Girona packs a remarkable concentration of medieval architecture into its compact Old Town. The city is small enough to explore on foot in a day but rewards those who stay longer with excellent food, hidden corners of the Jewish Quarter, and easy access to Costa Brava beaches. Game of Thrones fans will recognise filming locations used for Braavos and King’s Landing across the Barri Vell. Here are the essential things to do in Girona, from the cathedral steps to the city walls. For more details, see our weather by month.
Things to Do in Girona: Landmarks and Historical Sites
Girona Cathedral (Catedral de Santa Maria)
The cathedral sits at the top of a monumental 90-step Baroque staircase and holds the record for the widest Gothic nave in the world at 22.98 metres. Built between the 11th and 18th centuries, the building mixes Romanesque cloister, Gothic nave, and Baroque facade. Entry costs €7 for adults, which includes the nave, cloister, and Treasury museum with the 10th-century Tapestry of Creation. Open daily from 10:00 to 18:30 (until 19:30 in summer, Sunday closes at 14:00). Game of Thrones fans know these steps as the Great Sept of Baelor in King’s Landing. Allow 60 to 90 minutes.
See our best time to visit for details.The Jewish Quarter (El Call)
The Call de Girona is one of the best-preserved Jewish quarters in Europe, a maze of narrow cobbled streets and stone archways that date from the 12th to 15th centuries. The Jewish community thrived here until the expulsion of 1492. Carrer de la Forca is the main artery, and the network of alleyways around it reward aimless wandering. The Museu d’Historia dels Jueus (Museum of Jewish History) at Carrer de la Forca 8 (entry €4, closed Mondays) tells the story of Catalonia’s medieval Jewish communities through artefacts and tombstones. The narrow streets were used as Braavos locations in Game of Thrones, particularly the stairway scenes. For more details, see our events and festivals.
The City Walls (Passeig de la Muralla)
Girona’s medieval walls date from the Roman era with major Carolingian rebuilding in the 9th century and 14th to 15th century extensions. The walking path along the top gives the best panoramic views of the city, the Onyar river houses, and the Pyrenees on clear days. Access is free and the route runs from Placa de Catalunya to the Jardins de la Francesa, taking about 30 to 45 minutes at a relaxed pace. The towers along the route are named Torri Gironella and Torre de Sant Domenec. Wear sturdy shoes as the stone steps are uneven. Best visited at sunset for golden light on the cathedral and the painted river houses. For more details, see our neighborhoods guide.
Basilica of Sant Feliu
Sant Feliu is Girona’s second major church, built from the 12th to 17th centuries with a distinctive truncated bell tower. It houses early Christian sarcophagi from the 4th century and a recumbent Christ sculpture by 14th-century sculptor Aloi de Montbrai. Entry is €3 or included in the combined ticket with the cathedral for €9. The church sits on the northern edge of the Old Town with views back across to the cathedral from its small square. For more details, see our where to stay.
Arab Baths (Banys Arabs)
Despite the name, these are 12th-century Romanesque baths built in the style of Roman and Arab bathing houses, not actual Moorish architecture. The central pool room has a skylit octagonal dome supported by slender columns with carved capitals. Entry costs €3 (discounts for students). Open Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 18:00 (to 19:00 April-September), Sundays 10:00 to 14:00. The baths are small, taking about 25 minutes to visit, and are a popular stop on Game of Thrones walking tours. For more details, see our travel tips.
Things to Do in Girona: Culture, Food and Day Trips
Cases de l’Onyar (Colourful Riverside Houses)
The row of brightly painted houses lining the Onyar River is Girona’s most photographed sight. The facades in ochre, terracotta, gold, and blue were painted following a city beautification project in the 1980s. The best viewpoints are the Pont de les Peixateries Velles (Eiffel-designed red iron footbridge, 1877), the Pont d’en Gomez, and the city walls above. Shoot photos in the morning when the light hits the facades directly. At night the houses are illuminated, reflecting in the river.
Plaça de la Independència
This elegant arcaded square is Girona’s social hub, lined with restaurants and cafes beneath neoclassical arches built in the 19th century on the site of the former Sant Agusti convent. The monument in the centre commemorates the defenders of Girona during the 1808-1809 French sieges. It is the best spot for a morning coffee or evening drink. The Christmas market occupies the square in December.
Museu del Cinema (Cinema Museum)
The Cinema Museum houses the Tomas Mallol collection, one of Europe’s best collections of pre-cinema and early film equipment, including shadow puppets, magic lanterns, zoetropes, and early projectors. Entry costs €6 (reduced €3.50). Located at Carrer de la Sequia 1. Open Tuesday to Friday 10:00 to 18:00, Saturday 10:00 to 20:00, Sunday 11:00 to 15:00, closed Mondays. Allow 60 to 90 minutes. This is a genuinely excellent museum even for those with casual interest in film history.
Devesa Park
The Parc de la Devesa is Girona’s largest green space, notable for its avenue of plane trees (Platanus hispanica) planted in the 1850s, now forming a cathedral-like canopy over the central path. The park covers 40 hectares along the Ter River with botanical gardens, a small lake, and shaded walking paths. Locals use it for running, picnics, and the Saturday morning market. The Fira de Sant Narcis amusement fair sets up here in late October. Free entry, open dawn to dusk.
Day Trip to Besalu
Besalu is a spectacularly preserved medieval town 33km north of Girona, accessible by TEISA bus from Girona bus station (about 40 minutes, approximately €5 each way). Its fortified 12th-century Romanesque bridge with a central watchtower spans the Fluvia River and is the defining image. The mikveh (Jewish ritual bath) from 1264 is one of only three surviving in Europe. Besalu is small enough to explore in half a day. Combine with a morning in Banyoles Lake (20km from Girona) for a full day trip.
Cycling the Greenways (Vies Verdes)
The Vies Verdes are converted railway lines turned into car-free cycling and walking paths. The Girona to Sant Feliu de Guixols route runs 39km from the city centre to the Costa Brava coast through cork oak forests and disused railway tunnels. The path is mostly flat or gentle gradients, suitable for casual cyclists. Bike rental in Girona costs about €15 to €25 per day from shops like Bike Breaks (Carrer Santa Clara 28) or Eat Sleep Cycle (Carrer de la Rosa 4). The full route takes 3 to 4 hours one-way. Bus return from Sant Feliu costs about €5.
Game of Thrones Walking Tour
Self-guided or with a group, the Game of Thrones locations are concentrated in the Old Town. The cathedral steps (Great Sept of Baelor), the Arab Baths (Braavos bathhouse scenes), the narrow streets of the Call (Braavos alleys), and the Sant Pere de Galligants monastery courtyard (Citadel maester’s study) are the main spots. The tourist office at Carrer de la Forca 27 sells a map for €2.50. Guided tours run daily in peak season from about €15 per person through operators like Girona Explorers. Filming took place in September 2014 and 2015.
