Day trips · By train or guided tour · Checked against operators’ own pages
Day Trips from Barcelona: Five Worth the Journey, from €4.90
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One Day in Barcelona: Preview the City Before You Plan
Explore Gaudí architecture, old-town streets, markets and Barcelona after dark, then choose this page’s free, mid-range or splurge day. The film is a city overview, not a promise that every featured stop fits into one day.
How to choose
Five trips leave Barcelona by train, each about two hours away or less. Montserrat is the mountain; Girona and Figueres share one line north; Sitges and Tarragona are the two closest rides along the coast.
Good to know
- PortAventura suits a resort stay, not a single day. Costa Brava towns past Sitges are hard to reach without a car; both are left off this page.
| Item | minutes |
|---|---|
| Sitges | 32 |
| Montserrat | 65 |
| Tarragona | 71 |
| Girona | 81 |
| Figueres | 111 |
| Option | Our verdict |
|---|---|
| Montserrat · about 65 minutes by FGC train and rack railway | The mountain monastery and cable car; the trip most first-time visitors pick. |
| Girona · about 1 hour 20 to 1 hour 30 minutes by regional train | A medieval old town and Game of Thrones steps, easily paired with Figueres. |
| Figueres · about 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours 10 minutes by regional train | The Dalí Theatre-Museum alone justifies the ride; combine it with Girona on the way. |
| Sitges · about 30 to 40 minutes by train | The simplest trip here: a beach town a half-hour from Barcelona Sants. |
| Tarragona · about 1 hour 10 minutes by train | Roman ruins by the sea, best paired with Sitges on the way back. |
Montserrat: the mountain monastery, from €17.80
Montserrat’s serrated mountain rises an hour from Barcelona by train, topped by a Benedictine monastery, the Black Madonna and some of Catalonia’s best views. FGC’s R5 line reaches Monistrol de Montserrat directly; a rack railway or cable car covers the final climb.
See or book a Montserrat day tour
- Board FGC’s R5 train at Plaça Espanya; trains run roughly every 15 to 20 minutes.
- Ride to Monistrol de Montserrat station, about an hour, or to the Aeri stop for the cable car.
- Take the Cremallera rack railway or the Aeri cable car for the final climb to the monastery.
- Visit the basilica and the Black Madonna, then walk one of the marked mountain trails.
Good to know
- A combined FGC train and rack railway ticket costs €17.80 one way, cheaper than buying each leg apart.
- The Aeri cable car and the Cremallera rack railway are separately operated; choose one before comparing specific tickets.
| Item | € per adult | US$ |
|---|---|---|
| FGC train + Cremallera rack railway, combined one-way ticket | €17.80 | ≈ US$20 |
| Aeri de Montserrat cable car, one way | €10 | ≈ US$11 |
On your own
Straightforward: buy the combined train and rack railway ticket, and follow signed paths once up top.
With a guide
Half-day and full-day tours add a guide, transfers and sometimes a wine tasting on the way back.
A combined FGC train and rack railway ticket to Montserrat costs €17.80 one way.
Prices checked 18 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation
Girona: a medieval old town
Girona’s Old Town climbs from the colourful Onyar riverside houses to a cathedral with one of Europe’s widest Gothic naves, its front steps used as a Game of Thrones filming location. Regional trains reach it directly from Barcelona Sants.
- Board a Rodalies R11 regional train at Barcelona Sants; departures run every 30 to 60 minutes.
- Ride to Girona, about 1 hour 20 minutes on MD trains or 1 hour 30 minutes on stopping R trains.
- Walk from the station into the Old Town, crossing to the Onyar houses and the Jewish Quarter.
- Climb the cathedral steps and visit the cathedral and the Basilica of Sant Feliu on a combined ticket.
Good to know
- The Cathedral and Basilica of Sant Feliu combined ticket, with an audio guide, costs €7.50.
- Girona pairs naturally with Figueres: the same regional line continues north in 30 to 40 more minutes.
On your own
Easy: the train runs direct, and the Old Town, cathedral and Onyar houses are all walkable from the station.
With a guide
Full-day tours add a guide and can bundle the Dalí Museum or the Costa Brava into one booking.
Figueres: the Dalí Theatre-Museum
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Figueres is a single-purpose trip: Salvador Dalí’s own Theatre-Museum, crowned with giant eggs and a geodesic dome, built on the ruins of the town’s old theatre. The same regional line that reaches Girona continues here in 30 to 40 more minutes.
See or book a Girona and Dalí Museum tour
- Stay on the Rodalies R11 regional train past Girona to Figueres, about 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours 10 minutes from Barcelona Sants.
- Walk about 10 minutes from Figueres station to the Dalí Theatre-Museum in the old town.
- Book Dalí Theatre-Museum admission for a timed slot before travelling; the museum draws long queues without one.
