Day trips · Montserrat, Girona, the coast

The best day trips from Barcelona

Montserrat, Girona and the Dalí Museum, the Costa Brava, Sitges and PortAventura, each by tour or on your own. Here is how they compare, with honest advice on when a tour is worth it over the train, how much time you really get at each stop and what happens if plans change.

By the Things to Do in Barcelona editorial team 8 tours compared Prices checked 25 October 2026

The jagged ridge of Montserrat above green fields and trees in the morning haze

Short answer

The best day trips from Barcelona are Montserrat, Girona with the Dalí Museum, and the Costa Brava. Sitges is the easy beach day by train. A guided half-day trip to Montserrat costs from €35, less than the train and rack railway package. For Girona and Figueres the train works well. For Cadaqués and the coves, a tour is simpler.

Our 8 picks for day trips from Barcelona

All eight have free cancellation on GetYourGuide. Prices are per person.

from €35 per person Our top pick

5 h 30 min 4.8 (1,894) reviews on GetYourGuide

Half-day Montserrat small-group tour

A 5.5-hour trip with early access to the monastery. Transport from central Barcelona is included. The tour runs in English. The Black Madonna ticket comes only with some options.

Best for Short on time, budget
Check availability: Half-day Montserrat small-group tour on GetYourGuide
from €93 per person

11 h 30 min 4.8 (2,013) reviews on GetYourGuide

Montserrat, Girona and the Costa Brava in one day

Three places in 11.5 hours, with entry to Montserrat Abbey. The listing says the Black Madonna visit is not certain, with queues of up to 2 hours. It is not for people with mobility problems.

Best for Seeing the most in one go
Check availability: Montserrat, Girona and the Costa Brava in one day on GetYourGuide
from €61 per person

10 hours 4.7 (2,202) reviews on GetYourGuide

Girona and the Dalí Museum by coach

A guided walk in Girona, then fast-track entry to the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres. It leaves from Barcelona Nord bus station. The title says small group, but the listing says up to 55 people.

Best for The classic Dalí day
Check availability: Girona and the Dalí Museum by coach on GetYourGuide
from €62 per person

11 hours 4.7 (2,403) reviews on GetYourGuide

Girona, Figueres, the Dalí Museum and Cadaqués

You get free time in Girona and time to swim in Cadaqués. The museum ticket comes only if you pick that option. Groups can be large, up to 100 people.

Best for The longest list for the price
Check availability: Girona, Figueres, the Dalí Museum and Cadaqués on GetYourGuide
from €89 per person

7 hours 4.8 (2,087) reviews on GetYourGuide

Montserrat wine and tapas half day

A visit to Montserrat with an hour of free time, then a family winery. You get a tapas brunch and three local wines. The listing says the winery may change on the day.

Best for Food and wine lovers
Check availability: Montserrat wine and tapas half day on GetYourGuide
from €69 per person

10 hours 4.5 (376) reviews on GetYourGuide

Girona walking tour and the Dalí Museum

A 2-hour guided walk in Girona. Museum entry comes with the Girona and Dalí Museum option. Entry to Girona Cathedral is not included. It meets at Carrer d’Alí Bei 80.

Best for A guided walk in Girona
Check availability: Girona walking tour and the Dalí Museum on GetYourGuide
from €159 per person

12 hours 4.8 (244) reviews on GetYourGuide

Dalí Triangle and Cadaqués, small group with pickup

Hotel pickup between 8 and 9 am in a minivan, with up to 8 guests. Museum tickets are not in the price: you pay about €38 to the guide. There is no pickup at the cruise port or the airport.

Best for Couples who want pickup
Check availability: Dalí Triangle and Cadaqués, small group with pickup on GetYourGuide
from €79 per person

11 hours 3.96 (636) reviews on GetYourGuide

PortAventura and Ferrari Land by coach

A coach to the park and back, with entry to PortAventura Park and Ferrari Land. The listing says Ferrari Land opens to you at 5 pm this season. The coach back leaves at a fixed time.

