Spain

This richly historical destination combines the comforts of northern Catalonia's largest city with the charm of an impressively intact medieval heart. A stroll through the lovingly restored but lively old town will convince you that this graceful city isn't trapped in the past.

Before the 20th century

A walk in Gerona's exceptionally well-preserved old town, or Barri Vell, is like a vivid retelling of long-past events by the city's streets and buildings.

While there's little trace of the ancient settlement called Gerunda, visitors can still follow the path of Via Augusta, the Roman highway that passed by that Iberian city - just by walking down Carrer de la Força in the old town.

From Gerona's impressive defensive towers and walls - lovingly restored following demolition in the name of 19th-century progress - it is easy to picture the relentless attacks and occupations that shaped the history of this city.

The Romans had a fortress here long before the city wall protected Gerona. Visigoths also held the ancient city until it was captured by Muslims in AD 714. Twice the Moors were driven out by Charlemagne - the second and last time in 797.

Charlemagne made Gerona a countship of Catalonia and, in the 9th century, the alarmingly named Wilfred the Hairy, Count of Barcelona, ruled Gerona as capital of one of his counties.

Wilfred's time is sometimes said to be the wellspring of Catalonia's distinctive, proud spirit and its desire for political and cultural autonomy. But Catalan's early independence was dealt a blow by a royal wedding in 1469 - Isabella of Castile to Ferdinand II of Aragon. The match all but made Spain into one powerful kingdom and, from that time, Catalonia's prized self-government slowly trickled away.

The cobbled streets around Carrer de la Força tell another story from this time. El Call, the Jewish quarter, made Gerona Catalonia's second most important medieval Jewish community after Barcelona. The people stayed until 1492, when all Jews were expelled from Spain. The neighbourhood was famous for its cabbalistic school - one of Europe's foremost.

The old town's historic buildings speak of Gerona's medieval prosperity and themselves sit on long-destroyed ancient structures. The cathedral sits on the site of another, once used by Moors as a mosque. Climb the current cathedral's 86 steps and pass through its majestic facade and you'll discover a history of building and rebuilding in successive Romanesque and Gothic styles. It's no surprise, after 25 attacks and seven successful invasions, that many of the old town's buildings are a pastiche of architectural periods. What does surprise is the old town's almost complete survival.

Attacks continued well after medieval times. French royal armies besieged the city four times in the 17th century. In the early 19th century the city's walls were battered by Napoleonic forces for seven months until famine and disease took their toll and Gerona capitulated.

Gerona's post-medieval history was also shaped by Catalan struggles to free the region from central Spanish power, beginning in the 17th century and growing in strength towards the close of the 19th century.

Modern history

Gerona rocketed into the modern era, becoming industrialised along with the rest of Catalonia. The region's capital, Barcelona, is an Art-Nouveau wonderland; Gerona's own Rafael Masó did his best to modernise the city with a host of fantastically decorative buildings that are well-preserved today.

Politically, Catalonia was a hothouse. In the fiercely independent region that's claimed Gerona since the 8th century, socialists, anarchists and Catalan nationalists waged their struggles.

Two revered Catalan presidents of the 1930s, Lluís Companys and Francesc Macià, fought to make the region a nation. They fought with armed revolts as well as elections, and gained and lost autonomy of varying shades. Complete independence was elusive.

The Spanish Civil War (1936-39) crushed hopes of a seperate state. Catalonia opposed General Francisco Franco and the region was brutally punished when the dictator came to power. Franco quashed Catalonia's political autonomy and suppressed its culture; use of the Catalan language was forbidden in public life.

Catalonia suffered for forty years until Franco's death in 1975 freed the region to seek independence once more. Autonomous again, and with an elected parliament, Catalonia was on the path to nationhood.

Recent history

In 2006, Catalonia became a nation within Spain, concluding the centuries-long nationalist struggles surrounding Gerona.

Today, the city feels like a busy and prosperous centre - although 'human sized' as its local government boasts. New parks and historical reconstructions grace Gerona, which is surrounded by a still-industrial region producing paper, chemicals, food and machinery.

Tourism has become significant for Gerona and visitors flock to the beautifully preserved old town. This tourist precinct's charming streets - easily explored on foot - are also lively with students from the local university, who make the town's nightlife.

Top Accommodation

Top Restaurants

Gerona is at its best as spring turns to summer and at the beginning of autumn. At these times, expect warm to hot and sunny days with mild evenings.

Don't be surprised by the occasional summer storm; otherwise rain is minimal. Temperatures can be extreme in July and August, sometimes climbing to 40°C (104°F), and thunderstorms are more frequent.

Colder and wetter, winter is still relatively mild as low temperatures in this part of the world tend to be above zero.

Average weather

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Transport

Getting around

The narrow streets of the old town are easy to explore on foot. Several road bridges and footbridges link it to the new town across the river.

Local bus services (www.ajuntament.gi/bus/docs/busos.pdf) crisscross Gerona's old and new towns. Most of these can be boarded from the main bus station, 1km (0.6mi) southwest of the old town on Carrer de Rafael Masó i Valentí, or on Gran Via Jaume I, which runs parallel to the river a short walk from its west bank and not far from the old town.

Getting there and away

Gerona's main train and bus stations are 1km (0.6mi) southwest of the old town, off Carrer de Barcelona.

Regional and international services depart from the bus station on Carrer de Rafael Masó i Valentí. Daily destinations include Barcelona, Figueres, Olot and Sant Feliu de Guíxols.

The railway station on Plaça d'Espanya is on the line connecting Barcelona, Figueres and Portbou on the French border. There are more than 20 trains per day to Figueres (30-40min) and Barcelona (75min), and about 15 to Portbou or Cerbère or both (50-60min).

It's located 11km (7mi) south of Gerona's town centre and just off the AP7 and A2 is Girona-Costa Brava airport, Ryanair's Spanish hub. Other low-cost airlines also operate from here. Sagalés (www.sagales.com) runs hourly services from the airport to Gerona's main bus station (25min) in connection with flights. Taxis between the airport and central Gerona are a more expensive option.

Passing through Gerona is one of Spain's excellent Vías Verdes (green ways): disused railways converted to cycling and walking paths (www.viasverdes-ffe.com). The Vía Verde del Carrilet begins in Olot, in the Pyrenees' foothills. Gerona sits just over halfway on this gentle, well-maintained 93km (58mi) trail as it heads towards Sant Feliu de Guíxols on the Costa Brava.