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Flying to BCN but want a small town. Suggestions?

Hello Spain travellers! We have decided to take a week in Catalonia in September. (Cheap transatlantic--we're in!)

We have only spent 4 days in Spain to date, Sevilla and Merida in the west. Barcelona looks great, but we're thinking we spend the first and last nights in Barcelona then rent a car and stay in a smaller town. Would love to hear from those who have done something similar.

Girona? Is it dead at night? We loved Rothenburg ob der Tauber after dark, it was still lively but not packed. Chartres, on the other hand, another daytripper space, was dead at night, to the point that we had a hard time finding dinner. Is Girona super hilly? I know there are the famous Game of Thrones stairs, but what about getting around on foot?

Any actual beach stays that would be good in Sept instead?

Or what about something to the south of Barcelona for vinyards and cava?

This is a new area so we will definitely explore, but we also want to take it easy and prefer to find one spot we can stay for 5 nights, even if we do day-trip on some of those days.

We love good food and drink, and are excited about moderniste and art nouveau architecture. We love history and culture, and have heard Girona has a great medieval centre. We aren't at all sporty, ok to walk but not all day and not in difficult terrain.

Posted by
3081 posts

Girona is great and has lots of historical architecture. It is university city with 100K people.

Besalu is an ancient town nearby— probably too quiet at night.

Tossa de Mar is an awesome beachside town of 6,000 and about a 45-minute drive from Girona. Topped by a castle and a medieval old town, Tossa de Mar has beautiful turquoise beaches and a thriving restaurant scene.

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3217 posts
Posted by
7771 posts

With a rental car you’ll have plenty of options for day trips. If using a small town as a base for 5 days, you don’t want one that is too small since many tend to have few lodging and dining options.

Posted by
4244 posts

Really depends on your definition of small town. Rothenburg has a population of 10k, but Girona is a full on city of 100k, definitely not "dead at night". Girona might work though, if you stay in the old town centre east of the river, however that can be a bit hilly, but will give you the "small town" feel I think. There are plenty of day trips to explore for a 5 day stay as Girona as a base.

An alternative could be Tossa de Mar as mentioned, this is a resort beach town, but slightly more charming than the typical beach towns due to its old town area. Just be prepared to still be quite busy with tourists even in September.

Sant Feliu de Guíxols (pop 20k) is an alternative to Tossa de Mar, same general location on the Costa Brava, but you will find it maybe more authentic feeling, more of a "proper town" less geared towards mass tourism from northern Europe lol.

Posted by
3081 posts

I didn’t know Sant Feliu de Guixois has a castle too. It looks like Tossa de Mar’s twin!

Posted by
19 posts

We're doing a similar trip in October! Just like you we loved Rothenburg ODT and were looking for a similar small-town feel.

Currently our itinerary is 3 nights in Barcelona, 3 nights in Girona, and 2 nights in Sitges. We're planning to do a daytrip to Besalu from Girona; we were considering an overnight, but it seems like a very small place, so not worth the hassle of changing hotels. Sitges seems like a beautiful beach option with easy transport back to BCN airport. We'd also possibly spend some time in Vilanova i la Geltrú, which is a quick train ride from Sitges.

Happy trip planning!

Posted by
255 posts

you could take the train to Girona, then pickup a rental car there and drive around to some of the smaller towns. its very easy and fun to drive around . Besalu is very impressive with its bridge entrance. You could also stop by Empuries if you are interested in Roman ruins and mosaics overlooking the sea. Peratallada is a tiny medieval town, all made of stone. really cool to visit. You could also visit Figueres, which has the Salvador Dali museum. and of course, others have mentioned some beach towns in the area. It's been a while since i visited- want to go back!

Posted by
305 posts

Wow everyone! Thank you so much! We've got so much to explore in the next couple of months as we decide our itinerary. With a new area like this, it's hard to know what to focus on, and I really appreciate your experience. Thank you!

Posted by
2 posts

Sounds like a fantastic trip! Since you're planning to explore beyond Barcelona, I'd recommend looking into the Grand Tour of Catalonia, it’s a great starting point for planning scenic routes, charming towns, food and wine spots, and cultural highlights across the region. Here's the link if you're curious: Grand Tour of Catalonia.

Posted by
1 posts

Girona is an interesting and walkable city ( take the train there) and Besalu and Banyoles are easy day trips by car or bus. I’ve heard good things about the Hotel Historic for a place to stay. Alternately, you could rent a car in Girona and drive to Begur, which makes a good base for exploring the coastal and inland villages. The Dali castle and various wineries are also there. The sea should still be great for swimming in September, fewer crowds, and perhaps lower accommodation prices too. If you need an accommodation suggestion around Begur let me know. Sounds like a great trip!