- Check the day before travelling: the museum closes on Mondays outside July and August.
Good to know
- General admission to the Dalí Theatre-Museum starts from €18.50 for an adult, timed-entry.
- In September the museum opens Tuesday to Sunday, 9:30 in the morning to 6 in the evening.
On your own
Workable alone once a timed museum slot is booked; the regional train needs no reservation.
With a guide
Full-day tours from Barcelona pair Girona with the museum admission already included in the price.
Sitges: the easiest trip, from €4.90
Sitges is the simplest trip on this page: a beach town half an hour down the coast, a whitewashed church on its point and a walkable old town behind the promenade. Frequent trains need no advance booking.
- Board a Rodalies R2 Sud train at Passeig de Gràcia or Barcelona Sants; semi-fast trains to Sitges run about every 30 minutes.
- Ride to Sitges, about 32 minutes from Sants or 40 from Passeig de Gràcia; the station sits a short walk from the beach.
- Walk the promenade to Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla church, then into the old town streets behind it.
- Visit the Museu Cau Ferrat and Museu de Maricel on a combined ticket if the beach alone is not enough.
Good to know
- A combined Museu Cau Ferrat and Museu de Maricel ticket costs €12.00.
- No clean guided day tour of Sitges alone was found; the nearest genuine option bundles it with Tarragona.
| Item | € per adult | US$ |
|---|---|---|
| Rodalies train, one way (4 zones) | €4.90 | ≈ US$5 |
| Museu Cau Ferrat + Museu de Maricel, combined ticket | €12 | ≈ US$13 |
On your own
The easiest trip here: buy the train ticket and go, no booking or guide needed.
With a guide
No single-destination Sitges tour from Barcelona was found this pass; the Tarragona and Sitges tour is the nearest option.
A Rodalies single ticket to Sitges costs €4.90 each way.
Prices checked 18 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation
Tarragona: Roman ruins by the sea, from €5
Tarragona was Rome’s capital of Hispania: a seafront amphitheatre, a circus and a forum survive in the old town, all walkable from the station. Regional trains reach it directly, and it pairs naturally with Sitges on the way back.
See or book a Tarragona and Sitges tour
- Board a Rodalies R16 train at Barcelona Sants or Estació de França; departures run about every 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Ride to Tarragona, about 1 hour 10 minutes from Sants.
- Walk from the station to the Roman Amphitheatre, then the archaeological promenade along the old city walls.
- Buy the MHT combined ticket to add the Circus, Praetorium and Colony Forum to the amphitheatre.
Good to know
- The MHT combined ticket covering five Roman monuments costs €15.00; the amphitheatre alone costs €5.00.
- Tarragona’s Roman monuments close on Mondays; plan the trip for another day of the week.
| Item | € per adult | US$ |
|---|---|---|
| Roman Amphitheatre, adult admission | €5 | ≈ US$6 |
| MHT combined ticket, five Roman monuments | €15 | ≈ US$17 |
On your own
Straightforward: the train runs direct, and the amphitheatre and promenade are both an easy walk from the station.
With a guide
Small-group and private tours bundle Tarragona’s Roman sites with Sitges and hotel pickup into one booking.
Amphitheatre admission costs €5; buy the R16 fare at the station or in the Cercanías Renfe app.
Prices checked 18 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation
If you only do one
Montserrat, if there is time for only one: the mountain, basilica and rack railway make a complete day without a second city. For an old town and cathedral instead, pick Girona.
Good to know
- A beach day instead: Sitges, the shortest and simplest trip here.
- Roman history instead: Tarragona, easily paired with Sitges on the way back.
Attractions & day trips from Barcelona
What it costs, and where to book
Prices checked 18 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation. Amounts over 20 are rounded up. Ticket prices are per person for the first reviewed ticket and change by date.
Explore Montserrat Before You Book
Take a virtual drive or walk, then find tours and tickets for the places you like.
Where a guided day tour earns its money, and where it does not
A guide earns its keep on Montserrat, Girona and the Figueres run, trading the rack railway timetable and the museum’s booking window for one fixed schedule. Sitges and Tarragona stay simple alone once the ticket is bought.
Mubboo compares flights and tours and may earn a commission when a traveller uses a partner link. Booking and payment happen with the provider.
Questions people ask
Do I need to book Montserrat’s rack railway or cable car ahead?
Not usually: both run every 15 to 20 minutes through the day, though the combined train ticket is worth buying before boarding.
Can I visit Girona and Figueres in the same day?
Yes: the same regional line reaches both, with Figueres about 30 to 40 minutes further north than Girona.
Does the Dalí Theatre-Museum close on Mondays?
Yes, outside July and August, when it opens every day instead.
Are Tarragona’s Roman monuments open every day?
No, they close on Mondays, so plan the trip for another day of the week.
