Girona

Neoclassical Plaça de la Independència is the city's central square and the heart of civic life in Girona. The square is always busy with pedestrians, diners and revellers, as the intimate space is lined with restaurants, cafes and bars that are as lively by day with people-watchers as they are by night with party-goers.

By crossing the city bridges over the Onyar River, you can see the pastel-coloured houses that line the bank on the site of the old city walls. Pont de Ferro, an iron bridge built by Gustave Eiffel, offers beautiful views of the city's trademark facade, the quintessential Girona experience.

The 1680 Baroque façade of Girona's majestic and imposing cathedral has the widest Gothic nave in the world and hides a beautiful Romanesque cloister. Be sure to admire the interior, with its 11th-century ‘Tapestry of the Creation’ in the cathedral museum.

The Jewish ghetto – El Call – is one of the best preserved in Europe and is a major tourist attraction. Take a walk around the old quarter with alleyways of stairs bordering Carrer de la Força. The roots of the old Jewish community can be explored at the Museum of the History of the Jews, built on the site of a 15th-century synagogue. Hot tip: Some scenes of season six of Games of Thrones were filmed here.

This intriguing museum is the only one of its kind in Spain. It features more than 25,000 artefacts and is also home to a library with film-related publications.

About half an hour away from Girona lies Figueres, the birthplace of the famous eccentric Catalan artist Salvador Dalí and home to the weird and wonderful Teatre-Museu Dalí, designed by the artist himself. The museum showcases some of the artist's work and legacy.

Venturing a bit beyond Figueres one can find the beautiful Monestir Sant Pere de Rodes, a former Benedictine monastery perched atop the green Verdera mountain and surrounded by absolutely breathtaking landscapes. The area is also home to the ruins of a medieval town and a pre-Romanesque-style church.

Panorama Trails offers the chance to admire the Catalan countryside on horseback, to wander along sandy beaches, through medieval villages and atop rolling green hills. Take the chance to experience the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean the way they were experienced for thousands of years.

The Girona's most ancient church, serving as the city's cathedral until the 10th century, is a spectacular Gothic building with an imposing bell tower built between the 14th and 16th centuries. The church holds regular services and houses some impressive works of art.

The Platja De Pals golf course is located on the farmland of Arenals del Mar, among a stunning pine forest. The club boasts 18 pristine holes, as well as a welcoming clubhouse with dining, a TV room and a games room, as well as a shop and facilities for rental equipment.

Fundació Mona is an institution dedicated to the protection and preservation of various primate species. Visitors get the chance to meet macaques and chimpanzees, guided all along by the friendly and knowledgeable guides who work there.