Located seventy kilometres inland from Barcelona, with a population of only 50,000, Vic is a charming city that boasts one of the largest arcaded plazas in Spain. The plaza is the heart of Vic’s historic quarter, which features a magnificent medieval cathedral and a smaller Roman temple dating back to the second century. The plaza…
Category: Day Trips & Weekend Breaks
The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Montserrat from Barcelona
Tucked away amongst the jagged peaks of Montserrat, the Benedictine Monastery of Santa Maria de Montserrat is one of the most popular day trips from Barcelona. The monastery dates back to the eleventh century and was built to house a wooden statue of Our Lady of Montserrat, which, legend has it, was found in a…
Olot: Things To See & Do In The Capital Of The Garrotxa Region
Olot is the largest town in the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone, a natural park approximately one hundred kilometres northwest of Barcelona. As the name implies, the area is known for its volcanoes, four of which are located within the city itself. The volcanos last erupted more than eleven thousand years ago and are now mostly covered…
Peralada Travel Guide: What to See & Do
Peralada is a picturesque medieval village approximately one hundred and forty kilometres north of Barcelona. The town dates back to the fifth century BC and rose to prominence during the middle ages when it was home to the Counts of Peralada. Nowadays, Peralada is best known for its impressive medieval castle, El Castell de Peralada,…
The Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes (and how to get there)
The Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes is a Romanesque-style Benedictine monastery which overlooks the Costa Brava, one hundred and fifty kilometres north of Barcelona. Legend has it that the monastery was built by monks who fled from Rome during the seventh century, taking with them the remains of Saint Peter. In reality, the first…
El Port de la Selva Travel Guide: What to See and Do
Set in a natural bay and surrounded by mountains, El Port de la Selva is a small fishing village on the Costa Brava, just twenty kilometres south of the French border. Although there are a few hotels in the village as well as a campsite, some holiday apartments and several good restaurants, El Port de…
The Martinet Valley, Aiguafreda de Dalt and the Dolmen de Cruïlles (Montseny Natural Park)
This easy, ten-kilometre hike in Montseny Natural Park is best undertaken in spring or early summer when there will be water in the Riera de Martinet. You can also walk it at other times of the year, but the pools and waterfalls near the start of the trail will likely be dry. The circular route…
Banyoles & Estany de Banyoles: What To See & Do
Banyoles is a small town built on the shores of L’Estany de Banyoles, the largest lake in Catalonia, and hosted the rowing competitions for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. The lake was formed two hundred and fifty thousand years ago by the tectonic activity which created the Pyrenees mountain range. The area has been settled since…
Peratallada: A Pituresque Medieval Village Near The Costa Brava
Peratallada is one of the most picturesque and best conserved medieval villages in Catalonia. Unlike most medieval villages and towns, which have grown and expanded over the centuries leaving the original village centre surrounded by newer buildings, Peratallada has retained its original defensive walls and remains largely untouched. Indeed, apart from the three pay and…
Castellfollit de la Roca: What to See and Do
Perched precariously on the edge of a fifty-metre basalt cliff, Castellfollit de la Roca is one of Catalonia’s most picturesque and instantly recognisable villages. Built during the twelfth century on a rocky outcrop at the confluence of the rivers Fluvià and Turonell, at its narrowest point, the medieval village of Castellfollit de la Roca is…
Santa Pau: A Mediaval Village Surrounded By Volcanoes
Santa Pau is a picturesque medieval village in the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone, 100km north of Barcelona. The village dates back to the ninth century when the region was a no man’s land on the frontier between Christian and Muslim-controlled territories. With its narrow cobblestone streets and stone buildings, Santa Pau would be an ideal base…
Visiting The Croscat Volcano (La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone)
The Croscat Volcano is the highest volcano in mainland Spain and is one of forty volcanoes located in the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone, 100 km northwest of Barcelona. At this point, I have to point out that you shouldn’t come here expecting to see the likes of Krakatoa, Mount Fuji, Cotopaxi or other impressive volcanoes which…
Visiting the Gorg de la Plana Waterfalls (Brugent Nature Reserve)
Ninety kilometres north of Barcelona, the Espai Protegit del Brugent is a small nature reserve that follows the course of the River Brugent, just south of the La Garrotxa Volcanic Area. There are seven waterfalls and natural swimming pools located along the length of the river, all of which can be visited by following marked…
La Fageda d’en Jordà Beech Forest (La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone)
The Fageda d’en Jordà is a beech forest located in the La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone, approximately one hundred kilometres northeast of Barcelona. The forest is a popular day trip from Barcelona, especially in mid to late November when the leaves turn golden brown, making the area incredibly photogenic. Whatever time of year you plan to…
Ripoll: What to See and Do
