11 Unmissable Day Trips from Barcelona (By Train & Bus!)

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The following list of day trips from Barcelona is brought to you by Tilly from TillyText, a former Barcelona local! Read on for her roundup of the greatest Barcelona day trips, and how to access them by car or train.

With so much going on in Barcelona, it’s easy to ask yourself why you would ever leave.

After all, where else can you spend your day shopping that so so chic Spanish-girl style, climbing a small mountain for the best Barcelona city views, and then watching the sunset over the beach sipping a glass of tinto de verano?

But while Barcelona is indeed a triple threat with city, beach and mountain, sometimes it’s nice to get away from the constant stream of sellers on Las Ramblas – and the heavy influx of tourists flashing their valuables right in the eyeline of local pickpockets.

The best way to get a breath from this bustling metropolis? Heading to one of the many beautiful cities and beach spots across Catalonia, of course. Especially when these gorgeous places are all doable in a day and accessible by train or bus from Barcelona. 

Maybe House of Dragon has reignited your Game of Thrones love all over again and you fancy heading to Girona to see where it was filmed? Or you want to take your it’s five o’clock somewhere vino obsession further by heading to the Penedes wine region?

Whatever you want to do with your time in the Catalan capital, there are absolutely tons of day trips from Barcelona you can do the next time you visit the city.

Save this List of Day Trips from Barcelona for Later!

You’ll be very glad you did.

1. Sitges

The best way to describe Sitges is an unexpected love child of Greece and Brazil. Bear with me on this. 

Sitges is a small coastal town just up the road (or the train lines) from Barcelona, known for its Greek-esque sleepy white-washed streets with colourful kitsch ceramics – and big gay-friendly party scene and annual Brazilian Carnival-style celebrations. What a combo, right!

While Sitges is unsurprisingly pretty busy during the month of carnival, during the other months of the year it’s a great spot for wandering around a beautiful old town… without the constant threat of your Ray Bans being taken from your head. 

There are also 17 sandy beaches – including some nudist spots for the brave – which make for the perfect use of a Catalonian afternoon of sitting back and wondering just how can I beg my boss for a transfer to sunny Spain?

How to get to Sitges from Barcelona: The easiest way to get to Sitges from Barcelona is to get a train from Sants Station, or Passeig de Gracia. These trains run about every 15 minutes and take around 40 minutes.

Beach and coloured houses in Sitges, Barcelona
Photo by Chan Lee on Unsplash

2. Montserrat

If I said the words, Catalonia’s sacred mountain range, to you – how would you react? Pretty intrigued, I hope! After all, how does a mountain become sacred? And who the hell decides that one mountain is better than another?

The answers are all lying in Montserrat.

Montserrat is one of those day trips from Barcelona that attracts all corners of the world. While most visitors like to spend their time marvelling at the impressive Benedictine Abbey (and Black Madonna inside), others tend to walk in a daze to the majestic St. Jerome’s peak – and take in the views over the rest of the mountain range. 

This gorgeous spot is definitely a holy site for many – Montserrat ranks as one of the most famous pilgrimage sites in the country. However, it’s worth heading over even if you can’t remember the last time you were in a church.

Did I mention you can get a mountain train from the bottom of Montserrat to the monastery at the top? Yup, it’s amazing as it sounds.

How to get to Montserrat from Barcelona: The easiest (and most scenic) way to get to Montserrat is to jump on a train that leaves Plaça Espanya Train Station every hour, then get the Montserrat Rack Railway to the very top.

3. Girona

If you’ve only got 9 photos ready for your Barcelona gram, Girona is the place to get that final beautiful shot – and yes, putting on a silver Targaryen wig is a prerequisite for visiting the city. 

Girona recently skyrocketed in popularity after Game of Thrones showmakers realised it was so stunning they should probably shoot there. So, if you’re a GoT fan (or more recently have been swooning over Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen in House of Dragon) I recommend the following itinerary:

Check out the stairs where Jaime Lannister confronts the High Sparrow – then wander through Girona’s preserved Jewish district. Hunt for the city’s Arab baths and the spot where Arya fights The Waif – then get a drink next to their coloured tenement houses reflected on the River Onyar.

