Barcelona is famously filled with wonderful locations to go to. Why drag your self away from the historic middle of the Catalan capital? You can tour the Gaudi works or take a night paella class – Barcelona turns into much more alive at evening. But whereas Barcelona’s metropolis middle could also be filled with unimaginable cultural actions, whether or not it’s your first journey or fiftieth, you must nonetheless make investments in one of many many day journeys from Barcelona. Catalan tradition is fascinating, and the encompassing panorama is gorgeous to discover by public transport or rental automotive. You might go to Montserrat, gothic church buildings in medieval villages, or go wine tasting in rolling vineyards.
Top Barcelona Day Trips
In this information, we’ll cowl the very best day journeys from Barcelona. You might pencil in a calming day journey to Arab baths or deal with among the greatest mountaineering trails in the area – the depth of your day journey is as much as you. One factor is bound, although; Barcelona has many day journey choices. And the truth that Barcelona has many practice traces and low-cost practice tickets is great, particularly in case you are visiting Barcelona on a finances. Let’s try the very best day journeys Barcelona has out there. You’ll love these high 19 contenders.
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Below are among the high day journey excursions from Barcelona. Don’t overlook to plan forward when visiting Spain!
Top Day Trips and Tours from Barcelona:
1. Costa Brava
The Costa Brava is a large area in Catalonia. It calls for way over a day to see in its entirety. Costa Brava stretches from simply northeast of Barcelona metropolis middle to the French border, protecting among the prettiest coastal villages and locations. It is one in every of Barcelona’s hottest day journeys – both as a self-guided expertise or a guided tour like this full-day one. You can enterprise out to villages with Roman and historic Greek villages. Or you possibly can take boat journeys to spots just like the Medes archipelago.
If you need an unbiased journey, Costa Brava is greatest day-tripped by rental automotive on a street journey from Barcelona. You can drive to the sting of Costa Brava (the resort city of Blanes) in below an hour, then proceed alongside the shoreline, hopping from village to city. Road-tripping the Costa Brava as a day journey from Barcelona is massively rewarding, and you’re at all times near a scrumptious dish or a good looking seaside.
We had so as to add it as a day journey due to how liberating street journeys are and the way well-suited the Costa Brava is to day trippers, with city after city of coastal locations to take pleasure in. We’ll cowl a number of sights alongside the Costa Brava shoreline as day journeys in their very own proper. However, in the event you battle to squeeze a day journey in, road-tripping Costa Brava is a implausible, extra normal day journey choice.
Distance from Barcelona: 50-minute drive to Blanes, Barcelona’s closest level of the Costa Brava.
2. Tossa de Mar
Tossa de Mar is one in every of Barcelona’s most drop-dead beautiful day tour choices. The little cliffside village has an Old Town declared a National Historic-Artistic Monument, and its ruins are proper into the Mediterranean Sea. On this present day journey, you possibly can stroll the village and take in its historic sights earlier than heading to Gran Beach – which has outdated wall ruins spilling onto the sands.
It is certainly a day journey of two halves. You’ll spend the morning with tradition and historical past and the afternoon in the water or on the seaside. Tossa de Mar has a number of scuba diving and paddle boarding alternatives in the event you fancy one thing a little bit extra adventurous than a day of sunbathing or swimming.
Tossa de Mar is an hour and 15-minute drive from Barcelona. Unfortunately, it isn’t accessible by public transport simply. Still, you possibly can at all times ebook a shuttle service or guided tour in the event you don’t drive. It is without doubt one of the most well-known Barcelona day journeys, so you must be capable to discover guided excursions simply.
Distance from Barcelona: 1-hour 15-minute drive from Barcelona
3. Wine Tasting
Going wine tasting is a massively gratifying day journey. Barcelona is surrounded by the outskirts with rolling vineyards and greater than only a boutique vineyard. Priorat, Montsant, and Penedès are all notably well-known areas for Catalonian wine. And from Barcelona, we’d extremely advocate a small group tour to Penedès wine nation. Penedès is hailed for its Cava – a glowing white wine – however you’ll discover all types of types in the event you tour the area. You can merely ebook a wine-tasting tour that features transport from Barcelona metropolis middle. There are many choices; some, like this one, even embody conventional meals like tapas.
Wine-tasting excursions are good in order for you minimal touring however love tasting new wines. It combines a little bit of countryside sightseeing, too, as you’ll be venturing to some severely picturesque wineries. The excursions are usually half a day lengthy, however they range relying in your tour.