Ripoll is a small town in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountain range, one hundred kilometres from Barcelona. The town is best known for the monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll, which was founded in the ninth century and is considered one of the most important Romanesque monuments in Spain. Ripoll also makes a good…
Easy Day Trips From Barcelona by Public Transport (and how to get there)
If you’re visiting Barcelona for longer than just a weekend, chances are you’ll want to go beyond the city limits and take a day trip. There’s no shortage of awesome destinations for a quick road trip, from blue flag beaches and medieval castles to extinct volcanoes and picturesque villages. If you don’t fancy hiring a…
Terrassa: What to See and Do
Thirty kilometres inland from Barcelona, Terrassa’s attractive, pedestrianised city centre is an interesting and lesser-known day trip or weekend break. Sometimes referred to as the Catalan Manchester, Terrassa played a key role during the Industrial Revolution when it was an important city for textile manufacturing. In its heyday at the beginning of the twentieth century,…
Figueres and the Dalí Theatre-Museum
Best known as the birthplace of Salvador Dalí and home to the Dali Theatre-Museum. Figueres has a relaxed small-town vibe and a historic centre dotted with Art Nouveau buildings, picturesque plazas and a handful of interesting museums. Thanks to its strategic location near the French border, the town also boasts one of the largest bastion…
Dalinian Triangle Guide: In the Surreal Footsteps of Salvador Dalí
Possibly the best known and most instantly recognisable artist of the 20th Century, Salvador Dalí was born in Figueres, 140km north of Barcelona. Famous for his dreamlike surrealist paintings and eccentric public persona, Dalí spent most of his life in Catalonia. Many of his best-known paintings were inspired by the rocky landscapes and coastline between…
Gala-Dalí Castle, Púbol
The Gala-Dalí Castle at Púbol is one of the three vertices of the so-called Dalinian triangle. More sombre and austere than the couple’s home in Portlligat. The castle was Gala’s private refuge and contains a collection of her dresses, personal belongings and works of art which Dalí painted for her. History of the Gala-Dalí Castle…
The Walk From Flaça Train Station to Púbol
Flaça train station is approximately 6km from Púbol, the walk through rolling farmland takes just over an hour. From Flaça to La Pera the route follows a gravel cycle path. From La Pera to Pubol, You walk on the GV-6426 which is a quiet country road with little traffic. If you will be walking in…
Tarragona: What to See in the Ancient Roman City by the Sea
Located just 100km south of Barcelona on Spain’s Costa Daurada (golden coast) Tarragona is literally bursting with history. The Roman city of Tarraco was capital of Hispania Tarraconensis and was one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire. The most important historical sites are located in the city centre and Tarragona is one…
Cardona Castle and Salt Mountain Cultural Park
Perched on a hilltop 95km from Barcelona, Cardona Castle is a popular day-trip for local families who come to explore the medieval castle and visit the nearby salt mine. For thousands of years salt was one of the most valuable commodities and during the Middle Ages Cardona castle was home to one of the wealthiest…
The First Building Designed by Antoni Gaudí
No matter how brief your stay in Barcelona, the chances are you will visit at least one building designed by Antoni Gaudí. A mixture of modernisme, surrealism and Gothicism combined with innovative engineering, Gaudi’s unique architectural style has shaped many of the city’s most famous landmarks and influenced generations of architects. Although most of Gaudi’s…
Tossa de Mar: History, Sand and Sunshine on the Costa Brava
Situated on the southernmost part of the Costa Brava, the charming seaside resort of Tossa de Mar is a popular day trip from Barcelona. Tossa’s attractions include sandy beaches and a picturesque old town whose narrow streets are lined with restaurants and bars. Not to mention the impressive 12th-century medieval castle or Vila Vella. Once an…
Cadaqués and Salvador Dalí’s House in Portlligat
If you ask most Barcelona locals to name the most beautiful village on the Costa Brava, the chances are that they will say Cadaqués. Set in a sheltered bay on the southern side of the Cap de Creus peninsula, this small town was once a busy port whose economy was based on fishing, wine-making and…
Vic’s Annual Medieval Market
Every year, at the start of December, the town of Vic stages one of the largest and best-known medieval markets in Spain. El Mercat Medieval de Vic lasts four days and, for many Barcelona residents, is an essential part of the run-up to Christmas. Located just 70km from Barcelona, Vic is a regional capital and…
Lleida – Cathedrals, Castles and a Medieval Dungeon
Despite being only 150km from Barcelona on the main road to Madrid and with high-speed train links to both cities. Lleida is one of those places which just tends to get overlooked. Certainly I’ve driven past on numerous occasions without ever giving it so much as a second glance. Earlier this month my partner and…
Montblanc and the Legend of Sant Jordi
Montblanc was founded in 1163 by Alfonso I of Barcelona to defend the road between Tarragona and Lleida. The town prospered and by the 13th Century was one of the most important towns in Catalonia. Today the medieval old town, complete with fortified stone walls is said to be among the best preserved in Spain. The…
Girona Flower Festival – Girona Temps de Flors
Each spring, during the 2nd week of May, the streets of Girona fill with colour as the city hosts it’s annual flower festival Girona Temps de Flors. The festival takes place in the historic city centre and medieval Jewish quarter El Call Jueu. The most impressive floral displays include the Cathedral steps, the Arab baths,…