It did not happen overnight. Girona’s transformation from a quiet Catalan provincial capital to an international cycling and tourism hub took about two decades. And with that transformation came a restaurant boom that changed the city’s food landscape forever.
**The cycling effect.** When pro cyclists discovered Girona’s roads, they brought training camps, teams, and support staff. Soon after came amateur cyclists wanting to ride where the pros ride. These visitors had money, were hungry after long rides, and often lacked local knowledge. Perfect conditions for a restaurant gold rush.
**The spillover from Costa Brava.** Tourists who used to stay on the coast started making day trips to Girona. The city’s old town became a destination. And where tourists go, tourist restaurants follow.
**The Airbnb effect.** As short-term rentals proliferated, the visitor profile changed. More people eating out more nights. More demand, more restaurants opening — some by passionate chefs, others by entrepreneurs chasing a trend.
The result is the current landscape: a mix of genuinely excellent restaurants, solid mid-range options, and places that exist to extract money from people who do not know better.
The good news is the excellent ones are still there. You just need to know where to find them.