A Spanish haven located in Catalonia is said to be a true delight in all the sun-drenched country. The city is home to majestic medieval walls, narrow and winding streets with a diverse heritage evident among its cuisine, architecture and traditions. This lesser-known Spanish city was quite the topic on a Reddit post as the hot question was posed on the social media platform by one user, who asked: “What is an underrated city in Spain with beautiful architecture/old town, buzzing bars and restaurants and a lively vibe (NOT Barcelona, Madrid, Sevilla, Granada, Malaga, Valencia)?”
Some users sang the praises of Girona, with one saying: “I just got back from Girona, which has everything you listed.” Girona sits between Barcelona and Costa Brava and is home to one of the best preserved Jewish Quarters in Europe. The city truly is a treasure trove of history, with Roman, Jewish, Muslim and Catholic influences all shaping its one-of-a-kind architecture and culture.
The Redditor added: “Amazing ancient city walls that you can walk along the top of with great views. This leads to the beautiful cathedral. Food – one of the best restaurant scenes in the world! Everything from multiple Michelin stars to no-fuss small local restaurants serving delicious food.”
The old town, they continued, is “fascinating” thanks to its small streets and rich history. They added: “Once you leave the more touristy old town, there’s lots of lively bars with a proper local feel. Couldn’t recommend it more!”
The city’s year-round sunshine and relaxed ambience felt throughout are just some of its winning factors.
Its size allows visitors to be able to have everything easily at hand, while also providing them with a variety of activities and sites to visit.
Among those sites are the Arab Baths, Girona Cathedral, the Passeig de la Muralla (city ramparts), as well as the picturesque Onyar River, surrounded by the colourful scenes from its many charming houses along the way.
Girona’s old town is its crowning glory however, featuring labyrinthine streets filled with historic buildings, steep stairs and arcaded squares.
And for the Game of Thrones fanatics, Girona boasts a number of spots seen in the popular series, as it was the filming location for Braavos.