The Girona Flower Festival

This May 10-18, the city of Girona, Spain bursts with the pleasing perfumes of polychromatic flower décor with it’s annual Temps de flors flower festival. If you’re planning to experience the event, prepare to lose yourself in sweet aromas; this is a sumptuous feast of flowers, a place where nature displays her boldest blossoms blooming in full splendor.

Floral displays splash vibrant color over old cobbled roads, a meeting of old and new, the permanent and fleeting, a place where spring’s celebration of renewal, its delicate beauty of nature in full bloom, meets centuries-old stone architecture. Flower artists let their imaginations run wild for this spring festival, spreading their creative creations across the city’s old-town, as if the historic urban landscape were an enormous canvas.

Creative arrangements and striking hues take visitors on a journey through vibrant tints, tones and shades. Brash and sassy purple pizzaz petals, razzle dazzle roses, and jazzberry jam gems join to exhibit a spectacle of fancy floral scenes, where filiform foliage frames flaunting florets unfolding in wonderful glory.

The festival however not only appeals to the olfactory and visual sensitivities; it also coincides with the III International A Cappella Music Festival for indulging in the auditory senses. This year, prominent groups such as The Swingle Sisters, Jazzappella, and Tutti Veus will be belting out their best ballads and carefully harmonized choruses to offer lively performances. Taking in cool spring concerts near the Mediterranean sea after observing, whiffing, and loving the fresh fragrances and tender beauty of cleverly and/or elegantly crafted works of floral art makes for magical memories of the type you simply don’t forget.

The city of Girona

Girona is a picturesque town year-round. It is located in the far north-eastern tip of Spain, in the autonomous community of Catalonia (about 100 kilometers northeast of Barcelona). Panaramic views of the Girona Cathedral and attractive architecture flanking the banks of the Onyar River, reflected in its peaceful waters, all invite the visitor to explore narrow winding roads of this charming town. The main town square, the Plaça de Independèndcia, displays wonderful 19^th century style which stands in handsome contrast to the neoclassical structures which line its perimeter.    

In Roman times, the city wall protected Girona from invaders. Today, they provide a unique peek into the town’s fascinating past, a place which Romans, Visigoths, and Moors all called home at different periods. You can still walk the entire distance of the old city wall and check out scenic views of Girona’s country landscapes. The city wall towers stand in solemn silence overlooking visitors’ entrance to the old town.

So remember to go to Girona, the train ride from Barcelona takes just over an hour and it’s definitely worth the trip.