As I wrote here recently, I am considering the RS Best of Spain tour for spring 2016, which would be my first visit to Spain. The tour begins in Barcelona, but only includes one full day plus an evening there. I see that there are many, many great sites and experiences in Barcelona, in addition to various highly interesting nearby places within a short distance, so I know I would spend several days there, up to a full week maybe, before the tour begins. As nearby places, I have noted at least Girona, Besalu and Figueres to the north, Montserrat and Poblet to the west, and Tarragona to the south. Could some of you who know know the Barcelona area well comment on which of these (or others) would be the highest or lowest priorities to visit, and could they all be done well as day trips from Barcelona, or should one or more be done as part of a one or two night stay outside of Barcelona? I would really appreciate your insights or experiences.
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
7565 posts
I would certainly agree that Barcelona deserves more time. We did not make it to Mantserrat, but I believe that is an easy day trip, maybe even part of a day. We did do a couple nights travelling through Figueres to Cadaques, spending the nights in Cadaques. The main attraction is Dali, if you are into art, but Cadaques is a very nice seaside town to spend time in.
Aside from that, Barcelona more than absorbed our time, but it was mixed with business for more than a week, but I would still maybe do a couple nights elsewhere followed by most of the time in Barcelona.
Posted by
Brisbane, Australia
7175 posts
Girona and Figueres can be done in a day using public transport (train).
If you decide to get a car and spend a night or two then you can include Cadaques, Port Lligat and Besalu.
Similarly Tarragona can be extended to include the Monastery of Poblet.
Montserrat and Sitges are easy as day trips.
Posted by
65 posts
Monsteratt is an easy day trip from barcelona using train/Cable car or train/rack rail. Cable car was so much fun
Posted by
Port St Joe Florida
513 posts
Another easy day trip from Barcelona is to Zaragoza. It is about 90 minutes away by train and there are several trains each day. Of course it would be better to spend at least one night there, but most of the main sights - Roman ruins, El Pilar, the Cathedral, etc - could be seen in one busy day trip.
Posted by
Oak Park, Illinois
4535 posts
It really depends on what your interests are. Each of the places you list are easy and doable as a daytrip.
Montserrat is very beautiful scenery and vistas. I personally think the monastery, most of which is from the late 19th and early 20th century, to be overrated. But if you like hiking and beautiful scenery, or are interested in the religious pilgrimage aspect, this is a good choice.
Girona I have not been to but it is a small city with a great old town along several rivers that give it a Venetian character.
Fiqueres is really about the Dali Museum. Very interesting even if you don't much care for modern art - it is so over the top that you can't help but be amazed.
Tarragona has a wonderful collection of Roman ruins including a coliseum with a dramatic site along the sea. Also a great museum of all the Roman era items they have found in town. A stroll along the Roman wall is also pleasant and there are a few other sites that are in a more ruined state. You can see everything in a day.
Sitges is an easy to get to beach town as a daytrip.
Cadaques really needs a car but is beautiful and has the Dali House nearby (must book in advance).
Besalu also needs a car but is a beautiful Medieval town of stone. From there you could drive west into the Pyrenees some and then loop back south to Barcelona. Makes an easy daytrip with some mountain scenery.
Posted by
Barcelona (Catalonia)
2942 posts
Excellent summary Douglas. Note that all of the above can be easily reached by public transportation, including Besalú.
Besalú is reachable either by direct bus from Barcelona or by fast train Barcelona-Girona and then a hop by bus Girona-Besalú. Note that grouping a day visit Besalú-Girona is something advisable (and doable). Yet since the earlier bus from Barcelona doesn't reach Besalú until past 11, my preferred plan for such escapade would be instead:
8:25-9:03 BARCELONA-GIRONA - AVANT high-speed train #34737 (17€)
9:15-10:03 GIRONA-BESALÚ - by bus (5€)
return
1:57-2:57 BESALÚ-GIRONA(Jutjats) - by bus (5€)
9:01-9:40 GIRONA-BARCELONA - AVANT high-speed train #34222 (17€)
This gives you 4 hours in Besalú and 6 in Girona.
Train: http://www.renfe.com
Bus: http://www.teisa-bus.com/en/index.html