Girona

Girona can be seen in a day, ideal as a side trip from Barcelona (a 40-minute high-speed train ride): the old town with its colorful houses over the Onyar River and the medieval wall are enough for a full day. May-June brings mild weather ahead of Catalonia's humid summer heat. It's notably cheaper than Barcelona, both for food and lodging. Its international fame jumped after appearing in Game of Thrones (as House Blackfyre's seat), adding a new kind of visitor to a city until then known mostly for its fine-dining scene.