Last but not least, follow Cersei’s footsteps of her walk of shame from the Grand Sept of Baelor – and try not to scream Winter is Coming at the confused Catalonian locals.

How to get to Girona from Barcelona: Trains run frequently from Sants Station – if you aim for the fast train, you can be in the city in just 40 minutes.

4. Badalona

While I always recommend going right to the end of the Barcelona L4 beach metro line if you’re looking for the quietest sunbathing spot (basically as far away from Barceloneta as you can), if you really want to avoid the cries of ‘masaje, mojito!’ it’s worth heading out of the city itself.

Badalona’s beaches are popular with many locals looking for a quieter beach to spend the day. In fact, Badalona does a pretty good job at offering visitors a snapshot of everything great about Barcelona – but without all the tourists.

Badalona’s lively Rambla is teeming with cafes, local stores and restaurants, and acts as the main gathering point for locals and visitors alike looking to locate some of the best eateries in town. 

There’s also the Pont del Petrol, Badalona’s pier and public walkway, that offers an unbeatable view of the sea and Catalonian coastline. But no, you won’t be interrupted by a street seller trying to flog you a mojito. 

How to get to Badalona from Barcelona: Barcelona’s L2 metro line runs all the way to Badalona, stopping at various points in the city.

Sunset behind Pont del Petrol in Badalona, Spain
Photo by Isaac Quesada on Unsplash

5. Tarragona

If you’re looking down this list of Barcelona day trips for something that’s got a ton of Roman ruins, stop right here. 

Tarragona is more for history and culture buffs, not beach bums. However, with plenty of other beach spots in and around Barcelona, it’s definitely worth putting your history hat on and checking out this port city. 

Don’t miss the amazing amphitheatre that’s been going strong for almost two millennia, or the Roman walls and porticoes that will give you enough historical clout to tell your pals your time in Barcelona was very educational actually. 

Once you’ve Roman-ruined-yourself-out, you can take a wander around Tarragona’s picturesque Old Town and Gothic cathedral, two sites that Barcelona itself boasts in the city centre, but which you can now say you’ve seen elsewhere – somewhere cooler off the beaten track. You can read this list of Tarragona must-dos for more inspo.

How to get to Tarragona from Barcelona: Trains run regularly from Barcelona Sants Station to Tarragona and take between 1 – 1.5 hours.

6. Penedes Wine Region

With a city full of bars and beaches full of chiringuitos, it’s pretty easy to get a good (and cheap) glass of wine in Barcelona. 

However, if you want to drink it straight from the source, you need to head to the Penedes wine region. 

Vineyard and cellar tours, wine tasting, delicious foods – a day trip to the Penedes wine region from Barcelona can easily become any wino’s favourite trip highlight. Especially if you’re a fan of cava as that’s what this region is famous for!

While the majority of visitors to this region opt for going with a private company that offers a full-day tour, there’s also the option to visit the wineries independently and become your own sexy wine connoisseur. 

How to get to the Penedes Wine Region from Barcelona: To get to the region’s capital, Vilafranca del Penedes, you can catch a train from Sants Station which leaves twice an hour.

Grape vines in the Penedes Wine Region, Catalonia
Photo by Aleix Ventayol on Unsplash

7. Cadaqués

For art buffs who like their art history backed by a gorgeous white-brick-with-terracotta-tiles fishing village, Cadaqués is where to go.

So gorgeous is this little town on the Costa Brava that many famous artists, including Pablo Picasso, André Breton and Joan Miró found their source of inspiration within the confines of this pretty pueblo. 

However, Cadaqués is mainly known for being the long-term home of one Salvador Dalí – who lived in the town for over 30 years.

As well as wandering around the beaches and bays of the Cap de Creus headland and staring open-mouthed at the 16th-century Church of Santa María, those dedicated to Dalí can visit his old house, now a museum that hosts some of his extensive surrealist work.

How to get to Cadaqués from Barcelona: Unfortunately, you can’t get to Cadaqués directly from Barcelona by train. You can either hire a car to get there or jump on one of the buses run by a company called Moventis / Sarfa that go a few times a day from Estacion du Nord.

