The excellent public transport system makes it easy to travel out to nearby sights. Montserrat is probably the most popular, but on a clear day consider Mount Tibidabo, the funfair topped mountain you can see from the city centre.
It’s only a short trip out of the city by FGC metro to Avenida Tibidabo, then by Tramvia Blau tram to Peu de Funicular and finally the funicular railway to the summit. It sounds complicated but it isn’t, and it is a fabulous way to spend a few hours away from the city.
On a clear day, Mount Tibidabo offers unsurpassed views of Barcelona and also inland to Montserrat and the Pyrenees. On the northwestern edge of Barcelona, the mountain’s slopes are crisscrossed with wooded walks, while the summit is crowned with an old-style amusement park – try the aeroplane ride, a local icon, which has been in operation since 1928.
There’s also the Museu d’Automates, a collection of working coin-operated fairground machines. There’s a stylish bar and cafe for refreshments.
About 60km northwest of Barcelona, this is one of the most popular tourist trips out of the city. The peaks of Montserrat have been a major pilgrimage destination for centuries.
There’s an exciting cable car ride from the railway station to the monastery. There are splendid views of the rugged mountain scenery that also provides some good walks.
Numerous miracles are said to have occurred here, centred on the icon of La Moreneta (Black Virgin), allegedly hidden away here by St Peter. The monastery and its accompanying museum feature paintings by masters such as El Greco, Caravaggio and Picasso. The mountain itself has a wealth of hermitages and caves, which can be reached on foot along a network of mountain paths.
The basilica opens daily 7.30am – 8:30pm (June to September) and 8am – 6pm (October to May).
To get to Montserrat, take the FGC train from Espanya station in Barcelona – they leave hourly – to the cable car terminus at Aeri de Montserrat. The cable car is closed annually for maintenance in February when an alternative bus service is laid on.
The town of Figueres is 145km northeast of Barcelona and can be reached by motorway or by rail from Passeig de Gràcia. The main attraction is the Teatre-Museu Dali - a showcase of Dali’s eccentric imagination. It was created by Dalí himself, out of the former town theatre where he held his first exhibition. It also holds the artist's tomb.
Open daily 9am – 7.45pm (July to September) and Tuesday to Saturday 10.30am -5.45pm (October to June) Tel: 97 267 7500; website: www.dali-estate.org
You can visit several fine beaches along the coast from Barcelona such as at Sitges, a lively resort 40km tot he south of the city and 40 minutes by train from Barcelona-Sants rail station.
Tossa de Mar, is 40km north of Barcelona, with several fine beaches and small bays, an attractive old town and a good museum. Buses from Barcelona are frequent throughout the summer but private transport might be required at other times. This could of course be an advantage, with fewer tourists getting in your way.