Last Updated on October 29, 2023

A jewel of Catalonia

Introduction to Girona

Girona is a gem of a city in north-eastern Spain, a mere 40 minutes on the fast train from Barcelona Situated in the heartland of Catalonia, it boasts everything from Michelin star dining to a wealth of wonderful museums. A couple of days in the city was enough to see many of the major sights, but the atmosphere was so lively and the restaurants and independent shops so abundant that I wished I was spending longer and could really get to know Girona better. 

The Museum of Jewish History – Girona

I began my day at the Museum of Jewish History in the heart of what was once the Call, the Jewish Quarter – home to a thriving community that was exiled in the 15^th Century, having been established 500 years previously in Girona. On 31 March 1492, Queen Isabella l and King Ferdinand ll decreed that all Jews in the Crowns of Aragon and Castille had three months within which to convert to Christianity, face exile, or trial in front of the official inquisitors of the Spanish Inquisition who put many ‘heretics’ to death by burning at the stake. At the end of July that year, the Jewish community of Girona, preparing to go into exile, sold for a pittance the synagogue, the ritual baths, the school, the community centre, the butcher and the slaughterhouse. It was incorporated into Christian Girona and by the end of the century, a thriving part of Girona was gone forever.  It is a part of Spanish history for which the Spanish government has in recent years made reparations in the form of passports for families who can prove their lineage and in setting up cultural institutions exploring the contribution of Jewish life to Spain hundreds of years ago. It was in this spirit of rediscovering a hidden and denied Jewish life in Spain, that research was conducted in Girona which revealed the site of the last synagogue, used from 1435 – 1492, and the ritual bath called a mikveh. This can now be seen in the museum which is housed on the site of the synagogue.

The cruel irony that I learned at the Museum of Jewish History was that during the very month of the 1492 decree forcing Jews to flee or face death, Christopher Columbus, with royal approval, left on his voyage to the New World. This journey would not have been possible without the contribution of  Jewish mapmakers (many of whom worked for royal families) along with the copper astrolabe – an instrument that enables sailors to determine latitude – and astronomical tables and maritime charts developed by Rabbi Abraham Zacuto, a Spanish Jewish astronomer, astrologer and mathematician born in Salamanca.

The Jewish Quarter is an evocative place, steep narrow flights of stairs, cobbled stoned winding alleys. I tried to imagine the life that bustled here long before the streets were filled with tour groups.

The Romanesque Arab Baths in Girona

El Banys Arabes – the Arab Baths – built in Romanesque style along the model of Arab baths, Roman baths and the Jewish ritual bath – was first documented in 1194 and is believed to have been used mainly by Christians in the Middle Ages when improving hygiene became necessary as urban areas developed. Nowadays visitors can admire the remains of the four rooms with the main locker room or apodyterium displaying an impressive octagonal pool surrounded by columns with designs referring to the Garden of Eden and icons of Christian symbolism with natural and animal themes.

Girona Cathedral

Staying in the Medieval quarter I visited the Girona Cathedral which boasts the widest Gothic nave in the world. I sat in the cool interior – a welcome break from the intense heat outdoors – marvelling at the feat of 11th-century engineering that made this possible. Do take the audio guide which provides a wealth of information. While the Cathedral itself was impressive, the standout feature for me was the 12th-century Creation Tapestry which is displayed in the museum. An embroidery, rather than an actual tapestry, dated back to between the 11th  and 12th centuries, this massive artwork depicts the first chapter of Genesis. It includes the months of the year, the seasons, rivers of paradise and biblical characters. There is a most informative film which explains what to look out for. It was one of the highlights of my visit, the sheer scale and craftsmanship being simply outstanding.

Fans of Game of Thrones will already be familiar with the lovely square that lies below the 90 steps leading up to the Cathedral and the nearby Basilica de San Felix which I visited on a joint ticket with the Cathedral and Girona Museum of Art that houses an historic collection of works dating back to the Romanesque period.

There are several bridges that link the old town with the new but don’t miss crossing the  Pont de les Peixateries Velles (bridge of the old fishmongers), an iron bridge painted in red that was designed by Gustav Eiffel. From here one looks down upon the Onyar and across to the colourful houses that line the river. It is probably the most photographed scene in Girona.

Noucentisme and Casa Masó

One building in particular stands out as it is painted white and is four times the width of its neighbours. This is Casa Masó, a fascinating museum that enables visitors to see what interior spaces looked like in 1920s Girona, at least if you lived in the house of one of the city’s most famous architects. I must admit that I had not previously heard of Rafael Masó but I learnt a great deal from the Director of the museum from whom I was fortunate to enjoy a personal tour. Many visitors to Catalonia will be familiar with the work of Antoni Gaudí, whose buildings such as the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona have world acclaim. Masó was born in Girona and while he was an admirer of Gaudí, as a student in Barcelona, he joined forces with a group of writers and artists who formed a movement called Noucentisme, an alternative to Modernisme (with its Art Nouveau influences) of which Gaudí was the most acclaimed proponent. Returning to Girona after graduating, Masó became the most famous architect in Catalonia in the generation that followed Gaudí and developed his variation on Art Nouveau, employing a more austere and geometric architecture, influenced by developments in architecture and design across Europe.

Casa Masó has a unique history in that it was passed down through the Masó family until it was ceded to the city of Girona in 2006 by his nephew. Masó was born and lived in the house until he married in 1912 and he designed the rooms for his brother and family as well as some of his sisters who lived there too. He died at the age of 55. In his lifetime, he was influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement and there are aspects of the house – such as the geometric lines of the staircases and some furnishings – that clearly reference Charles Rennie Mackintosh. I was therefore surprised to discover that Masó never travelled to Edinburgh himself and researched Mackintosh’s work in magazines. He did travel in Central Europe and the influence of the Vienna Secession architects and German architecture was another key ingredient in his work.