Best for Theme park fans without a car
Check availability: PortAventura and Ferrari Land by coach on GetYourGuide

Day tours from Barcelona compared

Day tours from Barcelona compared
Tour	From	Duration	Group size	Pickup	Places	Who it suits	Why we picked it
Half-day Montserrat small-group tour 4.8 (1,894)	€35 per person	5 h 30 min	Not stated	Meeting point	Montserrat	Short on time, budget	The cheapest guided way up the mountain, rated 4.8 from 1,894 reviews.
Montserrat, Girona and the Costa Brava in one day 4.8 (2,013)	€93 per person	11 h 30 min	Up to 30	Meeting point	Montserrat, Girona, coast	Seeing the most in one go	The only pick that covers the mountain, a city and the coast in one day.
Girona and the Dalí Museum by coach 4.7 (2,202)	€61 per person	10 hours	Up to 55	Meeting point	Girona, Figueres	The classic Dalí day	Museum entry is in the price, and it is the cheapest Dalí day here.
Girona, Figueres, the Dalí Museum and Cadaqués 4.7 (2,403)	€62 per person	11 hours	Up to 100	Meeting point	Girona, Figueres, Cadaqués	The longest list for the price	Girona, Figueres and Cadaqués in 11 hours, from €62.
Montserrat wine and tapas half day 4.8 (2,087)	€89 per person	7 hours	Up to 20	Meeting point	Montserrat, winery	Food and wine lovers	Rated 4.8 from 2,087 reviews, with the food and wine in the price.
Girona walking tour and the Dalí Museum 4.5 (376)	€69 per person	10 hours	Not stated	Meeting point	Girona, Figueres	A guided walk in Girona	A 2-hour guided walk in Girona, with a Figueres walk as another option.
Dalí Triangle and Cadaqués, small group with pickup 4.8 (244)	€159 per person	12 hours	Up to 8	Pickup included	Figueres, Cadaqués	Couples who want pickup	The smallest group and the only pickup here, rated 4.8.
PortAventura and Ferrari Land by coach 3.96 (636)	€79 per person	11 hours	Not stated	Meeting point	PortAventura	Theme park fans without a car	Both parks and the ride there in one booking. Rated under 4 on GetYourGuide, lower than our other picks.

Half-day Montserrat small-group tour
€35 per person5 h 30 min 4.8 (1,894)
Details
Group size
Not stated
Pickup
Meeting point
Places
Montserrat
Who it suits
Short on time, budget
Why we picked it
The cheapest guided way up the mountain, rated 4.8 from 1,894 reviews.
Montserrat, Girona and the Costa Brava in one day
€93 per person11 h 30 min 4.8 (2,013)
Details
Group size
Up to 30
Pickup
Meeting point
Places
Montserrat, Girona, coast
Who it suits
Seeing the most in one go
Why we picked it
The only pick that covers the mountain, a city and the coast in one day.
Girona and the Dalí Museum by coach
€61 per person10 hours 4.7 (2,202)
Details
Group size
Up to 55
Pickup
Meeting point
Places
Girona, Figueres
Who it suits
The classic Dalí day
Why we picked it
Museum entry is in the price, and it is the cheapest Dalí day here.
Girona, Figueres, the Dalí Museum and Cadaqués
€62 per person11 hours 4.7 (2,403)
Details
Group size
Up to 100
Pickup
Meeting point
Places
Girona, Figueres, Cadaqués
Who it suits
The longest list for the price
Why we picked it
Girona, Figueres and Cadaqués in 11 hours, from €62.
Montserrat wine and tapas half day
€89 per person7 hours 4.8 (2,087)
Details
Group size
Up to 20
Pickup
Meeting point
Places
Montserrat, winery
Who it suits
Food and wine lovers
Why we picked it
Rated 4.8 from 2,087 reviews, with the food and wine in the price.
Girona walking tour and the Dalí Museum
€69 per person10 hours 4.5 (376)
Details
Group size
Not stated
Pickup
Meeting point
Places
Girona, Figueres
Who it suits
A guided walk in Girona
Why we picked it
A 2-hour guided walk in Girona, with a Figueres walk as another option.
Dalí Triangle and Cadaqués, small group with pickup
€159 per person12 hours 4.8 (244)
Details
Group size
Up to 8
Pickup
Pickup included
Places
Figueres, Cadaqués
Who it suits
Couples who want pickup
Why we picked it
The smallest group and the only pickup here, rated 4.8.
PortAventura and Ferrari Land by coach
€79 per person11 hours 3.96 (636)
Details
Group size
Not stated
Pickup
Meeting point
Places
PortAventura
Who it suits
Theme park fans without a car
Why we picked it
Both parks and the ride there in one booking. Rated under 4 on GetYourGuide, lower than our other picks.

