Girona: Spain's Medieval City

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.

Caroline joined Boston-based SmarterTravel in 2011 after living in Ireland, London, and Manhattan. She's traveled to all seven continents, jumped out of planes, and bungeed off bridges in the pursuit of a good story. She loves exploring off-the-beaten path destinations, anything outdoorsy, and all things adventure.

Her stories have also appeared online at USA Today, Business Insider, Huffington Post, Yahoo, Boston.com, TripAdvisor, Buzzfeed, Jetsetter, Oyster, Airfarewatchdog, and others.

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Nicknamed the City of a Thousand Sieges due to all the invasions the city withstood, Girona is often passed over by travelers set on Barcelona or the coastal beaches. Girona sits on the banks of the Onyar river, and is split into an old and a new town area. The old town offers charm and history, while the new town rivals other Spanish cities for cosmopolitan dining and shopping.

Climb close to 100 steps to reach the city’s main attraction—Catedral, a 14-th century cathedral full of art. Take a walk around La Muralla, the city walls, which offer amazing views across the city. Visit Girona’s Jewish Quarter for a sense of history, and then hit the Saturday market to see what daily life is like in the city now.

Where is it? Catalonia, Spain. Fly to Girona-Costa Brava Airport (check prices), which services many budget European airlines, or to Barcelona’s El Prat International Airport (check prices), and take a bus, train, or taxi into the city.

Where to Stay? At the AC Hotel Palau de Bellavista, voted one of the trendiest hotels in Spain by TripAdvisor.

What Else Should I Know? The local language is Catalan, although everyone speaks Spanish as well.

Who’s it For? History buffs, Barcelona visitors in need of a day-trip.

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