Author: gironapete

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Beaches

Costa Brava hotels- S’agaro

Only a 25 minute drive from the city of Girona, we were looking for a peaceful and restful weekend break in the middle of a cold February. This hotel and its facilities proved to be the perfect solution. Looking for spa hotels in Girona & Barcelona, we did our research on prices, facilities and availability. Some hotels do not open until March, some seem to just pay ‘lip service’ to Spa – it may run to a jacuzzi and a small room for body treatments but nothing else. Some were already booked up and some were just extortionately expensive.

S’Agaro Hotel Spa & Wellness looks lovely from the outside, with a pretty facade, balconies, gardens, the pool area and terraces (not in use in the winter). It all looks inviting for the summer and just moments from the beach you can hear the sound of the sea (which the rooms at the front have great vistas). 

The furniture is comfortable and inviting with marble floors, lots of light with large windows. The hotel has obviously been refurbished and everything is tastefully decorated, cleanly painted with tasteful pieces, artifacts, ornaments and pictures here and there. This was the case not only in the reception area but the bar, restaurant, corridors etc. Staff efficient, polite and helpful. As it was February, it was very quiet. Online booking offers extra choices to enhance your stay.

As we were more interested in trying out the spa facilities than a luxurious room, we got a good deal on a special offer. Apparently, you can check the website but better to call them as depending on how busy they are, there are special offers every week. 

The staff obviously speak English. The good value deal meant a room (with a small balcony, tired looking table & chairs). Overlooking the back car park but with views of the urbanisation of S’Agaro (which is all low rise attractive properties – so not an eyesore). The room was small, basic and clean but with lovely furniture and a minibar, although two single beds pushed together even though we had asked for a double.

This happens a lot in hotels anyway. If I had a gripe it would be that the room felt cold no matter how much we turned up the heating and didn’t seem to be working sometimes. However, this is a summer resort hotel and there was provision for A/C. Also, I just wanted to catch the news in English but not one channel offered English (although French & German as well as Catalan and Spanish). It was a shame also, that there was not a fire burning in the fireplace in the bar. The large space was very comfortable & inviting but so cold, it was empty. 

There is room service but breakfast (included in our deal) was very good in the dining room, and catered for every taste (even bacon & eggs!). Reasonably, (time wise) this was served until 11am so you don’t have to get up too early. Dinner was delicious also and the set menu offered an excellent choice for a good price, although extras such as drinks, coffees etc. are expensive.

The spa which has been open for about a year at the time of this report was really superb. Beautifully designed in the space available. You can see this if you go directly to the hotel website and view the YouTube video (click on the Spa bit). What you see is what you get. We were shown around, given slippers and dressing gowns to use (all clean and wrapped in plastic bags) and left alone by the discreet & non-interfering staff to enjoy the experience. 

There is a very small gym, steam room (they call a hamman) a sauna, two pools (one extra warm with some very gorgeous water features to enjoy). Special shower cubicles with lots of interesting water therapeutic experiences, separate treatment rooms, private changing rooms with showers for washing. There were lots of interesting buttons to press and it was a case of ‘try it & see’ which brought some fun surprises! 

There were also lots of comfortable seats, loungers with cushions for those that just wanted to chill, including a room with two marble beds that were heated and a changing light colour ceiling. If I had anything to complain about it would be that towels were in short supply, so we ended up bringing our room ones to the spa. 

This may seem churlish but it didn’t have that fresh, relaxing ‘spa’ smell you would expect which could have been easily provided (such as sprayed natural scents, perfume plug-in ‘thingys’, josh-sticks, scented flowers perhaps ? – understand candles would not be safe). Also it would have been lovely to hear a quiet backdrop of ‘chill’ music that would generally suit everybody without being obtrusive such as easy jazz, tranquil sounds or whatever especially in the relaxed areas. 

You could hear the sounds of the noisy water machines kicking off, the ‘whoops’ and exclamations of surprise bathers having cold water poured over them. Children are allowed with adults and it’s the perfect place just to relax with your partner. Such sheer, indulgent luxury at comparatively very reasonable prices for what’s on offer. Especially in the mid/high season when you can use the pool outside, hop & skip over to the beach and enjoy drinking & dining on the terraces. 

I’ll be keeping this in mind when I go back with our kids and hope to plan a ‘girly weekend’ that I know everyone would enjoy. However, it’s also a great winter escape. I shouldn’t share this but I know that there is no point in keeping secrets if not enough clients use the hotel and its facilities.

 Although the hotel told us they were busier than last year, we generally enjoyed the spa facilities relatively alone and all to ourselves. This was an extra 60€ each for the weekend and included a full body massage for an hour (normal charge 50€). Our room was 155€ for two nights including a massive breakfast (although this was an immediate pay on-line booking & no cancellation return). Total cost came to 270€ for the two of us (not each) including the spa, relax vouchers inc. massage. We did pay for a meal in the restaurant and drinks from the bar on top. 

Room tip: Front rooms for front line sea view & pool view. Cheaper rooms over back car parking would still be quiet as they also face a park and distant urban houses. They don’t seem to get sunlight so would be cool also, but guess the front areas are more sunny but noisy in the summer. Also above reception, pool, terrace & restaurant areas. More luxurious rooms available than we stayed in.

