Girona is surely one of the most beautiful cities in Catalonia. Its proximity and good communication with Barcelona make it an ideal destination for any time of the year. But there is nothing like Christmas lights photography in Girona
There are many moments when a visit to Girona is worthwhile. In May, for the well-known floral festival “Temps de Flors”, in summer, to enjoy the narrow streets of the Jewish quarter, or in autumn, when the lung of the city, the Devesa is dyed red and yellow.
However, one of my favourite moments to visit Girona is Christmas. The magic of the short days, together with the Christmas decorations give the city a special atmosphere. If you want to discover the best places to photograph Girona at Christmas, read on.
Plaça Catalunya
This is one of the main meeting points in Girona. If you want to go for a beer, to have dinner or just for a walk, it is highly likely that you will meet at Plaça Catalunya.
During the Christmas months, this square is decorated with a massive Christmas tree. An ideal place for a wide-angle lens shooting, as it is possible to access the very bottom of the tree.
I like getting creative with Christmas lights, playing with the focus and the shutter speed. Moreover, this is also a perfect spot for a fast portrait shooting.
Although is a concurred place, people usually go there only to get a selfie, so with a little patience, it is possible to get a shot without many people.
Close to Plaça Catalunya, there is a bridge usually decorated with a curtain of lights that can also be used to composite some photos.
Rambla de la Llibertat
Visiting la Rambla is a must if you go to Girona. In recent years, the decoration of the Rambla has been simple but elegant, with the trees decorated with white lights. I found one of the best shots in the middle of it, shooting vertical and getting both the lights, lamps and the Cathedral in the frame.
Take into account that this is one of the most popular streets of Girona, so expect lots of people. If you want to set a tripod, take a long exposure or simply enjoy some alone shooting, a weekday or after 10 pm during weekends, it gets quieter.
Enjoy the restaurants, shops and discover some hidden spots such as the Paris map that you can find under the arches.
Pont de Pedra
One of the 2 most iconic bridges in Girona, it offers a fantastic view of the cathedral and the Eiffel bridge. Walk to the left end of the bridge for one of the most beautiful postcards of Girona.
Girona’s Old Town is surrounded by four different rivers. The one that this bridge crosses is the Onyar, which gives the name to the colorful houses that are next to it, “les cases de l’Onyar”.
Three main elements can be framed here: the houses, the Eiffel Bridge and the Cathedral. All of them are perfectly aligned for an ideal photo.
There are two ideal moments to take this picture. Just at the sunset, when the Cathedral and the river houses are slightly illuminated by the final beams of light and the Christmas lights are already on, or when it’s dark, during or after the blue hour, with the Cathedral illuminated.
The second one might require an HDR if the houses want to be clearly seen, as the only sources of light will be the Eiffel Bridge lights and the Cathedral.
Pont de Eiffel
Also known as Pont de les Peixetaries Velles, this bridge was built by the Gustave Eiffel company, hence its name. The characteristic iron look from other Eiffel constructions can also be found here, in vivid red colour.
During Christmas, yellow lights imitating the bridge’s characteristic shape make it the most beautiful spot in Girona in my opinion.
This has a downside, its packed. During weekends, before 11 pm it’s highly unlikely to get a photo of the bridge without anyone crossing it.
However, this means that it’s the ideal spot for stolen portraits. People taking selfies, being amazed the first time they see the lights, or just crossing it creates a perfect composition.
Tripods are difficult to set, as the bridge is not wide enough for a full-size tripod unless you want to bother the people around you. However, there is a spot where a tripod can be set, without any major trouble.
At one end of the bridge, there are some stairs with a handrail. Set your tripod under that handrail, and enjoy taking perfectly centred photos without bothering anyone. Just expect lots of people asking you about your picture.
Long exposures are not really useful here, as some people spend more than 5-10 minutes there, making it almost impossible to eliminate them from the photo.
Gear
For this Christmas shooting, I took my Fujifilm XT-3, with the 10-24mm and 55-200mm. A tripod and some patience are needed. Girona is usually crowded during this season, more if you are visiting on weekends. Consider getting there a couple of weeks before the end of December, as all lights will be on, but fewer people will be there.
Hope you enjoyed this Girona Christmas lights photography guide. Those are my four favourite spots from Girona during Christmas. Each of them has tons of probabilities, so find a small mix of other nice pictures I took on my Girona Christmas adventure on my Instagram. More travel & photography vibes there!
If you have any question, or you want to use my photos, contact me via the contact form or @aniolvisuals on Instagram