Girona travel information and video

Holiday information, facts, photos and video about Girona

Girona Province

The province of Girona is situated in the autonomous community of Catalonia, and is divided into the three areas: The Costa Brava,
coastal region, the inland region, and the mountainous area of the Girona Pyrenees.

The diversity of the Girona Province is immense; the breathtaking region of the Pyrenees with its snowy mountains, ancient villages and beautiful
emerald valleys and the Mediterranean Costa Brava, with its beaches and coves of crystal clear waters, with their pine clad hillside backdrop. Finally the inland countryside, rich with crops, sunflowers and woodland areas; with charming villages, and of course the historical capital of the province, Girona itself.

The Costa Brava is one of the most visited destinations in Spain, but it is just one of the many jewels that you can explore in the province of Girona.


History
The history of Girona is of especial interest around the Medieval period, when the region was run by the monasteries, and small independent earldoms, the ancient castles of this era still stand, and so do many of the monuments and churches; in fact many of the province’s towns still, to this day, appear much as they did 1000 years ago.

The capital city of Girona is steeped in a rich history, from the first Iberian occupation, through the Romans, the Holy Roman Empire and in 1809 Napoleon took occupation of the city after a long siege.

In the 12th century the Jewish community was thriving and an important Kabbalistic school was constructed; however in the 14th century the
catholic king’s drove them out of the city. The different cultures that have occupied and resided in Girona are evident throughout this beautiful, historic city.


Girona City
The city of Girona is partly surrounded by an impressive city wall; the characterful interior is delightful, with pleasant squares, cobbled streets, and a wealth of historical monuments and buildings.

Although a city, Girona isn’t hectic and it provides a relaxing environment to do some local sightseeing and there are an excellent choice of restaurants, cafés and shops.

The old quarter is built on a fortified hill and part of the walled fortifications still exist. The modern cosmopolitan Girona spreads out across the plain
alongside.


Costa Brava
The busy coastline of the Costa Brava provides everything you could wish for in a destination: wonderful and diverse beaches, delicious local cuisine and seafood, beautiful countryside and lots of history and a rich culture to explore. On the flip side, for those who wish, there are the beachside resorts, which specifically cater for tourism, and for those looking for a livelier, fun holiday.

Blanes
Once a small fishing town, Blanes still retains some of its original charm; the resort boasts a four-kilometre stretch of coastline with wide sandy bays and small rocky coves, most of which are well served with water sports and other tourist facilities.

Roses
Roses is an essentially Mediterranean town with a notable tourist and seafaring tradition. The town’s origins date back to the eighth century BC with the arrival of the Greeks. Located in a unique natural environment in the northern area of the Costa Brava, the town is now modern, offering excellent shopping, restaurants, bars, beaches, nightlife and sporting facilities.

L'Escala
L'Escala is a small fishing town, famous for it's good quality anchovies, on the southern edge of
the Bay of Roses, The town is surrounded by fabulous sandy beaches.

Begur
Begur is a pretty medieval village with cobbled streets and whitewashed houses draping the
hillside below the ruins of a stone castle.

Platja d'Aro
Platja d'Aro is a modern, cosmopolitan town, neighbouring the elegant town of S'Agaró, in south east Girona. This fabulous beachside town, also boasts a wonderful and historical town centre, which has preserved well its medieval charm. 


Sant Pere Pescador
The town of Sant Pere Pescador is located on the River Fluvia, and is sited in an area of rich farmland with many fruit trees. The town is well
equipped with a lots of good amenities.

Castello de Empuries
The small medieval town of Castello de Empuries lies between Figueres and Rosas, approximately 4 miles from the Gulf of Rosas. The old town retains its medieval charm and shows the important historical influence in the region.

Lloret de Mar
Lloret de Mar is is one of the Mediterraneans most popular resorts and certainly the liveliest holiday spot on this stretch of the Spanish coastline. The former fisherman’s village covers 48 square kilometres, and has five main beaches along a 7 kilometre of coastline.

Tossa de Mar
Tossa de Mar is a pretty town with cobbled streets, constructed around a magnificent ancient castle; the area boasts a 14-kilometre stretch of sandy beaches and small sheltered coves.

Pals
The medieval town of Pals is located on the Costa Brava, to the east of the city of Girona. 
Situated on top of a hill, overlooking Platja de Pals, this charming town with its cobbled streets, craft shops, traditional restaurants and bars is a great place to visit in Catalonia.

Girona Pyrenees
The Girona Pyrenees is a magical part of the region, where ancient villages hug the the side of emerald valleys, or cling to a majestic, snow capped mountain.

The beauty natural landscape of this region takes your breath away; many people come to ski, but there is another side to the Pyrenees, with its rustic charm, it’s a wonderful all year round destination for lovers of rustic and eco tourism.

Besalu
The striking town of Besalu is located approximately 35 minutes drive from the Mediterranean coastline at L'Escala, which is famous for its Roman ruins. In appearance the town remains almost completely medieval, boasting some monuments quite out of proportion to its current humble status.

Santa Pau
The town of Santa Pau is situated in a volcanic area of the Pyrenees; built around a castle, this wonderful ancient time is a pleasure to explore.

Cuisine
The most highly acclaimed chef, Ferran Adria, and his restaurant El Bulli, can be found in the Costa Brava town of Roses; so it is safe to say that
Girona is well known for its cuisine. Although not many of us will experience El Bulli in our lifetime, we can still enjoy the wonderful gastronomy of the province.

Succulent seafood, combined with the fresh produce, much of it organic, from the interior countryside; Girona’s cuisine is rich and quite distinct. Specifically delicious from the region are wild mushrooms, cheese, duck and goose, lobster, anchovies and prawns; with specialities including goose with pear and Gamba Roja de Palomos (Palomos red prawn).

Climate
The sunny Costa Brava enjoys a mild climate, with average temperatures in the summer of 25 degrees; it rarely drops below 10 degrees in the winter. In Girona Pyrenees the story is very different, with snowy winters, the area is a popular skiing destination.