Are you looking for a Jewish Heritage tour near Barcelona? Or would you rather spend a day in the countryside away from the tourist crowds? Are you fascinated by the Middle Ages? Game of Thrones anyone?
The city of Girona has kept its magical medieval atmosphere in a beautiful way (enough to be chosen to be Braavos in season 6 of Game of Thrones), and it’s famous for its Jewish Quarter. And Besalú is pretty close, with its charming lay out along a river, its imposing bridge and one of the few medieval mikvah kept in Spain.
Leave all the logistics in our hands and come exploring Girona and Besalú with us.
Final itinerary and timings might vary due to many factors (traffic, your pace and main interests, mikhve reservations…)
Your guide and your driver will pick you up at your hotel/apartment and take you to Girona. On the pleasant ride along the highway you’ll cross first some industrial areas and subburbs, then the countryside presided by the Montseny mountains. Your guide will start filling you in about the history of Girona and Catalonia and answer all your questions.
The Old Town of Girona keeps a charming Call (medieval Jewish Section) with a fascinating (and unfortunately sad) history. No Jewish Heritage tour here would be complete without a visit of its Museum of History of the Jewish ( closed on Monday).
Besides this, there’s also some interesting Medieval Baths, the path along the city walls and an extraordinary Gothic Cathedral. You’ll also get to walk around the medieval alleys and squares to enjoy the local atmosphere. Almost like being in Italy, but without the crowds!
A lovely ride around local roads and accross the countryside will take you to Besalú, where your day continues.
Besalú is a picturesque medieval village in the countryside, that features the first Medieval Jewish Baths (mikvah) found in Spain. You can continue learning about the history of our local Jewish community, as well as the Christian life that run parallel to it. The Besalu bridge, 1000 years old , is not to be missed. And kids love the walk along the riverbank.
Enjoy a leisurely lunch at some local restaurant serving Catalan and Spanish specialties.
Back to the car, enjoy a little nap or continue chatting with your tour guide about what you’ve seen today, ask any other questions you might have about the local history and culture, and get recommendations for the rest of your stay.
You’ll be dropped back at your hotel or apartment or other location of your choice within the city limits.
This tour is perfect for people able to walk, with a strong interest in the local Jewish Heritage, or that just want to spend a lovely day out of town away from the tourist crowds and see the countryside.
If you are traveling with kids, this tour is child-friendly as we can focus the tour on the exploration of the sites, instead of the academic part.
If you have walking issues or use a wheelchair, please note that the visit of Girona involves sections of stairs and uphill cobblestone streets. There are cobblestone streets in Besalú as well. We recommend you book a 6-hour Girona tour and ask your guide to take you on the little tourist train instead of walking you around.
If you are also interested in the Jewish Section of Barcelona, add one extra hour to your tour to be able to visit it, or check out our Barcelona Jewish Tour.
8 HOURS:
Mercedes car or minivan upto 6 of you + guide & dedicated driver
NOT INCLUDED
Expect to pay €20-30/person, depending on your order.
OPTIONAL – Not included.
PAID ON SITE skipping lines:
* Fees given as an orientation only. Sites might decide to change them without notice. Discounts might apply for students and/or seniors.
We can only secure a guide for you after full payment has been received. Don’t wait until last-minute: we often book out in high season, and Park Guell & Sagrada Familia tickets sell out, too.
This day trip to Girona and Besalú is: |
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| AVAILABLE | Monday through Sunday |
| SOME SITES CLOSED | Monday: the Museum of History of the Jewish of Girona is closed. Sunday: the interior of the Cathedral of Girona is not available for visits as there is mass going on (you can visit the Cloister and the Treasure Museum, though. |
| MIKHVA | The Mikvah of Besalú is only available on request. |
| UNIQUE | In May, Girona celebrates the “Time of Flowers” festival. A great time to visit it and see the usual sites covered in flower decorations. |
Tour starting time: |
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| 9 AM | This tour starting time is not flexible. |
We had a wonderful day with Pepus, our tour guide from ForeverBarcelona. We were met at the port as we exited our shop in Barcelona and taken by a very nice and comfortable van to our tour in Girona and Besalú. Pepus was an excellent guide who proved to be very knowledgeable on the matter of Jewish History and the entire area of Catalonia. He took us to very interesting places and provided together with our van driver, excellent servcie and ag reat experience. A beautiful day we will never forget.
