Plaça de les Sardanes

Plaça de les Sardanes is a small, grassy square in the Sant Daniel neighborhood of Girona, shaded by trees and set at the point where the Sant Miquel and de la Torre streams meet. A stone plaque officially names it "Plaza de la Constitución," but locals have long called it the Plaça de les Sardanes instead, after the traditional dances once held there. It's a quiet, residential corner far from the bustle of Girona's old town — the kind of place that rewards visitors curious about the city's more local side.

What will you see there?

The square's centerpiece is a platform built for dancing the sardana, Catalonia's national folk dance, made from three stone steps cut from local Girona stone and set against a back wall. That wall, lined with built-in stone benches, doubles as a stage for the cobla — the traditional Catalan musical ensemble — sheltering the musicians while acting as an acoustic reflector that projects the music out toward the grass where onlookers gather. Beyond that, the space itself is simple: green, tree-lined, and clearly built for neighborhood life rather than tourist crowds.

Why does this small square matter to Girona?

Sant Daniel was its own independent municipality until 1963, when it was folded into the city of Girona. This square served as the neighborhood's traditional gathering point long before that — the place where residents came together for dances, festivities, and community events. The sardana itself carries special weight here: in 1960, Girona was named Primera Ciutat Pubilla de la Sardana (the First Maiden City of the Sardana), a title that reflects how deeply the dance is woven into the city's identity. Visiting this square, then, means touching a living tradition rather than just admiring a piece of architecture.

How do you get to Plaça de les Sardanes?

Sant Daniel sits on the eastern edge of Girona's historic center, just beyond the old city walls, tucked into a small valley surrounded by hills. The easiest way to reach it is on foot — a walk from the cathedral or the Barri Vell takes only about fifteen minutes and passes through streets that gradually turn greener and quieter as you leave the old town behind. It's also a good starting point for longer walks, such as toward the Sant Daniel monastery or up to the Puig d'en Roca hill.

When is the best time to visit?

Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons, when the vegetation along the streams is at its lushest and temperatures are comfortable for a leisurely walk. In summer, the tree cover offers welcome shade, though midday heat can be intense. If you happen to be in Girona during a local festival or neighborhood celebration when sardanas are actually danced here, that's the ideal moment to experience the square as it was meant to be used.

Frequently asked questions

Is Plaça de les Sardanes a major tourist attraction? No — it's a low-key, residential square rather than a headline sight. It appeals mostly to visitors looking for an authentic, quiet corner of Girona away from the main tourist routes.

Why is it called Plaça de les Sardanes if that's not its official name? The stone plaque on site reads "Plaza de la Constitución," but locals adopted the name Plaça de les Sardanes because the square was traditionally used for sardana dances accompanied by a cobla band.

What exactly is the sardana, and why does it matter here? The sardana is a traditional Catalan circle dance performed to live cobla music. Girona has a particularly strong connection to it, having been named the first "maiden city" of the sardana in 1960.

Is it worth combining with other nearby sights? Yes — Sant Daniel is a good jumping-off point for walks toward the Sant Daniel monastery and the hills surrounding Girona, so it pairs well with a longer walking route through this part of the city.