Girona
November 16, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

Located at nearly 110 Km, Girona is tucked in on the North East corner of Barcelona, with France and Lleida as its boundary. Spelt as ‘Gerona’, this city is capital of its own province. Tourists opt to reach the city on budget airlines available like RyanAir.
The austere location at which Girona is located makes it a perfect tourist spot. Tourists from all around the world are enchanted by the location between Cordillera Pirenaica and Costa Brava, as it gives them a very good chance to visit or plan an excursion in the nearby villages and as well as the natural habitats.
The primary language of this province is ‘Girona’ and this province has an approximate population of half a million people and extends to an area of 6000 sq. km. Girona is divided into regions named as: El Alt Empordá, Pla de I’Estany, Selva, Ripollés, Cerdanya, El Gironés, La Garrotxa and El Baix Empordá.
The city is aptly named as “City of the Four Rivers” and is holstered by its historic centre which hosts medieval buildings and the memories of Arabs, Romans and Jews.
The mild climate of Girona makes the winters quite cold and the summers hot. The temperatures can drop to 23.0 F because of the winds coming from the Pyrenees range of mountains. The summer temperatures soar to about 80-105 F in the seasons of July and August.
What To See:
The historical locations located in Girona are a delight to see. While the anciet section of the city resides on the Capuchins hills, the new one stays in the plain and stretches beyond the river.
If you are a history buff, Girona offers you so many spectacular places to quench your thirst. The 14th century Gothic structure, Collegiate Church of Sant Feliu boasts of the façade dating from the eighteenth century. This Spanish church contains the tomb of the valiant Alvarez, who was one of the early bishops known in the history of mankind.
You cannot miss the beautiful Jewish Quarter which can be reached by foot. The museums and the beautifully carved stone buildings and the narrow cobbled streets make a perfect view. The breath taking structural excellence is not to be missed. The narrow streets offer the tourists a very good chance to get lost. Luckily, the signs which lead the tourists to the main attractions do help a lot in finding the right way out. The guides do suggest making a visit to this place a mandatory for any tourist arriving at Girona. The antique shops located in this street are a good stop to purchase any item that interests you the most. Just, do not forget to bargain.
The Girona Cathedral is one of the most historical and ancient structures in the modern history. Dedicated to Saint Mary and constructed by the architects Guilem Bofil and Anton Canet, It dates back to 11th century AD and you can observe the changes that happened in the styles that the Cathedral is built up to the 17th century. It holds an historical importance because it preserves the elements of the first Romanesque buildings. The Cathedral is located within the Fortress La Forca Vella and it suggests strength and strategic location. One thing hard to miss in The Cathedral is its single nave which spans 23 meters wide, making it one of the biggest architecture marvel built by the period’s master builders.
The Cathedral Museum holds two of the most artistic and significant works of the medieval European art, namely the Creation Tapestry and the Beatus. While the former is an immense piece of art work which holds the scenes of the creation, the latter is a manuscript decorated with illustrations from the year 975. The Beatus is historically prominent due to its codices stating the Beatus of Liebana’s Apocalypse.
In Girona, it’s hard to miss the Arab Baths located in Capuchin Monastery. The Arab Baths date back to XII century. The architecture of the building was primarily based on Moorish and Roman designs. In 1284, the structure had to take the effects of the siege and had to undergo repairs to retain the structural integrity. The baths were shut through most of the 15th century and were opened for services by a private owner in 1617. The bath house was also used as pantry, kitchen and wash house in the age of renaissance. There are 5 notable rooms, namely Apoditerium(dressing room), the frigidarium ( cold room), the tepidarium (warm room), the caldarium (hot room) and the furnus (oven and boiler). The dressing room and the hot room are surely to be seen.
What To Do:
In Girona, you can never miss the Eiffel Bridge located at where the four rivers meet. Out of the eleven bridges that Girona has, The Eiffel Bridge is the most popular as it was constructed by Gustave Eiffel just before the planning and construction of Eiffel Tower. The view of the colorful houses from the bridge is breath taking in its own sense. The mixture of several elements such as sunshine, water and the colors of the houses blend so well together making it the most picturesque view ever.
If you to spend a quality time in Girona, you can head on to La Rambla, which is the centre of daily bustle that goes on. You can relax a whole lot of time around here. Just take a drink of sangria, enjoy with some delicious cuisines spread over. You can find lots of shops around here. The food is prepared using the natural spices and condiments making it authentic and naturally tasty.
With time in hand and 15-20 minutes to spare, you can take a walk along the wall to go from one side to the other of Girona. A little bit of forewarning here is that there are no exits in the walk. Once you start you need to go straight up to the Cathedral areal. A little bit of walk daily is good for your health. So, make the most of it and try the walk.
There are several museums in Girona which are a must to visit if you are an artsy and historic type of a tourist. You can have a look around at Museum of History of Jews, History of the City, Museum of Cinema, Museum of Archaeology, Museum of Art, and Museum – Treasury of the Cathedral.
Night Life:
Night life in Girona is safe. The city has a very low crime rate but it is advised to be on your own caution always. People are friendly and helpful. Tourists bring in more money to the city, so normally you would not be shooed away whatsoever.
Hotels and Accomodation:
You can expect a pleasant stay in Girona because f the wide range of hotels the city has. You can even share an apartment if you are planning for a long stay. The city hosts several hotels ranging from 5 star to budget catering accommodations. If there are no budgetary complaints, then you can even choose a beautiful villa in Girona which provides you with 3 bedrooms or more. You can find out some resources which can point to a 2 bedroom villa too. If you have come as a group, it’s preferable to take a villa because; you pay for the villa but not for each person. That would save a good amount of money.
Cadaques
November 9, 2009 by · 2 Comments