Is there a guided tour of Sitges alone?
No clean single-destination option was found this pass; the nearest booked tour pairs Sitges with Tarragona.
Plan deeper in Barcelona
Sources (22)
Every figure above was checked on the dates shown.
- Turistren FGC — Montserrat Rack Railway: Timetables, prices and tickets — turistren.cat/en/trains/montserrat-rack-railway-and-funiculars/montserrat-rack-railway/ (checked 2026-09-18)
- Turistren FGC — Montserrat Rack Railway and Funiculars (combined FGC train + rack railway fares) — turistren.cat/en/trains/montserrat-rack-railway-and-funiculars/ (checked 2026-09-18)
- FGC — R5 Barcelona Plaça Espanya-Manresa line and schedule — www.fgc.cat/en/fgc-network/l-llobregat-anoia/en-lines-and-schedule-llobregat-anoia-r5-barcelona-placa-espanya-manresa/ (checked 2026-09-18)
- Aeri de Montserrat — Timetables and fares — aeridemontserrat.com/en/timetables-and-fares/ (checked 2026-09-18)
- Rodalies de Catalunya — R11 Barcelona Sants-Portbou schedule — rodalies.gencat.cat/web/.content/02_Horaris/horaris/R11.pdf (checked 2026-09-27)
- Rodalies de Catalunya — Regional services fares — rodalies.gencat.cat/en/tarifes/servei_regionals/ (checked 2026-09-27)
- Rodalies de Catalunya — R2 Nord / R2 Sud timetable — rodalies.gencat.cat/web/.content/02_Horaris/horaris/R2.pdf (checked 2026-09-27)
- Rodalies de Catalunya — R16 Barcelona-Tarragona-Tortosa/Ulldecona timetable — rodalies.gencat.cat/web/.content/02_Horaris/horaris/R16.pdf (checked 2026-09-27)
- Rodalies de Catalunya — Barcelona suburban rail, single fares by number of zones — rodalies.gencat.cat/en/tarifes/servei_rodalia_barcelona/nomes_rodalies/ (checked 2026-09-27)
- Wikipedia, Sitges railway station — Rodalies fare zone (secondary source) — en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sitges_railway_station (checked 2026-09-27)
- Girona Cathedral and Basilica of Sant Feliu — tickets — tickets.catedraldegirona.cat/en/girona-cathedral-and-the-basilica-of-sant-feliu (checked 2026-09-18)
- Renfe — Game of Thrones filming locations in Girona — www.renfe.com/es/en/inspirate/destinos/girona/games-of-thrones-filming-locations (checked 2026-09-18)
- Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí — Dalí Theatre-Museum: visit, hours and tickets — www.salvador-dali.org/en/visit/dali-theatre-museum/ (checked 2026-09-18)
- Museus de Sitges — Fees — museusdesitges.cat/en/fees (checked 2026-09-18)
- Ajuntament de Tarragona — MHT admission prices and ticket sales — www.tarragona.cat/patrimoni/museu-historia/visites/preus-i-venda-dentrades (checked 2026-09-18)
- Ajuntament de Tarragona — MHT opening hours — www.tarragona.cat/patrimoni/museu-historia/visites/horaris (checked 2026-09-27)
- Mubboo Tours search, Barcelona (the booking platform destination 562), term 'Montserrat' — mubboo.flights/api/tours/search?destinationId=562&term=Montserrat¤cy=USD&mode=keyword&sort=featured (checked 2026-09-18)
- Mubboo Tours search, Barcelona (the booking platform destination 562), term 'Girona day trip' — mubboo.flights/api/tours/search?destinationId=562&term=Girona%20day%20trip¤cy=USD&mode=keyword&sort=featured (checked 2026-09-18)
- Mubboo Tours search, Barcelona (the booking platform destination 562), term 'Dali Museum Figueres' — mubboo.flights/api/tours/search?destinationId=562&term=Dali%20Museum%20Figueres¤cy=USD&mode=keyword&sort=featured (checked 2026-09-18)
- Mubboo Tours search, Barcelona (the booking platform destination 562), term 'Sitges' (and 'Sitges day trip': no clean single-destination day trip from Barcelona in the top results of either term) — mubboo.flights/api/tours/search?destinationId=562&term=Sitges¤cy=USD&mode=keyword&sort=featured (checked 2026-09-18)
- Mubboo Tours search, Barcelona (the booking platform destination 562), term 'Tarragona and Sitges' — mubboo.flights/api/tours/search?destinationId=562&term=Tarragona%20and%20Sitges¤cy=USD&mode=keyword&sort=featured (checked 2026-09-18)
- Mubboo Tours attractions, Barcelona (the booking platform destination 562) — mubboo.flights/api/tours/attractions?destinationId=562&language=en (checked 2026-09-18)