Barcelona Excursions - Things to See in Barcelona

Despite Barcelona being a fantastic city, with so much to see and do, there are also loads of attractions outside of Catalonia’s capital. Of course there are many day tours you can take around the city; cycle tours, private guides, open-air bus tours and segway tours to name but a few. However, it would be a shame to go to the beautiful region of Catalonia and not explore outside of Barcelona. There are so many excursions  from Barcelona that you can take without relocating from your base in the city; many will have you back to your hotel in time for dinner! 

There are many other towns in Catalonia worth visiting. Tarragona, to the south of Barcelona, where the region’s famous Castells, is home to Roman ruins that were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To the north of Barcelona, Girona is a beautiful medieval city, with its Roman, Moorish and Jewish heritage still prominent in the city’s architecture today. Why not take the time to visit Figueras, birthplace to Salvador Dali. Not only is there a museum dedicated to the famous artist of this town, but it also has a gothic church and the Sant Ferran castle to explore.

There are also some fantastic food and wine tours you can take not too far from Barcelona. As Catalonia is known world-wide for its high quality wine, there are plenty of famous vineyards in the region. Alt Penedès is known as the Cava country for its production of Spanish sparkling wine, but it also makes reds, whites and roses in the areas variety of small family wineries and bodegas. Easily accessible by public transport from Barcelona, coming to Alt Penedès is a great day out for all wine lovers! For those who enjoy local cuisine, Sitges would be the perfect place to go; its succulent Mediterranean gastronomy, fantastic night life and at just 30 minutes away from Barcelona, Sitges is easy to visit and well worth the trip.

Montserrat, just 60km from the centre of Barcelona, is a mountain more that 1,200m above sea level. Also a nature reserve, Monserrat is well worth a visit. Apart from the stunning views and lush nature on the mountain, Monserrat is also home to a benedictine monastery. This monastery houses some beautiful artworks, such as the statue of Moreneta, the black Virgin of Montserrat. You can hike up the mountain for an active day out, but for those of you who want to enjoy the scenery from the comfort of public transport, there is a train and a bus that go up to the monestary, or you can drive up yourself.

The nature lovers also have Montseny nearby. Around 40km from Barcelona, Montseny is a biosphere reserve with such a rich diversity in plant and animal life, thanks to its geographical diversity. You can camp and hike here, and even the day visitors will have plenty to see, as there are still some small mountain temples of the Middle Ages standing here.

And if all that sight-seeing has worn you out, the region around Barcelona has so many beautiful beaches for you to enjoy. The city itself does boast some of its own playas, with great atmosphere and amenities, but to truly escape the hubbub of the city, under an hour away are some of Spain’s prettiest beaches. Cleaner, calmer and more space to spread your towels out, beaches such as Ocataor Caldetes are a great place to after all your other excursions!