All 8 offer free cancellation.
Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.

Best day trips from Barcelona at a glance

Montserrat, Girona and Sitges are easy on your own by train. Cadaqués and the Costa Brava coves are easier with a tour. The table shows the best tour for each place next to the do-it-yourself way.

For fares and tickets on the trains, see our guide to getting around Barcelona.

A rocky Costa Brava cove with clear water, pine trees and moored boats

Day tours out of Barcelona compared: tour vs train, bus or car

Times are one way. Bus and train prices come from booking sites, so check them before you go.

Tour or on your own, place by place
Place	Best tour pick	On your own	Which is easier
Montserrat	Half-day tour from €35, 5.5 hours	Train about 1 hour, then the rack railway 15 minutes. Train and rack railway listed at €48.80 round trip.	Either. The tour costs less.
Girona	Coach day with the Dalí Museum from €61, 10 hours	Fast train about 40 minutes, about every hour. Regional train about 1 h 10, reported at €6–10.	Easy on your own
Figueres (Dalí Museum)	Girona and Dalí days from €61	Regional train about 1 h 51	On your own works, but the ride is long
Cadaqués	Tour from €62, 11 hours	Bus about 2 h 45 from Barcelona Nord. There is no train.	A tour is simpler
Costa Brava (Tossa de Mar)	Small-group tour from €99	Bus about 1 h 20 from Barcelona Nord, from about €12.35	Bus for one town, a tour for several coves
Sitges	No tour pick	R2 Sud train about 37 minutes, 2 trains an hour	Easiest on your own
PortAventura	Ticket and coach from €69	Train about 1 h 15 to 1 h 30 from Sants	Easy on your own
Andorra	No tour pick	Bus about 2 h 45 to 3 hours, reported at about €30–40 one way	The bus; we found no train

Guided tour or on your own: how to choose

Tours from Barcelona, Spain, make sense when the place is hard to reach by train. That is true for Cadaqués and the small coves of the Costa Brava. Sitges and PortAventura are easy on your own. Montserrat works either way.

Our advice: one big day trip is enough for most short stays. Pick the one that fits what you like most.

Barcelona one day tours: half day or full day?

A half day is enough for Montserrat. The small-group tour takes 5.5 hours. A full day lets you add more stops. The Montserrat, Girona and Costa Brava tour takes 11.5 hours. Expect a long time on the coach.

Guides on day trips from Barcelona

Montserrat: tour vs train

Montserrat is the classic mountain day from Barcelona. FGC trains leave Plaça Espanya every hour from 08:26. The rack railway from Monistrol Vila takes 15 minutes.

The Montserrat ticket site lists a train and rack railway round trip from Barcelona at €48.80, with some extras. The half-day tour costs from €35. So the tour is the cheaper way, and the guide does the planning.

The Trans Montserrat ticket covers the metro, the train, the rack railway and the funiculars on the mountain.

Food from Barcelona’s hills: wine and tapas stops

The Montserrat wine and tapas tour adds a family winery, a tapas brunch and three local wines. For tapas in the city, see our Barcelona food tours.

Girona and the Costa Brava: tour vs train, bus or car

Girona is easy by train. A fast train takes about 40 minutes and runs about every hour. A regional train takes about 1 h 10 and is reported to cost €6–10.

That is the Barcelona Girona train in short: the fast trains leave from Sants.

The coast is harder. A bus from Barcelona Nord reaches Tossa de Mar in about 1 h 20, from about €12.35. To see several coves in one day, a tour is easier. The small-group tour stops for a swim at Calella de Palafrugell.