A former fishing village that was once only accessible by sea, Cadaqués sits on the far North-East of Spain, in Catalonia. It is right on the edge of the Cap de Creus Peninsula, where the Pyrenees mountains meet the sea, just south of the French border. Driving from the direction of Girona, it takes some effort to get to Cadaqués, but the views along the way are breath-taking and well worth stopping to admire the views. Be prepared, as the roads are narrow in places with a number of hair-pin bends along the way, but a slow drive over the mountain will take approximately 25 minutes.
As you arrive in Cadaqués there is a very large car park, its advisable to park here, as it’s only a 10 minute walk to the sea front. Where it can become extremely busy certain times of the year.
Cadaqués has been kept in pristine condition, the whitewashed town consists of narrow, cobblestone streets that make their way uphill to the Església de Santa Maria, a small 16th-century Gothic church featuring an enormous Baroque altar with 365 carved faces, its easy to find, as its position is striking against the skyline of this low village.
The main attractions here are the restaurants serving fresh Mediterranean fish, and the shore. Boats are dotted around the sea edge as you follow the seaside path that curves around the bay and leads you to Portlligat, where Salvador Dalí once lived.
Salvador Dalí once said in 1920: “I have spent a delightful summer, as always, in the perfect and dreamy town of Cadaqués. There, alongside the Latin sea, I have been quenched by light and colour”.
Please use our hotel search form below to choose and book from one of great hotels deals available in Cadaqués:
Blanes
November 2, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

Blanes is a built-up area and from the south it’s the start of the Costa Brava region, for this reason its known as “The Gateway” to the Costa Brava.
Blanes is a popular holiday destination and one of the Costa Brava’s largest holiday resorts, but with a population of more than 20,000 it has managed to absorb the tourists without losing its identity.
The Old town, just behind the seafront, has survived almost unscathed, with Gothic chuches, medieval houses, fountains, shrines and a lively daily produce market.
Just above the town (a fairly steep hillside) is the Mar i Murtra botanic garden, situated on a clifftop the gardens are home to more than 4,000 species, dedicated primarily to Mediterranean and sub-tropical flora. It has wonderful collections of cacti and other beautiful plants from arid regions of southern Africa and Central America, as well as plants endemic to Catalonia. The garden has steep slopes and a lake, as well a long flight of steps leading to the Linnaeus temple, which offers stunning views out over the coast and sea with olive, pine and tamarisk trees dropping down towards the sea.
The road beyond the gardens continues to the small beach and former tuna-fishing port at Cala Sant Francesc, where there is a beach bar in the summer months. Castell de Sant Joan, an 11th century castle and 15th century hermitage is also a short distance from the gardens.
Please use our hotel search form below to choose and book from one of great hotels deals available in Blanes:
Palamos
November 1, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

Palamós is situated at the northern end of a large bay, which is popular for swimming, sailing and windsurfing. The town is by-passed by the C31 which connects the coastal towns of the central Costa Brava with Girona.

