Solo Summer 2025 Day 1: Girona, Spain and a slow lazy day!

After a whirlwind adventure through Ireland with my students, I arrived in Girona late last night, ready to shift into a slower, more solo pace. My home base for this leg of the journey is the charming Hotel Ciutat de Girona, tucked right into the heart of the city. Check-in was smooth, and without the usual responsibility of herding students from place to place, I sank into bed and enjoyed one of the best night’s sleep I’ve had in weeks.

I let myself wake naturally this morning, with no alarms or agendas. A quiet, lazy morning followed—just me, my book, and a cup of tea in my cozy hotel room. It felt like such a luxury to simply be.

By late morning, I was ready to venture out and found myself at Probocador for lunch. The restaurant had a sea bass special that came highly recommended by my waitress—she swore it was so fresh it was practically still swimming when they cooked it. I was sold. It arrived perfectly crisped and flaky, and absolutely lived up to the hype.

After lunch, I indulged in another simple pleasure: catching the F1 race. Watching it from the comfort of my hotel felt like the perfect blend of travel and downtime. A nap followed—because why not? One of the great joys of traveling alone is setting your own pace, and today, mine was slow and satisfying.

As evening fell, I took a walk through the winding streets of Girona’s old town. Golden-hour light lit up the stone buildings and narrow alleys, revealing glimpses of the city’s medieval past at every turn. For dinner, I sought out Marghe 1889, an Italian pizzeria that consistently ranks among the city’s best. My craving for something spicy led me to the diavola pizza—thin crust, rich tomato sauce, gooey cheese, and fiery salami. After a week of Irish cuisine (delicious, but notably mild), it was exactly what I needed.

My waitress, Asia, was from Italy, and it was a treat to dust off my Italian and have a short chat with her. Despite being completely full, I couldn’t resist when she suggested I try their tiramisu. I’m glad I did—it was light, creamy, and just the right amount of indulgent and the presentation couldn’t be beat (see below for a picture)!

Still full and with the sun high in the sky, I wandered the city a bit longer. Girona glows at dusk, its cobblestone streets alive with quiet energy. Eventually, I made my way back to the hotel, ready to curl up with my book and get some rest.

Tomorrow, I’ll dive deeper into Girona’s history: the grand cathedral, the winding Jewish quarter, and of course, the iconic Game of Thrones filming locations (yes, that shame scene). But for now, I’m savoring the pace of today—a perfect blend of rest, food, and discovery.