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The Girona Day Trip from Barcelona, and 10 More Worth the Train

Catalonia puts a serrated holy mountain, Roman ruins, Dalí's home turf, cava cellars and the Costa Brava's coves all within day-trip range of Barcelona. These are the eleven trips that repay a full day - with the exact stations, lines and honest door-to-door times.

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By Oliver11 min readUpdated
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Casa Batllo in Barcelona
Photo: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0

In Brief

How do you do the Girona day trip from Barcelona?

Take a high-speed AVE or Avant train from Barcelona Sants, which covers it in 38 to 57 minutes with roughly eight or more departures a day, or the R11 regional in about an hour and a half from around 8 to 10 euro. Girona's old town is a ten-minute walk from the station and entirely walkable once you are in it. The same station serves Sitges, Tarragona, Montserrat's connections and the rest of this list, and none of the eleven trips here needs a car.

Key takeaways

  • Closest big hitter: Montserrat - hourly R5 trains from Plaça Espanya, then a rack railway or cable car up the mountain.
  • Best all-round town: Girona - as little as 38 minutes by high-speed train from Sants, and the whole old town is walkable.
  • Cheapest days out: Sitges, the Penedès and the Maresme beaches - all on cheap Rodalies commuter lines, no booking needed.
  • The Costa Brava villages (Tossa de Mar, Cadaqués) have no train - go by direct bus from Barcelona Nord or join a tour.
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The 11 best day trips, ranked

Ordered by how well they repay a full day - factoring travel time, what you can actually see, and how easy they are without a car.

  1. Montserrat, a day trip from Barcelona

    50 km northwest · ~60-90 min door to door

    Montserrat

    Mountains & monastery

    A Benedictine monastery wedged into a serrated rock massif, home to La Moreneta, the black Madonna that is Catalonia's patron saint. Ride the Sant Joan funicular from the monastery for ridge walks with views back over the abbey. Go early on a weekday - the queue to see the Madonna builds by mid-morning, and the boys' choir sings on most days (check the schedule before you commit).

    Getting there
    FGC R5 trains from Plaça Espanya toward Manresa run roughly hourly. Get off at Aeri de Montserrat for the cable car up, or one stop later at Monistrol de Montserrat for the Cremallera rack railway. Combined tickets sold at Plaça Espanya bundle the train, mountain ascent and the funiculars on top.
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  2. Sitges, a day trip from Barcelona

    35 km southwest · ~35-45 min by train

    Sitges

    Beaches & old town

    A string of sandy beaches along a palm-lined promenade, crowned by the church of Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla on its headland - the classic Sitges photo. The old town packs in the Cau Ferrat museum (painter Santiago Rusiñol's house) and a lively bar scene; the town also hosts one of Spain's biggest Carnivals in February and a famous film festival in October.

    Getting there
    Rodalies R2 Sud trains from Passeig de Gracia and Barcelona Sants run to Sitges in about 41 minutes from Sants, several times an hour, on an ordinary commuter ticket with no booking. The beach is minutes from the station.
  3. Girona, a day trip from Barcelona

    100 km northeast · ~38 min by high-speed, ~80-100 min by regional

    Girona

    Medieval streets & food

    The cathedral has the widest Gothic nave in the world, the Call is one of Europe's best-preserved medieval Jewish quarters, and you can walk a long stretch of the old city walls for free. Finish at the Onyar river for the famous painted houses. Game of Thrones fans will recognise half the old town as Braavos.

    Getting there
    High-speed AVE and Avant trains from Barcelona Sants reach Girona in 38 to 57 minutes, with roughly eight or more high-speed departures a day plus the hourly R11 regional at about an hour and a half for around 8 to 10 euro. Book the high-speed ahead for the cheap seats; the regional needs no reservation. From Girona station the old town is a ten-minute walk.
  4. Figueres (Dalí Theatre-Museum), a day trip from Barcelona

    140 km northeast · ~55 min by high-speed, ~2 h by regional

    Figueres (Dalí Theatre-Museum)

    Art & Dalí

    The Dalí Theatre-Museum is the largest surrealist object in the world - Dalí designed it himself inside the town's burned-out theatre, filled it with the Mae West room and the rainy Cadillac, and is buried in its crypt. The Dalí·Joies jewel collection next door is included and often skipped; don't skip it.

    Getting there
    High-speed trains from Sants to Figueres-Vilafant (~55 min), then a 15-20 minute walk or short bus into the centre. The slower R11 regional runs to Figueres' own station (~1 h 45 min-2 h), which is closer to the museum. Book the museum's timed entry online before you travel.
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  5. Tarragona, a day trip from Barcelona

    100 km southwest · ~1 h 10 min-1 h 25 min by train

    Tarragona

    Roman ruins & seafood

    Roman Tàrraco was the capital of half of Roman Spain, and it shows: an amphitheatre set right above the beach, the vaults of the Roman circus under the old town, and the Pont del Diable aqueduct just outside it. Add the medieval cathedral, the Balcó del Mediterrani viewpoint and a seafood lunch in the Serrallo fishing quarter.

