 Cataluna is made up of four provinces - Barcelona, Girona,
Tarragona and Lleida (Lerida), each with a capital city of the
same name. Barcelona is the place people want to visit and the
capital is now very much an international city. The area enjoys
a varied landscape from the high sierras of the Pyrenees, to
the Mediterranean coast and the central lowlands. There are two
Cataluna coastlines - the Costa Brava with its cliffs and deep
coves (Costa is Catalan for coast and Brava means Rugged) - and
the Costa Dorada (Gold Coast) with long, wide and gentle beaches.
There are three airports - Barcelona, Girona and Tarragona. There
are two international rail stations at Estacion de Sants and
Estacion de Francia, both in Barcelona.
Girona is located around 20 miles
inland of the Costa Brava, in the northeast of Cataluna. Its
airport lies 8 miles from the city and and is well linked by
taxi services. There is also an airport bus that connects with
Girona's central bus and train station. Its position makes it
a launch point for those intending to travel to the Pyranees
and tiny sovereign state of Andorra.
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 Girona is a city located north of Barcelona in the
northeast of Cataluna, at the confluence of the rivers Ter and
Onyar. It has a magnificent walled area, which is preserved in
almost its entirety, and a fine Cathedral, an enormous construction
that was painstakingly built over many centuries. The Jewish
quarter spreads out in a maze of small, narrow and very often
steeply sloping streets which still maintain their medieval atmosphere.
Girona is home to some important museums, the chapter museum
has a rare collection of gold and silver items on display. Most
of the tourist sights can be found close to the river. Today,
Girona, apart from its historic charm, is a bustling, lively
city with tapas bars, cafes and a good selection of restaurants. |