Distance from Barcelona: 45-minute drive to Penedès from Barcelona
4. Castellfollit de la Roca
Castellfollit de la Roca is gorgeous. The tiny village teeters on the slim ridge of a basalt clifftop overlooking the confluence of two rivers under – surrounded by forest and wildlife. Only round 1,000 residents dwell in Castellfollit de la Roca. However, it’s simply one of the crucial photographed locations in Catalonia and one of many high day journeys from Barcelona in order for you a wow issue.
Visitors can stroll the Old Town and take a look at some actually area of interest little sights, together with a 150-year-old charcuterie enterprise that’s now a museum preserving Catalonia’s charcuterie historical past. While, for a extra distinctive vantage level over Castellfollit de la Roca’s gorgeous format, you possibly can splurge on a sizzling air balloon journey.
Castellfollit de la Roca is a 1.5-hour drive from Barcelona and is in any other case not accessible by public transport. It is, nonetheless, an extremely scenic drive and bypasses or cuts by quite a few pure parks. It even passes by Vic (a medieval city that may function later in our information) because the midway level. If you’re debating driving to Castellfollit de la Roca, know that renting a automotive is certainly nicely price it.
Distance from Barcelona: 1.5 hour drive from Barcelona
5. Montserrat
If you go to Barcelona, it’s a must to go to Montserrat. Montserrat is a striking-looking mountain city most identified for its Benedictine monastery, Saint Maria de Montserrat. The monastery has a statue of the Virgin Mary and little one rumored to have been carved by St.Luke, and this statue provides the city its nickname ‘Sacred Mountain.’ If you ebook a Montserrat tour from Barcelona, you’ll positively have the monastery in your itinerary. But the entire city is gorgeous, and it seems as if the outdated stone buildings have erupted up from the rocks of the mountains themselves. Montserrat is like one thing out of a movie set.
You can ebook a Montserrat tour with lodge pick-up – making it one of many best day journeys from Barcelona. However, to go eco-friendly, simply catch the practice from Barcelona-Sants Station. It takes simply over an hour by practice, and there’s no must ebook practice tickets in advance. Montserrat is without doubt one of the most traditional day journey experiences; don’t miss this one in order for you dramatic surroundings and a pilgrim expertise.
Distance from Barcelona: Less than 1.5 hours from Barcelona by public transport
6. Pyrenees Mountains
The Pyrenees Mountains make a superb day journey from Barcelona. The mountain vary is gorgeous and filled with ski slopes in winter and mountaineering trails in summer season. For both a mountaineering day journey or a ski day journey, the Pyrenees Mountains are your greatest shout from these day journeys from Barcelona.
A phrase of warning; the Pyrenees Mountains are the tallest mountain vary in Europe – so anticipate steep slopes and difficult hikes. The mountains cowl an unlimited 270-mile stretch, with the best of all of the peaks being the three,404-meter-tall Pico de Aneto. The Pyrenees Mountains are an absolute beast of an space to discover.
As we mentioned, the Pyrenees Mountains are implausible for skiers and hikers. You can simply take a day journey to ski resorts like Arinsal Ski Resort and Grandvalira, benefit from the snow, after which head again for a night in Barcelona. While mountaineering trails just like the Ayous Lakes Circuit or Carros de Foc are additionally unimaginable in spring and summer season. For out of doors lovers, we simply had so as to add it to this information.
Distance from Barcelona: The Pyrenees Mountains are roughly a 3 hour 40-minute drive from Barcelona relying on the place you go to.
7. Gala Dalí Castle Museum-House
Gala Dalí Castle Museum-House is a rags-to-riches story. The now-turned-Dali Museum was as soon as a forgotten fort stumbled throughout by the Dali couple. Salvador Dali purchased the Eleventh-century Pubol Castle in 1969, rescuing it from an entire state of despair.
The ceilings had fallen by, and there have been cracks in the partitions – primarily a break of what was beforehand medieval grandeur. Salvador constructed the rooms across the ‘new’ format that the collapsed buildings created. Dali Castle was remodeled right into a romantic, baroque-style architectural masterpiece. And, most romantically, Salvador devoted the whole venture to his spouse, Gala.
Now you possibly can go to this fort on a day tour from Barcelona. The fort is now a museum devoted to preserving the Dali historical past and story, in addition to showcasing the fort’s architectural magnificence. Admiring the furnishings and decor, you possibly can independently stroll by the fort at leisure. Alternatively, ebook one guided tour and discover with an skilled information.
