Old town, Game of Thrones & northern Costa Brava

Your journey begins in Girona, where the Santa Maria Cathedral, whose construction started in 1046 under Bishop Odon, dominates the city with its single nave measuring 22.98 m wide, the widest in Gothic Europe. In October 2015, its steps were the setting for Game of Thrones season 6, serving as the Great Sept of Baelor. The outer city walls, the Muralla de Girona, built between 1362 and 1421, stretch for 3.4 km with 16 cylindrical towers, witnesses to the 1809 siege by 35,000 Napoleonic soldiers during the Spanish War of Independence. This defensive architecture reminds us that Girona triumphs, as its motto, 'Gironam Fert', proclaims.

Continue your visit to Girona by exploring El Call, the Jewish Quarter founded in the 10th century, one of the largest in Europe. Its narrow streets and 12th-century synagogues tell the story of a prosperous community under Alfonso II of Aragon (1162-1196), before its expulsion in 1492 by the Catholic Monarchs. The Banys d'El Call, Jewish ritual baths covering 40 m² built around 1260 with a mikveh 4.6 m deep, offer a glimpse into daily life. Carrer Bisbe Cartana, behind the cathedral, was used for Arya Stark's scenes in Braavos in Game of Thrones season 6 episode 1, adding a contemporary narrative dimension to this Cultural Heritage site.

The roadtrip then takes you to Besalú, a Historic-Artistic Site since 1964, known for its medieval bridge from 1120. This 35 m long bridge, with 5 pointed arches, was a toll point until the 16th century. Besalú, whose county was founded in 870 by Wilfred the Hairy, also houses a Jewish mikveh dated 1265, one of the best preserved in Spain, 2 m deep. This site, which recalls Catalan Jewish prosperity, enriches your understanding of the communities that marked the region, from medieval counts to expelled merchants.

Further southeast, on the Costa Brava, discover the medieval villages of Pals and Peratallada. Pals, declared a Cultural Heritage Site in 1966, had its historic center restored in the 1950s. Its Torre de les Hores, built in the 14th century, stands 20 m tall with bells dating from 1302, and the Sant Pere de Pals church was built in 1342. 40 km from Girona, Peratallada, a Historic-Artistic Site since 1973, retains cobbled streets intact since the Middle Ages. Its 11th-century castle, with a 12 m deep cistern, and its fortified walls built around 1345 under Peter IV of Aragon, testify to the feudal power of the region. The 12th-century medieval olive oil press, with a capacity of 500 liters, illustrates the ancient local economy.

Your exploration concludes with the first coves of the northern Costa Brava, near Calella de Palafrugell, 38 km from Girona. Sites like Port Bo and Platja del Canadell, with their fine sand and lengths of 50 to 100 m, have been used by fishermen since the Neolithic (4000 BC). Port Pelegrí, built in 1920, still shelters 200 traditional fishing boats (llauts). These waters, classified Natura 2000 since 1992 for their marine biodiversity, offer a soothing contrast after the intensity of the historic cities. This roadtrip allows you to connect eras, from medieval conquests to modern film shoots, passing through the maritime traditions of Catalunya, a region with recognized world heritage and an emblematic filming location.