Dalí Triangle: Figueres and Cadaqués: tour vs train, bus or car

Figueres works by train, but it is a long ride. The regional train takes about 1 h 51 from Sants.

Cadaqués has no train. The bus from Barcelona Nord takes about 2 h 45. A tour gets you there and back in one day without the planning.

France day trips from Barcelona: what we found

None of the tours we checked crosses into France. The furthest north our picks go is Figueres and Cadaqués.

Sitges and beaches near Barcelona: easy on your own

Sitges is the easiest beach day. The R2 Sud train from Sants takes about 37 minutes. It runs about 2 trains an hour each way and also stops at Passeig de Gràcia.

Going back from Sitges to Barcelona? The same R2 Sud line brings you back.

Best Spanish beaches near Barcelona for a day

For a beach without a tour, Sitges is the simple choice. It needs no booking: you buy a train ticket and go.

Barcelona beach day trips with a tour

Two of our picks include beach time. The small-group Costa Brava tour stops at Calella de Palafrugell. The Cadaqués tour gives you free time to swim.

PortAventura: tour vs train

PortAventura is easy on your own. PortAventura World has its own station, about 1 h 15 to 1 h 30 from Sants or Passeig de Gràcia. The park says a park ticket includes a free round-trip train ticket from Catalan stations. It does not say if tickets from other sellers count, so check before you rely on it.

The coach trip suits you if you want no train changes. The coach back leaves at a fixed time.

Andorra and the Pyrenees: tour vs train

Andorra is not on our list of picks. If you looked up the Barcelona Andorra train, note that the route we found is a bus. Some buses leave from Barcelona Nord and take about 2 h 45 to 3 hours. One booking site shows about €30–40 one way.

Our advice: that is a long day there and back.

Book a day tour from Barcelona

Pick your place first, then the tour. All eight picks offer free cancellation, so you can book early and change your mind.

Barcelona day tours reviewed: price, length and ratings

Prices start at €35 for the half-day Montserrat tour and go up to €159 for the small-group Dalí day with pickup. Tours last 5.5 to 12 hours. Six of the eight are rated 4.7 or higher on GetYourGuide. The PortAventura coach trip is rated lower.

Tips before you book a day trip

If your plans change
All eight picks have free cancellation. The three-place tour can be moved or cancelled for bad weather. If too few people book, you get another date, another tour or a full refund.
Read the group size, not the title
The Girona and Dalí coach day is called small group, but it takes up to 55 people. The Cadaqués tour takes up to 100.
Check what entry is included
On the small-group Dalí day, museum tickets cost about €38 extra, paid to the guide. On the Cadaqués tour, the museum is in only one option.
Know where you meet
Several coach tours leave from near Barcelona Nord bus station. Only the small-group Dalí day picks you up at your hotel.
Dress for the mountain
Montserrat is 4,055 feet (1,236 m) high, so it can be cooler than the city. Wear comfortable shoes.

Day trip questions

What are the best day trips from Barcelona?

Montserrat, Girona with the Dalí Museum, and the Costa Brava. Sitges is the easy beach day by train. PortAventura suits theme park fans.

Are there beaches near Barcelona?

Yes. Sitges is about 37 minutes away on the R2 Sud train. On the Costa Brava, our small-group tour stops at Calella de Palafrugell, and the Cadaqués tour gives you time to swim.

What is Catalonia famous for on a day trip?

The monastery on Montserrat, Dalí’s museum in Figueres, Girona’s old town, the coves of the Costa Brava and the cava cellars at Sant Sadurní d’Anoia.

Which towns near Barcelona make a good day trip?

Girona and Figueres by train, Sitges for the beach, and Cadaqués or Tossa de Mar on the coast.

What is the nicest town near Barcelona?

It depends on the day you want. Girona is best for an old town. Sitges is best for a beach by train. Cadaqués is best for Dalí and the sea.

More day trips from Barcelona, live

More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.

See every tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.

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Browse all of them on GetYourGuide

Sources (13), facts checked on 25 October 2026

Written by the Things to Do in Barcelona editorial team.