BARCELONA: Daytrips...

DAY TRIPS FROM BARCELONA:
If you have extra time or want to get out of the city for the day, I would highly recommend traveling around the Catalan district and take day trips. My favorite day trips from Barcelona include Girona/Figueres, Penedes Wine Country and Stiges. They are easy to get to too!

Girona/Figueres Daytrip Option 1: Girona is a small city located an hour northeast of Barcelona. It is rich in history, as it used to be inhabited by the Iberians and has transformed into civilized, Catalan town with abundant culture. After stopping in Girona, head about 20 minutes north to Figueres, notably known for the Dali Museum. The Dali Museum makes this stop worthwhile, as it is hands-down one of my favorite museums I have been too (along with the Musee d’Orsay in Paris). I definitely recommend going if you have time.

Stiges Daytrip Option 2: If you are looking for the beach scenery and experience, head southwest of Barcelona to my favorite beach community called Stiges. Stiges has picturesque beaches with that small coastal town feel.

Penedes Daytrip Option 3: I would only visit Penedes if you have extra time and truly enjoy wine tasting. Penedes is located southwest of Barcelona and is known as the wine-making region of Catalonia. It is divided into two regions- Alt Penedes and Baix Penede. Alt Penedes is higher in altitude and warmer in temperature, allowing for a vast variety of grapes to be grown. Baix Penedes consists of the low-lying plains of this area. If you do want to go wine tasting, I would highly recommend you take a tour. I went with the Spanish Trails Tourist office. It was the best experience. Charles and Tracy are the owners, who are Americans who have been living the life in Barcelona. They are amazing. Their shop is located off of Las Ramblas by the restaurant Los Caracoles. The address to Spanish Trails Adventure (spanish-trails.com) is c/ Vidre 7, Bajos 308002, Barcelona. If you want to get in touch with them, they can also be reached at reservations@spanish-trails.com or by phone at +34 93 500 1616. Even if you don’t want to go on this tour, I would stop by their shop because they are a wealth of information as they have lived there for years!