    Getting there
    Two routes, and they end in different places. Regional R14, R15 and R16 trains from Barcelona Sants run to Tarragona's own central station, close to the Roman sites, in around 1h15 to 1h30. The high-speed AVE is faster on paper at about 33 minutes, but it arrives at Camp de Tarragona, roughly 11 km outside the city, with an hourly Empresa Plana bus taking about 20 more minutes into town. For a day trip the regional to the central station usually wins.
  6. Tossa de Mar (Costa Brava), a day trip from Barcelona

    100 km northeast · ~1 h 20 min-1 h 40 min by bus

    Tossa de Mar (Costa Brava)

    Beaches & castle walls

    The Vila Vella is the last surviving fortified medieval old town on the Catalan coast, its walls and towers rising straight from the main beach. Marc Chagall painted here and called Tossa his 'blue paradise'. Walk the walls, swim below them, then follow the coastal path to quieter coves or take a summer glass-bottom boat.

    Getting there
    No train. Direct Moventis Sarfa coaches run from Barcelona Nord bus station - frequent in summer, thinner off-season, so check the return times before you go. Tours combining Tossa with a coastal boat ride are a common alternative.
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  7. Cadaqués & Portlligat, a day trip from Barcelona

    170 km northeast · ~2 h 45 min-3 h by bus

    Cadaqués & Portlligat

    Coastal villages & Dalí

    A whitewashed fishing village on the Cap de Creus peninsula that stayed hard to reach and therefore unspoiled. Dalí lived and worked next door at Portlligat - his house-museum admits only small timed groups, so book well ahead. Walk out to the Cap de Creus lighthouse at mainland Spain's easternmost point if you have the legs.

    Getting there
    The longest trip here: direct Moventis Sarfa coaches from Barcelona Nord run a few times daily, or take a high-speed train to Figueres and connect by bus (~1 h). Start early and check the last bus back - or stay overnight if you can.
  8. Penedès wine country (Sant Sadurní & Vilafranca), a day trip from Barcelona

    45 km southwest · ~45-55 min by train

    Penedès wine country (Sant Sadurní & Vilafranca)

    Wine & cava

    This is where nearly all cava comes from. Tour the cellar caves at Codorníu or Freixenet in Sant Sadurní (book tastings ahead, especially weekends), then hop one stop to Vilafranca for the Vinseum wine museum and a proper Catalan lunch. A rare wine-region day trip that works entirely by commuter train.

    Getting there
    Rodalies R4 trains from Plaça Catalunya and Sants toward Sant Vicenç de Calders stop at both Sant Sadurní d'Anoia and Vilafranca del Penedès. In Sant Sadurní, Freixenet's cellars are directly opposite the station; Codorníu's Modernista winery is a 20-minute walk.
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  9. 70 km north · ~1 h 15 min-1 h 30 min by train

    Vic

    Markets & medieval squares

    Vic's huge arcaded Plaça Major hosts one of Catalonia's oldest markets on Tuesdays and Saturdays - time your visit for one of those. There's a 2nd-century Roman temple that was only rediscovered in the 1880s hiding inside a demolished castle, the Episcopal Museum's Romanesque art collection, and the town's famous llonganissa cured sausage to take home.

    Getting there
    Rodalies R3 trains from Barcelona Sants and Plaça Catalunya toward Vic/Puigcerdà run roughly every 30-60 minutes. Vic station is a 10-minute walk from the Plaça Major.
  10. Colònia Güell, a day trip from Barcelona

    20 km southwest · ~25-35 min by train

    Colònia Güell

    Gaudí without the crowds

    Gaudí's crypt here is where he tested the leaning columns and catenary vaults he later scaled up for the Sagrada Família - it's UNESCO-listed and you can usually study it almost alone. The surrounding Modernista textile-workers' village is a piece of industrial history in its own right. Half a day is enough; you'll be back in Barcelona for lunch.

    Getting there
    FGC suburban trains from Plaça Espanya (S3, S4, S8 or S9) stop at Colònia Güell station in about 20 minutes; the crypt is a signposted 10-minute walk through the village.
  11. Sant Pol de Mar & the Maresme coast, a day trip from Barcelona

    45 km northeast · ~60-75 min by train

    Sant Pol de Mar & the Maresme coast

    Easy beach days

    The R1 is Barcelona's beach train: the ride itself is half the pleasure. Sant Pol keeps a whitewashed fishing-village core with small coves either side of the station; Calella adds a long sandy beach and a lighthouse walk. Far calmer and cleaner than fighting for towel space at Barceloneta.

    Getting there
    Rodalies R1 trains from Plaça Catalunya (also calling at Arc de Triomf and El Clot) run up the coast several times an hour - the line hugs the shoreline and stations like Sant Pol de Mar and Calella are steps from the sand.

