GIRONA

Just 1.5 hours by car or train from Barcelona, the beautiful, walled city of Girona is one of Catalonia's most characterful cities, with an admirable collection of ancient monuments. The old city, built on a steep hill and known for its lovely stairways, arcaded streets and sunless alleys, is separated from modern Girona by the River Onyar. The medieval, multicolored houses overhanging the river are a photographer's dream, especially when seen from the iron footbridge designed by Eiffel.

Most of the main sights are in the old city. Make sure you also allow time to shop along the beautiful Rambla de la Libertat and to enjoy a drink in the arcaded Placa de la Independencia. At the heart of the old city, centered around EI Call, the old Jewish quarter, is one of the best preserved in western Europe and is particularly atmospheric by night with its street lanterns and intimate restaurants. Another splendid sight is the Catedral, with its impressive staircase leading up to a fine baroque facade, a magnificent medieval interior and the widest Gothic vault in Europe.

Housed inside a monastery, the Museu Arqueologic (Archaeological Musuem) outlines the city's history, and provides access to the Passeig Arqueologic, a panoramic walk around the walls of the old city. Nearby, the 12th century Banys Arabs (Arab Bathhouse), probably designed by Moorish craftsmen following the Moors' occupation of Girona, is the best preserved of its kind in Spain after the Alhambra, particularly striking for its fusion of Arab and Romanesque styles.