Visiting Barcelona in itself can be a wonderful vacation, often without enough time to take in everything you may want to see. In a one or two week vacation it is even harder to cram in the ‘must-see’ destinations in the surrounding areas of Barcelona in order to truly appreciate Catalan culture. The three best day trips from Barcelona are listed below because of their popularity across various rating systems, ease of travel to and sheer beauty and impact they will have on your trip to the region. SHBarcelona Real Estate can provide all of your accommodation needs.
Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey
Even if you are not Catholic or religious visiting this Abbey perched 1236 meters up, between the lowlands of Catalonia around Barcelona and the tallest peak Sant Jeroni, a day trip is well worth the visit. Being only 48 km from Barcelona it is also one of the shorter day trips available in the area. It can also be reached by train, road or cable car; for an even more interesting trip take the cable car up and the train down. From the Abbey a footpath journey up to the top of the mountain provides vistas of Catalonia all the way to the islands of Mallorca. Or stay within the grounds visiting the Basilica, its museum which houses works by El Greco, Dali, Picasso and more, visit one of the oldest printing presses still publishing works with its first publication produced in 1499, and even take in one of the oldest boys choirs in Europe, Escalonia.
Dali in Figueres
One of the most influential artists in the last 200 years is Salvadore Dali, an artist born in Figueres in 1904 and died in 1989. Known most famously for his paintings and artworks in the art realm of surrealism he is possibly best known for The Persistence of Memory a surrealist painting depicting melting clocks and relates in dialogue to Einstein’s theory of relativity, where time is fluid and not fixed. Salvadore Dali, the most influential surrealist painter and one of the most influential painters in the last 100 years with the likes of Picasso was born, raised and died just two hours on a train from Barcelona. As a day trip, it is well worth the scenic ride with entrance into the Theatre-Museum of Salvadore Dali, where he is currently buried in a cyrpt with his works of Art. The egg-sculpture-topped museum is a marvel in artistry as is the multitude of artworks inside.
Historic Girona
Another must-see is the city and surrounding area around Girona. The walled city is home to four rivers and is often called the ‘Venice’ of Spain even without the use of canals. The original roman walls were built in the 1st Century BC and were rebuilt in the 1300’s on the foundation of the original walls. Walking the wall is breathtaking with the Pyrenees on one side, the Mediterranean on the other and the beautiful and historic river town in-between. Stroll by the trendy cafes, visit a beach or travel to the Pyrenees all from Girona, only an hour train ride from Barcelona.
If you think another spot deserves a top 3 honourable mention post it below with your experience for our consideration next time.
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