Zochtu

Hi all, we are flying into Girona on the last weekend in October and I'm hoping for some help in figuring out an itinerary and where to base ourselves for 5 nights.

We've seen some of the province before - Roses, Cadaqués, L'Estartit, Peratallada, Pals, Calella de Palafrugell, Begur, Aiguablava as well as Girona city. We really liked those places and wouldn't mind going back, but ideally it would be good to see some or stay in some new places - maybe Palamós, Sant Feliu de Guixols, Tossa de Mar? Really anywhere worth visiting that isn't too far from Girona and the airport (so that we're not spending too long just getting around).

I'm not sure whether to hire a car for the duration, or start by getting the Sagalés bus from GRO into the city and then either stay there for a bit or get another bus from there to stay somewhere else (Guixols sounds quite nice). I'm thinking it might be nice to be based near the beach (even in late October?) and then do the odd day trip, but wouldn't rule out basing ourselves in Girona and doing trips from there. I'm aware that it's festival time in Girona so maybe accommodation will get booked up quickly or be too pricey, but we would like to see the festivities for at least a day or so. We'll go for self catering if possible, so would want to be somewhere with a good supermarket (and a traditional market would be nice). We'd want a few meals out too though - hoping to find some proper Catalan cuisine.

So I'm wondering if anyone familiar with the area can advise on bus routes, where to stay and any recommendations of things to do that are family (pre-teen) friendly... I'm thinking culture, nature & scenery, walks, food, music etc. Also just any general tips, especially given the time of year. Grateful for any advice!

FTOttawa

Paging Besalu

EnricM

Food for thought...

BESALÚ: As mentioned, if you're travelling with a pre-teen, a perfectly preserved medieval town like Besalú is a must, and you can easily visit from your base in Girona by bus (teisa-bus.com):
FESTA MAJOR: Girona celebrates its main annual festival at the end of October, Sant Narcís – it's equivalent to La Mercè in Barcelona or Santa Tecla in Tarragona. This is the official website; it doesn’t have information for this year yet, but in a few weeks, you’ll be able to see the program: https://web.girona.cat/firesdesantnarcis/videos. It's really worth being in Girona around this time. I’m sure your pre-teen will love the activities of our "festes majors" – heritage festivals – such as "els gegants" the giants , "els castellers" the human towers, and maybe even "els diables" the devils – it looks more dangerous than it really is, but still, keep your distance and enjoy the show.

SANT PERE DE RODES: for this one you need to rent a car for the day.
VIC: From Girona you can easily take a commuting train to this city on a Saturday morning for the farmers market in its main square: https://www.victurisme.cat/en/que-s2...ercats/mercats Since I’m mentioning this city, I’ll also note that at the beginning of December, Vic celebrates the "Mercat Medieval" – medieval market – remembering its past as one of the most important commercial hubs in Catalonia during the Middle Ages:
SANTA COLOMA DE FARNERS: A festival to one of the most popular traditional liqueurs in these shores of the Mediterranean, the Rafatia. Ratafia Festival | Official Santa Coloma de Farners tourism website -despite saying November, some years it has been celebrated at the end of October. Keep in mind that this is a family-friendly festival, not a wild, booze-filled spring break frat party

BANYOLES: From Girona you can go by bus, it's close by. The Fira de Sant Martirià https://www.firasantmartiria.com/ -again, the dates are not fixed, and it is held "between the end of October and mid-November" depending on the year.

Well, it doesn't get more Catalan than this!

bilboburgler

One thing Girona does do well is cycling, especially mountain biking

rialtogrl

I have been to the festival of Sant Narcis twice and it is wonderful.. listen to Enric and go! The "devils" (he posted a video) you just can't even imagine how insane it is until you see if for yourself. Try as hard as you can to be there on the first Saturday of the festival so you can see it. A good place to watch is Placa San Domenec and there is a very good hotel right there - Hotel Historic. And if you do go to see this event - wear protective clothing

Zochtu

Thanks everyone, some great tips there! Really looking forward to Sant Narcís now.

Having had a closer look at the Sagalés website, it seems that the 607 service finishes at the end of September, which just leaves the 602 with just three departures from Girona airport. That would mean us hanging around there for at least a couple of hours after arrival and again before check-in on our return journey so I'm leaning towards hiring a car as it would give us more flexibiltiy anyway, and there are so many interesting places to visit (I might have to resist temptation with the ratafia though!).

kja

I don't believe you've said where you will be coming from, but if you have to cross multiple time zones before landing, please wait at least a day, and preferably longer,, before trying to drive. Changing time zones is MUCH more dangerous to you -- and any one else on the road -- than most people realize.

Zochtu

Just coming from the UK so only an hour's difference - but having flown long haul a couple of times before, I do understand your point!

kja

Perfect!

Besalu

No, Sant Martirià will be the third weekend of November.

In the end it all depends on what you prefer. Personally I can see that the towns you know are the ones closer to the coast. You can try to establish your base in a more inland place. After all, Girona goes from the Pyrenees to the sea, and offers a multitude of different landscapes. You should keep in mind that the last weekend is the main festival of Girona and there are concerts every night (when I say nights I mean until 3-4am). And the concerts are followed by people partying in the attractions and partying in the streets until the sun comes up). By this I mean that if you want to rest, personally I would look for accommodation outside Girona city. Of course, I would go to Girona one day to see some of the festivities.

On the other hand, November 1 is a bank holiday. The night before is La castanyada, a popular Catalan festival where people eat chestnuts, panellets and sweet potatoes.

Perhaps, to give you more recommendations of places, it would be interesting to know more about your interests or preferences. However, as a resident of the province of Girona, and feeling sorry for the environment, I think it is much easier to get around by car. I would rent it at the airport.

Zochtu

Thank you, that's all useful to know. We've got some ideas now for a good itinerary - it will involve renting a car, especially with the buses being a bit more limited at that time of year. Thanks again to everyone for all the information and suggestions!

EnricM

THAT MAY BE THE REAL PROBLEM.... you driving on the wrong side of the road! LOL! (---just teasing)

PS. Seriously now, if you're not used to driving outside the UK, you'll need to pay special attention since you're going to encounter plenty of country roads that can be "tight" (as in a bit narrow). They're perfectly all right when used to driving on the right, but if you're not, you need to be alert all the time, and this can be pretty tiring. I know what I am talking about cause I've done the opposite... driving in the UK.

Zochtu

You mean everyone else driving on the wrong side? (LOL) Yes, typical UK... has to be different!

Thanks for the warning. I have driven in Girona province before, but not for a long time, so caution certainly seems like a good idea.