Barcelona to Girona and Besalu: Private day trip

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.

In the Middle Ages, Besalu was the capital of its own independent state - major economic and political hub, where Jews and Christians lived in harmony for centuries. Even during the anti-Semetic pogroms at the end of the 1500s, it’s believed the Jews of Besalu were allowed to flee without bloodshed. Today, it stands frozen in time, greeting visitors with a 12th century fortified bridge, which grants access to the quiet network of cobbled streets. After admiring the medieval Cornellà residence, with its Romanesque arcaded gallery, and the many Romanesque churches, visitors have the unique opportunity to visit Besalu’s historic Jewish quarter. Most notable is the 12th century mikvé, a bath used for ritual ablutions, which is the oldest of its kind and one of only five left in the country. And of course, in such a traditional setting, Besalu is the perfect place to site down, and enjoy some traditional cuisine in a charming setting.