Catalonia is a wildly popular tourist destination that seems to have it all – a fun, funky and sophisticated cosmopolitan center in Barcelona, the spectacular beaches of the Costa Brava and Costa Dorada, and enough medieval beauty to make you wonder why architecture styles ever changed.
There really is more to Catalonia than Barcelona.
Okay, the beautiful city of Barcelona is one of the best places to go in Europe, filled with things to do from visiting Sagrada Familia, finding the hidden gems of Gaudi architecture to walking down the infamous Ramblas, and you might be thinking, how could there possibly be more to see?
Well, there is and it’s all located right outside the city. All of the amazing places you’re about to read about are either a train or bus ride away and are the perfect destinations for a day trip (weekend or long) from Barcelona.
Hopefully, you’ll have enough time to visit at least one of these places on your next trip to the Barcelona.
1. Monserrat: A Mountain With Amazing Views
If you’re looking to get out of the city for the day and experience some of the amazing geography Spain has to offer might, take a trip to the beautiful mountain of Monserrat only one hour outside of the city.
The best part – it’s extremely easy to get to. All you need is some walking shoes, water and you’re good to go. Once you’re there you’ll find there are many things to do. You can challenge yourself to a 7km hike to the top of the mountain or relax in a cafe at the base of the mountain.
Either way you will be surrounded by beautiful scenery.
2. Sitges: The Beach Town
Or, maybe you’re looking for a more relaxing beach experience. This city is a personal favorite and a huge change to the ever crowded Barcelona beach. We guarantee you will fall in love with Sitges. It’s a small, Mediterranean style city with a micro-climate and a gay-friendly population.
While relaxing by day this city transforms at night with home to some of the wildest bars, with an even more wild crowd. If you have a day to spare this is a must see city, and it’s Located only 30 minutes by train outside of Barcelona (Take the R2 via Sitges from Sants Estació).
3. Penedès: The Cava Country
The hub of award winning wineries and beautiful green countryside. If you’re looking to learn about the amazing wines and cavas made in Spain this part of Catalunya is the place to be. Many wineries offer tours that give wine enthusiasts an inside look at the handwork put into creating some of the best wine & cava i’ve ever had.
4. Girona – A Beautifully Historic Capital Old town
If Barcelona is still a bit too modern for you, make your way to Girona to explore its medieval beauty. You will have the benefits of smaller crowds, and equal beauty.
Girona is a well preserved city that lives and breathes history. One thing that makes this city unique is that it is home to an ancient city wall that was built to protect the city during the 1st century.
Today the wall and watch towers can still be climbed to attain some of the best panoramic views of the area. Another must see element of the city is the cathedral, which has the longest nave in the world and stands as a classic example of Catalan Gothic architecture.
This is a city for walking, and some of the highlights include the ancient walls of the Rambla district, the Jewish quarter, the Girona Cathedra, and the Casa Maso Museum.
There’s so much history contained in this place you’ll need the whole day to explore it all. You can get to old town from Barcelona by taking the train from Sants Estació – it takes about an hour.
5. Besalú – A Preserved Medieval City Complete With A Moat!
Probably the coolest place you’ll visit in Spain even if you are not big on history, but all that changes when you’re literally walking through a history book. We recommend paying for a tour of this place because there are so many stories preserved within every wall, and trust me they are worth hearing!
6. Costa Brava: Where The Coast Meets the Forest
Located in Girona, Costa Brava is known for it’s amazing climate, excellent beaches and rolling hillsides. There are many little cities all along the coast with beautiful Mediterranean style buildings that serve as restaurants, hotels, and shops.
The combination of the beach with the forest is incomparable to anywhere else I’ve ever been, it’s breathtakingly beautiful. It really is one of the hidden gems of Catalonia. You can find some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe here.
7. Tarragona
This spectacular city perched right on the water dates all the way back to the Roman era. In fact, the city surrounds a Roman amphitheater that is still mostly intact, open to visitors, and offers what is probably one of the greatest backdrops in the history of performance venues: the glittering blue waters of the Mediterranean.
Aside from the amphitheater, the town is littered with beautifully well-preserved Roman ruins, allowing history buffs the chance to explore, dine under some Roman arches, and see the roots of the city. Just down from the main town is a small fisherman’s village – head there at night for the freshest seafood imaginable, and a great view of the towns annual fireworks festival!
Tarragona is also home to a huge amusement park, if you’re looking for a day of thrills you should check out Port Aventura. This is one of the more unusual and non-touristy places to go near Barcelona, but it is also one of the most fun! There’s two different parks, the attraction park and the water park. And it’s all just a train ride away.
The park is perfect for all ages, and has an “around the world” theme that takes you from China to Mexico and even the Wild West. It’s no Disneyland but if you’re itching to ride some rides this place will not disappoint.
8. Barcelona
You cannot explore Catalonia without giving a fair amount of time to the center, to the capital, to Barcelona. And when it comes to Barcelona – one name rules above all: Gaudi.
The late architect’s famed Sagrada Familia cathedral remains perpetually under construction, and the ultimate paragon of his fanciful parabolic gothic architectural style. The cathedral is worth a visit, as is a walk through the Park Guell.
Once you have had your fill of Gaudi, you can pay some homage to some of the other famed Spanish artists, and visit the Fondacion Miro. This museum is dedicated to Joan Miro, but along with some of his masterpieces, features temporary exhibitions as well.
Aside from art, Barcelona (and Catalonia in general) is renowned for its cuisine. From the tapas bars sprinkled throughout the city, to the famous markets Santa Caterina (near the Barrio Gotic) and La Boqueria (on Las Ramblas), to the high-end gastronomy that Spanish chefs have innovated over the last decades, it is difficult to not eat well in Barcelona.
There are so many tourist attractions in Barcelona, be sure to save some time for some walking tours. The narrow, haunting streets of the Barrio Gotic are worth an aimless afternoon wander, and if you can stand the crowds, then parading up and down Las Ramblas is a unique experience.
We hope this helps to give you some ideas on places to go when planning your next trip the beautiful north east of Spain. All of Catalonia is very accessible from the Barcelona airports, with a plethora of accommodation options, including conveniently located Barcelona airport hotels.