Distance from Barcelona: 2 hours by public transport and 1.5 hours by automotive
8. Girona
Girona is an unlimited medieval metropolis. Set apart the River Onyar, it’s overflowing with medieval structure and historic Roman fortifications. Girona’s community of manicured gardens and slim streets date again to the center ages, and its Jewish Quarter is filled with attribute arches. Even simply from taking a look at footage of the town, it’s straightforward to see why it was chosen as a filming location for Game of Thrones.
It is without doubt one of the high day journeys from Barcelona on the subject of structure and chasing day journeys that go away ‘big impressions.’ You can take a guided strolling tour of the town or go to independently. Girona has many sights in addition to its beauty, together with Europe’s smallest sq., outdated volcanoes on its outskirts, and cultural venues like cinemas.
Girona is simply 40 minutes from Barcelona by practice. It is unimaginable that you’ve got a unique metropolis expertise lower than one hour away. Girona is a implausible candidate for day journeys from Barcelona in the event you don’t drive. Game of Thrones followers, particularly, contemplate including Girona to your Barca itinerary.
Distance from Barcelona: 40 minutes by practice
9. Mallorca
Ready for one of the crucial bold day journeys from Barcelona you can ever take? One choice is to get the ferry to Mallorca in a single day, take pleasure in a morning on the Balearic Islands, after which catch a ferry again for the night in Barcelona. This is good for these wanting to maximise their time in Spain. And it requires minimal effort in phrases of transportation – you possibly can take pleasure in an evening on the water, scrumptious delicacies, and entry leisure like movie screenings. While for a superb evening’s sleep, there are personal cabins to ebook. On the return ferry, you possibly can preserve your eyes out for dolphins, whales, and seabirds. And you’ll catch the sundown at sea at the very least as soon as on this journey.
Ferries from Barcelona go away in the night and arrive early in the morning in Mallorca – usually round 5:30 am. You port in Palma or Alcudia, supplying you with time to discover these little port cities earlier than catching the ferry again. This day journey is greatest for early birds. But these daring sufficient to attempt it will likely be rewarded by a wholly completely different environment in Mallorca. Palma has an enormous round fort that dates again to the 14th century, an historic Arab bathhouse, and an actual huddle of aesthetic museums in completely different plazas. Alcudia has medieval partitions and engaging Roman ruins websites. Historically, Mallorca has masses to supply, and atmosphere-wise, it’s far more laidback than hectic Barcelona. It is an expedition-style journey from Barcelona and is ideal for anybody wanting an journey.
Distance from Barcelona: 6-7 hours by ferry
10. Calella de Palafrugell
Calella de Palafrugell is a candy coastal city in the municipality of Palafrugell. The city is fairly, with whitewashed, conventional buildings and loads of sandy seashores. It is a seaside day journey with the oomph to make wandering across the city worthwhile when visiting. For seaside lovers trying to enterprise right into a little bit of sightseeing, go to Calella de Palafrugell. You can try the Cami de Ronda Calella-Golfet commentary deck, Torre de Calella, and hike the Cami de Ronda de Calella a Llafranc. Or simply choose a restaurant and take a look at some native delicacies earlier than kicking it on the seaside.
Calella de Palafrugell is good as a result of it has sights to entertain you in the event you get bored sunbathing and the potential for a calming seaside day. It is good for these planning day journeys from Barcelona with a gaggle of various touring types. Versatile and fairly, Calella de Palafrugell is a high advice.
Distance from Barcelona: 3 hours by public transport or 1.5 hours by automotive
11. Sitges
Sitges is a enjoyable seaside city and one of the crucial LGBTQ+-friendly day journeys from Barcelona. The city is famend for its LGBTQ group and has an outgoing nightlife and occasion scene. And even higher, it’s simply accessible by practice, simply 35 minutes from Barcelona’s metropolis middle. Since the final practice is simply earlier than 11pm, you possibly can benefit from the seaside after which indulge in some nightlife earlier than returning to Barcelona – making Sitges a full-day journey to think about.
Sitges is way over simply the seaside and partying, although. You can take pleasure in modernist artwork on the Museu Cau Ferrat, admire white and blue fishermen’s homes in the Old Town, and go to deserted villages in the close by Garraf Natural Park. It is lower than one hour from Barcelona but presents a unique vibe. Small however mighty Sitges is a artistic hub of tradition and group price visiting. And the frequent trains simply make this much more tempting.
Distance from Barcelona: 35 minutes by practice
12. Tarragona
It could also be a daring assertion, however that is the highest day journey for historical past lovers. Tarragona is an historic Roman metropolis with ruins scattered all through its streets – making it one in every of Barcelona’s most fascinating archeological day journeys. Once referred to as Tarraco, in the event you love Roman historical past, this metropolis is taken into account among the best locations to study in regards to the Romans in Spain. Its most well-known (and arguably spectacular) ruins are the big stays of the traditional Roman amphitheater. But there’s the Roman Circus, discussion board, and Praetorium Tower too.
