My Girona

Standing atop Montserrat, we spied the Pyrenees as our guide told us about a little city, Girona, with pivotal history and unique culture that would be a good day out from bustling Barcelona. I looked up a few recommendations as we were driving back home that evening, Matt booked our train tickets, and the next morning we made our way there.

Girona is just 35 minutes north of Barcelona by high-speed train. Our day started with rush hour on the metro — I literally had to pull Matt onto the car, squeezing him in to the press of people — so we could get to the train station. I admit, I am not 100% with how trains work here in Europe just yet. I was taking them all the time 20 years ago but things are quite different now. We made sure to find the info desk ASAP so we could make our train (barely) and find our assigned car and seats. We were seated across from a young man who was listening to loud African music on his phone speaker the whole way 😆.

Once we arrived to Girona it was a 15 minute walk to Pláça Sant Feliu where our walking tour would start. Our guide was a young college student who was born and raised in Girona and knew the history and interesting stories inside and out. We were also the only ones on her tour that day so we had such a personal experience.

Girona is special for so many reasons! It’s known for its medieval architecture, walled Old Quarter (Barri Vell) and the Roman remains of the Força Vella fortress. There are watchtowers with incredible views and landscaped gardens that make walking through the city so special. This little city is so well preserved with is rock stair cases and facades that it is often used for filming movies and shows. The most well-known being “Game of Thrones.” I am not a fan of the show but it was still fun to have locations pointed out to us and see pictures of the show in those spots. An upcoming Netflix series called “Mrs. Davis” is currently being filmed there so we had to ask permission to walk through some of the sets as we toured the city, and had to be asked to step out of the frame a couple times.

I was sneaking a shot of the Netflix series sets for “Mrs. Davis” here. It is set in medieval times, but with some technology. I guess I’ll have to watch when it comes out.

More of the series sets. I took this picture and then they told me I was in the shot and had to move. The golf part is part of this scene.

There were a couple stories and places from this city that stood out to me.

{1} Kissing the Lioness’ butt. There is a sculpture that used to stand at the gates to enter the city of Girona when it was entirely surrounded by a great wall. At night the gates would close and Girona citizens would be allowed to enter by— you guessed it— kissing the Lioness’ rear. Its origins are uncertain but the lioness is a XII century Gothic sculpture. This tradition caught on with tourists and a step was placed so that people could reach the lioness to kiss it. The saying went that if you kiss the lion you’d return to Girona one day. Since the recent pandemic the step was removed for health reasons and there is now a sign that says “Do Not Kiss the Lioness’ Butt,” however you can still claim this tradition by stopping by Rocamblesc Gelateria for it’s Lioness replica ice cream (it’s flavored with bergamot and apple).

The sign says it is not permitted to kiss the lioness butt, but someone scribbled out the “not” part.

{2} Make a wish on the flies. Just a stone’s throw away from our lioness you’ll see a boutique hotel with busts of Salvador Dali and some out of place flies. The legend of the flies is one that saved Girona from being overthrown by the French back in 1285, according to medieval records. The city was eventually taken, and the French solders ransacked and damaged many churches including Sant Fèlix, which they entered with the goal of desecrating the body of Sant Narcís, who is the city's patron saint. However when they opened the tomb giant flies swarmed out of the former bishop's body, and killed many of the French troops and their horses. This was counted as a true miracle from Sant Narcís and is why you’ll see images of flies all over Girona. They say is you touch the flies on near the church that any miracle you need will come to you.

The art just above my head was created by Salvador Dali, a famous Spanish artist. It depicts the Saint with the miracle of the flies.

{3} See a map of old Paris. On the main shopping street of the Old Quarter if you look up you’ll see something special. The shop, which is empty now, used to be a French perfumery in the 18th and 19th century. On the ceiling just outside the shop the owner had painted a map of Paris. What I loved was seeing how Paris looked at that time, pre-Eiffel Tower. And just beyond this old mural, you can find a pedestrian bridge leading across the river that was built by Eiffel himself here in Girona.

Eiffel’s bridge.

{4} Eat at the best restaurant in the world! I really wish we would have known about this before we came but it was fun to learn about. Not far from Girona is El Cellar de Can Roca, rated the best restaurant in the world for two consecutive years. It is a Michelin 5-star restaurant that is booked eleven months out. If you aren’t lucky enough to get a reservation there are two other ways to experience the expertise of the Roca brothers gastronomy right in the heart of Girona. Their new restaurant, Normal, features Catalan traditional foods, open for lunch and dinner, and is usually booked out a month in advance. Their pastry chef was just awarded the best pastry chef in the world which makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

{5} Ok, but does your Nativity include El Caganer? I would have walked by this store without a second glance, but our guide let us in on a bit of true Catalonia tradition. During the Christmas season everyone sets up Nativity sets and these can get very elaborate with water features and all the characters from the Bible and everyday life, too. The Catalan tradition is to always include a figure that is, well, answering the call of nature (squatting to poop). Farmers of old would fertilize their fields in this way so they are sure to include this figure, whether traditional with the Catalan red hat or a modern celebrity, to bring prosperity, wellness, and luck in the coming year. They say if you don’t include it in your nativity scene you will have bad luck. We laughed and laughed, but really to them this is normal and something fun.

Found this box of chocolate covered nougat at the famous Rocambolesc sweet shop, their own Caganer!

{6} Our guide told us about the Catalan pastry we had to try, too! It’s called Xuixo, pronounced “shoo-shoo” and is a pastry filled with Catalan cream, deep fried and dusted with sugar. It wasn’t very sweet, like all European pastry, but it really was very good. I would eat it again for sure.

We really, really loved our time in Girona and I especially loved learning the history of the Jewish people here and seeing the beautiful stone stairways, alleys, and courtyards. I love how modern life has filled in these ancient spaces without changing them much. It makes the history so easily come alive.