Girona, Dec 2006

Ryanair does not fly directly to Barcelona International Airport, but either to Reus or Girona - both of which are a fair distance from Barcelona. We managed to get a cheap flight from Girona back to Stansted, and decided to stay one night in Girona to be able to have the chance to explore the town. Many travellers probably hop on a bus at Girona Airport and go straight through to Barcelona, thereby missing out on what essentially is a worthwhile and beautiful town to visit.

The train from Barcelona to Girona takes approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. We took a taxi from the station to our hotel, AC Palau de Bellavista, which is situated on a hill, close to the Old Town. The hotel, being recently built, is modern and comfortable. There is a free minibar in each room, with a small selection of drinks, and to its benefit, the hotel has an amazing view over the city. Before booking this hotel with Lastminute, we read some reviews on Tripadvisor, and many people complained about having walk up and down the hill to get into town. Yes, it is quite a hill, but not half as bad as made out to be (in my opinion anyway!).

Girona is a walled city, founded by the Romans, and therefore steeped in history. We began our day in Girona by sitting in the sun, near the river, and eating breakfast obtained from a local bakery. We then strolled around the Old Town - all the winding, narrow streets really appealed to me, it certainly had a medieval feel to it. We visited the ancient Cathedral, an impressive, looming monument, presiding over old Girona. The gardens and fortifications surrounding the Cathedral also provide for a scenic, historic-filled walk, with some good views of the town along the way. We then had a glimpse of the Arab baths, and from there walked toward the Jewish quarter. From the 9th Century towards the end of the 15th Century, before being expelled, Girona had a thriving Jewish community living in an area known as the "Call". We visited what remains of the Jewish quarter - a small maze of narrow streets and staircases, and also went inside the Jewish Museum, which proved to be very interesting. It is also possible to walk along the city's medieval walls, thereby obtaining panoramic views over the town, but due to lack of time we were unable to do so.

Girona has a variety of cosy, atmospheric filled cafe's and restaurants to choose from, particularly located in the old town. After all our sightseeing during the morning, we decided to have a good two-course Spanish meal, along with a jug of sangria, at a restaurant in the Jewish quarter before heading to the airport. Yes, all good things come to an end, and it was time to return to the UK.

I'm glad we decided to spend some extra time in Girona, because we ended up really enjoying it. Having an avid interest in history, our visit to this ancient, walled town ended our holiday on a happy note. So my advice to any other travellers flying to Girona airport with Ryanair, rather than travelling straight through to Barcelona, take some time and enjoy the sights that Girona has to offer.

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