Perfect One Day Girona Itinerary (Easy Barcelona Day Trip)
When I planned a trip to Barcelona for my Mom and I, Girona kept popping up as a nearby destination. So we figured, why not? With its medieval history and slower pace, it would be the perfect place to switch it up after visiting Europe’s larger cities.
We arrived early-ish in the morning and stayed two nights. But since we took it super slow, I’m putting everything we did into a one day Girona itinerary you can do on a day trip from Barcelona (or stay overnight!).
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Where we stayed in Girona:
This Girona hotel is absolutely worth mentioning because it was centrally located (within walking distance of the train station and attractions), and the price was fantastic.
We stayed in late August, and it cost about $130/night.
While yes, this is a day trip from Barcelona to Girona itinerary, if you decide to stay a night or two, you can’t go wrong staying here.
Our room had an amazing view over the streets as well.
It’s nothing too fancy, and they didn’t have the most versatile lighting, so evenings were pretty dim.
But if you want to save money and be in a prime destination for walking everywhere, you can’t go wrong with BYPILLOW The Bloom.
One Day Girona Itinerary Schedule
In this one day Girona Itinerary, I’ve outlined things to do in Girona by the hour. With that said, you definitely can mix and match. It’s just helpful so you know what you can expect time-wise for activities.
Plus, I’ve left padding between what to do in Girona, so you can spend more time at them or take in the surroundings as you move from one thing to the next.
9:00 AM: Travel from Barcelona to Girona
How to Get to Girona by Train from Barcelona
We caught the Renfe Train from Les Sants Station in Barcelona, direct to Girona.
The ride on the Renfe train is only about 40 minutes, so it’s super quick!
I simplified the train ticket booking process and just grabbed them through Klook. You can easily search train routes across Spain and all of Europe.
You can also grab your tickets to Girona on RailEurope if you’re already booking your Europe train tickets there. There are also some cheaper (but slower) ticket options available.
Klook.comPro Tip: Get to the train station early! We had to go through a security scan beforehand (similar to the airport). We arrived about 35 minutes early, which was enough time for us to find the train and navigate the busy train station.
10:00 AM: Check In (or Drop off Luggage)
Okay, so this itinerary is fit for a Girona day trip, but just in case you might stay a night…we stayed at BYPILLOW The Bloom.
10:30 AM: Cases de l’Onyar
Girona’s medieval history means that the city walls once lined the river. Homes began to be built atop the wall in the 16th century. Today, the colorful historic homes known as the Cases de l’Onyar add a charm to the riverside view, while telling Girona’s story.
Make your way to this viewing bridge to cross into the old city walls for the best views of the Cases de l’Oyner (and of course snap some memories).
11:00 AM: Lunch and Xuixo (Girona sweets)
If you’ve traveled from Barcelona in the morning, you’re gonna need to grab some bites before diving into this packed itinerary.
We had a small lunch at the Origem Cafe, which had fantastic coffee & food.
For Xuixo, Girona’s sugar-dusted cream-filled pastries, we stopped at Xuixo Castelló, which had a variety of flavors. 10/10.
If you’re a sweet lover like me, you can’t miss out on trying Xuixo while on a Girona day trip from Barcelona.
12:30 PM: Girona History Museum (~1 Hour)
Being in a historic city and all, it would only make sense to stop by the Girona History Museum.
The museum’s history displays begin with Girona’s Roman origins and take you on a journey through time until today.
They also had lockers we could store our bags in, which was great, so we could take a rest from carrying them around.
2:00 PM: Girona Cathedral (~1 Hour)
The Girona Cathedral is most famous for its appearance in Game of Thrones, which I must admit… I have never seen.
The history of Girona Cathedral dates back over 1,000 years. Its interior is Gothic, the exterior is Baroque (Italian-style), and there are dramatic steps leading to its doors.
We weren’t initially sure about going inside, but it was worth it. The cathedral organ is massively impressive, no pun intended.
And even if you don’t choose to go inside, it’s an unavoidable stop in any one day Girona itinerary.
3:30 PM: Girona Cinema Museum (~1-2 hours)
The Girona Cinema Museum is one of my all-time favorite museums. It was one of the more unexpected parts of our one-day Girona itinerary, but it was so worth it.
Not gonna lie, if you’re into film a Girona day trip from Barcelona is worth it just for this museum.
Now, the museum itself isn’t about Girona at all; it covers the entire history of motion pictures and how we told stories.
There are artifacts, technological innovations, and interactive displays.
If you’re doing a day in Girona with kids, this will be fun for them.
Pro Tip: If you want to skip this museum, or are visiting during a time of year when the sun sets early, you can head to walk the city walls instead.
5:30 PM: Dinner at the Plaça Independència
Just a few minutes from the Girona Cinema Museum is the Palça Independència or the Independence Plaza.
We didn’t have the time to eat here, but we walked through, and the architecture is beautiful. And of course, there are loads of restaurants lining the interior. I was eyeing people’s food, and it looked delicious.
Sorry, I don’t have a restaurant suggestion here. Still, the Plaça Independència is worth mentioning as a potential spot to slow down and dine before wrapping up the day.
Check out this TimeOut article for the top local dishes to try in Girona for inspiration.
7:00 PM: Walk the City Walls
One of the absolute must-do things in Girona is to walk the city walls. While the first foundations go back to 1 BC during Roman times, the walls were expanded in the 14th century.
The walk along the walls took about an hour, and we started at the Torre Gironella.
We were here during summertime when the sun sets around 9 PM, so the evening was the perfect time to go.
9:00 PM: Back to Barcelona
As this one day Girona itinerary in fact takes up the whole day, you’ll need to plan to catch a later train back to Barcelona. There aren’t many late trains back to Barcelona, so do check the times available in advance on Rail Europe.
At the moment, Klook only sells Renfe train tickets, with services ending around 7:30 PM.
Bookmark this One Day Girona Itinerary:
You’re all set for an easy Girona day trip from Barcelona with this itinerary. Save it or bookmark it to stay inspired as you plan your adventures in Spain.
This one day Girona itinerary will be absolutely worth it, I promise.
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