(This review was written several years ago)

Categories
Girona

On your bike-Girona and cycling

Road cycling and mountain biking are firm favourites here. It’s not just the weekend hobbyists and tourist bikers who ‘don the gear’, it extends to the refined professionals who are attracted here like bees to honey.

Girona’s surrounding topography lends itself to offering a challenging variety of routes. The weather is a mighty good adjunct too, ensuring a pleasant climate most of the year. Add the relaxed lifestyle, fine cuisine and a medieval setting, you quickly see why you’d want to bring your bicycle pump here.

The whole cycling in Girona phenomenon has created a thriving economic boost for those businesses catering to their needs. It’s not just the professional teams who base themselves here for training purposes, but the growing number of cycle tourists. So much so that I’m sure it has been a helpful boost to the property rental sector, as many choose to stay a while.

I’ve been here for almost 15 years and remember meeting an American cyclist by the name of Marti Jemison, way back about 12 years ago. I think it was when we used to frequent a local outdoor pool. Anyway, this is me reminiscing. We got real friendly as we had a mutual American friend who also lived here, but we lost touch soon after. He ran a high-end vacation business offering European road cycle tours. Apparently he was a part of the US Postal Service Pro Team in the late 1990’s, as was Lance Armstrong in 2005. By all accounts Armstrong lived in Girona for a while, somewhere within the old quarter.

Another famous English Olympic cyclist who resided here for a while was (Sir) Bradley Wiggins.

Friends of ours who run a cycling holiday business have had a real run of success and rightly so, as they’re one of the best in town. They also organise a popular annual cycling festival called Gran Fondo, which has further promoted the sport. Numerous copycats have appeared, tapping into that demand which just keeps growing. 

A good many seem to plump for basing themselves in the old town. Maybe they prefer running up and down five flights of stairs in their lycra shorts, as many old places have no lifts. It’s the road cyclists who seem to dress like they’re going bobsledding. Bicycles that cost thousands of euros that you can lift with ease, with just one finger.

Back in 2009 Girona even hosted a leg of the famous Tour de France. Race followers were here in their droves. I remember being in France on holiday and seeing it pass through Carcassonne. I waited for ages, watching various sponsors drive by distributing freebies, only to see the racers flash by so fast you would’ve missed them if you’d blinked.

Fast forward, and the wheels have kept turning but there’s been a lull in cycling activity recently during the past Covid waves, as movement restrictions were applied. Once normality has returned I can see a resurgence in all things cycling.

Categories
Beaches

Costa Brava beach days-S’Agaro

I’ve mentioned previously that being in Girona you have easy and relatively quick access to the coast. You could even catch a bus there from Girona’s main bus station. The beach at S’Agaro is hard to beat, it’s one of our top favourite destinations-even out of season. Not for sun-bathing mind you, but for a bracing walk along the Cami de Ronda, a coastal path full of wind-bent pines. 

It certainly has the feel of a holiday home place with a couple of hotels and nothing really high-rise. Weekends sees posh cars jostling for a prime parking spot. Whenever the sun shines day visitors flock here to dine and people watch. No better way to spend a lazy Sunday.

This small town nestles next to the much larger St Feliu de Guixols, whose beach is nice too. However, S’Agaro steals the show in the chic stakes, smaller in size with a peach of a beach. If you blindfolded someone and asked where they thought they were, you’d be unsurprised if they said somewhere in dreamy California.

That American link does have a ring of truth, because of the 5 star Hotel La Gavina, with its prime location overlooking the bay. An old S’Agaro chestnut, its guest list includes former Hollywood A-listers Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner. She starred in Pandora and the Flying Dutchman, filmed in the 50’s in nearby Tossa de Mar. She felt at home in Spain, and came back to stay for longer periods.

Next to and behind this hotel is a gated community of large 1930’s built, detached houses that was designed by Rafael Maso. He’s known for his modernist style house designs, of which there are several in Girona. It’s fine to walk through here enroute to La Conca, another small beach worth a visit. Or get there via the Cami de Ronda path which is a more rewarding walk. 

Fine sea views and when the sea is rough the crashing waves add drama. Rocky outcrops jutting out, pines struggling to grow straight, and that turquoise sea. Feeling carried away, once you reach La Conca there’s the reassuring sight of a chiringuito (beach bar-summer only). There’s a way of getting here via a different road as it has a car park (and public toilet).

Failing that, just stay on S’Agaro’s beach, St Pol. It’s never too hard to find a paid parking spot (free off-season) close to the beach. Time limits apply, which I hate as you’ve got to go back to feed the meter if you plan to stay a while. 

A warped boardwalk slithers along the seafront and there are plenty of potential sandy spots to pitch your beach umbrella. Watch the boats and yachts bobbing about or take a dip in the clear water. It’s fairly shallow so you can wade out a fair way. There’s a sailing club here too, if you fancy a go at windsurfing or paddle surf.

A road running parallel to the beach is well served with cafes and restaurants, many with the requisite outdoor seating. Thoughtfully you only have to cross the road to dine alfresco with a sea-view. Lunchtimes are busy here, book on weekends. Try decent seafood in La Palmera, or tapas in Las Dunas. Wintertime many only have a lunch service, closing about 5pm.

