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Jared, I’m not from Girona but get some decent health insurance. And then just enjoy the Spanish life!

@jaredvifl

There are lots of delightful places in Spain to visit and live/retire in. Many of the downsides of Girona might be Spanish, rather than specific to the city. Girona is a lovely smaller city, and, personally, I'm a big fan of Catalonia and the Costa Brava. So I doubt you'll go far wrong by choosing it. For some, a couple of downsides might be that the city is too small, and too far from the beaches. On the other hand, it's pretty close to Barcelona (fab city) and the Pyrenees which were a big plus for me when I lived nearby. If you're a biker (or would like to be) it's a very popular cycling area, and you'll work your heart hard going up the local hills.

The upside, in my view, is that the coast proper (and especially the larger cities and resort towns) can be very busy, and very expensive. Choosing a more traditional Spanish city a bit inland allows you to experience a different way of life, and property/living costs can be lower. I would say we chose somewhere similar, as we're in Elche, just inland from Alicante. This is a very nice UNESCO-listed city with a historic downtown and a river and riverside walk through it. It's slightly bigger than Girona, and slightly closer to the Costa Blanca beaches, but I think it's conceptually similar.

We find that Elche is certainly big enough to enjoy all city amenities, and we've really enjoyed living here. It's slightly cheaper to live in than downtown Alicante, but the big win was that our large 3 bed apartment was a fraction of the price of something similar in Playa San Juan or other ritzy beachfront parts of Alicante.

@jaredvifl

No real downside to Girona or any other city, really.  Girona is a famous city well-known around the world.  I live 40 km from Girona and have been there many times. Food is excellent, lots to see, places to hike, etc….