Girona

Travel

Dec 17

Girona is a small Catalonian city, 60 miles northeast of Barcelona. My sister had planned a four day trip to the area to celebrate her husband’s birthday in 2018 because she snagged a reservation at a 3 Michelin restaurant (more on that, it deserves its own post!) At the very, very last minute, my brother-in-law could not go due to work, and I was the substitute. The Shilpa in me felt really terrible that he couldn’t make it, especially after all of sis’ detailed planning specifically for his big day and plus, we wouldn’t even get to be with him on March 9! The gastronome in me, however, whispered a silent prayer of thanks to the Food Gods as I knew I was in for a real treat.

It was a special trip for many reasons and one was because it was the first sisters’ trip we had ever taken! Also, by now you know I have a thing for discovering smaller cities and though I didn’t do any planning or research ahead of time, Girona did not disappoint.

Reflecting on our brief visit, I thought I’d encourage you to go if you love any of these 5 things:

Tapas!

Located between the Pyrenees and Costa Brava, Girona has a rich food culture. I love snacks and sometimes, sharing them ;) Whether it’s pintxos in San Sebastian or tapas in the rest of Spain, made from scratch, bite size foods are right up my alley. They are affordable, shareable, and quaffable. The options are extensive and that’s when the size + price combination makes it easy to try several. We only took pics of a couple of fried goodies below: croquetas and patatas bravas (the aioli on them…oof…tangy and creamy and I could eat it on it’s own).

Seafood!

When I travel, eating local, fresh, and sustainably caught fish is one of my most favorite things. The seafood in Girona is wonderful because of the proximity to the Mediterranean Sea. The Mercat del Lleo or Lion’s Market is a great local market to wander and checkout produce, seafood, and more from the region. Tinned fish is also a delectable way to enjoy seafood; pair with a crisp white wine if you want to maximize satisfaction.

CARBS!

I don’t think this section needs much of an explanation!! High quality breads and pastries are plentiful with the most challenging part being choosing which to try! The local specialty (bottom pictures) is xuixo, pronounced “shoo-show”, a cross between a donut and croissant filled with Catalan cream and dusted with sugar. It has a cute backstory: an acrobat was hiding in a bag of flour to avoid being discovered by his beloved’s father, who was a pastry chef and in exchange for the recipe and a promise to marry his daughter, the acrobat named the pastry after the sneeze that gave him away.

Coffee & Cycling

What’s a great pairing for all the pastries? Coffee! I noticed how prevalent the coffee culture was in this small town and I was there for it. I also observed cyclists in these coffeeshops and was later told by a cycling friend that it is in fact a popular destination and pairing. Ironically, I would later work at Heritage Bikes & Coffee in Chicago! We didn’t do any cycling but I can attest that the coffee and aesthetics of the various coffeeshops were fantastic.

Game of Thrones!

Sadly, I hadn’t started watching Game of Thrones when we visited but clicking through the pictures, you can see why they filmed season six in Girona. They offer GoT tours too if you are inclined. You can feel how rich the history of conquerors and culture are when exploring on foot in the medieval city where 4 rivers converge. Being 2,000 years old, this adds up! The Girona Cathedral is a dominating, ancient icon combining Baroque, Gothic, and Roman styles and was used by the Moors as a mosque. The Jewish Quarter is one of the best preserved ones in Europe. The city walls were a scenic and fun way to get our steps in. The Arab Baths, like the rest of the city, are remarkably maintained dating back to 1194. We thoroughly enjoyed ambling through Girona and soaking up the ancient vibes.