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Girona, Spain
Girona is a compact gem that many visitors pass through on the way to the Costa Brava without realizing what they are missing. The colorful houses reflected in the Onyar River create the city's signature postcard view. The old town climbs steeply from the river through the medieval Jewish Quarter (El Call), one of the best-preserved in Europe, a tangle of stone alleys and courtyards that evoke eight centuries of Sephardic history. The Cathedral of Girona, reached by an imposing 90-step Baroque staircase, has the widest Gothic nave in the world. The city walls are walkable, offering views across the rooftops to the Pyrenean foothills. The Arab Baths, a 12th-century bathhouse inspired by Moorish design, and the Monastery of Sant Pere de Galligants add to the medieval atmosphere. Game of Thrones fans will recognize several locations used as Braavos.
explore by interest
Walk the city walls for the best overview — the Passeig de la Muralla connects viewpoints over the old town, cathedral, and surrounding hills.
April through June and September through October offer warm Catalan weather ideal for walking, with the Temps de Flors flower festival in May transforming courtyards into gardens.