There are cities that you visit once and never forget. Girona is one of them. Just a 45-minute drive from our Apartments in Canyelles Petites, this medieval Catalan city, nicknamed the Catalan Florence, is undoubtedly the most obvious and rewarding excursion from Rosas. Roman ramparts, an ancient Jewish quarter, a soaring Gothic cathedral, colourful riverside houses and Game of Thrones filming locations... Girona is worth the effort, to be appreciated and savoured. All in a day, with time to return for aperitivo hour on the terrace at Canyelles Petites.
How do I get to Girona from Roses?
From your holiday rental in Rosas in one of our apartments in Canyelles Petites, Girona is accessible by car in about 45 minutes via the AP-7. This is the most convenient way to visit Girona from Roses. Several car parks are available at the entrance to the old town, including the Devesa car park, which is ideally located a two-minute walk from the historic centre.
- 📍 Devesa Parking Devesa Promenade, Girona
- 🎟️ Paid: allow for approximately €2.00/hour
The morning: the ramparts and the cathedral
The best way to start your day in Girona is to climb the medieval ramparts, the Passeig de la Muralla. Accessible for free, these walls, built in Roman and Carolingian times, offer a walk suspended above the rooftops of the old town, with breathtaking panoramas of the monuments, gardens, and, in good weather, the peaks of the Pyrenees on the horizon. It’s the best vantage point to understand the city's architecture before descending to get lost within it.
From the ramparts, you immediately spot the Girona Cathedral of Saint Mary: it's impossible to miss, dominating the entire city from its promontory. Its monumental 90-step staircase is one of Girona's most iconic images. Fans of Game of Thrones will immediately recognise the staircase, which served as the setting for the Great Sept of Baelor in the series. Inside, the Gothic nave, the widest in the world, is breathtaking, and the treasure museum houses the Tapestry of Creation, an exceptionally rare 11th-century textile masterpiece.
- 📍 Girona Cathedral Cathedral Square, Girona
- 10:00-20:00 (April-October) / 10:00-19:00 (rest of year)
- 🎟️ Standard ticket: €7.00 / Reduced ticket: €5.00 (includes Sant Feliu Basilica).
Mid-morning: El Call, the Jewish Quarter
Just below the cathedral lies El Call. It is one of the best-preserved Jewish quarters in Europe. This labyrinth of narrow cobbled streets, vaulted passageways, and stone houses was home to a flourishing Jewish community from the 9th to the 15th century. It was here that Nachmanides, one of the greatest medieval Jewish thinkers, lived and worked.
Getting lost in El Call is a pleasure in itself. Indeed, every corner holds an architectural surprise, a carved doorway, or an unexpected view. Fans of the series Game of Thrones will recognise the Jewish quarter transformed into Braavos, and the Arab baths used for some scenes of the same fictional city. The Jewish History Museum is worth a visit if you wish to delve deeper into the history of this remarkable community.
📍 El Call – Jewish Quarter Carrer de la Força, Girona (free access: walking)
📍 Arab baths Ferran el Catòlic Street, Girona
🎟️ €3.00 / €1.00 concession
For Game of Thrones fans
Girona hosted the filming of season 6 of Game of Thrones and several locations are immediately recognisable to fans. Among the iconic spots are: the cathedral as the Great Sept of Baelor, the Jewish Quarter transformed into Braavos, Obispo José Cartañà street where Arya hides, and the ramparts which appear as Meereen and Volantis.
As guided tours Game of Thrones is offered in the old town, an excellent option for families with children, who will enjoy seeing the series' sets in real life, with a comparative tablet in hand to compare the real and the fictional. Allow approximately 2.5 hours for the guided tour.
Lunch: the terraces of Plaça de la Independència
After your morning in the old town, head down to the Plaça de la Independència, Girona's vibrant heart, surrounded by beautiful neoclassical buildings and lively terraces. It's the perfect spot for a lunch break with a glass of local Empordà wine and some tapas. Several good eateries are dotted around the square and its surroundings.
For gourmands: Girona, the capital of Catalan gastronomy
Girona is not just a city of history and heritage. It is also one of Europe's most important gastronomic capitals. The province of Girona alone boasts more than 15 Michelin-starred restaurants, a record that owes a great deal to the legacy of El Bulli in Cala Montjoi, which you may already have visited from Roses, and especially to the Roca brothers.
Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca opened El Celler de Can Roca in 1986 in a working-class neighbourhood of Girona, a stone's throw from their parents' family restaurant. Thirty years later, their three-Michelin-starred establishment Michelin has been named the best restaurant in the world twice by the San Pellegrino rankings (in 2013 and 2015), making Girona a pilgrimage destination for gourmets from all over the world. Booking a table there is as difficult as it was in the days of El Bulli: tables are snapped up in minutes as soon as the booking calendar opens. If your stay in Roses coincides with an opportunity, don't miss it.
For others (the vast majority), Girona offers an accessible and generous culinary scene on its squares and terraces: tapas, traditional Catalan cuisine, Empordà wines and a relaxed atmosphere make lunch in the city a moment in itself.
- 📍 El Celler de Can Roca Can Sunyer 48, Girona 📞 +34 972 222 157
- 🌐 cellercanroca.com
- 🎟️ Set menu from €320 – booking essential months in advance
The afternoon: the houses of the Onyar and the Eiffel Bridge
After lunch, take a stroll along the Onyar River to admire one of Girona's most iconic sights: its colourful houses with orange, yellow, and red facades reflecting in the water. Each bridge offers a different perspective on this living tableau.
Don't miss the Pont de les Peixateries Velles, Girona's Eiffel Bridge, built by Gustave Eiffel a few years before his Parisian tower. Its red metal structure contrasts beautifully with the medieval stones of the city and offers one of the best views of the colourful houses of the Onyar.
For a final green break before getting back in the car, there's Parc de la Devesa, Girona's largest park. It's planted with century-old plane trees and is ideal for a family breather before hitting the road again.
Back to Roses: the evening spritz
Plan for a return between 5pm and 6pm to make the most of the last hours of sunshine in Canyelles Petites. After a day exploring the medieval streets of Girona, nothing beats a well-deserved spritz on the terrace overlooking the Bay of Roses. The golden late afternoon light on the Mediterranean Sea is the perfect reward for a busy day.
Practical information
- 📍 Girona – Girona Historic Centre, 17000, Catalonia, Spain
- 🚗 45 minutes from Roses via the AP-7
- Car park Devesa Parking Recommended
Suggested programme:
| Timetable | Activity |
|---|---|
| 9.00 | Departure from Roses |
| 9:45 AM | Arrival and Ramparts (Passeig de la Muralla) |
| 11:00 | Cathedral of Saint Mary |
| 12:00 | El Call – Jewish Quarter |
| 13:30 | Lunch Plaza de la Independència |
| 3.00 PM | Onyar Houses + Eiffel Bridge |
| 16:00 | Devesa Park |
| 5:00 PM | Back to Roses |
| 18:30 | Spritz in Canyelles Petites ☀️ |
Girona as a family or as a couple?
Visiting Girona from Roses lends itself perfectly to both. When visiting as a family, children will be captivated by the Game of Thrones sets and the associated guided tour, a fun and lively way to discover history. As a couple, the city can be savoured by the water, getting lost in El Call at sunset or dining on a terrace in Plaça de la Independència.
What if your stay in Roses leaves you with a second day free, combine Girona with the Dalí Theatre-Museum of Figueres – the two cities are 40 minutes apart. Consult our Comprehensive guide to activities in Roses to prepare for your stay.