Cataluña questions
 

Hi -

I'll be in Cataluña (Catalunya if you prefer) in July for about 9 days. I have a couple of questions that I'm hoping the experts here can answer:

Would it be overkill to spend four nights in Girona? I figure there's got to be enough stuff there for a relaxing three days, and it'll be an easy day trip to Figueres for the Dalí museum and perhaps another day trip. But I'm wondering if it might be better to just do two-three nights there and tack the extra day or two on to another location.

Is it worth spending a day or two in Portbou? It looks beautiful from the train station and looks like it isn't a hugely touristy beach spot, but will it be overly crowded (or, conversely, too small and boring)? I'm not really into beaches per se but was thinking it could be a nice place for a relaxing day or two, and it seems to be located near some hiking trails.

Also, I'd very much like to do some hiking in Vall de Boí, ideally as part of an organized group, but I can't get a handle on that from the US. A google search tells me there are a few outfits that do guided hikes, but I haven't been able to gauge their quality. Is that something that can be organized last-minute once I'm on the ground? And, if not, how easy is it to get around the historic sites without a car? It seems pretty rural.

Thanks for any and all comments.

Girona for four nights (for me) would be too much, it is a very small city. Perhaps do two nights there and another two nights by the sea in another town There are many nice coastal walks on the Costa Brava if you don't want to go to the beach but want to see different landscapes, towns and food from the interior. I find many of the small towns boring unless going for the beach.

If you are looking for nature + convenience then perhaps consider Andorra for a few days, you can reach it on regular buses from BCN and then use local buses to get to various natural areas for hiking. I enjoy this tiny Catalan country, plus it is a scenic drive to get there.

Thanks so much for your reply! Andorra was my first thought when it came to spending time in the mountains, but the Romanesque churches in Vall de Boí caught my interest and made me think that might be a better spot. Are there any places in Andorra that you would recommend? From my one time in Andorra (20 years ago hehe), Andorra la Vella felt like a shopping mall with a couple of old buildings in it, and I assume that's even more the case now - would there be another town you'd suggest to use as a base?

I'm thinking I might want to split up my time with 4 days near the coast and 4 days in the mountains. I'd like to not bounce around too much, but if four nights is excessive in Girona it might be best to break it up. I could always spend a couple of nights in Barcelona, but I live in NYC so get enough of the city environment in my day-to-day life and would prefer to spend time in a smaller, quieter place.

Incles valley in Andorra.
Perhaps you can rent a cabin for a night or two... would need to be self catering if without a car, but a total getaway in a gorgeous alpine valley with nice hikes :)
There are also very nice hotels close to here, have a look at the Hermitage in Soldeu. No car needed. :)

I agree with the Andorra option, I was there 3 years ago and I loved it.

Thanks! I'll check it out.

Thanks! I'll check it out.

Gerona is a very small town, you can see in one day perfectly. I would recommend you to visit Figueras to see Dali musuem and spend sometimes visiting many of the nice places and beaches of Costa Brava