You’d need to take a 5 minute hike away from the beachfront for more food choices. On Avinguda de Platja d’Aro there’s a good pizza takeaway Cibu that has outdoor tables. 

Or, find a beach bar, sit yourself down and watch the sunset.

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Uncategorized

Time for music-Summer festivals in Catalonia

Summer festivals are plentiful here and cater for all tastes and pockets. Pop, rock, classical, opera, contemporary dance, even poetry. Indoor and outdoor venues small and large. The choice is yours and it all happens during the long summer break. A fair number start late in the evening, so won’t interrupt your sun-bathing or siesta. 

Some have been running for a very long time and attract audiences from near and far. Whilst many take place in Girona and the Costa Brava, I’ll also mention those near Barcelona and other parts of Catalonia.

El Grec (late August) Home grown and foreign theatrical and musical talent appear in this Barcelona based festival. www.lameva.barcelona.cat/grec

Festival de Torroella de Montgrí (August 1 – 19)

www.festivaldetorroella.cat

Classical music is the order of the day, in what is considered one of the three main classical music events that take place in the Emporda region every summer. A few international names with some recitals held inside churches.

Cap Roig Festival (July 12 – August 21) www.caproigfestival.com

Cute, chic Calella de Palafrugell must’ve felt like the cat that got the cream when it landed this gig. Set in botanical gardens overlooking the sea it bangs out beautiful sounds over 26 nights. A mix of Spanish stars and from abroad. Big international names like Sting, Elton John, Tony Bennet and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli have graced the stage. That usually means big prices, like about 200€, but I saw George Benson for about 50€ and Texas the same. The programme is released about early March so early booking is advised. My tip is to dress up and come early for pre-concert drinks and snacks. Cava by the bottle is a bit steep, 30€ last time.

Festival de Musica de Begur (July 27- August 24) www.festivalbegur.cat

Begur, a vibrant, well kept village lends itself to a music turn, like its Placa de la Vila. Long running established music festival, since 1977, promising quality, different music styles at accessible prices. In the past that’s included anything from pop to flamenco-that’s nice, but about as Catalan as cheese-on-toast.

Festival Castell de Peralada (July 4 -August 17)

Another firm favourite that crosses our radar to book early when its programme is advertised. An outdoor auditorium is erected in the grounds of this pocket-sized private castle. Posh patrons walk through the mature gardens, past its sauve lake with white swans. Same mix of national and international stars as Cap Roig, but with an extra dash of classical music, opera and dance. Bar and dining options are available, but we prefer to come early and choose somewhere else in the village. Cavas del Ampurdan is a wine shop with an outside terrace that also serves acceptable tapas dishes, just a stone’s throw from the castle. Post concert there’s an outdoor bar area with live music that we stop at to avoid the exit rush. Artists we’ve seen include Earth Wind and Fire, Roger Hodgson (Supertramp), Kool and the Gang and Simply Red.

If the music didn’t float your boat there’s a swanky casino next door to drown your sorrows. www.festivalperalada.com

Festival Nits de Classica (June 26 – July 30) Classical music, held in Girona’s modern venue next to La Devesa park. www.auditorigirona.org/nitsdeclassica

Festival Jardins de Pedralbes (until July 15) www.festivalpedralbes.com

Relatively small scale music festival in the Pedralbes area of Barcelona.

A temporary auditorium is set up inside these fine, landscaped palace gardens which also feature numerous food and drink areas. Again, a mix of domestic artists and from abroad. It all makes for an enjoyable night out, we saw the Gipsy Kings here back in 2019. British band Madness were billed for 2020 but postponed till the following year (Covid).

Portalblau festival (July 11 – August 9) www.portlblau.cat

Various venues around the seaside town of L’Escala are used for this event, even the Greco-Roman ruins at Empuries, for extra effect.

Festival de la Porta Ferrada (July 4 – August 20) Long running music festival held in St Feliu’s port area with some concerts in its football stadium. 

Spanish artists and a fair few international bands and solo artists, with most concerts at reasonable prices. We almost made it here one year to see UK pop band Spandau Ballet, until they cancelled last minute.    www.festivalportaferrada.cat

Pau Casals festival (July 12 – 23) www.auditoripaucasals.cat

Celebrating the music of Pau Casal, so classical performances from various soloists.

Estereofonics (June 1 – September 21) www.estereofonics.com

Largely free concerts and lots, the 5th edition had 82 over the span of 113 days. All happening in Castell-Platja d’Aro and S’Agaro. 

Jornades Musicals a l’Ermita de la Petat d’Ulldecona (June 2 – August 25)

Festival Internacional de Musica d’Altafulla (August 5 – 27) www.altafulla.cat Another long-running classical music festival.

Sons del Mon (July 5 – August 3) www.sonsdelmon.com

Small and large venues  in Castello d’Empuries and Roses. Some of the smaller performances take place in wineries.

White Summer (August 3 – 25) www.whitesummer.es 

Near the medieval village of Pals. We went here when it first started, as an upmarket outdoor retail event with food stalls and music acts peppered throughout the month. Back then the entry fee was a few euros and the music acts so so. As its popularity grew the entry prices increased, for what we thought of was a predominantly retail event. It’s 8th edition offered a lot more shows, almost 80, a mix of music, theatre and dance.

