Easy Day and Overnight Trips Out of Barcelona

If you're thinking of lining trips for every weekend you're in Barcelona, you'll soon realize that you will get tired of all the travel. At the same time,  with social media, it's easy to get fomo when you see others traveling about. If you're looking for a short weekend getaway or change of scenery, this post is for you.

1. Costa Brava

Located about 40 miles up the coast from Barcelona, Costa Brava is an easy trip. In Catalan, Costa Brava means "the wild coast" or "the rough coast." The region offers 60 km of beautiful beaches on the Mediterranean, extending to the coast of France. The closest part of Costa Brava to Barcelona is Blanes, which is just over an hour away by bus. Even in the winter, it’s still worth the trip.

2.  Sitges

Sitges lies south and west of Barcelona. The beach town is famous for its white buildings, which resemble those in Santorini. Take the train from the Barcelona-Sants region and arrive in forty minutes. Again, it's an excellent trip for a hot day to relax on the beautiful Mediterranean beach.

3.  Mardrid

While you will be able to see more if you stay overnight, you can also do Madrid in a day. If you love museums and architecture, it’s worth the trip. The city is accessible by a three-hour train ride. There are usually about forty trains per day from Barcelona. 

4. Monserrat

Known as the monastery on the hill, Monserrat is a great place to go if you like to hike or if you're interested in art history. You can take the R5 train from Plaça Espanya to get there in about an hour. From there, you can take a cable car or hike up the mountain to get to the top at the top. 

5. Mallorca

Mallorca is a popular tourist destination part of the Balearic Islands. Although you could do the trip in a day by taking the ferry, I’d recommend flying and spending a night or two there. There are a ton of beaches and beach towns, as well as hiking - it’s worth renting a car to explore all the island has to offer. One of the best thing I’d recommend doing there is going on a boat snorkeling tour. You can book one through any travel agency and enjoy soaking up those rays! 

There are tons of other little towns to explore from Barcelona. They're often less touristy and make for culturally-immersive, affordable trips. You can consult TikTok and Google for more options.