Barcelona and suggestions on a Side trip

... without any hints on what you like it's pointless to start proposing anything as there are too many things :))....

In any case, others might jump to proposals involving planes or long distance trains, but I would disagree, taking Barcelona as basecamp -so you don't have to pack and unpack, also longer stays often result in cheaper per day prices!- you can easily do day escapades to different parts of Catalonia (where Barcelona is capital of). This small old nation has all sorts of landscapes, from high peaks (+10000ft) in the Pyrenees to golden beaches along the southern coast, or rough caves in the northern coast, or dense forests scattered here and there in Central Catalonia, old castles' routes, historical cities, picturesque coastal towns, etc. Some can be easily reached by public transportation (bus/train), others might require renting a car. I would start by having a look here:

• InfoCatalonia.eu
• Welcome to Catalonia
  
• Catalonia Experience
• Map of Catalonia
• Routes in Catalonia
• What is Catalonia

Enjoy!

Given your special interest in food and culture, in April 2016 i took an excellent food and culture tour offered by the small company (just a couple, really) called Taste Barcelona, 5 hours, 4 delicious and abundant food/beverage stops, in 4 different downtown neighborhoods. The group was just 4 or 5 people. A little pricey at $125 (or €125?) at that time, but 5 hours, and worth every bit of that!
I took three different day trips from Barcelona during my 9 nights there, but which would be of interest to you depends on your interests and your budget.
Enjoy beautiful Barcelona and Catalunya!

Thank you for the prompt response Enric, we will definitely look over your links. Apologize for the vagueness. We like countryside towns with local foods that are well connected to the city that has access to trains or buses., . We like beach side if applicable also, but not too close to the tourist scene. Thinking about renting an airbnb in central Barcelona to start for 3 days near lExiample or Sant Antoni. And then that's where I'd like to consider other parts of Barcelona perhaps. Looking forward to any ideas :)

Awesome! appreciate the insight on the food tours Larry. Would love to hear which side trips you took and what you enjoyed most about them? Definitely want to appreciate the culture, food, parks.. Trying to get some ideas as I go.

The links will certainly help you to zero in... one is a site with videos so you can "see" what's like, the others are downloadable PDF brochures from the Catalan government Tourism Dept.

I loved Girona. It's a small city, not a tiny town, and it is not without tourists, but the medieval core is beautiful, you can walk on top of the wall, and there are two beautiful cathedrals. It's less than an hour from Barcelona by train (possibly cheaper if you buy tickets in advance).

I haven't been to Montserrat, but I know it's a top side-trip from Barcelona with a lot of good walks. Check weather, though.

I found Cadaques very beautiful (white-washed houses dripping with bougainvillea), but it's quite time-consuming to reach, via bus from Figueres, and it is touristy.

Sant Pau is an interesting modernista-architecture site in Barcelona you might enjoy since it is not yet very touristy. It's a multi-building site, so you're outdoors part of the time, looking at the fabulous building exteriors. The cost is 13 euros per person, which is rather low by the standards of Barcelona modernista sites. I think there are English-language yours in the morning; I visited in the afternoon and used the audio guide. I think I spent at least two hours there.

Rick, about food tours, there are many, various times of day, various lengths of time, various prices. I studied them all, read many reviews, and then chose Taste Barcelona, which was the most hours, about the highest cost, the most interesting I thought, and I was very pleased with the experience, on my first full day in Barcelona. Went from 5 to 10 pm I think, so certainly covered a fine dinner in its diverse food and beverage stops. About day trips I took three: (1) Figueres (Dali Museum) and Girona, on my own, by train; (2) Tarragona, also on my own by train; (3) a bus tour called "Medieval Villages of Catalunya" that included Besalu, Rupit and Tavernat, plus a lot of countryside. A totally different view of Catalunya. Had a great passionate guide, native of the area. The group had a fine local lunch together in Rupit (cost not included in the tour). All of these day trips were excellent. Of course I spent 9 very full days based in Barcelona, and even then did not visit Monserrat or Montjuic. Next visit.

Sounds good Larry, thanks for sharing.