Day Trips Around Barcelona - The Best Destinations and Resources

One of the best things about living in Barcelona is how much there is to explore within a 1-2 hour drive. From medieval villages to mountain hikes, wine country to coastal towns, you could do a different day trip every weekend for a year and still not run out of options.

Here are my favorite day trips and the resources I use to find new ones.

My Favorite Trips

These are the places I keep going back to, whether with friends or with the family.

For Adults or the Whole Family

Sitges (40 min drive) — A charming coastal town south of Barcelona with beautiful beaches, a lovely old quarter, and great restaurants along the seafront. Easy to combine with a stop at the Garraf Natural Park for a short hike.
Montserrat (1 hour drive) — The iconic serrated mountain is worth visiting just for the views. You can take the funicular up, visit the monastery, or do the hike to Sant Joan for a more adventurous day. The Gramona wine tasting in nearby Penedès pairs perfectly with a Montserrat morning.
Cardona Muntanya de Sal (1.5 hour drive) — A salt mountain with an underground mine tour that’s genuinely fascinating. The Cardona castle overlooking the town is also worth a visit. Great for kids and adults alike.
Catalunya en Miniatura (30 min drive) — A miniature park with scale models of Catalonia’s most important buildings and monuments. Kids love it, and there’s an adventure park with zip lines attached.
Tossa de Mar (1.5 hour drive) — One of the most picturesque towns on the Costa Brava. The walled old town (Vila Vella) sits right on the coast, and the beaches are beautiful. Go on a weekday outside of July and August if you want to avoid crowds.
Figueres and the Dalí Museum (1.5 hour drive) — The Dalí Theatre-Museum is one of the most visited museums in Spain and it’s genuinely surreal. Worth combining with a stop at a nearby Costa Brava beach on the way back.
Tarragona (1.5 hour drive) — Roman ruins, a beautiful old town, and an amphitheater overlooking the Mediterranean. Less touristy than Barcelona and a good option in any season.
Wine tasting in Penedès — There are dozens of wineries offering tours and tastings. Gramona is excellent, but Torres, Jean Leon, and many smaller producers also welcome visitors. Book ahead.

For Kids

Toboganes Can Matas in Sant Cugat — A set of long slides built into a hillside in the woods. Kids absolutely love it and it’s completely free. Bring a piece of cardboard to sit on for extra speed.
Parc de la Costeta in Begues — Three great slides of different lengths, plus a playground area. A good option combined with a walk in the nearby Garraf hills.
Granja d’Aventura Park — A farm adventure park where kids can feed animals, ride ponies, and do outdoor activities. There are similar farms scattered around Catalonia (search for “granja escola” for more options).
Minilandia — Mini golf, go-karts, and other activities. A reliable choice when you need a simple, fun day out.
Cycling in El Prat — Flat cycling paths through the Llobregat Delta natural area. Good for young kids who are still getting comfortable on bikes. You might spot flamingos in the wetlands.

Finding Day Trip Ideas

Meetup Groups

These groups regularly organize one-day trips and hikes around Catalonia. Even if you don’t join the group activities, their event listings are great inspiration for your own trips:

Family-Friendly Resources

If you have kids, these websites are invaluable for finding age-appropriate activities:

Sortir amb nens — The go-to resource for family activities in Catalonia. In Catalan, but easy enough to navigate.
Mammaproof — Curated activities and excursions specifically designed for families with young children.
Totnens — Another excellent Catalan resource for children’s activities, workshops, and excursions.

Around Girona

If you’re willing to drive a bit further north, the Turisme Gironès website has good suggestions for the Girona area, including volcanic landscapes in La Garrotxa and the medieval villages of the Empordà.

Practical Tips

Timing matters: Coastal destinations are best visited on weekdays or outside of summer. Mountain and interior trips work year-round.
AP-7 tolls: As of 2021, the AP-7 highway along the coast is toll-free, making trips to the Costa Brava and beyond much cheaper than they used to be.
Start early: Leaving Barcelona by 9am makes a huge difference, both for traffic and for getting the most out of your day.
Pack a picnic: Many of the best day trip spots have great picnic areas. Stop at a local bakery on the way for fresh bread and pastries.

Have a favorite day trip from Barcelona that I haven’t mentioned? Let me know in the comments.