Sonar (July 18 – 20) www.sonar.es

Barcelona based, electronic dance music, promising 140 shows spread over 9 stages.

Festival Pau Casals (July 25 – August 13) www.prades-festival-casals.com

More of this Catalan composer’s classical output from a festival that’s been running for almost 70 years. (Northern Catalonia).

Festival Internacional de Musica S’Agaro (July 20 – September 21) www.associaciopaucasal.cat

Classical music concerts held inside churches in S’Agaro and Sant Marti d’Empuries, no doubt for their acoustic appeal.

XXIII Festival Ple de Riure (July 23 – 27) www.plederiure.cat

Comedy festival in Mas Nou, a municipality in the province of Barcelona.

Planestiuja’t (July 6 – August 31) www.planestiuejat.cat

Saturday night concerts and food through these two summer months in the La Garrotxa region.

Festival Cambrils (July 25 – August 11) www.festivalcanbrils.com

International music festival with well over 45 editions, set in this coastal town in the county (comarca) of Baix Camp. province of Tarragona.

Festival Anolia (July 13 – 20) www.igualada.cat

Local artists feature in this programme of free concerts in Igualada, in the province of Barcelona

Bachcelona Festival (July 16 – 21) www.bachcelona.com

Classical music dedicated to German maestro Bach with inaugural concerts held at Barcelona’s Palau de Musica.

Festival de Musica de Sant Pere de Rodes (July 13 – 25) www.festivalsantpere.com This Romanesque monastery plays host to various classical pianists from home and abroad.

Festival Internacional de Guitarra (July 24 – 28) www.guitarfesthospitalet.cat Classical guitars galore in this part of Tarragona province.

Jazz Festival L’Estartit-Costa Brava (July 25 –28) www.jazzestartit.cat

Just 4 days and several performances is all the jazz you’ll get, in front of the Medes Islands next to L’Estartit.

San Miquel Mas i Mas Festival (July 30 – August 31) www.masimas.com

Held across five venues this Barcelona festival began in 2003, a mix of jazz, blues and soul, backed by the brewer San Miguel.

Festival de Sant Pere de Casseres (until July 27) www.santperedecasseres.cat Poetry every Saturday in July, in this old Benedictine monastery.

Notes al Parc (until July 27) www.girona.cat Girona’s parks and gardens provide the venues for free concerts throughout July. A nice range of music from pop, hip-hop, electronic, rock, rap and folk.

BioRitme Festival (July 22 – 25) www.bioritmefestival.org Set in the Sau reservoir and billed as ‘a space to share committed music for a better world’. This means all the stalls and bars are 100 percent organic, with workshops and talks on environmental conservation.

Festival de Musica Antiga Poblet (August 16 – 18) www.fundaciocima.org

Five baroque music concrete, over three days in the Santa Maria monastery.

Arts d’Estiu (July 27 – August 25) www.artsdestiu.com Music concerts next to the beach, spread between the municipalities of  Pineda de Mar and Santa Susanna, near Barcelona.

Sant Cugat al Descobert (until September 27) www.cugat.cat A well to do satellite town near Barcelona which hosts about 35 cultural events, in various areas. Not just music, but visual arts and theatre.

Festival de Musica Antiga dels Pirineus (unti August 25) www.femap.cat

A large scale affair with over 35 towns in the Catalan Pyrenees hosting various Baroque music.

Garrigues Guitar Festival (until August 24) www.garriguitar.com A guitar festival started in 2012 to honour the memory of classical guitarist and composer Emili Pujol. Guitar workshops run alongside, and it also promotes local gastronomy and heritage.

Poesia I + (until July 14) www.poesiaimes.cat A festival devoted to mostly poetry, with a bit of music.

Sons Solers (July 17) www.sonssolers.cat Held in the natural surroundings of the Sant pere de Ribes estate it’s very much a celebration of music of Catalan origin.

Tempo Sota les Estrelles (July 18 – August 11) www.tempogirona.com

Loosely translated as ‘time beneath the stars’. A small-scale, top quality food and music festival in Girona’s old quarter, opposite the Arab Baths. Large outdoor terraces are transformed with a small stage surrounded by seating, bar and food stands. Free and paid concerts with home grown talent, and from abroad. On balmy, summer non-music nights just come for a drink and a bite to eat.

Festival Jardins de Terramar Sitges (July 19 – 04 August) www.festivaljardinsterramar.com Another large garden area is used as a temporary outdoor arena to host a mix of international and Spanish artists, and groups. Take a relaxed stroll through the manicured grounds with plenty of food and drinks stands, plus various retail stalls. We went in 2019 for George Benson and spent an extra few days here. Sophisticated Sitges, near Bacelona has good beaches, very lively and popular with the gay community.

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Uncategorized

Barcelona for culture vultures

Living in Girona we often take the train down to Barcelona for a day out. I don’t fancy driving either, too much hassle and parking is expensive. Let the ‘train take the strain’ was an old TV ad message.

Girona’s train station is just a short walk from our flat and we tend to get off at Barcelona Passeig De Gràcia station. That’s nice and central  for most things. With so much to see and do we’d go to one place then stop for lunch, then visit another location in the afternoon. There’s no real rush, we can always come back another time. We mainly get around using taxis or an Uber / Cabify (some ridesharing apps may or may not be still operating).

