So this morning I was picked up at 8:00 a.m. by my guide Marcel for a trip up the coast to Girona and Costa Brava. Along the way we picked up a son and father from Winnipeg, two gals from India, a couple from São Paulo, Brazil (residing in LA) and a gal from Melbourne, Australia.
The trip to Girona took us inland and north of Barcelona. We arrived in the old gothic quarter of Girona around 10:00 a.m. Now Girona is considered one of the best preserved medieval quarters in the world, but has actually been inhabited since Roman times.
Now unfortunately, our timing was off a bit for the tour as we arriving at the same time as three large bus tours so for the first couple stops on the tour we were fighting the large tour groups, but eventually we lost them.
Anyway, we started out the tour at the base of a column with a lioness sitting atop. The column apparently dates to the 12th century. As a result, the lioness has long been considered the symbol of Girona. From here we crossed the narrow road to the staircase leading to Esglesia de Sant Feliu, which was constructed in 11th century and was the Girona cathedral from the 14th to 18th century. And while the church was constructed in the 11th century, the present façade dates to the 18th century. The other unique aspect of this is that the church is one of the few Spanish churches to have a spire. And it was one heck of a spire.
From Esglesia de Sant Feliu, we walked down a narrow alley and stopped in front of a giant statute of a fly affixed to a wall. Apparently, the second symbol of Girona is the fly, representing the legend of Saint Narcís and a miracle that saved the city from a siege in 1286. When French soldiers desecrated Saint Narcís’s tomb, giant flies emerged and attacked the invaders, causing significant damage and forcing their retreat. Since then, the fly is considered a symbol of the city. Seriously.
We then walked around the corner and up another narrow street between narrow arches connecting the buildings. Now these buildings are occupied by the locals and you can actually see into the courtyards that make up the first floor of the homes. (And as we wandered through the old quarter we saw a myriad of striking courtyards that owners use during everyday life.)
After passing through a final arch that was built overtop old Roman walls, we reached the 17th century Girona Cathedral 17th. Now what is particularly interesting about the cathedral is that the old building that predated the cathedral was used as a mosque by the Moors who occupied this area during the 6th century.
From here, we doubled back through the last archway we had walked under and passed by Esglacia de Sant Lluc, a church dating to 1724. We then walked up some stairs and under an archway to the old walls of the city. Now the old city walls were an important military defense with construction of the original walls dating to Roman times in the 1st century BC. However, the walls were completely rebuilt under the reign of Peter III the Ceremonious in the second half of the 14th century with the Roman wall serving as a foundation.
As we walked in the area, Marcel pointed out the old Arab baths across from the Esglesia de Sant Feliu tower before we moved on to take in the Sant Pere de Galligants monastery. Now, I am not a Game of Thrones fan (in fact I have never seen the show), but apparently the monastery and the adjacent grounds are featured in the show.
And while this was apparently a big deal for some in our group, I was more interested in the fact that the monastery originally dated to the 8th century and originally sat just outside the city walls. In the 14th century the walls were reconstructed to include the monastery, which was also redesigned into a more defensive shape.
From here, we climbed the stairs to the fortress and walked beside the old city walls under archways and past ancient buildings. At one point, the walls of the city were to our right and the University of Barcelona, occupying old buildings was to the left.
As we continued on, we ended up back beside the Girona Cathedral where we were able to get a really good look at the façade of the Cathedral as well as the clock tower that was at one time a sundial.
We then reversed course and walked down a stairway that led us into the old Jewish quarter. Now in the 15th century, the Jewish people were forced to convert or leave city and as a result new construction was built atop the olde Jewish homes. Recent excavations have turned up 1,200 old documents and the foundation of the old homes.
Once we passed through the old Jewish quarter we turned down a lane filled with shops and restaurants before turning to the right and crossing the most famous bridge in Girona, the “Eiffel Bridge” constructed by Gustav Eiffel (yes that Eiffel). The red bridge spans the Onyar River and connects Girona’s historic area with the newer area of Girona. The bridge was constructed in 1876 and judging by the crowds on the bridge, is immensely popular with the tourists.
And from the bridge, I was able to take in the gorgeous views of the colourful houses overlooking the Onyar River, which made it feel like I was looking at a Mediterranean city instead of an old inland town.
So at this point, we finished our tour of old town Girona and were given about an hour to wander around. I ending up doubling back and finding a lovely juice stand where I grabbed a drink made of papaya, banana, peach and oranges. It was just what I needed on a very hot day.
At just after 12:30, we met back up with Marcel for the one hour trip to the coast where we were going to take in the beaches and have lunch in the Costa Brava, the coastal beach area north of Barcelona.
The trip took us through multiple farming villages before we reached the town of Palafrugell, which includes the areas of Calella and Llafranc. First stop was lunch at a small waterfront restaurant in Calella.
Now the views to the Mediterranean from this seaside area were magnificent and after I finished my lunch of mussels and a glass of white wine, I wandered around the waterfront and took in the beach goers, the kayakers, paddle boarders and boats all taking up space along the water. I ended up climbing down some steps and walking all the way out on a cement pier to get a look at the waterfront from an ocean perspective. I then hiked back up the steps and past a myriad of ocean front restaurants before stopping at an ice cream shop.
We met back up with Marcel at 3:30 and headed a few minutes north to Llafranc for another view of a beach area before driving about ten minutes up the hillside to the Sant Sebastia lighthouse, which was built in the 19th century and stands 169 meters above the Mediterranean.
And the views to the beaches and Mediterranean below were spectacular. We wandered around the area for about ten minutes before we ended up back in the van for the 90 minute drive back to Barcelona. Thankfully it was a Saturday and the traffic heading into Barcelona was really, really light so we made great time. (Apparently Marcel did the same tour yesterday and it took them almost four hours to get back to Barcelona. Yikes!!)
Anyway, I was back at my hotel by 6:30. And just when I thought I was in for a peaceful Saturday night, all hell broke loose outside the Barcelona Cathedral square outside my hotel. Now each night, the square is filled with buskers so I have become accustomed to the jugglers playing music, the guy trying to sing like Bruno Mars and on and on. However, tonight was different. It began with a steady drumbeat off in the distance that grew louder. Then I started to hear the sound of fireworks. At first I thought it might have something to do with the FC Barcelona game tomorrow. Uh that would be no.
I eventually left my room and wandered out in the square to find some kind of play being performed with the sparkling fireworks being let off at regular intervals. Now I was aware that next week is the famous Catalan festival of ma the city’s annual major festival which is in celebration of the Virgin Mary. The festival begins on Wednesday September 24 and runs for four days and features human towers, nightly fireworks, music, parades, including parades of the paper mache giants, and lots of food and drink. What I did not know is that the celebrations actually begin early as in … tonight.
Anyway, the play was some kind of kickoff for the festival and while I did not understand what was going on as it was all in Spanish, I gathered that it had something to do with good versus evil because there were people dressed as devils and angels and lots and lots of drums. Two elderly ladies who spoke a little English were kind enough to tell me that it was in celebration of La Mercè.
I ended up watching it for a bit, but every time they lit the sparklers they ended with a bang and I nearly jumped out of my skin each time. It was really, really loud. I finally headed back to my hotel and just as I approached the entrance two large paper mache king and queen giants were paraded past. Cool! So I was able to see the giants as well.
Anyway, once in my hotel room, the noise (and I mean NOISE) continued. However, I believe that that there is a noise curfew of 11:00 p.m. in the square in front of the Cathedral so I am hoping that it holds tonight. Wish me luck. (And tomorrow is my last day in Barcelona. I am heading out of the city to the Montserrat, the famous monastery up in the mountains.)
