Girona, a magical place and easy to visit as a day trip from Barcelona. This city is definitely worth visiting, even if you aren’t a Game of Thrones fan. However if you are a Game of Thrones fan, don’t forget when you visit the historic medieval city centre of Girona to geek out of the different Game of Thrones filming locations that futures: Braavos, Old Town and Kings Landing. This is the ultimate self-guided Game of Thrones tour and don’t forget to check out the video version as well of this tour.
And if you rather prefer to this tour with a guide, why not get yourself an amazing local Game of Thrones guide!
Game of Thrones Girona Tour
Most of the tourists will start their tour from the tourist point. Next to the public car park. From here cross the Rio Onyar via the Pont de Sant Felio, which will take you to the magnificent Sant Felio church.
Okay the Sant Felio church isn’t in Game of Thrones. And yes Mark Zuckerburg ate at the River Cafe at the bottom of the steps. However, these aren’t the reasons that this is worth a stop. Just, admire the beautiful Baroque facade before taking a left down Carrer de la Barca (next to the River Cafe), which will lead you to Carrer del Bellaire. At the first intersection: make a right onto this street and admire the beautiful bridges across the dry creek bed before taking the steps down to Carrer del Riu Galligant, known in Game of Thrones speak as Oldtown.
Scene 1: Sant Pere Galligants (Old Town)
Benedictine monastery Sant Pere de Galligants is the place where Samwell, Gilly, and Sam Jr. hesitantly approach the front desk of the Maesters’ citadel. This Romanesque 11th century building is now home to an Archaeology Museum that is worth a visit: the large building makes you feel as small as Sam and Gilly seem when approaching the Maester’s desk.
After visiting the monastery, walk around the back to the peaceful garden and pond area. Take the bridge from the garden and cross the dry creek bed, climbing the stairs to enter Plaza del Jurats, which is where the theatre scenes with Arya were filmed.
Scene 2: Plaza Del Jurats / Arya Theatre Scene
Plaza Del Jurats is used in many movies and there are still performances organised on this square. You will better recognise this as the theatre performance that Arya watches, where the actors play out the scenes of the lives of her family and the Lannisters.
At the end of the plaza you will find some stairs taking you to Jardins de La Francesa for a better view over the square.
Walk through the gate left of the building (in Game of Thrones this was covered by a green door), and head on to your next location, the Arabic Baths. After exiting Plaza del Jurats, go left immediately.
Scene 3: Arya and the Waif chase scene
All the market scenes in season 6 in Braavos where filmed here. At the right hand side you find the Banys Arabes (Arabic Baths). Those baths are worth a visit for every tourist. Inside you find the baths that Arya stumbled upon during her chase scene with the Waif.
Walk down the cobblestone streets outside the bath and imagine how it would look like as a market scene in Game of Thrones. It shouldn’t be too difficult to imagine this. Head down the Carrer de Ferran el Catolic as it wraps around the Via Augusta. Take a left, enter scene 4, and now you are in… Kings Landing!!!
Scene 4: Queen Margaery’s Atonement; Sept of Baelor
The main Girona Cathedral. The place where the pinnacle scenes happened of season 6. As you approach the cathedral you will pass under a large archway. This is the same archway Jaimy Lannister and his troops, including house Tyrell marched under to prevent Margaery’s atonement.
Walkup all the (nearly 90!) steps. Imagine you have to ride up them with a horse. Well done Jaimy! When you are at the top look down on the scene. Realise that the background was completely different in the series. Thanks to green screen and CGI they were able to put the rest of Kings Landing in the background.
The church is also the Great Sept of Baelor, shown in the wedding and the explosion of the church.
If you want to visit the church, on the left hand side in front of the church’s beautiful facade, you will find the ticket office. If not continue your tour by going right of the church
Scene 5: Arya’s blind training with the Waif
At the side of the cathedral you have three options:
- Walk down the steep street
- Walk to your right and slightly up for the upper part of historic Girona
- Go through an archway and ascend steps that take you behind the Cathedral
Take this last route to reach Bisbe Cartaña, which is near Jardins de La Francesa (remember from the second scene).
Heading up the stairs, this street will wrap around the Cathedral, which allows for a beautiful and close-up view of the church’s architecture. It will also take you to the first scene of Season 6 with Arya, where she is begging and is then approached by The Waif for fight training.
There are now only two stops to left to visit during this Game of Thrones tour in Girona. We need to reach now beautiful Sant Domenec via Carrer Sant Llorenc. To reach this place, head back the way you came, all the way back the steps in front of the cathedral. So when you stand in front of the cathedral go the opposite way you entered the square into Carrer de la Forca.
Scene 6: Carrer Sant Llorenc
One look at the narrow, stone street’s archway and you can imagine that directors want to shoot their movies here. Not only Game of Thrones has been shot here. In terms of GoT it has been used in the Arya and the Waif chase scene. Don’t forget to head up as well to enjoy the beauty of this street. This street is LONG. When you are done, head back into Carrer de La Forca.
Carrer de la Forca is a great place to do some souvenir shopping, if you’re into this sort of thing. Shopping or not, continue down this street until you get to our final stop, Pujada de Sant Domenec.
Scene 7: The Steps of Sant Domenec
The narrow stone stairs leading up to Pujada Sant Domenec’s gorgeous convent doors leads to the market scene with Arya and The Waif. The beautiful stairs were the location for the scene where Arya jumps out the window and lands in the middle of the market, knocking over an orange cart.
Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments. I really love those books and the series!
