Morning: the river and the old town
09:00 · Breakfast with a xuixo
Start the way Girona does, with a xuixo (pronounced “CHOO-shoo”), a fried pastry filled with crema catalana that the city claims as its own. Order it like a local: Un xuixo i un cafè amb llet, si us plau.
09:30 · The Onyar bridges
Cross the red iron Pont de les Peixateries Velles, built by Gustave Eiffel's company in 1877, for the postcard view of the painted houses along the river. Then cross back over the stone Pont de Pedra.
10:30 · Cathedral of Santa Maria
Climb the 90-odd baroque steps that Game of Thrones fans will recognise. Inside is the widest Gothic nave in the world. Don't miss the Tapestry of Creation in the museum.
Midday: legends and the Jewish quarter
11:30 · Kiss the lioness
At the foot of the Basilica of Sant Feliu stands the Lleona, a stone lioness on a column. Legend says that if you kiss her backside, you'll come back to Girona. Locals will tell you it works.
12:00 · The Call
Get lost in the narrow lanes of the Call, one of Europe's best-preserved medieval Jewish quarters. The Museum of Jewish History tells the story of the community that lived here until 1492.
13:30 · Lunch, slowly
Lunch in Catalonia is the main meal, and it isn't rushed. Look for a menú del dia and try pa amb tomàquet and local botifarra sausage. When the food arrives, say Bon profit! (enjoy your meal).
Afternoon: walls, baths and ice cream
15:30 · The Banys Àrabs
The name means “Arab Baths”, but they're actually 12th-century Romanesque, built after the Moorish style. The columned central room makes a lovely photo.
16:30 · Walk the city walls
The Passeig de la Muralla runs along the medieval walls, with views over rooftops and out to the Pyrenees on a clear day. Go up near the Jardins dels Alemanys and come down near Plaça de Catalunya.
18:30 · Ice cream at Rocambolesc
The dessert shop of the Roca brothers of El Celler de Can Roca, one of the world's most celebrated restaurants. Their dinner tables are booked out for months, but you can walk in for an ice cream.
20:00 · Vermut in Plaça de la Independència
Finish under the arcades with a vermut. Raise your glass and say Salut!
Make your one day count: Un Dia a Girona
Our 1-day taster puts this itinerary together with a 2-hour survival Catalan class, a guided Barri Vell walk and a vermut where you order in Catalan. €95 per person.
Is one day enough?
For the old town highlights, yes. But Girona is a base, not just a sight. Besalú, the Garrotxa volcanoes, Dalí's Figueres and the Costa Brava are all within an hour. That's why most visitors who do one day end up wishing they'd stayed longer. See our 3-day itinerary or find out whether 5 nights is too many.