Here are a few places to start with, probably too much to do in just one daily visit so take your pick.

If you have kids a good place is CosmoCaixa C/d’Isaac Newton, 26. It’s a sort of mix of natural history and science, ‘designed to stimulate people’s knowledge and opinion of science’. Low entry price, it covers many various topics, from an indoor jungle to ancient humans. With many interactive exhibits, roomy cafe space and a large outdoors. A leisurely visit would easily take up half a day.

La Sagrada Familia 

Designed by the famous Catalan architect Antonio Gaudi this grand basilica has been under construction since 1882 and is still unfinished. 

That’s obvious from the cranes towering above, and the current estimated finish date is 2026. That hasn’t put off tourists who flock here en masse. Yearly visitor numbers are in the region of 3 million, so book your tickets online in advance.

I’ve always been a bit underwhelmed when visiting churches in general, but this is something so different. Sure there’s plenty of the usual stained glass around, but it’s when you enter and start to look up.This is the moment your lower jaw drops. Those spires reaching for the heavens, that impossibly high crafted ceiling, and all that cascading light. Rooted to the spot you become hard-pressed on where else to cast your gaze. Stick around a bit more as daylight tracks the sky and that colour show resembles looking through a kaleidoscope.

We paid extra to go up one of the spires. As you ascend, the narrow spiral stairway does make you feel a touch dizzy, like you’ve just jumped off one of those fast spinning kiddies roundabouts. At various points there are small outdoor viewing points that just heightened my feeling of vertigo. Perfectly safe of course as they are covered with a wire netting, and the views of Barcelona are sensational. I didn’t fancy doing all that in reverse and upon reaching the top was glad to see there’s a lift down. 

No wonder it’s the top sight to visit and rightly so, packing a true eclesiastic punch.The only time I wasn’t in a rush to leave a place of worship. 

Chocolate Museum (Museu de la Xocolata) C/del Comerc, 36.

Here’s something more up my street and a welcome distraction to other more formal museums. We owe it to the Spanish explorers who brought cocoa beans back to Spain in the 1600’s. We English have the less envious reputation of stumbling across the humble potato. Discovering tobacco was down to us too, so maybe that makes us equal.

This private museum housed in a former barracks is in the lively Born neighbourhood. Entrance prices are low with an option of paying for various workshops that require pre-booking.

Explanatory notes for exhibits are presented in 3 languages (Catalan, Spanish & English). My general impression was that they were largely staid, and left me thinking it could all be displayed with a more imaginative stamp. If you’ve ever visited the York (UK) Chocolate Museum you’ll know what I mean.

It won’t take you long to go round to see everything, being relatively small. It explains the history of the plant, but not interactive enough for kids I thought. You finish up at inevitably the best part of any museum visit, the gift shop. Of course take your pick of the plethora of chocolate bars on display, and leave a comment if so inclined on a large blackboard. 

If you exit at lunchtime there’s a cracking Vietnamese restaurant just opposite.

Parc Guell

This is not your normal run-of-the-mill park but another of Gaudi’s creations for a rich industrialist client. Forget about formal lines and pretty flower beds, this is more garden design on steroids. I’ve been here twice, the first time was about 20 years ago when it was free entry. This time, we’d booked a few days in advance as it’s a popular stopping point for Barcelona visitors. 

Peruse at your leisure and be sure to pick up a paper map, as you work your way towards the exit point. Extensive use of curves, arches and oceans of coloured tiles adorn the handful of buildings. The use of coloured tile fragments continues within a large seating area, that boasts fine seaward views of the city. A long wide stairway down to the gatehouse is decoratively served with the same panache. At its base a large green-tiled lizard awaits.

Gaudi even applied his artistic flair to the ironwork of the entrance gates (above).

Categories
Beaches Girona

How to get from Girona to the coast

This is more of a guide for those independent visitors and tourists to Girona who arrive at its airport and have to find their way to other places like Barcelona or coastal resorts without the benefit of a car.

You can of course choose a taxi, convenient and quicker but that can get pricey. There’s always a long line of taxis waiting outside the arrivals hall and there’s usually information visible that shows the cost to popular destinations. Forget about getting an Uber or similar, none of these rideshare companies operate here.

For Barcelona bound people who want to take a coach you need to take a right turn as you exit arrivals. Walk a short distance down to a large parking area where you’ll see parked coaches with Barcelona Bus or Sagales, and a small stand-alone ticket office. 

For anyone wanting to get to the many Costa Brava resorts and towns by bus you’d need to get to Girona’s bus station first. Most of the major towns are reachable e.g. L’Escala, Estartit, Playa d’Aro, St Feliu de Guixols, Blanes and Lloret de Mar (bus No.660).

LIke above, turn right out of airport arrivals, walk down about 50 metres to the bus waiting area. There’s a small ticket office where you can buy a single ticket 2.75€ for the airport bus, from bay 1, that will take you straight to Girona’s bus & train station. It’s underground so when you step off, walk towards the main waiting area at the far end,where you’ll see various ticket booths and the large departure information board. You’ll see the available destinations and departure times.

Try to plan ahead as bus timetables vary according to the season and are less frequent at weekends. Be mindful that the station does close at night. If you need to exit the bus station for any reason, follow the exit signs (sortida/salida) using the lift, stairs or escalator. Most signs are in fact shown in 3 languages, Catalan, Spanish and English. On reaching ground level and outside the building you’ll see the train station just across from you. The platforms are raised above street level, and the ticket office and ticket machines are inside.

