Day 1 · Girona's old town
- Morning: Xuixo and coffee, the Onyar bridges, then the Cathedral steps and the world's widest Gothic nave.
- Midday: Kiss the Lleona at Sant Feliu, then wander the Jewish Call and its history museum.
- Afternoon: The Banys Àrabs, the archaeology museum in the Romanesque monastery of Sant Pere de Galligants, and a sunset walk on the city walls.
- Evening: Dinner in Plaça de la Independència.
Full details are in our 1 day in Girona guide.
Day 2 · The market and the modern city
- Morning: Mercat del Lleó, Girona's covered market. Buy fruit, cheese and fuet for a picnic. Try asking Quant val? (how much is it?).
- Midday: Picnic under the giant plane trees of the Parc de la Devesa.
- Afternoon: The Museu d'Art or the Museu del Cinema, then a coffee in the Rambla de la Llibertat.
- Evening: Ice cream at Rocambolesc and tapes in the Barri Vell.
Day 3 · Pick your day trip
Option A · Volcanoes and medieval villages
Medieval Besalú with its fortified bridge and Jewish mikveh, Castellfollit de la Roca perched on a basalt cliff, and a walk through the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone near Olot. On the way back, stop at Banyoles lake, where the rowing events of the 1992 Olympics were held.
Option B · The Costa Brava
Walk the camí de ronda coastal path from Calella de Palafrugell to Llafranc, then visit the medieval villages of Pals and Peratallada.
Option C · Dalí
The Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres, then the whitewashed fishing village of Cadaqués.
Want all three days with a local?
Our Girona Essentials course covers this whole itinerary and more: five days, morning Catalan classes, and every excursion guided by people who live here.
Local tips for first-timers
- Eat late. Lunch is around 13:30–15:30 and dinner from 20:30.
- Many shops close mid-afternoon, roughly 14:00–17:00.
- Say it in Catalan. Bon dia, si us plau and gràcies go a long way here.
- Wear good shoes. The old town is steep, cobbled and full of steps.