What was particularly striking about the house is that the furniture all belonged to the house as Masó designed it and it has been beautifully preserved to the extent that visiting the house feels like time travelling back a century. Even recently, family members have donated items that belonged to the house and were removed and taken to other family properties over the course of time. It is striking also, not only for the magnificent furniture and tiles that Masó designed but also because of the very intimate and personal spaces he created in which his family members lived. In the common spaces he was able to give free expression to his Noucentisme, while in the bedrooms occupied by his siblings, he used a more conservative style according to their tastes. Iron, wood and stone are used freely, beautiful ceramics and tiling and stained glass windows to enclose balconies while allowing in light. This is a museum to savour. The hour-long tour was fascinating and tours can be booked ahead of your visit in one of four languages.

The Museum of Cinema

Another engaging visit was enjoyed at the Museum of Cinema. I had thought it might be too esoteric for me – it is the private collection of film-maker and artist, Tomàs Mallol. While there was a wealth of pre-cinema and cinema equipment on display which would thrill all cinema buffs, there was also an excellent set of rooms that chartered the development of the moving picture from shadow theatre to the invention of the camera obscura, the Muybridge series of a horse in motion and the visual entertainments enjoyed by Victorians. All a long way off from our smartphones where entertainment is available 24/7. I thoroughly enjoyed the interactive displays and a number of film extracts that were shown from cinematic history especially the film sequence on Endings from iconic films (well known to my age group it should be said).

More about the History and Cuisine of Girona

Girona is not only about museums although its history is never far removed from having a remarkable time in the city. I had a thrilling walk at sunset on the 9th-century walls. There were an inordinate number of steps to climb to access the wall – I only later realised there was a bus – and after a full day of sightseeing I can’t deny I was a bit grumpy. But when I emerged onto the wall and climbed a tower to see the view over this grand city, sore feet were soon forgotten. The view was sensational over the city and the mountains in the distance beyond. The lights began to twinkle, the Cathedral and other churches rang their bells for 8 pm, the birds flew in circles before nesting for the night – and I still had a dinner to look forward to.

Girona is particularly well endowed on the culinary front. It is home to El Celler de Can Roca, a three-Michelin-star restaurant, twice voted the best restaurant in the world. While I did not have a reservation there, I was able to get a table at the Roca brothers’ restaurant, Normal. Here the prices are more ‘normal’ but the menu displays flourishes that one might expect from a kitchen belonging to these stellar brothers. The dinner was wonderful and I enjoyed one of the most creative and tasty dishes of monkfish I can recall eating.

The Rocambolesc brand of the youngest Roca brother, Jordi, is in evidence too. I assumed it was a made-up word using their surname but in fact, it means bizarre or fantastic. On a corner near my hotel, there were no less than three outlets – one a chocolate shop, another ice cream and the third selling what are called bikinis, named after the toasted ham and cheese sandwiches that were popularised in Catalonia in the Sala Bikini Dance Club of 1950s Barcelona. Essentially they sell toasted sandwiches, but being a Roca brother project these are not your average cheese toastie. At Bikineria I enjoyed pastrami cooked for 72 hours with artisanal sauerkraut. The queue was long and worth the wait. The ice cream parlour, Rocambolesc, is the creation of Jordi Roca (the pastry chef of the trio) is a play on the soft serve of childhood and inspired by Willy Wonka. You won’t find a Flake ’99 here though. Each week there are six flavours and dozens of toppings – I had pomegranate and cinnamon soft serve ice cream topped with candyfloss! It is really fun and I found branches also in Barcelona and Madrid.

Do not leave Girona without trying at least one xuixo (prounounced choo-cho) – a deep-fried, sugar-coated cylindrical pastry filled with crema Catalana. Locals like to eat these for breakfast with a coffee. It is certainly a step up from a croissant. There are many independent bakeries selling these all over town so you will find yourself spoilt for choice. On my last morning before heading for the train to Barcelona I popped out to a bakery on the corner and bought several for the train. The only way to leave Girona is to take a piece of it with you.

Fact Box

Girona makes a perfect city for a long weekend break. Allow at least two days in the city to cover most of the sights and a good number of museums. If you also want to include a few side trips then add on an extra couple of days. From Girona, there are many options for excursions. A half-hour train ride brings you to Figueres where you can visit the Dali museum. A further 15 minutes on the same train line brings you to the lovely seaport of Llanca where I had one of the best meals of my life at Miramar, find out more here.

• Girona is easily accessible by road or train from Barcelona. I took a fast train from Madrid to Girona, a four-and-a-half-hour journey including a one-hour stopover at Barcelona Sants station.
• There are slower trains that go from Madrid to Girona and which take four and a half hours without any stopover in Barcelona.
• If you are already in Barcelona there is a fast train to Girona that takes under 40 minutes.
• From Girona station, it is a 15-minute walk to the old town, for museums and sightseeing.
• You can fly to Girona from the UK with several airlines including Ryanair. There are more flights in the Spring and Summer months so check the schedules ahead of time when making your plans. 

I stayed at Ciutat Hotel Girona – more about that to follow shortly

Do book any restaurants you plan to visit, especially in the summer months. I visited Girona at the end of September and it was very busy indeed. 

For more about what to do and where to stay in Girona, check out the tourist board website here 

During my trip to Girona, which was supported by the Catalan Tourist Board,  entrance to the museums was arranged by Ajuntament of Girona and was courtesy of each museum I visited.