Girona train station has the following amenities: toilets, atm, tobacconists (tabac), cafeteria, general store with drinks, snacks etc, left luggage, lottery sales, gift store (ale hop) and car rental offices. Whichever side you exit there are always taxis here. One side has free short-term parking, or longer term paid parking which can be found on the other side (of the above photo, facing C/Barcelona).

As far as trains from Girona to the Costa Brava coast the destinations are very limited. That’s a shame as there used to be a narrow gauge track that ran all the way down to St Feliu de Guixols, that was ripped up in the 1970’s. It’s now a popular cycle route with an occasional reference to its former usage.

Going in a northerly direction towards the French border there’s really only two coastal destinations, Llanca and Colera. Heading south the main line is inland and only touches the coast when it reaches Barcelona.

For the resort of Blanes you’d need to change at Macanet-Massanes and take the R1 service towards L’Hospitalet De Llobregat.

Llanca is 62km by car from Girona, travel time about 50 min. or one hour by train. It’s a fair size town with the usual tourist amenities and an important fishing port. www.visitllanca.cat

Colera on the other hand is far smaller with a darker, hard sand beach, holiday apartments, tiny marina and not a lot more. On my one and only visit, we took the slow train from Girona and for some reason had to change at Figueres. Arriving in Colera the miserable excuse for a station was reminiscent of a Spaghetti Western movie set. What must have been the station at one time was now a boarded up graffiti strewn building. 

The bare bones platforms on either side of the tracks were equally uninspiring and had seen better days. The walk to the resort is short and I have to admit there are better looking Costa Brava resorts. On our way back to the Girona bound platform we observed groups of teenagers gleefully jumping into the pools of unoccupied properties.

One last thing to add is that if you’re travelling with a dog then train travel is fine (costs may apply), but banned on bus travel.

www.sagales.com Bus timetables

www.renfe.es  Spain’s rail operator

Categories
Girona

Some unusual historical facts about Girona

If you live in a city with a rich past stretching back to Roman times you’d expect a lot of tasty morsels of history to wet your appetite. It’s humbling to think that many of the old town streets and alleys I walk down have remained largely unchanged since medieval times.

Some writers have even alluded to Girona’s links to secret societies and grail legends that I’ve touched upon in other pages.

Here’s a random selection of what’s interested me so far. If you ever visit, Girona has its own Museum of History of Girona, tucked away in the old town near the Cathedral. 

Girona’s air raid shelters.

Girona was bombed during the Spanish Civil War, many times in fact. In April 1938, then again in late January 1939 and once more in February. The civilian authorities built three shelters in Girona, of which just one still survives. Situated just off Placa Catalunya and next to a childrens’ playground. Its rusty metal door and short, narrow, steeply sloping concrete roof is the only giveaway. An informational sign has been erected next to it called ‘Espais de Memoria’, with an English translation. 

This space is closed normally and only reopens during Girona’s week long flower festival, Temps de Flors, in May each year. Strangely there are no floral displays here but it’s the only opportunity to visit this underground space. Over the years I’ve probably been here 2 or 3 times. The narrow stairway leads down to the shelter, built to accommodate around 600 citizens. Stark cold concrete walls, dim lighting and an air of dampness gives a glimpse of what awaited its wartime visitors. I’m sure that with the added noise of dropping bombs must have left them petrified.

Continuing with the ‘espais de memoria’ I came across another of its street locations by chance, up in the old town near the Pujada de St Domenech. Surrounded by greenery the narrow red noticeboard sits quietly opposite a former seminary. Texts and photos explain how this building was used as a provincial prison during the dark days following Franco’s victory in the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939. About 3,000 people passed through its doors, up until about 1942 when it moved to another location.

It was a time of harsh repression, purges and denunciations among the civilian population. Bringing a lump to my throat it made me think  of that quote ‘those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it’. 

Street names.

Nothing much exciting about street names you might think and normally they’re just another non-descript part of a city’s makeup. I find many street names here bear the name of someone famous, a writer, painter, poet, politician and so on-all in Catalan of course. Here’s the nerdy interesting part, if you’ve followed me this far. Speak to the old folk here and they’ll tell you that during Franco’s reign these same streets had other names, all in Spanish. For example the large square in front of the city hall, Placa del Vi, was until about 1975, named Plaza de Espana. I do remember seeing an old black and white photo of Franco visiting Girona in 1960, standing on the balcony of the city hall.

A lot of that was due to him outlawing spoken Catalan in public and at school. Its only refuge was at home, behind closed doors. Those were tragic times for many Spaniards, not just Catalans, and that underlying and lingering resentment is felt by many to this day. Except by the poor old street name which continues proudly displaying itself, oblivious to all and sundry.

River Onyar floods

Neatly dividing the old town area from the more modern parts of Girona there’s little to worry about. Looking down at the river Onyar from the numerous vantage points it appears very shallow, even during the winter months. Low-lying gravel banks pop out here and there, seagulls gather, standing around looking for lazy pickings. Look harder and you’ll notice fish, big fish that look like carp, basking in the imperceptible current.