At the start of the port you can see the local fisherman repairing their nets, behind them the backdrop of local hotels. Detailing how Palamós has changed over the years to accommodate tourism.
The town is a major fishing port (with the closure of Sant Feliu the only commercial harbour in the Province of Girona) with one of the last remaining fishing fleets on this part of the mediterranian coast. It is famous for the locally caught prawns.
The port makes a very interesting attraction, a walk along the harbour walls allows you to see up close the local fisherman off loading their fish and preparing for there next catch. Peer down into the deep clear water where you’ll see an abundance of fish eating weed from the harbour walls. Local fisherman and the odd tourist fish at the end of the port.
The old quater, dominated by the Gothic church of Santa Maria stands on a headland overlooking the harbour. Several shops here specialise in cork artefacts from the continuing small cork industry.
Each afternoon a fish auction takes place, situated at the entrance to the port populated mainly with locals haggling for fresh fish, but the array of fish is great to see and definetly worth a look around.


The beach is sandy and very long, it drops off fairly quick so is a great safe place to swim. Behind the beach are car parks and promenades, followed by high rise apartments and hotels.
The town’s nightlife is focused on the old port which is surrounded by bars and restaurants.
Please use our hotel search form below to choose and book from one of great hotels deals available in Palamos:
Besalu
October 31, 2009 by · 1 Comment

Besalú is a well preserved medieval town in the Garrotxa region with several Romanesque churches and the only Jewish bath house in Spain.
Besalú is located at 150 metres above sea level, covering an area of 4.81 km2. Although the town has many nice churches, the most significant feature is its 12th-century Romanesque bridge, angled over the river Fluvià, which features a gateway at its mid-point. From exiting the bridge (walking away from the car parks) into the town, the streets become narrow whith small gift shops which sell some very unusual items. Keep following the streets until you reach the central square, Plaça Llibertat where you can visit the monastry church, cafes antique shops and delicatessens. Investigate the area and stoll down cobbled streets leading off from the square to find medieval arch ways, columns and gothic windows. Nearby are the The Miqve baths, with thermal springs and running water from the river, once used by men before prayer and by women before marriage and childbirth.
In 1966, Besalú was declared a “National Historic-Artistic Ensemble” due to its high architectural value.

Points of Interest:
- Visit on a Tuesday where Besalú comes to life with buzzing local chatter and stalls piled high with cheese, fruit, flowers and other local goodies.
- The Romanesque bridge for excellent photo opportunities
- The Miqve baths
- River walks below the bridge
Please use our hotel search form below to choose and book from one of great hotels deals available in Besalú:
Pals
October 22, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

Pals is one of the best preserved medieval towns in Catalonia. A village which simply takes you back in time, the Gothic stone houses situated around a 15th century castle has been restored to its former glory, walk under archways around the narrow cobbled streets and corners where each turn will provide you with a great photo opportunity. Aswell as the castle walls there is church and tower to view, along with stunning views of Platja de Pals, a long sandy beach 5km away and views of the Illes Medes near L’Estartit.

Depending on the time of year the streets can be deserted and only the odd cat roams the streets. However in peak tourist months, June , July, August it can become very busy therefore it is recommended early morning or evenings are the best time to visit during these months. There is ample parking at the bottom of the hill (in the newer section of Pals).
Pals is a great day trip, and walking around the medieval section can take a good couple of hours, even longer if you take a look through some of the toursit shops which include galleries and pottery and restuarants situated around the narrow stone streets.
Please use our hotel search form below to choose and book from one of great hotels deals available in Pals:

