If you are looking to book a holiday, escaping from all thoughts of lockdown, work and pandemic-related stress, choosing to visit the city of Barcelona is a great choice.
From Gaudi’s Park to the Sagrada Familia to Camp Nou, the Catalonian capital has a ton of fun stuff to keep you busy – regardless of whether you’re only visiting for a weekend, a week or a much longer period of time.
But, if you’re looking to embrace more than just a slice of the Catalonian culture, taking a few day trips away from Barcelona is a great port of call.
In this article, join us as we run through some of the best places we think you should visit, highlighting just how easy they are to get from the ciudad condal.
Marbella
Offering an incomparable climate, excellent range of transport connections and a wide array of leisure activities to choose between, Marbella is the ideal place to soak up the rays while enjoying a highly contemporary lifestyle.
A six-hour train ride away from Barcelona, Marbella is much easier to access via aeroplane, taking only an hour and a half to get to. And, believe us, the journey will be well worth it.
Whether you’d rather soak up the cultural history of the Costa del Sol in the Old Town, enjoy a drink or five along the city’s popular promenade or top up your tan while lounging on one of its popular beaches, Marbella is jam-packed with sights to see and activities to do.
Take a look at this detailed guide to get started with your planning.
Montserrat
Located approximately 50 kilometres northwest of Barcelona, the Montserrat mountain peak is truly something to behold, with steep rock faces on each side and an appearance akin to a medieval fortress.
Home to a Benedictine community of 70 monks, Montserrat also houses a legendary monastery – one of Spain’s most popular tourist attractions.
To get there from Barcelona, simply jump on a train from the Barcelona-Plaça Espanya Station and head straight to Monistrol de Montserrat. Then, from here you can either take the Aeri de Montserrat cable car or a 15-minute Cremallera railway train to reach the top of the mountain.
Andorra
While on the topic of luscious mountainous landscapes, taking a short 2.5-hour drive via car, bus or taxi from Barcelona will see you reach Andorra – a tiny principality based in the Pyrenees mountains.
But, while Andorra may be tiny in comparison to other cities and countries, it certainly makes the most of its smaller size.
Home to duty-free shopping, the largest spa complex in Southern Europe and a stunning 12th-century church called the Eglise Sant Esteve, Andorra is not only one of Europe’s most popular skiing destinations over the colder months of the year but it is also home to the UNESCO-listed Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley, making it a fantastic place for nature walks and trails.
Girona
A walled medieval city known as one of the main filming locations for Game of Thrones, Girona is a colourful city with stunning features and landmarks from its Roman, Moorish, Catholic and Jewish history.
Whether it be the Romanesque textile art found in its 11th-century cathedral, the incredibly well preserved medieval Jewish quarters or the amazing Arab baths, a visit to Girona will only take 38 minutes via train or just over an hour by car.
But don’t worry, you won’t be car-shaped for long after arriving there. The Passeig de la Muralla, for example, is a stunning walkway that will take you along parts of the longest Carolingian walls in Europe, allowing you to soak up the city’s cultural heritage easily on foot.
Happy travelling!
While Barcelona is an incredible city to visit in its own right, there are a number of equally amazing cities and landmarks located only a short distance away.
Whether you’d rather soak up the rays on a stunning Costa del Sol beach, enjoy the views and heritage of the Montserrat Monastery or head on a wintery adventure in Andorra, with the right time, commitment and planning, it can be easy to turn your Barcelona trip into the adventure of a lifetime.
For further advice and assistance on how to get around Barcelona, including car hire, airport transfers and flight arrival times, simply click here to find out more.