Experience in Girona, Spain by Tania

What is it like to live in Girona? Would you recommend it? What is it like?

Girona is a beautiful city, especially its old town, its architecture and its atmosphere, because you have the benefits of living a city like all the activities you can do, places to go, different modes of transport... but you also have the fact that you're living in a busy city all the time and it is sometimes hard to escape!

What is the student life like in Girona?

Girona has a great student atmosphere because it has a large university campus in Montilivi, another in the old town and the University of Physiotherapy and Coffee in Salt, so the night life is great, especially Thursday nights which is student night. There are also parties called "university barraques" and clubs in Girona.

How much does it cost to live in Girona?

The cost of living in Girona in terms of entertainment, bars, food is similar to the rest of the country, not that expensive but still not as cheap as the rest of Spain. You can find everything you need and more or less the price is average.

As for accommodation, I spent 4 years living in Girona, and I changed flats 3 times. More or less, the rent was between € 220-275, expenses included, because I've always lived in the centre. If you live further out of the centre or closer to the Montilivi University campus, rents they are cheaper.

Did you struggle to find accommodation in Girona? Do you have any advice?

No, to be honest I found a shared flat really quickly.

In the different universities, there are lots of posters that students put up, saying that they are looking for a flatmate. If you already have people that you want to live with, the best option to find a suitable flat is to go to an agency where they will help you find somewhere.

What is the food like there? What are some of your favourite dishes?

Because I am Spanish, I think that the food here is wonderful! There is a huge variety and you can find everything you want...

But one of the things I miss most about Girona is the 'Bravas del Konig', a chain of restaurants that serve good tapas and snacks at a good price. They only have restaurants in Girona and the best 'bravas' are the ones with their special, house sauce and the four cheese potatoes.

What places do you recommend to visit in Girona?

In Girona, you should discover the old town, see the cathedral... and most importantly, you should walk through the streets during the "Temps de flors" which is held in May and is when they decorate the entire old town with flowers. You should also go to Devesa, a large park in the city of Girona where parties and the 'barraques' are held. There are lots of attractions there, different stalls, a stage for concerts and numerous barraques from varying associations and universities. It is nice to spend some time there and is a place you can go to share a few drinks with friends and listen to music.

Outside of the city but still in the Girona province, you can visit the Dali museum in Figueres, the Banyoles Lake...

What about eating in Girona? Do you recommend anywhere?

As for eating out in Girona, Konig is the most popular location because you can only find it in Girona and is very typical to go there, especially among young people.

What places do you recommend to go out in Girona?

There are lots of different clubs and bars on offer in Girona, depending on what kind of environment and what kind of music you like.

• Lux nightclub: charts music, €5 to enter
• Mondo nightclub: charts music, €5 to enter
• Platea nightclub: alternative music, from rock to techno
• Lola Coffee: bar/pub with live music
• Printing: bar/pub with live music
• Sunset: jazz club
• Cercle: located in Girona old town, a bar with more live bands
• Gran Via nightclub: lots of university parties take place here

Any advice you want to give to new students coming to Girona?

Right now I can not think of any advice to give to future students coming to Girona... ​​but if anyone wants to know something specific you can contact me through this page and I will be happy to help!