In which quarter house in Girona?

You who are going to visit Catalonia, before even doing Barcelona, here is our guide to the best areas to stay in Girona!

Eleventh largest city in Catalonia, Girona is located in the north-east of Spain – not unpleasant to the independentists – and there are 99,013 inhabitants spread over 38,97 km2. Girona is described as a city with contemplative beauty, enjoying an important cultural and heritage wealth. The city attracts almost 300,000 visitors a year, three times more than its own population! Built in two by the Onyar River, Girona displays a modern bank and an older bank. The city has many historical monuments on this side: it is called the "Little Florence" and is a must-see between France and Barcelona .

The Força Vella – an ancient Roman quarter – on which was built the old medieval quarter, the ramparts, the churches, the Arab baths, the bridges of Onyar or the museums: you will not be bored by taking advantage of your neighbourhood where to stay in Girona. Here's our selection of neighborhoods to sleep in Girona.

Old town

The old quarter – Barri Vell in Catalan – is an open-air museum, witness to the successions of influences over time (Romans, Wisigoths, Francs, Omeyyades, Spanish). The old town delimited by medieval walls and bastions of modern times. You will not be able to miss the imposing Cathedral of St. Mary, perched on its monumental staircase of 86 steps and lined with its Gothic nave (which would be the largest of the Christian world after the Basilica of St. Peter of Rome). The cathedral was built between the 10th and 13th centuries and features elements of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque architecture. Not far, take a cultural stop at the Arab baths, then at the Archaeological Museum of Catalonia, located in the old palace of graphic arts, or at the Musée d’Histoire de Gérone (Gerona History Museum). Museu d’Història de la Ciutat ).

In addition to monuments, many restaurants, glaciers and cafés are scattered in the alleys of the old town. The park and gardens of Devesa are a lung of greenery between two arms of Onyar.

Finally, another must in the medieval city, named the Força Vella : the call, The Jewish quarter. It is a maze of alleys and patios where the effluve and atmosphere of the medieval era are still humid. In addition, the Jewish quarter would be one of the best preserved in the world (Calonia during the Second World War, having not suffered the barbaries and destruction of Nazi Germany). The old town is an excellent location in Girona: central, everything is accessible by foot.

The modern city

In the south of the old quarter, there is a much more modern area: before walking around, passing through the Sant Feliu bell tower and taking the Pedra Bridge to have a superb view of the city below and the facades painted in ochre, indigo blue and copper. By the way, enjoy the houses suspended on the river. Here you will find beautiful Art Nouveau monuments of Catalonia, large international brands where to go shopping, tapas bars and restaurants, the central station of Girona or the Central Park, a green strip where to make the full of oxygen.

Don’t miss out on Plaça de Catalunya (Place de Catalunya), La Rambla (former main artery of the medieval city, it’s a very crowded public space) and Place de l’Independence. To stay in Girona, the modern city remains central and will certainly be less frequented, so quieter.

Main photo : Pixabay – Dani Oliver