the-beaten-path experiences in Girona?
Light hiking on the Camí de Ronda, a visit to an anchovy maker in L’Escala, Dalí’s castle at Púbol and a walk through the volcanic Garrotxa.
What do most people not know about Girona?
Its cathedral has the widest Gothic nave in the world. Nahmanides was born here. And kissing the lioness, the saying goes, brings you back.
Is Girona better as a day trip or an overnight stay?
A private day from Barcelona covers the old town. Two nights add Figueres, the Costa Brava and a dinner at one of the region’s great tables.
Can a private Girona tour include Barcelona and the Costa Brava?
Yes. Every journey is tailor-made, so Girona pairs easily with Barcelona, Dalí’s Figueres and the Costa Brava on one private journey.
Plan your private Girona journey
Our sample journeys are a starting point. The Private Jewish Heritage Tour of Spain travels 10 days from Seville to Barcelona and Girona from $9,984 per person. Spanish Masterpieces, 14 days from the Prado to Gaudí’s Barcelona, includes a day for Figueres, Girona or the Costa Brava from $13,972. The 10-Day Spain Private Luxury Tour pairs Barcelona, Mallorca and Madrid from $11,462. Each is tailor-made, so your planner shapes the route, the hotels and the pace around you.
Since 2002, nearly 17,000 travelers have journeyed with us. Your journey is planned by our Spain team, led by founder Dan O’Beirne, an American in Europe since 1998, and Magical Private Travel maintains excellent ratings on Trustpilot and Google’s independent review platforms. Planned from Europe. American precision with local expertise.
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