Barcelona
Day trips from Barcelona: Montserrat, Sitges, Girona and the Costa Brava
A monastery in a jagged mountain, a whitewashed beach town and a medieval city on a river. Some of the best days of a Barcelona trip happen outside the city. Here are the day trips we recommend, how to get there and where to stay the night.
The train out of Barcelona is almost empty on a Tuesday morning. After an hour the landscape grows steeper, and suddenly the mountain rises straight up ahead, grey and jagged like a saw. At the top, wedged between the cliffs, sits a monastery. Barcelona is easy to stay in, but some of the best days of your trip happen outside the city.
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Short answer: the best day trips from Barcelona
Montserrat: the mountain monastery, around an hour by train.
Sitges: beach and old town, around 40 minutes by train.
Girona: the medieval city, around 40 minutes by high-speed train.
Costa Brava: the coves and fishing villages to the north, best by car.
Figueres: the Dalí museum, around an hour by high-speed train.
Want to stay the night?
In Girona: Hotel Nord 1901, with a pool in the centre. See rooms at Hotel Nord 1901
On the Costa Brava: Hotel Aiguablava, above a cove near Begur. See rooms at Hotel Aiguablava
Montserrat: the monastery in the jagged mountain
The Benedictine monastery of Montserrat sits high in a mountain shaped like a saw. It is home to the Black Madonna, La Moreneta, visited by pilgrims for centuries, and the Escolania boys’ choir is one of the oldest in Europe. Take the train from Plaça d’Espanya and continue by rack railway or cable car.
Abat Cisneros: stay at the monastery
The hotel sits within the monastery complex, so you have the mountain almost to yourself once the day-trippers leave.
Book your stay: See rooms at Abat Cisneros
Sitges: beach and old town
South of Barcelona lies Sitges, a whitewashed beach town with a church at the tip of a headland and a long seafront promenade. It is known for its carnival and its film festival in October, and makes a relaxed beach day.
Hotel Calipolis: on the seafront
A seafront hotel in the middle of Sitges, overlooking the beach.
Book your stay: See rooms at Hotel Calipolis
Hotel Nord 1901 in Girona.
Girona: the medieval city on the river
Girona is one of Spain’s best-preserved medieval cities, with colourful houses along the River Onyar, a mighty cathedral and one of Europe’s best-preserved Jewish quarters. It is an easy day trip, but deserves a night. Read more in our guide to Girona.
Costa Brava: the coves to the north
North of Barcelona the Costa Brava begins, a rocky coast of small coves, pine trees and fishing villages. Tossa de Mar with its medieval walls is closest, while Begur, Calella de Palafrugell and Cadaqués lie further north. Read more in our guide to the Costa Brava.
Figueres: the Dalí Theatre-Museum
In Figueres, Salvador Dalí’s home town, stands the theatre-museum he created himself, and where he is buried. Take the high-speed train, and combine it with Girona on the same day.
Good to know
Book train tickets ahead: High-speed trains to Girona and Figueres can sell out.
Start early: Montserrat and Sitges are busy around midday in summer.
Hire a car for the Costa Brava: The best coves are hard to reach by public transport.
Frequently asked questions about day trips from Barcelona
What is the best day trip from Barcelona?
Montserrat for nature and culture, Girona for the medieval city and Sitges for a beach day.
How do you get to Montserrat?
By train from Plaça d’Espanya, then by rack railway or cable car up to the monastery.
Can you visit the Costa Brava without a car?
Yes, by bus to Tossa de Mar, but a car gives far more freedom along the coast.
Read more
Girona: the old town and hotels
The Costa Brava: beaches and hotels