Figueres

The Catalan city of Girona captivates with its rich history and picturesque setting. Along the Onyar River, colorful houses line its banks, while the well-preserved Barri Vell, the Old Quarter, entices with narrow alleys and medieval charm. Girona Cathedral dominates the city skyline; its approximately 23-meter-wide nave is considered the widest Gothic nave in the world. Explore the historic Jewish Quarter, El Call, with its winding alleys, and stroll along the city walls, whose towers offer panoramic views over the city. Also worth visiting are the Banys Àrabs, Romanesque baths from the late 12th or early 13th century, despite their name. For a relaxed experience, consider visiting in spring or autumn to explore the city in peace.

The Costa Brava spans some 200 km from Blanes to the French border at Portbou. Rocky cliffs, small pine-fringed coves, and whitewashed fishing villages like Calella de Palafrugell or Cadaqués characterise Catalonia's north coast. Inland, medieval Girona and Figueres host the Dalí Theatre-Museum.

Begur, on a hill in Baix Empordà, is under two kilometres from the sea. The castle ruin overlooks the village, where its lanes display the villas of Indianos, wealthy 19th-century returnees from Cuba. Begur boasts some of the Costa Brava's most famous coves.

Calella de Palafrugell is a former fishing village in Baix Empordà with white houses, small sandy coves, and the Les Voltes arcades on Port Bo beach. The village is known for the Cantada d'Havaneres, where every July sea shanties are sung by the sea.

Tossa de Mar is a seaside resort on the southern Costa Brava, dominated by Vila Vella: a walled old town on a rocky promontory above the beach. The town walls with their round towers date back to the 12th century and are the only largely preserved fortified old town on the Catalan coast.