So, I was surprised to hear that back in the 1960’s the river levels rose so high one winter that large parts of the old town were flooded. An old black and white photo I remember seeing shows someone sitting in a kayak paddling down La Rambla.

Snow in Girona

Winters are thankfully short here, at least they feel like that. Temperatures do drop, and during December and January you do see cars with frozen windscreens in the morning. Talk with locals and they’ll tell you snow is such a rare occurrence in Girona. A once-in-a-lifetime event that no one remembers the last time it happened. Lo and behold we had a huge dump of snow back in March 2010. It got so bad we lost power for 3 days, hot food was off the menu and candles sold out in the shops. Friends near the coast lost power for even longer, almost 3 weeks, as power lines had been downed all over the region. Schools closed for days and we had to resort to trying to stay as warm as possible. I got the impression that there’s little planning for such events here. 

Here’s one last useful Trivial Pursuit fact, Girona was the first city in Spain to get electric street lights, in 1886.

Categories
Beaches Girona

Girona, Barcelona and the Costa Brava-19 questions people ask

I get asked so many different types of questions about the Costa Brava, Barcelona and Girona. I thought I might lump a random lot of them into this one post. A lot of this information can also be found across the pages of my site. If you’re wondering why it’s 19, I simply prefer odd numbers!

How far is the Costa Brava from Barcelona? 

About 70 km north of the city.

Is the Costa Brava a good holiday destination?

Absolutely, the number of good beaches will leave you spoilt for choice. Sun, sand and sea-an unbeatable combination. Other Spanish Costas are just as popular but don’t always have the same cache.

Is Barcelona on the Costa Brava? 

Not really, it’s commonly accepted that it extends from Blanes in the south, all the way up to the French border.

How many days do I need in Girona? 

For a small city you could easily get a real feel for the place in one day. Walk around the old town, nip into one of the museums and enjoy an evening meal. If you have more time then taking a more leisurely stay allows time for additional pleasures. For example, Girona’s week long St Narcis festival in late October or the 9-day long flower festival (Temps de Flors) in May.

What’s the best airport to fly into for the Costa Brava? 

That’ll be Girona-Costa Brava Airport-the official name. Used by many low-cost and budget airlines like Ryanair and Jet2.

How do I get from Barcelona to Girona? 

Apart from a 90 minute drive, the best and quickest way is by taking the TGV/AVE fast train, just 40 min. Non stop. Catch it from Barcelona’s Sant station.

Is Girona a safe city? 

While I personally haven’t encountered any problems, I have heard of a few instances of low-level street crimes. For example, look after your belongings at the main train/bus station. Never leave any bags hanging off the backs of chairs-just common sense stuff. Girona’s old town maze of alleyways is a very lonely place in the early hours. One friend who lives there was walking home very late and got asked by a passer-by for the time. As he pulled out his phone to check, the guy ripped the phone out of his hand and legged it. Feeling slightly inebriated he felt helpless-result, one lost phone!

Is the Costa Brava hot in May? 

The average is about 20°C at the beginning of the month, going up to 24°C by the end. Daytime averages are about 18°C,  but night time drops to about 10°C, so a light jacket or layers would be a good idea.

What are some good day trips from Barcelona? 

You can catch a fast train to Girona for its medieval charm, or Figueres which has the famous Dali Museum. There’s Montserrat if you’re into monasteries, or lively Sitges with nice beaches, just a 30 minutes train ride away.

Is Girona expensive to live in? 

There are sites and various metrics experts used to determine these costs, but I consider it’s not a cheap place to live. As someone who rents, being the main expense, I think they’re still high, but maybe slightly less than Barcelona for comparison sake when we talk about identical flat sizes.

Where should I live in the Costa Brava? 

Depends on what you’re looking for and how deep your pockets are. Plenty of pretty coastal locations like Cadaques, Calella de Palafrugell and S’Agaró, but many are very quiet off-season. Bigger working towns have a bit more activity and not so desolate, like Palamos, St Feliu de Guixols and Blanes, 

What’s the best month to visit Barcelona? 

Good all year round in my opinion, but as far as the climate goes then May to June could be ideal as it’s around the mid 70’s.

What are some good day trips from Girona? 

We’re assuming you have a car, but local buses go to these following towns too. Banyoles for its superb lake-a 2 hour walk all the way round.Further out, Besalu has an impressive stone bridge and medieval centre. Figueres (by train also) has the popular Dali Museum (booking advised). Nearest beach is St Feliu de Guixols, go on a Sunday to catch its weekly market.

Does Girona have a beach? 

No, but it’s only about 30 km to the coast.

How far is Girona from Barcelona? 

Not as near as some think, about 90 km north. That equates to about 90 minutes by car or just 38 minutes by fast train.

How hot is the Costa Brava in October? 

Mostly mild, with the average daily minimum at 13°C, maximum at 21°C  it’s wise to bring a light jacket or jumper, especially at night.

How different is Catalan from Spanish? 

Let’s clear up one thing- Catalan is not a dialect of Spanish, it’s a separate language. In truth, the Catalan grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary has more in common with French.

Where should I live in Girona?

Lots of decent residential areas, hard to list all of the ones I consider worthwhile. For anyone interested I’ve already written a seperate blog post about my own opinions.

What language do they speak in Girona?

