What is Temps de Flors?
Temps de Flors ("flower time") is Girona's flower festival. Every May, monuments, squares, patios and even bridges become open-air installations made by florists, architects, artists, schools and neighbours. It began in 1954 as a modest flower show and has grown into one of Catalonia's best-loved festivals. The 2026 edition, the 71st, ran from 9 to 17 May with 126 projects in 106 spaces.
Most spaces are free to visit, and the whole city takes part. Shops dress their windows, balconies overflow with geraniums, and the Barri Vell turns into a giant treasure hunt with a map.
When is it?
Temps de Flors usually runs for nine days in the second week of May, from a Saturday to the following Sunday. The Ajuntament de Girona publishes the exact dates, map and programme each spring, so check the official programme before you book.
Where to see the best displays
- The Cathedral steps. The festival's signature image: the great baroque staircase covered in flowers. Come early for a photo without crowds.
- Romanesque cloisters, such as Sant Pere de Galligants and the Cathedral cloister. Their stone arches make the perfect frame.
- The Banys Àrabs. Flowers under the columned dome, one of the most photographed spaces.
- Private courtyards (patis). The real secret of the festival. Noble houses around Carrer de la Força and the Pujada de Sant Domènec open their doors, and you can see courtyards that are closed the rest of the year.
- Beyond the old town. In recent editions, installations have spread to the bridges over the Onyar and the neighbourhoods across the river, which are often much quieter.
How to avoid the crowds
- Go early. Arrive when the spaces open in the morning, start at the top of the old town, and walk downhill.
- Choose a weekday. The two weekends are very busy, with coach groups arriving from all over Catalonia. Monday to Thursday is much calmer.
- Pick up the map, or use the official app, and plan a route by area rather than chasing the famous spots.
- Book accommodation early. Hotels in Girona fill up months ahead for festival week.
- Wear comfortable shoes. The old town is all steps and cobblestones, and you'll walk a lot.
Learn Catalan among the flowers
Our Temps de Flors festival week follows the Girona Essentials format: Catalan class every morning, then guided walks through the installations in the afternoon, at the quieter times we know as locals. Small groups, max. 8.
Catalan words for Temps de Flors
- les flors: the flowers. una rosa: a rose. el test: the flowerpot.
- el pati: the courtyard. les escales: the steps.
- Quina meravella!: How wonderful!
- On és el proper espai?: Where's the next space?
- Es pot fer una foto?: Can I take a photo?
- Quanta gent!: So many people!
Make a week of it
May is one of the best months in Girona: warm days, long evenings, and the countryside at its greenest. Combine the festival with a day in the Garrotxa volcanoes or on the Costa Brava, and see our list of the 15 best things to do in Girona. A few weeks earlier, on 23 April, Girona celebrates Sant Jordi with roses and books. And in June, summer begins with the bonfires of Sant Joan.