Gerona brings together medieval streetscapes, Romanesque architecture, museums, and routes for walks or bike rides. Seasonal food events are also part of what the city has to offer. If you are looking for a destination for a stay combining culture with a variety of discoveries, you can explore Gerona according to your own interests: from the Jewish Quarter and historic buildings to collections and routes through parks and natural areas.
Medieval Streets and Romanesque Architecture
The Jewish Quarter is a maze of narrow streets and courtyards that has preserved a medieval atmosphere. It is one of the best-preserved Jewish quarters in the world. Its character is shaped in particular by the combination of streets and courtyards: it is not a single building that takes center stage, but an entire network of small-scale streetscapes.
The Arab Baths showcase a different form of historic architecture. This Romanesque building dates back to the 12th century and was inspired by Roman baths. At its center is a pool beneath a dome supported by slender columns with intricately decorated capitals. The architectural design can be traced through its individual elements: the domed space as well as the columns and their capitals.
Religious buildings also offer a journey through different eras. Sant Pere de Galligants is a Benedictine monastery dating from the 12th century and is now used as a museum. Notable capitals can be found both in the nave and in the cloister. The Basilica of Sant Feliu tells a different story: it was Girona’s first cathedral until the 10th century. Taken together, the two places offer different insights into Gerona’s religious and architectural past.
Museums Between Art and City History
The Girona Art Museum is housed in the former Bishop’s Palace. Its collection spans from the Romanesque period to the beginning of the 20th century, offering a broad sweep through art history. The Girona History Museum focuses on something different: it tells the city’s story from its founding by the Romans in the 1st century BC to the return to democracy from 1975 onward.
The Girona History Museum’s building is also part of this historical context. The museum is located in a former 18th-century Capuchin monastery. The drying room, cloister, and cistern have been preserved there. The combination of city history and surviving parts of the building gives a concrete architectural dimension to a museum visit, while the historical narrative spans many centuries.
With approximately 20,000 pieces, the Tomàs Mallol Collection offers another cultural highlight. Its size provides a useful point of reference alongside the collections devoted to art and city history.
Walks and Routes in Nature
On The Walls, you can walk along sections of Girona’s Carolingian walls. The route focuses on the historic fortifications and complements visits to the streets, churches, and museums with a perspective from along the walls.
There are a variety of ways to enjoy the outdoors. The Girona Greenways and Pirinexus route allows cyclists to pass through parks and diverse natural areas. By contrast, the circular trail in the Sant Daniel valley leads to the valley’s most significant features. You can choose between the routes based on your preferred activity: a cycling route or a circular trail that focuses on the valley’s features.
Seasonal Cuisine and Choosing Where to Stay
Restaurants in Gerona hold seasonal food events featuring local products that are in season. This gives the cuisine a seasonal focus. If you want a particular event to be part of your travel plans, check the date in advance for your travel dates.
When looking for a hotel in Gerona, your interests can help you decide: would you like to focus your stay on medieval architecture and museums, or are walks, bike rides, and seasonal cuisine among your priorities? The topics described offer different starting points for deciding what kind of trip you want, without having to fit them all into a single itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Vilademuls, Lloret De Mar, Sant Martí D'empúries, Banyoles, Osor, Romanyà d'Empordà, Castelló D’empúries, Pals
For the overview of the wider area: Girona.
