Sant Narcís Fair and Festival 2017 at Girona

In response to #4:

Two major cathedrals. I think both have English audio guides.
Wonderful art museum.
Walkable wall.
Large historic district that's great for wandering.

Girona is definitely worth an overnight. Or two.

Hi acraven

Thanks! It looks really historical in the photos! Maybe we will spend a night there!

Hi! I need some help with translation to understand the festival programme. I am hoping to visit Girona for the festival. I found out that the festival is from 27 Oct to 5 Nov in 2017.

I managed to find the 2016 (28 Oct-6 Nov) programme but it is in Catalan!
http://www2.girona.cat/documents/11622/298963/Programa_Fires_2016.pdf

Will be so grateful if anyone can help me with these:

1. Which day is good for me to visit and stay 1 night? I hope to watch the main actions (people's stacking formation), fireworks and etc. It seems that Sat (4 Nov) is a busy day with events but Sun (5 Nov) has fewer events but the finale fireworks.

2. Any other things we should take note of when we attend the festival?

Thanks!

IMPORTANT: the program you have linked is that of LAST YEAR! These sort of festival, with all its complexity (there are more than 200 activities, concerts, etc) don't publish the program until a few weeks before the venue, so you'll have to wait until the middle of Oct or so to see this year's program. The festival runs, this year, from Oct 27th to Nov 5th. This is the official website, so stay tuned: http://www2.girona.cat/ca/firesdesantnarcis

Anyhow,

1.) There are different displays of firework and firecrackers, but indeed "the" big one, called Castell de Focs (literally 'castle of fire' in Catalan) is on the last night of the festival, something very typical in Mediterranean festivals where fire plays an important role.

2.) It can be, if you have no other choice... but it's greatly advisable to spend the night there -or more than one if you can. Note that trains (and buses) to/from Barcelona are particularly busy these days so don't forget to pre-book!

3.) For God's sake: Girona "city".... unless you want to be stoned to death by Gironins, LOL!!!! It's nearly 100,000 pop.

4.) Plenty, this is a very romantic city, especially the Old City. Check out their tourism website. Note though that very often, as Ann mentions above, Girona is used as a base for many visitors as there are plenty of things to visit from there, from Besalú, to Figueres, to Costa Brava to the Catalan Pyrenees and a bunch more.

5.) It's crowded, from beginning to end, period, albeit during the working days there are fewer chances that many outsiders can pop up to visit. Still, we Catalans are very outgoing people and there are no festivals that don't draw crowds.

In any case, take my answers with a pinch of salt and wait to see this year's program.

Enjoy!

Hi Enric

Thanks so much for your very useful comments! Amazing!

Yes I am aware that the programme link was last year's (2016). I am kind of assuming that the festival programme will be quite similar year by year.

I think I will go on Sunday Nov 5th to Girona City (thanks for the correction) and participate in the festivities that day. However, the 2016 programme showed that there were more events on Saturday rather than Sunday (the last day of the festival). Anyway, museums are free to enter on Sundays. And hopefully, I can get to enjoy a quieter Girona City on Nov 6th Monday after the festival before I head back to Barcelona.

I would also like to ask if most shops will be closed on 5th Nov as it is a Sunday. But I guess there should be many stores/food bazaar because of the festival?

Thanks so much for your help.