Neighborhoods in Girona
Barri Vell[edit]
Barri Vell (Old Town) is the picturesque tourist part of Girona. Most of Girona's tourist attractions are here, like the Cathedral, la Muralla, the Call Jueu, and the colourful houses along the Onyar river.
Daily life in the Barri Vell has its cons. Parking is difficult. Many buildings lack lifts, which can be a challenge if you live on the top floor. The area’s popularity has driven up rental prices. Tourist noise, bar life, and large crowds during festivals can be overwhelming. There are no real supermarkets, except Spar.
Currently, it's the most cared-for neighbourhood in Girona, but in the 1980s, it used to be a slum, with crime, a bit like New York at the time.
Notable places in the Barri Vell[edit]
- Catedral de Girona – The city’s cathedral
- Basílica de Sant Feliu – Historic church next to the cathedral
- Cases de l’Onyar – The colourful houses lining the Onyar River, one of Girona’s most iconic views
- Banys Àrabs – Romanesque baths inspired by Islamic bathhouses
- La Rambla de la Llibertat – Historic promenade lined with cafés, shops, and arcades
- El Cul de la Lleona – A small lion statue; tradition says visitors should kiss its backside to ensure they return to Girona
- La Muralla de Girona – The ancient city walls, which you can along for free for panoramic views of Girona
- El Call – One of the best-preserved Jewish quarters in Europe, with narrow medieval streets
- Museu d’Història dels Jueus – Museum of the history of Girona’s Jewish community
- Monestir de Sant Pere de Galligants – Romanesque monastery that now houses the Archaeology Museum
- Pont de les Peixateries Velles – Bright red iron bridge designed by Gustave Eiffel, also known as the Eiffel Bridge
- Pujada de Sant Domènec – A picturesque stone stairway
- Pont de Pedra – Stone bridge with one of the best views of the colourful houses on the Onyar
- Plaça del Vi – Historic square where Girona’s City Hall is located
- Museu d’Història de Girona – Girona's history museum
- Museu d’Art de Girona – Girona's art museum
- Jardins dels Alemanys – Quiet gardens near the old walls
- Passeig Arqueològic – Scenic path running along the old city walls beneath the cathedral area
- La Rambla – One of Girona's main shopping streets
- Cinema Truffaut – One of Girona's two cinemas
- Plaça dels Raïms – The smallest square in Europe
- Centre Civic Barri Vell – One of Girona's community centres
- Centre Cultural de la Mercè – An arts cente in an old convent
Mercadel[edit]
Located across the river from the Barri Vell.
Notable places in Mercadel[edit]
- Plaça de Independençia – A large square with several bars and restaurants
- Rocambolesc – Famous ice cream shop owned by Jordi Roca, the youngest Roca brother
- Museu del Cinema – A cinema museum
- Carrer de Santa Clara and Carrer Nou – Two of Girona's main shopping streets
Eixample[edit]
Eixample is the most densely populated neighbourhood of Girona.[1] It has a grid-like layout and a modern urban feel. Most housing is in apartment blocks. It's great for day-to-day living, with everything close by — shops, schools, cafés, bakeries, banks, health clinics.
It was developed mostly in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The Catalan word "Eixample" translates to "expansion" or "extension" in English, because the city was expanding beyond its medieval walls.
In winter, Eixample is grey and dismal. There is a reason that this is not a tourist destination. Buildings made of concrete.
Plaça Miquel Santaló i Pavor has a big cylindrical structure that looks like a giant cigarette. It's 18 metres high and serves as a smoke-extraction tower for the car park beneath the square.[2]
Notable places in Eixample[edit]
- Mercat del Lleó – Girona’s main fresh food market
- Biblioteca Carles Rahola – Girona’s largest library
- Estació de Girona – Girona's train station
- Estació d'Autobusos de Girona – Girona's coach station
- Hotel Ultonia – Girona's largest hotel
- Hotel Carlemany – Another large hotel
- Clínica Bofill – A private health clinic
- Sotavies Urban Gallery – Street art under the railway tracks
La Devesa[edit]
La Devesa, or Devesa-Güell, is the neighbourhood next to Parc de la Devesa and the river Güell. The neighbourhood has many of Girona's important places, including Parc de la Devesa, the exhibition centre, and Girona's concert hall. But on the other hand, there’s no civic centre and no library.[3]
Its neighbourhood association is called Associació de Veïns Devesa Güell (https://avdevesaguell.cat, Instagram: @avdevesaguell).
Notable places in La Devesa neighbourhood[edit]
- Parc de la Devesa – The largest urban park in Catalonia
- La Copa – An open event space in Parc de la Devesa. Used for festivals such as the Barraques during the Fires de Sant Narcís
- Piscina pública de la Devesa – An outdoor swimming pool open in the summer
- Fira de Girona – An exhibition centre
- Auditori de Girona – A concert hall
- CAP Güell – The main Centro de Atención Primaria in Girona
- Escola Oficial d'Idiomes de Girona – Girona's main language school
- L'Escola d'Hostaleria i Turisme de Girona – A hospitality and tourism school
Vista Alegre-Carme[edit]
Vista Alegre-Carme is an unofficial name for the neighbourhood around Parc del Vista Alegre.
