Illa

We are 2 “mature” women who will be flying from the US to Barcelona mid June. We want to pick up a car at the airport and explore Girona, the Dalí Triangle.and some of the Costa Brava for a week before going to Barcelona.

We would like to pick 2 towns as a base so we don’t have to pack and unpack and we are stuck as how to manage this. As we have aged, we find our travel style has changed; no longer the need to see so many sights but rather get a feel for the people, enjoy the outdoor cafes, dip into art and a museum and not rush around.

Advice would be much appreciated for how to plan our week.

Illa

vanshoppers

You will be jet lagged on arrival, making the drive unnecessarily adventurous. Have you considered 1-2 day downtime in Barcelona?

Illa

Thanks for your reply, Vanshoppers. We have considered the issue you raise. We arrive in the morning and because the drive will not be long, we would prefer to get to our destination, settle in and relax for the remainder of the day.

FTOttawa

So, train from Barcelona to Girona and relax there before picking up a car. Girona for a few nights lends itself admirably to slow travel.

On the coast, we only saw San Feliu de Guixols as it was on the bicycle greenway. Lovely town.

bilboburgler

What FT says is perfect. Girona (pron Hirona) is so chilled

Illa

The advice you all all has given us pause because you agree on the best plan. We have reconsidered accordingly and will head to Girona, and continue on after a good sleep. Thanks so much!!

Maribel

Please don´t drive upon arriving at the Barcelona airport. Just transfer to Sants station and take the high-speed train to Girona. Enjoy Girona for a. few days, and if you want to see the very best of the Northern Costa Brava, rent a car in Girona and move east to the Begur area (either pretty Begur itself or if you prefer Med views, then Aiguablava or further south to the seaside towns of Calella de Palafrugell or Llafranc. This is the most beautiful part of the Costa Brava.

That said, you need reservations ASAP for anywhere on the Costa Brava, especially the northern part, that receives a very loyal, yearly repeat clientele.

Illa

Thank you for your suggestions Maribel. We are taking the helpful advice and will not rent a car on arriving. We are also considering moving east for a couple of days.

Southam

Aside from its convenience, Girona is picturesque and home to many interesting restaurants. Maribel always has enticing restaurant information.

morganphoenix0071

Heads up for a couple of days in Girona. You can explore the Dali Museum from there, too.
Then my personal favorite is Begur for a quaint little village with charm, or Palamos for something bigger by the sea.

Illa

Thank you! Our plans include both suggestions

stricky

I also agree with FT and bilboburgler. I loved Girona - a charming medieval town with lots of history. We took a one hour train (give or take) to the Dali Museum in Figueres. His jewels, shown in a smaller building, are not to be missed.

Maribel

If you plan on including a visit to the Teatre Museu Dalí in Figueres in the summer, it's important to reserve online in advance, just a day or two ahead. Tickets do sometimes sell out, and on the ticket purchasing page, it will indicate how many tickets are still available for each time slot. So you can check your date and see what is still available in June.

From July 1 to August 31 it's open every day, but outside of that time frame the museum closes on Mondays.

https://www.salvador-dali.org/en/mus...m-in-figueres/

To reach Figueres from Girona you can take the high-speed AVANT train, which takes only 15 min. and which arrives at the high-speed rail station, Figueres Vilafant, outside of town. Local buses connect this station with the town of Figueres and are timed to the train arrivals. . Round trip ticket on the AVANT costs 11.80/p

Or you can take the slower Regional or Media Distancia train to the original Figueres station in town. The ride takes about 30 minutes on the MD, a bit under 40 on the Regional. Purchase your ticket at the station. These tickets can't be purchased o nwww. renfe.com or on www.thetrainline.com

JoanYUL

The advice above is all excellent. After you’ve travelled to Girona and Figueres by train, and assuming you’ll rent a car in Girona after that, finding an accomodation around Begur is great for exploring the coast/coves. Also, don’t miss the Dali castle in Pubol ( it’s not too busy but book ahead to make sure). There are some beautiful villages and countryside to explore in that vicinity on the same day ( Monells, Pals, St Marti Vell…). Enjoy! It’s beautiful and lends itself to a slower pace!

Maribel

Finding accommodations in Begur in mid June is extremely important, but I assume that you have them already, since your trip is just a month out.

If you have settled on Begur or environs with a rental car, the Castel de Púbol is about a 30 minute drive northwest.
Into on all the Dalí sites here.

Villages we love, many that jgrynol has mentioned, within an easy drive of Begur: Pals, Peratallada, Monells, Ullastret, Palau-Sator, this area is really delightful. And as jgrynol says, it does lend itself to a slower pace to savor the beauty of this part of the Baix Empordá.

EAOrelup

We visited Barcelona and Girona in late April 2024 for two weeks, splitting our time between Barcelona and Girona. We booked three half-day private tours with Laura (google Laura Tours Barcelona), two in BCN and one in Girona, and were very pleased. She also helped with figuring out the trains, restaurant recommendations, and booked a driver to Cadeques for us. We initially opted out of the short side trip to Figueres for Dali and when we changed our minds, the museum was fully booked. We stayed in hotels for this trip and cannot say enough about the Hotel Casa Cacao (owned by the Roca brothers) in Girona. It’s worth a night there for the 4-course breakfast alone. The fast train between BCN and Girona is only about 45 minutes, making it possible to stay in Girona or the surrounding area and head into BCN for the day. We adored Girona.

astronomycraqdi4923

I recommend that you not miss the Sagrada Familia if you go to Catalonia, but above all, something that is not so well known, which is the Aran Valley. Greetings
Arts And Cultures Craqdi