Girona from Barcelona: the day trip that runs like clockwork

Girona is the best-organised day trip in Catalonia: one fast train, a ten-minute walk, and a medieval city you can cover entirely on foot. Here is the version that works, with the times from the operators rather than from optimism.

  • The train first. High-speed AVE and Avant services from Barcelona Sants cover Barcelona to Girona in 38 to 57 minutes, with roughly eight or more high-speed departures a day. The R11 regional does it in about an hour and a half for around 8 to 10 euro with no reservation. Book the high-speed a few weeks out and the price difference over the regional shrinks to little.
  • From Girona station, the old town is about a ten-minute walk: cross the Onyar and you are under the painted riverfront houses that carry every postcard of the city.
  • The circuit that covers it: the cathedral with its single widest Gothic nave, the Jewish quarter's lanes, a stretch of the city walls with the Pyrenees on the horizon, and back down to the Rambla de la Llibertat for lunch. Game of Thrones borrowed the cathedral steps and the old-town lanes, which is why some corners look familiar.
  • Count the climbing honestly: Girona is stairs and ramparts, and the wall walk is the best thing in the city precisely because it is up on the wall. Comfortable shoes beat ambitious itineraries.
  • Eating: the city holds El Celler de Can Roca, twice named the best restaurant in the world, which books out months ahead and is a trip in itself rather than a lunch stop. The old town's ordinary menus are good enough that missing the famous table costs you nothing.
  • Pairing: Figueres and the Dali Theatre-Museum sit another 15 to 20 minutes up the same line, and the two together make a long, excellent day. Doing Girona alone is the relaxed version; adding Figueres means booking the Dali entry and watching the last trains.
  • When to go: any season works, because the day does not depend on a beach. Spring and autumn give the walls their best light; on the flower festival days in May the old town fills, which is either the best or the worst week depending on your tolerance for crowds.

Day trips from Barcelona: FAQ

The questions travelers ask most when planning day trips from here.

Rodalies R2 Sud commuter trains run from Passeig de Gracia and Barcelona Sants to Sitges in about 41 minutes from Sants, several times an hour, on an ordinary ticket with no booking needed. The station is minutes from the beach and the old town, which makes Sitges the lowest-effort seaside day on this list: whitewashed lanes, a seafront church on the headland, and a long promenade of sand. It is famous as a gay-friendly beach town and its carnival in February is the biggest party in the Barcelona region's winter.

Take the regional, not the fast train, and it is absolutely worth it. R14, R15 and R16 regionals from Barcelona Sants reach Tarragona's central station, close to the Roman remains, in about 1h15 to 1h30. The high-speed AVE reads 33 minutes on the timetable but arrives at Camp de Tarragona, roughly 11 km outside the city, with an hourly Empresa Plana bus taking about 20 minutes into town, which erases the saving. Tarragona itself was Roman Tarraco, capital of half of Hispania: the amphitheatre above the sea, the circus vaults under the old town and the cathedral repay a full day.

Sitges is the easiest - direct R2 Sud trains from Passeig de Gràcia or Sants take 35-45 minutes, run several times an hour, and the station is a 10-minute walk from the beach. Colònia Güell is even closer at ~25-35 minutes, but it's a half-day visit rather than a full day out.

For the commuter-line trips (Sitges, Penedès, Vic, the Maresme beaches), no - just turn up and buy a Rodalies ticket. Book ahead for three things: high-speed train fares to Girona and Figueres (cheaper 1-8 weeks out), timed entry at the Dalí Theatre-Museum and Dalí's Portlligat house, and cava cellar tours at weekends. Montserrat combined tickets can be bought on the day at Plaça Espanya.

Yes, but by bus, not train - the rail line stops at Blanes. Direct Moventis Sarfa coaches from Barcelona Nord reach Tossa de Mar in ~1 h 20 min-1 h 40 min and Cadaqués in ~3 hours. If you want several coves and villages in one day, an organised Costa Brava tour is genuinely the more efficient option.

Montserrat - the rack railway, cable car and funiculars are an adventure in themselves, and the mountain paths at the top are short and manageable. Tossa de Mar is the summer alternative: a sandy beach with a walkable castle right above it. Keep Girona and Figueres for older kids who'll tolerate museums.

Girona and Figueres - the old town, cathedral and Dalí museum all work in any weather, and both are quieter and cheaper outside summer. Vic's twice-weekly market runs year-round and peaks with a big medieval fair in December. Montserrat is striking on crisp clear days but bring warm layers; skip the beach towns until April.

The commuter-train trips are cheap: Rodalies returns to Sitges, the Penedès or the Maresme beaches typically cost only a few euros with a T-Casual multi-ride card. Budget roughly €35-45 for a Montserrat combined ticket covering train, mountain ascent and funiculars, and ~€15-35 each way for high-speed trains to Girona or Figueres depending on how early you book. Museum entries (Dalí Theatre-Museum, Portlligat) add ~€15-20 each.

Every trip on this page starts in Barcelona

Each of these is a day out and back, so the thing that decides the whole trip is where you sleep between them and how far that is from the station. These go into the detail:

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