Put simply, Catalan. It’s very strong here and I try to use it for day to day stuff, but there’s no problem if I have to resort to Spanish. If you’re here for some time it’d be worth picking up some basics, it’ll always go down well with the locals.

Categories
Girona

Girona and the Covid pandemic impact

There’s nowhere on God’s earth that hasn’t experienced some level of the Covid 19 pandemic. 

There’s little point in switching on the TV news anymore, the grim reality of waking up to a daily situation where very little changes. 

Signs of any reprieve still seem distant, the dark and dreary wintery days snuffing out any shoots of hope. Am I painting a too black a  picture? Sorry, but it’s getting harder to remain a half-glass full guy.

Watching from afar at what’s been happening back in my home country, the UK is depressing enough. There are no clear winners as to who’s handling the epidemic the best, that’ll be an ongoing debate for some time.

Are we in the second or third wave here, all this talk of waves just makes me want to think of driving to the coast on the next sunny day, except I can’t currently do that. I can only move around within my county (comarca) which is Girones. My nearest beach is within a different comarca. I’d run the risk of getting stopped and fined, so I can only gawp at friends who live on the coast posting beach pics on their social media pages-lucky so and so’s.

After the first national lockdown the Madrid government allowed all the regions to determine their own responses. Each set their respective rules and controls on everyday life. For some regions like Madrid that means bars can stay open until 9pm, whereas here it’s 4.30 pm.

Here in Girona, Catalonia that means we’re still under a nighttime curfew between 10pm and 6am. That’s not such a big deal for me, just means my dogs get their last outing a bit earlier than before. But, as summer approaches and days get longer that’s going to be harder to police.

Hopefully by then it’ll be gone for good, or at least moved to a later hour.

Just this week they’ve allowed bars and restaurants to stay open a further one hour more, until 4.30pm.That’s fine if you’re lunching, but no evening trade is hitting their pockets hard. A few have resorted to offering a take away service but many have stayed shuttered. My usual bar is only open at the weekend, only afternoons, having to close on time at 4.30pm. The lack of people around during weekdays, with such brief trading times means it’s not worth opening.

Adding to their worries are the potential penalties. The local police are quick to fine any transgressors-heavily it seems. One rumour mentioned a long established restaurant in the old town being faced with a 60,000€ fine. 

Government economic help for business owners is by all accounts patchy, inadequate and too slow in coming. That’s playing out in broad daylight with many more shops closing for good and the rise in ‘For Rent’ signs (Per Llogar) popping up. A few permanently closed shops are even openly blaming Amazon for their woes. Again, current regulations mean non-essential shops must close on weekends. I can’t help thinking that the landlords of these places are still demanding normal levels of rent, which ordinarily are high in this city.

Youngsters must be climbing the walls as they still can’t go to any nightclubs or late night bars. I can’t see that continuing into the summer months but who knows. There are rumours of smaller music festivals being allowed to go ahead later in the year. Popular established venues like Cap Roig and Perelada are firm favourites of ours-a summer treat.

One thing my home country is streets ahead of Spain is in vaccinating people, but at least here they’ve started giving teachers the vaccine, unlike the UK. Mask wearing outdoors is still mandatory with some friends even double masking for extra safety. I’m also getting a bit phobic about eating indoors at restaurants, after reading up how the virus spreads in poorly ventilated spaces. On a recent outing I felt there were clearly too many diners inside, accentuating my virus-fear-factor even more.  

Lastly, to pile on the agony there’s a lot more talk about the subject of the pandemic’s impact on our social health. I wonder if that’ll be its longest legacy.

Hope you’re having a good day! 

Categories
Beaches

Costa Brava beach days-Platja d’Aro

Platja d’Aro ticks a lot of boxes. This large long established resort town remains a popular destination for many different kinds of visitors. True the handsome beachfront (platja Gran) is its prime attraction, long, wide, and sandy. High-rise apartment blocks dominate the skyline a bit too much, a victim of rampant earlier development.

Droves of second-home owners migrate here to wait out the summer. It also attracts hordes of young night-clubbers from afar, being the only real nightspot destination of choice for many locals and tourists. Clubs like Michigan, Papillon, Zsa Zsa and Blow crank out cocktails and music till 6am. 

Drive down its main street at 7am and it’s surprisingly busy, as hungover youths stumble into cars. Their poor parents begrudgingly scooping them up-I’ve done the same!

Just a few blocks from the sea Avinguda de S’Agaro is its lengthy commercial hub which comes alive at weekends and most evenings. Crowds of people jostle for pavement space, window shopping or looking for sustenance. Platja d’Aro has a good amount and a mix of shops. Even out of season Sunday shopping is alive and well here, while Girona’s shops stay ghostly closed.

As a day visitor the chances of parking close to the beach are slim, within its maze of one way streets. One tip is to avoid taking the first Platja d’Aro exit, continue to the next one signposted ‘north’ and enter the town from here. If you find a paid bay you’ll end up having to pop back to feed the meter. We usually end up finding a free space further out and face a short walk in.

Not entirely starved of culture it has a few notable events throughout the year. February is Carnaval time and this place has one of the best I’ve seen. During July and August, every Friday from 11pm it has free jazz music, (Noches de Jazz) at one end of the beach. www.platjadaro.com