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A Perfect Girona Day Trip from Barcelona by Train
Are you thinking about doing a Girona day trip from Barcelona but not sure if it’s worth it? I totally get it, I wondered the same thing. And I’m so glad I did the day trip, it turned out to be my favourite one!
From walking along ancient city walls to admiring the colourful houses lining the river, Girona surprised me in the best way possible. If you’re into charming, medieval vibes and stunning views, you’ll fall in love with this place like I did.
Keep reading to find out why my day trip to Girona from Barcelona ended up being one of my favorites and how you can make the most of your visit!
🤩 I love this private walking tour of Girona because all the entrance fees are included!
How to Get to Girona from Barcelona by Train
A trip to Girona is one of the best day trips from Barcelona by public transport. Multiple direct trains run daily, taking about 40 minutes on the high-speed train and 1.5 hours on the regional train. You can check the train times here.
I took the high-speed train from Barcelona Sants. If you’re buying your ticket on the same day at the grey machines in the station, get there early since the station is huge, and sorting my ticket took a while. You can also buy high-speed tickets online in advance to skip the hassle.
If you prefer the cheaper regional trains, which take a bit longer, tickets are only available at the station from the orange machines.
Important Tips for the Barcelona Girona Train
There are three important facts you should know before heading to the train station to take a high speed train:
- It’s cheaper to get a return ticket than two one-way tickets, so you need to know the exact train you want to take back.
- For high-speed trains, you need your passport number to buy the ticket.
- For high-speed trains, you need to go through a security check which might take some time.
How to Get Around in Girona
The Girona train station is just a short walk from the town centre. And the old town of the medieval city of Girona is relatively small, so you can explore the entire old city on foot.
In my opinion, that’s the best way of exploring a city anyway. You can already take in so much of the atmosphere of a city by just walking through its narrow streets.
I recommend seeing everything in the city you want and afterwards heading back towards the train station on top of the city walls. From the city walls, you have an amazing view of the city but more on that later.
Best Things to Do in Girona
1. Walk the City Wall
My favourite thing to do in Girona is walking on the city walls. There’s just something special about walking on these ancient walls. You also get amazing views of the city from the walls.
While Barcelona has great viewpoints, there’s nothing quite like seeing a city from its ancient walls. Girona’s walls have several towers you can climb, each offering a unique perspective.
The easternmost tower is popular with walking tours, but if you’re up for it, climb them all to enjoy different angles of the city.
Pro tip: Start your walk on the eastern side behind the cathedral only after you’ve explored the area. This way, you can head towards the train station without doubling back.
🤩 I love this walking tour of Girona for being affordable and giving a great overview of Girona!
2. Cross Some Pedestrian Bridges
There are a lot of pedestrian bridges you can walk over in Girona. The most famous bridge is Pont de les Peixateries Velles which was designed by Gustave Eiffel. Name sound familiar? It should, that’s the architect behind the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Don’t miss out on some of the other bridges either though. The bridges themselves might not be that special but the views are. My favourite view was from Pont d’en Gómez o de la princesa.
When I visited in mid-October the water level was very low but you could still see the reflection of the colourful houses which made it a stunning view.
🤩 I love this private tour of Girona because all the entrance fees are included!
3. Look for Game of Thrones Filming Locations
Girona was a filming location for Game of Thrones. As you stroll through the medieval town, it’s easy to see why it was chosen for the HBO hit series. You can even recognize the spots when you stand in front of them and look up the scenes on your phone.
The most recognisable locations are the steps leading up to the cathedral, where Queen Margery was about to have her walk of shame. Cerci had her walk of shame in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
In Carrer del Bisbe Josep Cartañà, just behind the cathedral, Arya was begging on the streets of Braavos.
I’ve included more filming locations in my map of Girona. You can also find a detailed list of all the filming locations at gameofthronesspain.com.
🤩 Take a Game of Thrones walking tour so you don’t miss any filming locations!
4. Visit the Arab Baths in Girona
The Arab baths in Girona, the Banys Àrabs, were first built in the 12th century and since the early 20th century the baths are open to the public as a museum.