The port metropolis is only one hour from Barcelona by a scenic practice journey. You head southwest, hugging the shoreline with stunning advert hoc views of the Mediterranean Sea and its prettiest coastal cities. For us, Roman historical past instantly caught our eye. Still, from a sensible degree, it is without doubt one of the greatest Barcelona day journey choices.
Distance from Barcelona: 1 hour by practice
13. Vic
Heading inland shouldn’t be ignored when planning day journeys from Barcelona. Vic is a major metropolis set one hour inland from Barcelona by automotive. While it could not look ‘major’ in measurement, it’s the capital of the comarca of Osona and an actual cultural hotspot. We vote that you simply add it to your record instantly. It has a powerful neoclassical cathedral, a December medieval honest on cobbled streets, and area of interest sights just like the Episcopal Museum of Vic.
Of all these day journeys from Barcelona, a Vic day journey is a culture-satisfying assure. Its structure alone is fascinating; the Queralt Bridge, an Eleventh-century Romanesque bridge (reconstructed many occasions), and 2nd century Roman Temple of Vic are metropolis highlights.
Vic is well reached by automotive in lower than an hour, however you can additionally take a bus in 1 hour and 20 minutes if driving isn’t an choice. It is a reasonably scenic route, slicing by agricultural landscapes and countryside that drastically contrasts the scenes in busy Barcelona. It can also be only a brief quantity of journey time – excellent for maximizing your time in Vic or squeezing the day journey into half a day if obligatory.
Distance from Barcelona: 1 hour by automotive
14. Cadaques
Cadaques is essentially the most inaccessible place on the Costa Brava – or at the very least that’s what individuals say. Tucked up by the border, it is without doubt one of the final coastal cities earlier than Catalonia flows into France, and solely the actually enthusiastic vacationers push themselves to enterprise to this point northeast. Cadaques is someplace we’d recommend renting a automotive to go to, however belief us, it will likely be price it. You’ll drive up in direction of the French border, move Girona (an excellent midway relaxation level), and end on the shoreline.
It is good for combining a go to to Girona with a go to to a quieter, less-visited coastal city – one of the crucial distinctive day journeys from Barcelona. The fishermen’s city sits on a rocky shoreline with gorgeous seashores, enveloped by the Cap de Creus Natural Park. You can try the handful of museums; in any other case, simply calm down on a seaside day. It is a glimpse into a very completely different life-style in Catalonia.
For us, the out-of-the-way aspect is what provides Cadaques its attract. And the truth that it combines so nicely with Girona is one other big bonus, which means that regardless of its ‘inaccessibility,’ it really makes sensible sense. Cadaques is nicely price the additional effort in the event you really feel assured with a barely longer drive.
Distance from Barcelona: 2 hours by automotive and three.5 by public transport
15. Cardona
Cardona is without doubt one of the most stunning medieval villages in Catalonia. This day journey would be the most memorable in the event you like atmospheric, movie-set-style locations. Tiny in comparison with the bigger Vic, Cardona is a little bit village consisting primarily of a medieval walled fortress and medieval fort. The buildings in Cardona date again to the eighth century and embody Romanesque and Gothic buildings. While Cardona itself is about historically on a hill subsequent to the Cardoner River – a standard tactical location.
In Cardona, permit time to go to the Museu de la Sal de Cardona, its church, and (after all) the Castell de Cardona, which is especially stunning and dawn and sundown. You also can enterprise out to the close by salt mines to tour the underground stays of a once-thriving business.
Sustainability lovers notice that Cardona was formally acknowledged for its sustainability efforts as a part of the European Commission’s EDEN program, the European Destinations of Excellence. It is a outstanding village that takes pleasure in its historical past and heritage. Cardona has been splendidly taken care of, and strolling by its slim streets and alongside its fortress partitions looks like stepping again in time as a consequence of these preservation efforts.
Distance from Barcelona: 1 hour quarter-hour by automotive and a couple of hours quarter-hour by public transport
16. Andorra
Fancy including one other nation to your record whereas visiting Barcelona? Andorra is without doubt one of the high day journeys from Barcelona. Despite being positioned smack bang between France and Spain, Andorra is a tiny unbiased nation surrounded by the Pyrenees mountains. It is a implausible day journey. Andorra is all ski slopes and pure parks – plus, it has a considerably incongruous duty-free buying scene. In ski season, we’d advocate it for hitting the slopes. At the identical time, in late spring and summer season, Andorra is a high mountaineering vacation spot and nice for buying.