- Associació de veïns Vista Alegre - Carme: https://veinsvistalegrecarme.cat/
- Festa major: 21 – 23 June, to co-incide with la Nit de Sant Juan[4]
Notable places in Vista Alegre-Carme[edit]
- El Parc de Vista Alegre
Girona north[edit]
Montjuic[edit]
North end of town, up a hill. Many nice single-family homes, some apartments. One of the most expensive places in Girona.[5] Very few supermarkets and services.[6]
Pedret[edit]
A narrow neighbourhood in the north of Girona that runs along Carrer de Pedret.
Notables places:
- Centre Cívic Pedret
Sant Ponç[edit]
Notable places:
- GEiEG Sant Ponç
Pont major[edit]
Notable places:
- Centre Cívic Pont Major
Girona east[edit]
Les Pedreres[edit]
Les Pedreres is a residential hillside neighbourhood just above Girona’s medieval walls. If you live here, you will never need a gym due to all the walking up and down steep hills. It consists of streets of terraced and single-family homes with schools and a four-star hotel called Palau de Bellavista.[7]
At the top of the hill, the Parc de les Pedreres offers walking trails, nature, and historic remains of 17th-century forts that once defended Girona, the telecommunications tower, and former quarry sites that are now part of the Pedra de Girona heritage trail.[7]
The area takes its name from the old stone quarries.[7]
Notable places in Les Pedreres[edit]
- Jardins de les Pedreres – A park
- El Piruli – Girona's telecommunications tower
- Palau de Bellavista hotel
Mas Ramada[edit]
Notable places:
- Centre Cívic Onyar[8]
La Font de la Pólvora[edit]
Grup Sant Daniel[edit]
Grup Sant Daniel is a tiny residential area in east Girona, made up of apartment blocks built in the early 1970s.[9] It has nothing to do with Sant Daniel, which is another neighbourhood in east Girona.
In 2015, residents complained about illegal occupation of apartments and antisocial behaviour..[9]
Historically, it was home to immigrants from Andalusia..[9]
Vila Roja[edit]
Small neighbourhood on the outskirts of Girona. It has limited shops, restaurants, and public services. Taxi drivers may be reluctant to pick up fares here. The area has a reputation for crime and for being less well-maintained than other neighbourhoods.
Two people died there in a gun fight in 2024.
Sant Daniel[edit]
A quiet neighbourhood behind Girona’s cathedral. Many of the houses are on a steep hill.
There are no shops, aside from a bakery.
Nearby forests. The neighbourhood is the starting point for many hikes near Girona, like El Castell de Sant Miquel and Els Ángels.
The Galligants river runs through this neighbourhood.
-
Residential street in Sant Daniel -
Sant Daniel's only shop
Notable places in Sant Daniel[edit]
- A restaurant called El Cul del Mon
Girona south[edit]
Migdia[edit]
Migdia is an unofficial name for the neighbourhood around Parc del Migdia.
Notable places in Migdia[edit]
- Parc del Migdia
- O2 Centre Wellness Parc del Migdia – Girona's biggest gym
Quimics[edit]
This is not really a neighbourhood but some apartment buildings. Not much life, but quiet and peaceful. There are small supermarkets and other small local shops nearby.
Once the site of a glue factory. The tall brick chimney from the factory is still there today, preserved as a monument.
Notable places near Els Quimics[edit]
- Xemeneia Els Químics – A 56-meter high chimney from a former tartaric acid factory
- El Corte Inglés – Girona's largest department store
Montilivi[edit]
Montilivi is a large, quiet residential neighbourhood consisting of hills, houses, and small apartment buildings. Some of the houses are pretty big, with huge gardens.
At the far south end of Montilivi is Girona FC’s stadium, Estadi Montilivi. Next to that is Montilivi campus, one of the campuses of the University of Girona (UdG), where you'll find several university buildings and student housing.
Festa major: Start of June[10]
Notable places in Montilivi[edit]
- Estadi Montilivi – The stadium of Girona Football Club
- Campus Montilivi – The largest of the University of Girona's four campuses
- CAP Montilivi – One of Girona's four Centro de Atención Primarias
Palau[edit]
South of the city centre. Mostly high-end single-family houses, terraced homes, and duplexes. It’s one of Girona’s priciest residential zones and has more houses than apartments. Many properties have gardens, pools, and private parking. Local shops, cafés, and bars are limited, and it’s a bit of a trek to the centre of Girona and main shopping streets. The Montessori school is here.
Also called "Pla de Palau - Sant Pau" (?)
Festa major: Last weekend in June[11]
Notable places:
- Centre Cívic Pla de Palau
Sant Narcis[edit]
See https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barri_de_Sant_Narc%C3%ADs
Festa major: End of May and start of June[12]
Notable places:
- Centre Cívic Sant Narcís
- GEiEG Sant Narcís
La Creueta[edit]
Avellaneda[edit]
Girona west[edit]
Fontajau[edit]
Instagram: @avfontajauxc "AV" probably means Associació de Veïns (Neighbourhood Association) and XC probably means Xarxa Ciutadana (Citizens’ Network).
