Best Places to Visit near Barcelona
Best Places to Visit near Barcelona
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Barcelona is packed with amazing attractions, but equally interesting are the nearby towns, mountain retreats and lovely beaches that Catalonia has to offer.
Take some time on your trip to discover the best places to visit near Barcelona, using the city as your base camp. These are some of the places you can explore within an hour away from Barcelona that should not go unnoticed.
Top Places to visit outside Barcelona
Montserrat
Montserrat, a lovely monastery embedded in the most stunning and beautiful mountain range, is a must in nearby Barcelona. It's home to the Virgin of Montserrat, Catalonia's patron saint.
Montserrat: Train from Barcelona + Rack Railway + Moreneta Access
Sitges
Just 40 kilometers (24 miles) south of Barcelona, is one of the most stunning and pintoresque coast towns of Catalonia: Sitges.
The former fishermen's town has great beaches to offer, great Mediterranean cuisine and exclusive low rises right on the beachfront. It's also the place to celebrate Carnival in Barcelona, as well as the Sitges International Film Festival.
Guided tour of Sitges Old Town
Girona
Girona is a gorgeous small city famous for being set and location for the hit TV show Game of Thrones. Just one hour and a half away from Barcelona, it features dreamy landscapes, historic medieval monuments and one of the best kept jewish neighborhoods in Europe.
Game of Thrones Girona guided tour
Penedès region
West of Barcelona we find Vilafranca del Penedès, an important cava production area, where the Penedès wines are produced. A guided tour of the cellars and tasting is recommended to learn about the most famous wine from Catalonia.
Full Day tour: Torres Cellars in Penedès + Montserrat & Sitges with Brunch
Dalí Museum
One of the most important day trips from Barcelona is the Dalí Theater Museum. The museum features the largest collection of Dalí paintings in one single location. It's located in the city of Figueres, Salvador Dalí’s hometown.
Day Trip: Dalí Museum in Figueres + Girona
Colonia Güell and Gaudí's Crypt
Just 30 minutes from Plaça Espanya by FGC train, Colonia Güell is one of the most underrated half-day trips from Barcelona. The Gaudí Crypt here was the architectural prototype for the Sagrada Família. Gaudí used it to test the parabolic structures he later applied at full scale. Combine it with a walk around the preserved industrial colony and you have a genuinely off-the-beaten-path morning.
Costa Brava
Heading north we find the remarkable landscape of the Costa Brava, one of the most special places in Catalonia.
Among the beautiful beaches and coves (some of the best in Catalonia), there's a large array of pintoresque coast towns like Palamós, Pals, Calella de Palafrugell or Cadaqués, where Salvador Dalí lived and worked for many years.
Costa Brava Full-Day Tour from Barcelona
Costa Daurada (Golden Coast)
100 kilometers south of Barcelona, we enter in the territory of the Costa Daurada (Golden Coast). This area is one of the biggest touristic spots in Catalonia, with miles of golden beaches and summer resorts near Salou, La Pineda and Cambrils.
Tarragona, the former capital of Hispania, was a prominent Roman settlement. Nowadays, the city is rich with Roman remains and monuments.
See the best attractions in the Costa Daurada
Port Aventura & Ferrari Land
Port Aventura, Spain's most visited amusement park, and the brand new Ferrari Land, are among the top attractions if you visit Barcelona with kids.
PortAventura & Ferrari Land: Full-Day Trip from Barcelona
Nuria Valley
Last but not least, a tour to Nuria Valley is also one beautiful trip from Barcelona if you want to witness the beauty of the Pyrenees and hit the ski slopes during the winter season.