You can attain Andorra from Barcelona in 3 hours and quarter-hour by direct bus. Alternatively, you possibly can lease a automotive and drive there in 2.5 hours. Driving to Andorra has its personal advantages, with the choice of driving by way of Vic and instantly by Parc Natural del Cadi-Moixero. By automotive, it isn’t even one of many longest day journeys from Barcelona.
Distance from Barcelona: 2.5 hours by automotive and three hours quarter-hour by bus
17. Castelldefels
Castelldefels is a good looking spot on the Mediterranean Sea – heavenly-looking and excellent for a fast day journey from Barcelona. The city has a shocking shoreline with an extended sandy seaside. But it isn’t only a seaside getaway; Castelldefels has historical past and tradition with its Castell de Fels and Gava Mines. Pick a few its prime sights and hop across the metropolis middle in the morning, heading to the seaside after for a relaxed afternoon. You gained’t have any points squeezing a full-day tour of Castelldefels in, as it’s only a 25-minute practice journey away.
Castelldefels caught our eye for its beauty as a seaside vacation spot. However, its proximity to Barcelona is one other big plus. Castelldefels is tremendous handy. You can shortly leap on the practice from Barcelona Sants Station in the event you fancy a fast seaside journey. While in order for you one thing extra substantial, Castelldefels is an equally good choice, with loads of historical past because of its fort and archaeological mines.
Distance from Barcelona: 25 minutes by automotive or practice
18. Premia de Mar
Premia de Mar is so small that calling it a seaside city is probably going an overstatement. However, its small measurement makes it one of the crucial enjoyable seaside day journeys from Barcelona. There are few sightseeing alternatives, however in the event you crave high quality seaside time, you possibly can’t go mistaken with Premia de Mar’s sandy seashores. You can swim, sunbathe, after which seize meals from a neighborhood cafe or restaurant. Premia de Mar is the place to go to maintain issues easy and have a healthful day on the sands. It isn’t intense like a full-day tour of historic monuments or UNESCO websites. It is simply someplace to calm down and escape Barcelona’s crowds.
Another big bonus of visiting Premia de Mar is that it’s accessible by practice and automotive. You can hop on a practice straight from central Barcelona and be on the seaside in lower than an hour. Or you possibly can drive if you have already got a rental automotive. Not everybody looks like venturing as much as Costa Brava in search of quiet sandy seashores, and Premia de Mar is a a lot nearer compromise.
Distance from Barcelona: 40 minutes by practice and 20 minutes by automotive
19. Colonia Guell
Forget heaving Park Guell; Colonia Guell is a Gaudi-built neighborhood with nearly equivalent tales, minus all of the crowds. It is without doubt one of the lesser-chosen day journeys from Barcelona as a result of it’s so much like the a lot nearer Park Guell. But for these wanting a quieter expertise, it’s a no-brainer. Add it to your itinerary and journey the easy 45 minutes by public transport or seize a 20-minute Uber.
Gaudi constructed Colonia Guell in the city of Santa Coloma de Cervello. As many individuals know, Gaudi’s unique thought was to create unique neighborhoods the place Barcelona locals might buy properties and dwell in a modernist-designed group. Colonia Guell, in specific, was for use by industrial employees.
Gaudi was commissioned by Eusebi Guell so as to add homes, a faculty, retailers, and even a church to the neighborhood. Gaudi’s church crypt has even been awarded UNESCO World Heritage standing. It is a shocking place to wander round. And it’s broadly whispered about as Gaudi’s best-kept secret, so we had so as to add it as one of many off-the-beaten-track day journeys from Barcelona.
Distance from Barcelona: 45 minutes by public transport or 20-minute drive
To Conclude
Barcelona’s ‘day trip radius’ has cultural and pure sights. Any of those day journeys from Barcelona are price engaging your self away from the town middle for a single day. Barcelona day journeys are a should addition to any itinerary, and we’d recommend scheduling at the very least a pair.
Note that in case you are flying into the (extra budget-friendly) Girona International Airport, you must mix this with a go to to the Game of Thrones filming location and medieval metropolis, Girona. Adding Girona as a day journey from the airport is an excellent technique to maximize your Barcelona day journeys.
Looking for extra inspiration about visiting Barcelona? We recommend contemplating the place to remain in the town. Each neighborhood has a particular feel- trendy El Born or the historic middle of the Gothic Quarter. Take your time selecting an space.