In 2025 they created a new capgros called Fonteta, which is a public water fountain with eyes and a mouth.[13][14]
Notable places in Fontajau[edit]
- Pavelló Girona-Fontajau – The home of Girona's basketball teams
- OCINE Girona – Girona's largest cinema
Germans Sàbat[edit]
Germans Sàbat is a neighbourhood north of Girona. It borders the town of Taialà (in the municipality of Sant Gregori) and the Fontajau area of Girona.[15] They are often lumped together as Taialà-Germans Sàbat.
Germans Sàbat began in 1958 when the Provincial Housing Board of Girona built 227 low-cost homes in Taialà.[15] In 2000, the neighbourhood had 3,255 inhabitants.[15] The neighbourhood is named after three brothers from Celrà — Josep Maria, Lluís, and Carles Sàbat Arnau — who fought with the Terç de Requetès de la Mare de Déu de Montserrat (a Carlist battalion on the Nationalist side) and died in 1937 at the Battle of Codo during the Spanish Civil War. [15]
Taialà[edit]
Notables places:
- El Cellar de Can Roca – 3 Michelin star restaurant.
Santa Eugenia[edit]
Santa Eugenia, or Santa Eugenia de Ter, is a neighbourhood in the far west of Girona. It has the highest population of any neighbourhood in Girona.[16]
It was a separate municipality until it was incorporated into Girona in 1963.[17] It's so far from the center of Girona that people say it's not really in Girona at all, it's between Girona and Salt.
Almost 45% of its population is foreign-born.[18]
Its main street is Carrer de Santa Eugènia.[18] If you follow Carrer de Santa Eugènia all the way down, you reach Salt.
Notable places in Santa Eugenia[edit]
- Les hortes de Santa Eugènia – Public allotments for growing fruits and vegetables
- Centre Cívic Santa Eugènia (a.k.a. Can Ninetes) – One of Girona's civic centres
- La Marfà – Music centre
- Pavelló Municipal Santa Eugènia-Montfalgars
- Pavelló Municipal d'Esports Santa Eugènia
- Parc Jordi Vilamitjana – A public park
Domeny[edit]
Notable places:
- Centre Cívic Ter
Sant Gregory[edit]
Places near to Girona[edit]
Salt[edit]
Salt (pronounced "Sal") is a town next to Girona. Girona and Salt merge so it's hard to tell where one ends and other begins. With over 40% of its population from abroad, Salt is known for its cultural diversity.[19]
Notable places in Salt[edit]
- Hospital Santa Caterina
- Parc de la Massana
- La Mirona – Live music venue
- Factoria Cultural Coma-Cros – Public building. It's where Els Marrecs (human towers) train.
Fornells de la Selva[edit]
Has St. George’s International School
Villablareix[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ "En los barrios del distrito del Eixample se realizan 180 encuestas porque es donde se concentran más vecinos." https://www.elperiodico.com/es/sociedad/20251122/girona-estudio-uso-del-catalan-encuestas-124001654
- ↑ https://www.catalunyapress.es/articulo/girona/2023-09-20/4445265-girona-enciende-porro-plaza-miquel-santalo
- ↑ https://avdevesaguell.cat/barri
- ↑ https://veinsvistalegrecarme.cat/festa-major-revetlla-vista-alegre-2025
- ↑ 2025-08-30: Kasturi
- ↑ 2025-08-30: Kasturi
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 https://lespedreres.blogspot.com/p/presentacio.html
- ↑ 2026-02-04: Comparing its location in Google Maps to the map at https://guidetogirona.com/images/4/4d/Mapa-RegidorsBarri-2023-2027-dedret-23-12-24.jpg, it's in Mas Ramada
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 https://www.diaridegirona.cat/girona/2015/02/14/fi-tranquil-litat-grup-st-49211608.html
- ↑ https://web.girona.cat/culturapopular/festesmajors/montilivi
- ↑ https://surtdecasa.cat/girona/agenda/2025/festa-major-del-barri-pla-de-palau-sant-pau/247730
- ↑ https://onanemavui.cat/agenda-girona/festa-major-del-barri-sant-narcis-de-girona-2025/
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLKAcK7MwFw/
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/DLsxRoJMc5g
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germans_S%C3%A0bat
- ↑ "Des de Recuperem Girona expliquen que haver decidit fer la mobilització a Santa Eugènia té raó de ser. Perquè és el barri més poblat de la ciutat i, per tant, “un dels més perjudicats” amb el nou model de recollida d’escombraries" https://www.gerio.cat/noticia/1723823/neix-una-plataforma-ciutadana-a-girona-per-reclamar-una-ciutat-neta-verda-i-digna
- ↑ https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Eug%C3%A8nia_de_Ter
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 https://en.ara.cat/girona/around-the-world-through-eleven-restaurants-the-border-between-girona-and-salt_130_5283290.amp.html
- ↑ https://en.ara.cat/girona/around-the-world-through-eleven-restaurants-the-border-between-girona-and-salt_130_5283290.amp.html, accessed 5 September 2025
