Day Trips from Barcelona

The region of Catalonia, of which Barcelona is the capital, is a rich region with the Pyrenees in the north and the Costa Blanca coast to the south-east. Most of the region is reachable in a day trip from Barcelona.

The new high-speed AVE train from Barcelona to Girona and Figueres has made some of these day trips a lot easier than they used to be. Particularly the Dali Museum in Figueres, which used to require a two-hour slog each way, can now be reached in under an hour.

Everything on this page is accessible by public transport, but you can save yourself some time by hiring a car.
Hire a Car in Spain (compare prices)

See also:

• 100 Things to Do in Barcelona
• Spain Tours from Barcelona Longer tours of Spain, departing from Barcelona.
• Food and Drink Tours and Classes from Barcelona

Top Ten Day Trips from Barcelona

1. Montserrat
   Crazy mountain with startling naturally formed shapes to give you the creeps.
   See also: Montserrat Morning Tour (book direct)
2. Figueres
   Dali, Dali and Dali. Visit the museum dedicated to the surrealist artist's work. With the new High-Speed AVE Train between Barcelona and Figueres, this trip just became a lot easier.
   See also: Girona, Figueras and Dali Museum from BCN (book direct)
3. Sitges
   The best beaches in the area, just a stone's throw from Barcelona.
   See also: Tarragona and Sitges Guided Day Trip (book direct)
4. Andorra and the Pyrenees
   One of Europe's smallest countries, Andorra is great for skiing. The other towns and villages in the Pyrenees are also of interest and the scenery is always breathtaking.
   See also: Three Countries in One Day (Andorra, France and Spain or Guided Tour of the Pyrenees (book direct)
5. Finca Tiana (Non-Violent) Bullfight and Horse Training Ground
   Though bullfighting in Barcelona and Catalonia is banned, you can still see a non-violent demonstration of the art of bullfighting at Finca Tiana. They will also put on a horse show for you, give you a flamenco demonstration and serve you a nice paella!
   See also: Non-Violent Bullfight, Horse Demonstration, Paella and Flamenco at Finca Tiana (book direct)

6. Tarragona
   Nice city with well-preserved Roman ruins.
   See also: Tarragona and Sitges Guided Day Trip (book direct)
7. Girona
   A pretty medieval city which makes a nice base for trips to the Pyrenees.
   See also: Girona, Figueras and Dali Museum from BCN (book direct)
8. Torres Winery (Bodega), Penedes
   The closest wine producer to Barcelona offers guided tours and wine tasting sessions for those interested in learning a bit more about Spanish wine.
   See also: Wine and Cava Day Trip from Barcelona (book direct)
9. Port Aventura
   Take the kids for a day of hair-raising white knuckle rides at Port Aventura Theme Park. If you're visiting Barcelona in the scorching summer, what better way to cool down than with the wind in your hair on the Hurakan Condor ride (one of the highest in Europe) or taking a splash at the Caribe Aquatic Park?
   See also: Port Aventura Tickets (buy direct)

More Day Trips from Barcelona

• Olot (+ Besalú & Banyoles)
  Volcanic mountains and some pleasant towns away from the coast.
• Montseny
  Hiking territory with ancient walls and wells to break the monotony of walking for miles.

Skiing in North-East Spain.

It would be a little impractical to go skiing as a day trip from Barcelona, but a weekend in the Pyrenees or La Rioja would certainly be doable.

• Skiing in the Pyrenees
• There are a number of ski resorts in the pyrenees, all along the border between France & Spain. Those in the Catalan Pyrenees will be the nearest to Barcelona.
• Skiing in La Rioja
• There is one ski resort in La Rioja.

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