Written by Kristina Mortenson, (University of Minnesota), CET Barcelona, Spring 2026
I got the privilege to attend a Girona excision with CET. On Friday at 9AM, we took a bus into the city (I was very proud of myself, as I was perfectly on time for the departure). Once we arrived, we met up with a lovely our guide and she took us all around. After, we feasted on some lunch. Lastly, we got some free time to explore the city. CET offered us tickets to the museum of Jewish history, so my friends and I went into the museum during our free time. Let’s talk a little bit about what I saw, learned and did.
Girona Overview
Girona is a very historic city in Spain. Our first stop was right next to the Onyar River. This river is famous for its colorful houses along the riverbanks. My friends and I could not stop taking photos. The buildings were just so beautiful. I have included some pictures above. We did in fact get rained on; however, the rain did not take away from the vibes. In fact, I think the rain contributed to the medieval-style.
Xuixio (Pronounced “shoo shoo”)
During our Girona trek, our CET instructor kindly purchased a classic Catalan pastry for everyone: xuixio (pronounced shoo shoo). It was truly one of the best desserts I have tried. It is a deep-fried pastry that is covered with sugar, and it is filled with crema catalana. The crema catalana is like a custard and similar to crème brûlee.
The pastry has a very important legend behind it, which determined the name xuixio. In the old streets of Girona lived a pastry boy. Across from the boy lived a daughter of a strict watchmaker. And he was not about to let his daughter get together with a poor baker. The two individuals fell in love, but it was very undercover due to the young lady’s strict father. The boy Tonet began making a special treat just for her, which was the xuixio.
One night, the two were together when the watchmaker came home early. The daughter was hiding, but she inhaled flour dust from the bakery and went “shoo shoo.” In other words, she let out a massive sneeze. The father heard this from the streets, rushed inside, and then he was of course livid. However, the father gave the boy a chance to win his approval; if the boy could make a pastry so good that he had never tasted anything like it, he might allow a marriage.
So, the young man put his skills to the test. Expecting failure, the father tried the boy’s xuixio; however, instead of disapproval, his world was changed. He was very impressed by the boy’s talent, and he decided to allow marriage. He also decided the pastry would be named xuixio due to his daughter’s sneeze. Crazy change-up from the father if you ask me, but honestly, I too think any good sweet-treat could convince me to change my mind.
Game of Thrones
A little fun fact about Girona is that it’s featured in Game of Thrones! The cast spent around three weeks filming in Girona. One famous location that is featured in the movie is the cathedral. The film took place on the huge staircase leading up to the cathedral. I have included an image above, and please do take a moment to recognize her beauty and grace.
Another photo picutres a pathway and a blue-ish looking door. This building is the church of Plaça de Sant Martí. For any Game of Throne fans, the scene filmed in this location was Ary’s chase through Braavos. I have not yet seen the film, but I plan to watch soon.
Cathedral, Cloister of Girona Cathedral
To speak a little more on the cathedral, it is a monumental Roman Catholic church. It actually served as the bishop’s seat for centuries. Also, it is known for having the widest Gothic nave in the world. In other words, the main central hall (the nave) of the cathedral is 75 feet wide!
Within the Cathedral lies the cloister. The Cloister of Girona Cathedral is a quiet a peaceful courtyard. Engraved within the pillars are scenes from Jesus’ life. In the Middle Ages many were illiterate, so the carvings were meant to teach stories visually. Above, I have included a close-up photo of the carvings. I really enjoyed seeing this part of the Cathedral, and I felt very much at peace.
A Few More Pics…
Thank you for reading my blog! See you next time!
