Barcelona Day Trips: 4 of the Best Day Trips Under 1 Hour From Barcelona
This past summer I visited Barcelona with my family and have been meaning to do a post on that trip! There is so much to do and see in Barcelona (and good food👌), and I will eventually share a guide on things to do in the city. For now, I’ve put together a list of the best day trips under one hour from Barcelona. These day trips were some of my favorite days during our trip, and are all a short drive or train ride from the city.
Enjoy!
xx, Heather
Sitges
Go For: Cafes with an ocean view, exploring a white-washed coastal village, a quick dip in the ocean, or touring museums and art galleries
Distance from Barcelona: About 40 minutes South
How to Get There: Rent a car or take the train. The C2 train travels from Passeig de Gràcia to Sitges and runs multiple times a day. Check the train schedule for exact times and stations.
Where to Eat: Vivero Beach Club
Best Museum: The Maricel Museum
The white-washed coastal town of Sitges is so charming and is absolutely worth a visit. It’s a relatively small town but has something for everyone to enjoy. We spent hours wandering the town, admiring the buildings and architecture, and strolling the seafront promenade. There are multiple small beaches in Sitges, but my favorite was the area around Platja de Sant Sebastz.
Enjoy a mid-afternoon tea or coffee near Platja de Sant Sebastz, and then head up to Vivero Beach Club for a lunch with sweeping ocean views.
For those who want to a respite from the sun, there are loads of museums and art galleries. Keep in mind that all museums in Sitges are closed on Mondays, so be sure to plan around that if you want to visit them. My museum pick: the Maricel Museum looks out over the ocean and has an impressive collection of art and sculpture spanning ten centuries.
Montserrat
Go For: Breathtaking mountain views, an afternoon hike, and exploring a historic monastery
Distance from Barcelona: About 50 minutes West
How to Get There: Rent a car or take Line R5 from the España train station. There are multiple options for ticket packages for Montserrat, so review the fares carefully.
Montserrat is one of the most recommended Barcelona day trips, and it’s easy to see why. Montserrat is a truly breathtaking location. When you arrive at the base of the mountain, you have the option of taking a cable car up, or driving to the top and walking over to the monastery. We did the latter, but either way, when you arrive at Montserrat it is stunning. You can explore the monastery and visit the museum, take in the mountain views of Catalunya, and the unusual rock formations that surround the site.
For an even more spectacular view, take the funicular up to the top peak. Wear comfortable shoes and go for a walk along the many hiking/walking trails on the mountain.
The Penedès Region
Go For: Wine and Cava tastings
Distance from Barcelona: About 50 minutes West
How to Get There: I recommend taking a car so you can visit multiple wineries
Where to Eat: Check the specific winery location that you’re visiting, as not all of them offer food on site. We grabbed bread, cheese, etc. at a local grocery story and had a picnic style lunch.
About an hour outside of Barcelona is the Penedes region, which produces 95 percent of the world’s cava production. Cava, is a Spanish sparkling wine and is similar to a light, refreshing champagne. Head to the village of Sant Sadumí d’Anoia for some amazing historic wineries, and some of the largest cava producers in Catalonia.
I highly recommend doing the winery tour at Codorniu. Codorniu’s history dates back 450 years, making it the oldest cava producer in Spain, and one of the largest producers of cava in the world. As part of the tour you’ll visit the network of underground tunnels where the cava ferments. I was blown away by how expansive the tunnels were, and it truly was one of the more unique winery tours I’ve been on.
Castelldefels Beach
Go For: A less crowded beach day than at Barceloneta Beach (Barcelona’s main city beach), lunch and drinks on the beach
Distance from Barcelona: About 30 minutes South
How to Get There: Take the train from Barcelona to Castelldefels Beach
Where to Eat: One of the many outdoor dining options on the beach promenade
Although there is a beach within the city of Barcelona, if you want to get out of town for a slightly less crowded option, try Castelldefels Beach just 30 minutes South of the Barcelona. It’s easily accessible by train (about 5 stops from the city center). It is a popular beach destination for locals since it is so close to the city, so be ready for a full train ride there and back.
It is quite a long beach so there is plenty of room to find a spot to yourself, or go for a walk along the paved pathway that stretches the length of the beach. There are also tons of beach restaurants and bars for when you get hungry.
We saved the day trip to Castelldefels for one of our last days in Barcelona, as a relaxing end to the trip.
