May 19 – 21

As we paused on the Eiffel Bridge, we were able to fully enjoy that stretch of the river known for its Colored Houses.  The river does more than split Girona in two, lining its banks are the famous-colored houses, stacked in ochres, pinks, yellows, and reds, their reflections doubling the spectacle in the water below.  They weren’t designed as postcard material; in the Middle Ages, people simply built where space allowed right on the river’s edge. Their facelift came much later, when architect Rafael Masó and a handful of local artists chose a palette that turned practicality into one of Girona’s defining images.

Locals sometimes call them the “Hanging Houses,” as if the buildings were daring you to notice how they cling to the riverbank.  Among them sits the Masó House, the birthplace of Masó himself, now preserved as a museum that pulls visitors into his vision of Catalan moder (we will return to it the next day).  The river doesn’t just separate buildings; it has long marked a boundary between Girona’s medieval Old Town on one side and its modern growth on the other.

We left the bridge and continued walking down what was now Camino de Libertat (Freedom Boulevard) which cuts through Girona with the kind of energy that has kept it busy for centuries.  Laid out in the 13th century as the town’s market street, it quickly became the economic and social heart of the city. Fast forward to 1869 and a revolutionary gesture changed its name forever: the “Tree of Freedom” was planted here during Spain’s turbulent Six Democratic Years, and the street inherited its present title, swapping old monarchical ties for the spirit of liberal ideals.

The boulevard’s arcaded colonnades still recall the medieval past, when guilds and traders sold their wares beneath the arches.  A line of trees and benches runs through the center, softening the bustle and inviting a catch-a-breath session.  We walked the length of the street until it turns into Avenue Carrer de Carme and then runs into the Pont de Pedra bridge.  Here we headed back towards the train station to check out two of the bike related stores in town, Trek Bicycle Girona and Castelli Girona. 

Joanna and I both own Trek bikes and so gravitate naturally to that brand.  The store here in Girona is a beauty, with a great selection of bikes for sale and rental, including e-bikes.  Castelli is known as a high-quality provider of cycling clothing and equipment.  Indeed, we bought one of their branded water bottles to use during the rest of the trip and Joanna uses it as we speak on each of our rides at home. 

Finished with our bike quest, we retraced our steps and heading back fairly easily found our way to the apartment.  One advantage of using lodging in the older parts of any town is how quickly one figures out the streets and directions, a bonus when travelling as often, in the bigger towns, the feeling of constantly being lost brings you down mentally.  Full from our large lunch, we stopped at the Spar market for supplies for an evening snack and spent that time catching up on some of our streaming programs. 

The next day, our last in Girona, the highlight would be touring Casa Maso, one of the most important works of architecture in Girona.  But first we sought out the treat that the city is known for, that is the Xuixo, a viennoiserie (“things in the style of Vienna” which are yeast-leavened dough products that are at a meeting point between bread and pastry), that is a deep-fried, sugar-coated cylindrical product filled with crema Catalana.  We stopped in at Casa Moner, one of several shops offering this treat for ours and we were not disappointed.  Two Xuiso and two coffees con leche’s cost us 8.80Euros ($10), about what two donuts and coffee would run us in the states. 

Sated, we made our way to Casa Maso for our scheduled tour, which cost us five Euros apiece.  We met our guide at the casa’s office and along with a small group began our tour of this fascinating house.  Standing outside, a study of the facade reveals that the house was the result of the merging of four separate dwellings acquired by the Masó Valentí family between the mid-19th century and the early 20th century.  

Today’s facade is the result of the renovation work between 1911 and 1919 carried out by Rafael Masó i Valentí (1880–1935) who was one of the most outstanding Catalan architects of the early 20th century, and at the same time he unified and updated the interior spaces.  On the ground floor, the architect’s father managed the Masó Press, where he edited and printed the Diario de Gerona de Avisos y Noticias newspaper between 1889 and 1936.

We would visit several rooms, the first being the dining room which was the scene of all the family celebrations.  Here, Masó was best able to express the noucentista concept of the home as an austere but comfortable place, a harmonious whole with great attention to detail, of humble traditional appearance but filled with cultured references.  Outstanding features include objects designed by the architect, particularly the hanging lamp, the stained glass, the sideboard, and the cabinet.

Next was the Gallery and sewing room.  Here, due to the slight curve of the River Onyar at this point, the glassed-in galleries provide a unique perspective of the river and its bridges, as well as the other houses overlooking the river.  These were spaces for sewing, mending, and embroidering the enormous amount of clothing and household linen belonging to the large Masó family.  The architect himself designed monograms and other motifs for pillowcases, cushions, handkerchiefs, tablecloths, bedspreads and quilts, which were embroidered by his wife and his sisters.

We moved on to the kitchen, and then the office of Santiago Masó (1878–1960), the eldest of the Masó Valentí siblings, who inherited the family house on the death of both parents.  He became a Doctor of Law in 1903 and pursued a distinguished professional career as a lawyer and politician.  The furniture for his legal office was designed by his brother Rafael in 1918.

Back downstairs, we viewed the Rafael Masó designed furniture in the first-floor bedroom.  The geometric forms of the bed headboard, wardrobe, and dressing table show Masó’s preference for austere refinement combined with traditional craftsmanship.  Near it was the main bathroom, a superb example of how Masó combined design with different materials to imprint character on his interiors.  In this case, the texture and color of the ceramic tiles and mosaic floor, together with the stained-glass door and window, lend notes of warmth, hygiene, and refinement to this most private of all places.

We finished the tour and now ready for lunch, we simply returned to Bau Bar for another filling lunch.  Along with a glass of wine apiece, Joanna started with the Pumpkin Cream Soup and I had another salad, this one with goat cheese and sliced pears.  For entrees Joanna demolished her Cod with caramelized onions, raisins and pine nuts while I did the same to my Roast Chicken.  We finished with a coffee apiece and with the 3.50 Euro supplement for the cod, our tab came to 49.9 Euros ($56).

We killed time the rest of the day walking around and doing some shopping (I would eventually buy a bike jersey from the Tata Bikes shop).  We had one last stop for the day, heading out in the early evening to visit Rispa Cervesers (Brewing) for a beer apiece.  A local joint we enjoyed our conversation with the young woman who served us and delighted to witness her interaction with her father who came to visit. 

On the way back to the apartment, we stopped at the Spar Market for some provisions for a light dinner, crusty baguette, soft cheese, ripe tomato, and cucumber to slice up and make little sandwiches with.  It was a perfect way to end our time in Girona and much like our visit to Lucca, Italy in 2022, we regretted not being able to stay longer and get some bike rides in around the area.  But we would take care of a part of that by meeting up with the company for the self-guided bike tour we would start the next day.  We will cover that and our last few days of the trip in the next few posts. 

Links

Trek Girona: https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/retail/girona/

Castelli Girona: https://www.castelli-cycling.com/ES/es/Castelli-Girona-Official-Store

Casa Maso: https://rafaelmaso.girona.cat/eng/casa.php

Casa Moner: http://casamoner.com/

Tata Bikes: https://www.tatabikes.com/

Rispa: https://palaufugit.com/our-beer