05 Jun
2017

Un cielo azul con nubes blancas en Girona.

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Last Updated on 18/07/2023 by STEPHANE

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Girona, the gateway to the Pyrenees and the Costa Brava

Few cities in Spain can boast of being the capital of a province with the sea (the Mediterranean) and high mountain (the Pyrenees). In addition to that, its urban centre is one of the most beautiful that can be found in the country. Its fame is also international because Girona has been the scene of different chapters of the popular series “Game of Thrones”.

Why Girona?

The colourful houses of the river Onyar (which divides the city into two), the cathedral, the Jewish quarter, the Benedictine monastery of Sant Pere Galligants and Sant Nicolau, the ramparts, the Arab baths or the old university are some of the jewels which can be seen in the city.

In addition, as we pointed out at the beginning, next to Girona you can enjoy some of the best beaches of the Mediterranean on the Costa Brava. But if you like snow, some of the largest ski resorts in the Pyrenees, such as La Molina or Masella, are an hour’s drive from the city. And for lovers of culture, there is Figueres, the hometown of the famous painter Dalí who also hosts a museum in his honour.

How is the real estate market?

Earlier this year the average price per square meter in Girona was € 1,477. The average price of housing in 2016 was over 200,000 €, and housing sales increased by more than 15%. Forecasts for this year are similar.

Real estate prices in Girona are very close to the national averages as you can see on this chart

As for foreign investment, in 2016 it represented 35% of the market (only a slight increase of 0.13% with respect to the previous year). According to Alla Maksimmova of the real estate company Casa Girona

“Canadians, Irish and French are the main buyers in the city, being the first ones that have increased their investment in the last months.”

Where to live in Girona?

The city has about 100,000 inhabitants. It is a small town, which makes it very easy to get to any corner on foot.

The Jewish quarter, in the centre, is a jewel in cultural terms because it has been preserved as it was since the last Jews left the city in the sixteenth century. In recent years, new buid apartments have been developed in this area, which has shops, supermarkets and schools.

The surroundings of the Cathedral square are another good area if you want to live near the centre. In addition, one can find a great diversity of shops, restaurants and cultural attractions.

If you are looking for a quieter area, but with all the services, there is the Pericot area, an area with open spaces and green areas.

Getting around in Girona

In total there are 11 bus lines leading to any point in the city. Thanks to its size, it is a very comfortable city for cycling. There is the public bicycle service “Girocleta”, which for a fixed price year you can take your bikes to all the neighbourhoods of the city.

Girona has the airport Girona-Costa Brava only 10 km away. There are flights, mostly low cost, to the main cities of Spain and Europe. The city also has a high-speed train station that connects with Barcelona and France.

The road network allows you to reach any point of the province (either the mountain or the sea). There is also the AP-7 motorway that connects with Barcelona and France.

If you want to read further on the Costa Brava, have a look at our very interesting paper we wrote on the Costa Brava: Everything you ever wanted to know about the Costa Brava.

Know everything on the Costa Brava: its Airports, its AVE stations, its Cities and villages, its shopping places: Traditional & Flea markets, Outlets and shopping malls. What should you visit? The Unesco sites, the parks for kids, the green parks, the golf courses, the universities and last but not least the top beaches. Check out our infographic.

Find all our other detailed maps on all the Spanish Costas and the Costa Brava.

If you want to invest in the Spanish real estate market in Spain, don’t hesitate to read our special report with the 10+ reasons why you should have a look at the Spanish property market.

Have a look at the yearly weather statistics of Girona and of the 18 biggest cities in Spain.

Have a look at our ePostcards before planning your next holidays in Spain.

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