Fishing boats outside Cadaqués, Spain
Photo by Saul Mercado on Unsplash

8. Figueres

Another stop on the Salvador Dalí train is Figueres, the small town right up near the border of France where the artist was born and spent the first bit of his extraordinary life. 

Not as pretty as Cadaqués (which I would still recommend for those who aren’t massive art buffs), the USP of Figueres is mainly the impressive Salvador Dalí Museum which boasts the largest collection of surrealist art in the world. 

So, if that picture of the melting clock really does bits for you then definitely make time to go to this small town – and one of the three points that form the so-called “Dalí triangle.”

And, if you’ve been dragged on this Barcelona day trip by your friend who’s trying to impress that cute boy who studies art, you can always visit Figueres’ impressive pentagonal castle while you’re in the area… then get a glass of Spanish (or French!) wine while she sends the photos over.

How to get to Figueres from Barcelona: Trains leave regularly to Figueres from Sants Station, Passeig de Gracia and Clot-Arago.

Outside of the Salvador Dalí Museum in Figueres, Spain
Photo by Flickch on Unsplash

9. Tossa de Mar

Depending on how long you have in Barcelona, Tossa de Mar can be a day trip away from the city as much as it can be a longer weekend break.

Photographed and admired for its fortified Vila Vella (Old Town) – the only medieval fortress structure anywhere in Catalonia – visitors typically head to Tossa to wander around its turrets and lighthouse, before spending the rest of the day like a rotisserie chicken tanning on the beach.

While Tossa de Mar certainly isn’t the only beachy day trip from Barcelona, there’s something so unique about becoming a bronzed goddess under the battlements that I can’t really put into words. 

Sort of like a warrior getting a mid-battle glow-up – with a big mojito in hand.

How to get to Tossa de Mar from Barcelona: You can get a bus to Tossa de Mar from Estacion du Nord. Around 12 buses leave a day and take just over 1.5 hours.

Medieval fortress in Tossa de Mar, Spain
Photo by Joshua Kettle on Unsplash

10. Tibidado & Parc Natural de Collserola

Technically, Tibidado is still actually within the confines of Barcelona. However, if you hike up through the beautiful Parc Natural de Collserola to get there, you can easily make a day out of it.

Collserola Natural Park is one of Barcelona’s best hidden green spots. In fact, I’d be surprised if you saw more than fifty people exploring its gorgeous trails on foot or by bike.

If you want to shake off the city and get a bit of a hike on, I can’t recommend the short summit through this park to its largest peak, Tibidado, enough. 

At the top, you’ll be rewarded with fab views of Barcelona city, the Mediterranean Sea – and of course, Tibidabo’s own neo-gothic church and garishly bright amusement park. 

If you fancy descending Tibiado differently from the way you came up, you can take the funicular down halfway, and then the train back to the centre.

How to get to Collserola Natural Park from Barcelona: Trains leave from Plaça Catalunya (towards Terrassa and Sabadell Parc del Nord) and drop you right off next to the park entrance if you get off at the Baixador de Valldivrera stop.

Ferris wheel in the amusement park in Tibidado, Barcelona
Photo by Isi Parente on Unsplash

11. Besalú

Often omitted from a list of Barcelona day trips, Besalú is an inland Catalan town super close to the French border with a tiny population of approximately 2400 people – making it the perfect place to escape to if you quickly grow tired of Barcelona’s heavy crowds.

The star attraction of this tiny town is undoubtedly the Romanesque bridge over the river Fluviá and probably the only sign this destination was once an important local capital in the Middle Ages.

However, the town’s medieval streets and hidden remains of a Jewish synagogue (one of only a few medieval Jewish bathhouses in Europe) also more than make Besalú worth a trip. 

Oh, and did I mention Besalú’s Circus Museum holds the world’s largest collection of circus items and tells the tale of 250 years of the circus? Thought not.

How to get to Besalú from Barcelona: There are about four buses a day between Barcelona and Besalú. The bus goes from Av. Gran Vía, 658 – a bus stop in Barcelona, and not a big station like Sants.

Bridge over the river Fluviá in Besalú, Spain
Photo by Joshua Kettle on Unsplash

Did we miss any of your favourite Day Trips from Barcelona?

Let us know in the comments!

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