Girona

About

Settled by the ancient Iberians, the city was desired by every major empire in the Iberian Peninsula, undergoing twenty-five sieges and being captured seven times throughout its history. Today, its fortified walls are still standing, offering visitors the opportunity to walk around nearly the entire Old Quarter. Maybe even more imposing than the fortifications is the monumental Cathedral. A late Gothic structure built on foundations dating back to the Romans, it has the second largest nave in the world behind St. Peter’s Basilica. The Cathedral museum has the 12th century Tapestry of Creation on display, a piece which has been compared to the Bayeux Tapestry for its historical importance. Perhaps the city’s most distinctive site is its Jewish quarter, which solidified in the 1100s, and developed for the next 300 years, becoming one of the largest in Spain.