Day trips from Barselona

Sitges

A bohemian seaside town 40 km south of Barcelona — 17 beaches, whitewashed Mediterranean architecture, and one of Europe's best-known LGBTQ-friendly destinations. 35-40 min direct by train from Barcelona.

What to see

• •Platja de Sant Sebastià and Platja de la Ribera (central beaches, lined with palms)
• •The church of Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla on the headland — a photographic classic
• •The Cau Ferrat museum (the home of painter Santiago Rusiñol)
• •A stroll along the Passeig Marítim with its seafront terraces
• •The bohemian Carnival (February) and the Sitges Film Festival (October)

Tips

• 💡Trains leave from Sants or Passeig de Gràcia every 20-30 min — check the Renfe Cercanías app.
• 💡The beaches near the old town get packed; for a quiet swim, head to Platja dels Balmins (15 min walk from the centre).
• 💡The last train back is around 23:30 — check the time before you commit to dinner.
• 💡Carnival in February turns the town into seven days of non-stop party — book accommodation 6 months ahead.

Montserrat

Catalonia's holiest Catholic pilgrimage site set against an otherworldly mountain landscape — a 9th-century Benedictine monastery wedged into the serrated rock 50 km west of Barcelona. La Moreneta (the Black Madonna), and hiking trails with views all the way to the Pyrenees.

What to see

• •The monastery of Santa Maria de Montserrat and the basilica with the Black Madonna
• •The Escolanía choir (one of the oldest in Europe) — sings on weekdays at 13:00 and 18:45
• •The Sant Joan cable car or funicular up to the higher trails
• •The hike to Sant Jeroni — the highest peak (1,236 m), with views to the Pyrenees
• •Tasting the 'Aromes de Montserrat' liqueur and local cheese

Tips

• 💡Leave from Plaça Espanya (NOT Sants) — it's the FGC station, not Renfe. Line R5 to Aeri de Montserrat (cable car) or Monistrol de Montserrat (rack railway).
• 💡The cable car is more dramatic (5 min over a chasm), the rack railway slow but steady — pick based on your tolerance for heights.
• 💡The Escolanía sings Mon-Fri at 13:00 and 18:45 (except during school holidays) — check the calendar before you go.
• 💡Start early (8am from Plaça Espanya) — by afternoon it's packed with tour-bus groups.

Girona

A storybook medieval city 100 km north — Europe's best-preserved Jewish quarter (El Call), a Gothic cathedral (Game of Thrones location — the Great Sept of Baelor), and the colourful houses lining the Onyar river. 40 min by AVE train from Barcelona.

What to see

• •Girona Cathedral, with the widest Gothic nave in the world (22.98 m)
• •El Call — the medieval Jewish quarter, with the Museum of Jewish History
• •A walk along the city walls (Passeig de la Muralla) with 360° views
• •The colourful houses along the Onyar river — Girona's most famous view
• •Game of Thrones locations (Season 6): Cersei's 'walk of shame', the canals of Braavos
• •Rocambolesc gelato (from the Roca brothers of El Celler de Can Roca)

Tips

• 💡The AVE takes 40 min but costs 2x as much as the regional Avant/MD — go for it if your time is short.
• 💡AVE fares swing wildly with how early you book — €18 if you book 7-14 days ahead, €40+ on the day.
• 💡El Celler de Can Roca (3 Michelin stars) — reservations 11 months ahead, on the 1st of the month at 9am online.
• 💡Walking the walls is free — don't skip it, it's the loveliest stroll in Girona.
• 💡The cathedral plays the Great Sept of Baelor in Game of Thrones — fans line up on the steps for Cersei's 'walk of shame'.