Girona for Digital Nomads — Medieval City, Cycling Capital, Barcelona in 38 Minutes

Why Girona?

A medieval city beloved by cyclists — and increasingly discovered by remote workers

Girona sits in the north-east corner of Catalonia, roughly equidistant between Barcelona to the south and France to the north. It is a city of around 103,000 people — compact, walkable, and packed with an extraordinary density of history and architecture. The Barri Vell (old city) is one of the finest medieval urban ensembles in Spain: the cathedral, the ancient Jewish quarter (El Call), the Arab baths, and the iconic coloured houses that line the Onyar river are all here, gathered within the original city walls. It is the kind of old city that makes residents feel quietly proud and visitors immediately envious.

Girona is also, improbably, a world-class professional cycling base. The roads that radiate outward from the city — into the pre-Pyrenean foothills, along the Costa Brava cliffs, through medieval villages barely touched by tourism — are among the finest cycling routes in Europe. UCI WorldTour teams and individual professionals use Girona as a seasonal training base; there are specialist cycling cafés, workshop spaces, and an established community of serious cyclists living in the city. For digital nomads who cycle at any level, this is rare and extraordinary: you can ride from your apartment to outstanding roads within minutes.

The high-speed rail connection to Barcelona changes Girona's practical proposition entirely. At 38 minutes by AVE train, Barcelona is closer to central Girona than Heathrow Airport is to central London. You can attend Barcelona meetings, use Barcelona's airport, enjoy Barcelona's nightlife, and return to Girona the same evening — while paying Girona's rents and living in Girona's genuinely authentic Catalan city environment. Girona Airport (GRO) additionally serves Ryanair's UK and European network, providing affordable direct access to Britain and the Continent.

Girona is a university city — the University of Girona has some 16,000 students — which keeps the city economically and socially active year-round. The co-working scene is modest but growing, with a handful of shared workspaces serving both local entrepreneurs and international remote workers. The city has a strong Catalan identity: Catalan is the primary language of everyday life, though Spanish is universally understood. The food culture is excellent — the surrounding Costa Brava comarca has one of Spain's highest concentrations of Michelin-starred restaurants per capita.

Applying for your DNV

Applying from Girona — UGE or consulate?

If you are already lawfully present in Spain when you apply, the UGE route is the fastest path to your DNV. Girona applicants use the same national UGE process as applicants anywhere in Spain — there is no regional variation in the DNV application route.