In this episode David shows us what you can do in a day in Girona, Spain. Girona has a magnificent old town and charming waterfront boulevards. Spending a day in Girona will reveal its beautiful architecture and ancient history. The best part is that it’s only 60 miles north of Barcelona and easily reached by bus, car or train, making it a most popular day trip destination from Barcelona.
If you’re an adrenaline junkie, check out our episode on Skydiving in Costa Brava!
David starts off by having his guide Carles explain a little bit about why Girona has such a fascinating history – it’s geographical location at the crossroads of Spain and France has always made it a strategic point, thus highly desirable to those who wished to conquer the Iberian Peninsula. When the Romans arrived they realized that controlling Girona was the key to gaining control of the Iberian Peninsula.
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One of the main things to do in the Old Town is walk along the 14th century Medieval walls. The wall stretches 1.5 kilometers and was used as a protective measure for the city’s inhabitants. Carles stops to explain the purpose for the holes in the wall. He then takes David to the oldest part of the wall constructed by the Romans in the 3rd century. They built a section of the wall in a triangular shape to get unobstructed views of the river.
From the wall you get excellent panoramic views of the Old Town and the Pyrenees Mountains, making it great for taking pictures. Up next is the Gothic-style Girona Cathedral, which took over 400 years to complete! The reason for the lengthy construction is its architectural design. Instead of having columns to support the roof, it has only a single arch spanning the entire width of the church (23 meters). The Girona Cathedral has the world’s largest Gothic arch.
The last stop on David’s day in Girona is the Cathedral Cloister. It is a Romanesque Cloister that features a series of beautiful columns depicting figures and animal motifs. It also has a handsome bell tower.
Special thanks to Costa Brava Tourism.
Production by Carlos de Varona from Chromahouse
Have you ever visited Girona? Leave a comment below to share your favorite places!
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