Hotels in Girona

Girona

Girona is the capital of the province of Girona in Catalonia, built where the Ter, Onyar, Galligants and Güell rivers meet, 99 km north-east of Barcelona. It began as Gerunda, a town of the Iberian Ausetani that the Romans turned into a citadel, and it later became one of the original counties of Catalonia. Much of its ancient old quarter has survived, which makes it a popular destination for tourists and day-trippers from Barcelona. The old town climbs the steep hill east of the Onyar, while the modern city spreads over the plain to the west. Its cathedral, approached by ninety steps, is an outstanding example of Catalan Gothic, and the Collegiate Church of Sant Feliu is one of the few Spanish churches with a genuine spire. The Jewish quarter, the Call, recalls one of Europe's most important medieval Kabbalistic schools, home to the rabbi Nahmanides. A walk along the city walls, the Passeig de la Muralla, circles the old town after the eastern walls were rebuilt between 1983 and 2003. The city also has Art Nouveau buildings such as the Farinera Teixidor by Rafael Masó, and its roads lead to the coast and inland to the Pyrenees. Girona–Costa Brava airport lies 10 km south of the centre, and the high-speed AVE reaches Barcelona in about 37 minutes. It suits travellers who want history, culture and food in a compact city, with the Costa Brava within easy reach.