We have a week in Barcelona and are considering day trips via high speed train. Montserrat and Figueres are already off the list. Are there any other highly recommended day trips from Barcelona? And if so, why - what is the draw? Or should we just spend the time wandering in Barcelona and soaking up the culture?
Posted by
Washington DC
27198 posts
Girona is my favorite side trip from Barcelona. It's closer than Figueres and has a sizable medieval center that's still partially walled. There are a couple of important churches, a Jewish-history museum and a nice art museum.
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15593 posts
You can certainly find plenty to see and do in Barcelona itself. On my first visit (4.5 days) my only day trip was to Girona for the medieval bits and the Jewish heritage. On my second visit (7 day) I left the city for a day in Figueres (Dali) and a day in Tarragona (Roman ruins - which were a disappointment, but I enjoyed the town anyway). On my third visit, I didn't leave the city over a delightful 4-day weekend. So as you can see, I have found a lot to enjoy in the city . . . and I have only returned to one sight after a first visit - the MNAC because I simply didn't allow enough time to see it all on my first visit. Check out the official tourist site for a full menu of what there is to do in the city as well as a comprehensive menu of day trips.
Figueres is a wow if you at like like Dali. Girona is skippable if you've been to Andalucia, especially Cordoba.
The draw? It depends on the person. I like seeing more places but I am also a "slow traveler" so I don't feel I'm short-changing a place by planning a day trip. Often my day trips are chosen because of specific personal interests.
Posted by
Indiana
819 posts
We enjoyed our day trip Sant Sadurní d'Anoia for wine tastings.. It is an easy train ride from Barcelona. The tour and tasting of the cavas at Codorniu Winery was terrific. https://www.codorniu.com/en/visits/our-visits/groups-codorniu-discovery-tour
You can also include a visit to Simon Coll Chocolates.
Posted by
Calgary
1658 posts
Just wondering why Monserrat is off the list. It's an easy day trip and was, for us, a memorable sight.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, US
429 posts
During our Barcelona trip in 2011, our day trip was the beach town of Sitges. It was April, so still kind of breezy and cool there and not high season or "beach weather" which actually made for a good trip out of town--not many people and pretty mellow atmosphere. I did want to say I had swum in the Mediterranean, so I put on my suit at an almost empty beach, jumped in, and then got out. We mostly just walked around town, had a beer at a tavern and a lunch somewhere else, a little shopping, then back on the train.
Posted by
Citizen of the World
1439 posts
**GIRONA. When “Game of Thrones” wanted to film scenes of ancient grandeur, they came to Girona. The ancient city center looks like the movie set George RR Martin didn’t need to build, with historic structures built over the centuries by Girona’s Roman, Jewish, Islamic and Christian residents. Unlike Dubrovnik’s city walls, visitors to Girona can walk its historic walls of Roman origins for free. Rodalies and Renfe trains both run between Barcelona and Girona.
*BESALU. Ancient medieval town with church from 977 and rare Micveh from 1100. The origins of Besalu’s iconic bridge and tower go back about one thousand years. 25 minutes from Girona by car/bus.
** TOSSA DE MAR. Stunning Mediterranean beach town of 7,500 with an ancient castle overlooking the turquoise waters bordering its crescent beach.
Direct express buses from Barcelona’s Nord station reach Tossa de Mar in 80 minutes.
Posted by
NC
249 posts
Highly recommend the Dali Theatre and Museum in Figueres. It is awesome. Montserrat not so much. Also, most definitely recommend Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau in Barcelona.
Posted by
Barcelona (Catalonia)
2942 posts
You caught me on the move, so I'll be very brief, you can google for further info :)
I strongly advise focusing in Catalonia, where Barcelona is the capital, since there are plenty of places worth seeing.
The high-speed train is for Girona, Lleida and Figueres only. For the rest a regular train will do -they're slower but they'll take you to many places. Also, consider buses, they're good at connecting many towns not close to a train station.
Search for: Cadaqués, Tarragona, Besalú, Sitges, Vilafranca del Penedès, Pals, Castellfollit de la Roca, Peratallada, Mataró, Vic, Roses, Tossa de Mar... to name a few, to see what catches your eye.
This website will provide options to go to a particular place within Catalonia: https://mou-te.gencat.cat/itinerary
If anything, consider that Barcelona warrants at least 4 or 5 days.
Enjoy!