Medieval streets, Michelin stars, and a beach for every mood

Girona — 20 minutes away

Girona's old town photographs itself: colorful houses lining the Onyar River, best seen from the Eiffel-designed Pont de les Peixateries Velles bridge; a cathedral with the widest Gothic nave in the world; and El Call, the city's medieval Jewish quarter and one of the best-preserved in Europe, alleys dating back to the 12th century.

Fans of a certain HBO series will recognize it too — Girona's old town stood in for Braavos in Game of Thrones Season 6, with several scenes filmed right in El Call's streets and the steps near Sant Domènec.

And if food is part of why you travel: El Celler de Can Roca, run by the Roca brothers, holds three Michelin stars and has twice been named the World's Best Restaurant. It's in Girona itself — book well ahead, but it's a genuine once-in-a-while destination for anyone serious about food, and it's on your doorstep.

The coast — two very different Costa Bravas

Two beach towns, two completely different trips:

Worth choosing based on what your group actually wants that day — they're genuinely different trips, not two versions of the same beach.

For the cyclists

Girona is a serious cycling destination, not just a scenic backdrop — home to a community of roughly 100 professional cyclists and a regular training base for pro teams. Local routes include the Gavarres massif loops and the legendary Rocacorba climb, a genuine test even by professional standards, plus coastal roads linking Lloret, Tossa de Mar, and Sant Feliu de Guíxols.