It’s one of the best-preserved Romanesque public baths from this time so it’s a great place to visit for all history lovers.
But it’s also another perfect spot for Game of Thrones fans. The scene of Water Gardens of Dorne was filmed there.
🤩 Learn about the history of Girona from a knowledgable tour guide!
5. Wander Through the Jewish Quarter
The Jewish Quarter is located in the old town of Girona, near the Onyar River and it’s one of the best-preserved Jewish quarters in Europe.
It was inhabited by the Jewish community until the 15th century and today it’s one of the most popular tourist attractions in Girona.
You can just wander through the narrow cobblestone streets or you can visit the museum of Jewish history in the building of the last synagogue in Girona.
Where to Go for Food
A great place for lunch is at Plaça del Vi, you get a nice view of the square while you enjoy your meal.
Luckily, the only vegan restaurant in Girona, B-12, is also located there. It has a great lunch menu, you can choose a starter, main, dessert and drink for a very reasonable price. The prices are so much cheaper than in the vegan restaurants I visited in Barcelona.
Is Girona Worth Visiting?
Girona is definitely worth visiting for all Game of Thrones fans or Gustav Eiffel fans. It’s also one of the best places to be if you enjoy city walls and pedestrian bridges or if you just like walking around a medieval city.
I really enjoyed my day trip to Girona. I spent about four and a half hours there, but I could easily have spent some more time there. In general, I think a day trip is still enough to see the best Girona.
In my opinion, Girona is one of the best medieval towns in Europe.
Girona Sightseeing Map
This map highlights everything you can see in Girona in one day, with yellow markers indicating the Game of Thrones filming locations.
Should You Take a Girona Tour from Barcelona?
In all honesty, there’s no need to get a tour from Barcelona to Girona, it’s so easy to get a train. The only advantage of taking a day tour is that you can combine your visit to Girona with another destination, like the beautiful coastal region Costa Brava.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Girona and Costa Brava Small-Group Tour from Barcelona
✅ Walking tour of Girona
✅ Visit to a small authentic coastal village
✅ Small group (max 8 people)
FAQ about a Girona Day Trip from Barcelona
Is Girona walkable?
Girona is the perfect place to discover on foot, even the train station is just a short walk from the city centre.
How far is Girona from Barcelona?
The distance between Girona and Barcelona is about 100 km (62 miles). It takes about 1 hour by car. The high-speed train to Girona from Barcelona takes 40 minutes and the regional train about 1.5 hours.
Final Thoughts About a Day Trip to Girona
This trip to Girona was hands down my favorite day trip from Barcelona. The colorful houses, charming pedestrian bridges, and exploring the city walls were unforgettable. Plus, discovering Game of Thrones filming locations was a fun bonus.
If you want to make the most of your visit and dive even deeper into Girona’s history and hidden gems, I highly recommend booking a guided walking tour. It’s the perfect way to experience the city’s rich past and see all the best spots in one day!
🤩 I love this private walking tour of Girona for visiting all the best attractions!
Read more about Barcelona:
- 10 Absolute Best Free Things to Do in Barcelona
- Barcelona 3 Day Itinerary For an Epic Weekend Getaway
- 10 Must-See Gaudí Buildings In Barcelona (With Map)
- Best Gaudi Tours in Barcelona
- La Sagrada Família: The Most Famous Church in Barcelona
- Is Barcelona Overrated? Why I Don’t Think It Is
- Barcelona Viewpoints to Get the Best View of Barcelona
- The 13 Best Vegan Restaurants in Barcelona
- Best Vegan Breakfast in Barcelona in All-Vegan Restaurants
- Vegan in Barcelona: A Perfect Day with Sightseeing and Food
- Best Day Trips from Barcelona by Train
- Girona Day Trip from Barcelona by Train
- Dali Inspired Day Trip From Barcelona To Cadaqués
- A Day Trip to Andorra from Barcelona
- Epic Day Trip from Barcelona to Sitges by Train
- Best Day Trip from Barcelona to Zaragoza by Train
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