The notebook of Girona et Besalú
Switch from one atmosphere to another without warning.
Compact medieval town, colorful houses on the Onyar, cathedral, Jewish alleys and easy excursion to Besalú.
At your own pace
Identity summary
1 to 3 days
Spring · Summer · Autumn · Winter
Possible without car depending on area
City · Heritage · River
Variable accessibility
Sweet rhythm
General presentation
Girona et Besalú
Compact medieval town, colorful houses on the Onyar, cathedral, Jewish alleys and easy excursion to Besalú.
To understand what Girona and Besalú are, look at Girona Cathedral, Onyar and Besalú. These places give us the opportunity to see a territory marked by urban life, heritage and riverscapes and to move from emblematic sites to more intimate stages.
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For a stay of 1 to 3 days, a quiet rhythm works well. Also to be anticipated: alleys and stairs and short stay. The trip can be organised without a car if the drop point and local connections are selected in advance. Accessibility varies from site to site and deserves to be checked step by step.
Strengths and constraints
Strengths
- Girona Cathedral
- Onyar
- Besalú
Before you choose
- Streets and stairs
- Short stay
- High heat possible in summer
Places worth visiting
A selection to start dreaming and organizing the stay — not an exhaustive list of everything there is to see.
Historical centre
Vieille ville de Girona
The old town of Girona is superimposed: pedestrian streets, internal courtyards, facades that change in tone according to the light, and a dense urban life between churches and markets. What distinguishes it is the way the journey tightens and then widens sharply, as if to keep scenes of silence. The city is well read at every corner of the street, especially by avoiding the peak of busy hours.
Cathedral
Cathedrale de Girona
The Cathedral of Girona plays the map of depth: high nave, light stone, light that descends in degrees and transforms volumes. One understands his strength by moving slowly, without rushing, to observe the logic of arches, chapels and transitions of scale. A light transition visit allows you to see the place breathing instead of flying over it.
Urban river
Maisons de l'Onyar
The Maisons de l'Onyar district offers a theatre of water and reflections: colorful facades, narrow bridges, banks that cut the route into successive fragments. The real emotion often comes from a detail of cornice or a narrow passage from where one sees the river bringing the movement from the city to the upstream. Walking by the evening water gives a more tender reading of the place.
Village medieval
Besalu
Besalú reads as a compact page: clear stone, stiff venals, small squares and architecture that tightens the human scale. It follows the relief of the village more than prefabricated itineraries, with thresholds that open to interior squares loaded with details. It is better to discover it on foot by taking the time to stop at the passage of medieval bridges and facades.
Practical tips
This information helps know if the destination matches the planned trip before starting a fuller search.
To go further
More activities
Restaurants, walks, culture, leisure and outings to search without leaving the destination card.
The nearest destinations
The closest ideas on the map, to extend your trip.
Similar destinations
Same landscapes and the same pace of travel, elsewhere in the world.
