It's early summer and the medieval city of Girona in Catalunya is a riot of colour for the annual Temps de Flores. During this week, 9th - 17th May 2015, all public buildings and many private houses are decorated with floral displays and everything is open to the public for free.
Summer has arrived early and with the warm weather, we decided to head into town after spending yesterday on the beach. We definitely made the right decision, as it seemed to us, by the number of cars going in the other direction as we drove in, that most of Girona was heading for the coast ! Parking was relatively easy and to start with, a short walk to la plaça del culo del lion, otherwise known as la plaça de St Feliu to watch the Castellers.
This tradition of building human towers dating back to the 1700's has been declared by UNESCO to be amongst the "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity". There were three "colles" (teams) competing and although very much a team event, they all help each other supporting the base of the towers. The motto of the Castellers is "Força, equilibri, valor i seny" (Strength, balance, courage and common sense).... As I suffer from Vertigo, I have to say that I agree with at least three out of the four :)
Watching the teams organise and build these human Castles is really impressive and not something to be missed on a visit of Catalunya. It is incredibly popular with locals and visitors alike, but you need to get into position early if you want a good view. They display in most towns and villages during fiestas and festive days although not so much during the heat of the summer months.
They can reach a suicidal 10 levels high and the tower is complete when the "enxaneta" (rider), usually a small child, climbs over the top and back down the other side. They do sometimes collapse, although thankfully not very often and there have been remarkably few casualties over the years. All the enxanetas now wear helmets, so there is at least some "seny"....
The old town of Girona, which dates to Roman times, is mainly traffic free due to the small narrow medieval streets and is packed with churches, parks, roman baths, museums, bars and restaurants. During the Temps de Flores all the museums and normal attractions are open to the public for free. For the rest of the year, it's well worth purchasing a multi entry ticket which allows unlimited access to most of the attractions. Contact the Girona tourist office for more information http://www.girona.cat/turisme/eng/activitats.php
On the left, the cloisters at St Pere de Galligants. This was a Benedictine Abby built in 992 although the majority of the church nowadays dates from the 1100's. The octagonal bell tower (right) has become one of the most photographed iconic views of the Girona city skyline is one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Girona. Since 1857, it has been home to the Archeological Museum of Catalunya.
Next to the bell tower of St Pere de Gallagants, the Cathedral is the most prominent landmark in Girona. There has been a place of worship on this site since the Roman times, but a primitive Christian church has been documented to exist here from before the Islamic conquest of Iberia after which it was converted into a mosque in 717. The city was reconquered in 785 and the church was reconsecrated in 908.
In 1064, the church and its cloister were built in Romanesque style and the bell tower was completed in 1117.
The complex was redesigned by Pere Sacoma in 1312 and the project finally started in 1416. The new design consisted of a big Gothic nave, the widest Gothic nave in the world — 22.98 m — and the second widest nave of all styles after St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The elevation is 35 metres (115 ft).
During the Temps de Flores, it is free to enter the Cathedral. (For the rest of the year, the admission fee is quite extortionate and photographs are not allowed !) As such, be prepared for a long queue !
If it wasn't for its more famous neighbour (Barcelona), Girona would be a tourist destination in its own right. A beautiful, small, walkable, city filled with medieval cobbled streets and stone arches and packed to the gunnels with shops, restaurants and bars. You'll feel very safe in Girona without the same problems of the pickpockets that plague Barcelona during the summer months. Being just 30 minutes away by car, it's a good choice for a day out away from the beach scene.
About me… I have lived in Calonge (province of Girona) on the Costa Brava since 2003 after retiring as a pilot from the british Royal Air Force. My passions are hiking, biking, skiing, photography and discovering and sharing the hidden cultural treasures of this beautiful country. My day job entails managing a luxury self-catering rental Villa,
Casa Cal Domino,
and in my search for new and interesting things to do for my clients whilst they are here on holiday, I have been genuinely overawed by the beauty and diversity of this land. I’m not leaving any time soon. I love it here and I hope to inspire you to come and discover this wonderful country for yourself.
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