Barcelona is pretty awesome in itself and has enough to offer to keep you plenty busy. But there are some very interesting attractions nearby that are worth spending a day in, most of which can be reached within no more than one hour by train or by car. Here are three awesome day trips from Barcelona.
Montserrat
Only one hour on a train will take you to the strikingly beautiful multi-peaked mountain of Montserrat. The unique shapes of Montserrat’s rock formations supposedly inspired the famous Gaudi, iconic Catalan architect, and painter Salvador Dali. Up the uneven clay-colored peaks of the mountain, you’ll reach the Montserrat Monastery, where you can admire the Byzantine-style statue of the Black Madonna, patroness of Catalonia. Don’t miss the Escolania’s Boys Choir, performing inside the Monastery Basilica everyday. To get to Montserrat from Barcelona, take a train from the Placa Espanya train station.
PortAventura Theme and Water Park
Created in 1995, the PortAventura Theme and Water Park is the largest theme park in Spain. It attracts more than 3 millions visitors every year, it spreads of over 110 acres and gathers 36 attractions, including the tallest rollercoaster of Europe (the Shambala Expedicion al Himalaya). PortAventura has its own train station as well as four different on-site hotels and one campsite, making it very convenient and fun to stay overnight!
The Penedes Region
If you haven’t tasted cava yet, taking a trip to the Penedes region would be the occasion. Cava is a Catalan sparkling wine, made from a mix of Spanish grape varieties and according to a special method called la metodo tradicional. The Penedes region, just about 50km West of Barcelona, is the world capital of cava making – over 90% of Spain’s production is made there. Take a train from the Sants or the Plaça de Espanya train station in Barcelona and, within an hour, you’ll arrive to the community of Sant Sadurni d’Anoia. There you can visit the Freixenet bodega and taste some of Catalonia’s most praised drink. If you’re willing to learn some more about cava making and immerse yourself further in the Penedes region, push your trip15 kilometers further from Sant Sadurni d’Anoia to the city of Vila Franca del Penedes. Not only is this city very beautiful – some of its building date back to the 13th century – but it is also the heart of the Penedes region, with a wine museum and many different bodegas.