If you decide to enjoy a stay in the city of Barcelona, we are sure that the only thing you will not find in its streets and avenues will be boredom. It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve been to Barcelona: the Catalan capital always has a new proposal or a new corner with which to surprise you. Beyond its spectacular modernist buildings, its enormous gastronomic offer, the pleasant beaches of Barcelona or its interesting museums, this city is a permanent invitation to experience new emotions.
However, you should not lose sight of another of the great attractions of this destination: its proximity to other interesting places in Catalonia that will also make you fall in love. So that you can discover some of the most beautiful without spending too much time behind the wheel, today we tell you what to visit 80 km from Barcelona city. Are you ready to live a different adventure on your next trip?
OLÈRDOLA (55 KM)
If you decide to enjoy a stay in the city of Barcelona, we are sure that the only thing you will not find in its streets and avenues will be boredom. It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve been to Barcelona: the Catalan capital always has a new proposal or a new corner with which to surprise you. Beyond its spectacular modernist buildings, its enormous gastronomic offer, the pleasant beaches of Barcelona or its interesting museums, this city is a permanent invitation to experience new emotions.
However, you should not lose sight of another of the great attractions of this destination: its proximity to other interesting places in Catalonia that will also make you fall in love. So that you can discover some of the most beautiful without spending too much time behind the wheel, today we tell you what to visit 80 km from Barcelona city. Are you ready to live a different adventure on your next trip?
Olèrdola (55 km)
This town in the Alt Penedès region will delight art and archaeology lovers. On the hill of Sant Miquel – located at an altitude of 358 m and on one of the buttresses of the massif of Garraf, in the south of the municipality – the magnificent historical site of Olèrdola unfolds. Although the oldest finds correspond to the beginning of the Bronze Age (2000-1800 BC), you can also admire vestiges from the pre-Iberian, Iberian, Roman and early medieval periods.
Towards the end of the 2nd century BC, the Romans established a military camp there to control the Via Herculae, later known as the Via Augusta. For this purpose, they built an imposing wall next to an older one, with towers with a quadrangular plan. The great cistern excavated in the rock and the watchtower at the highest point of the enclosure, where a castle was built in the Middle Ages, also correspond to this period. Also worthy of your attention are the church of Sant Miquel (992), in pre-Romanesque style, and a curious necropolis with anthropomorphic tombs. The small museum in the area will also help you to better understand the evolution of Olèrdola.
A tip: if you want to taste the most typical dishes of Barcelona in an authentic atmosphere, you can book a table at the Masia Segarrulls restaurant (road to Olèrdola Castle, km 1).
EL PONT DE VILOMARA I ROCAFORT (61 KM)
We encourage you to calmly discover a town in the region of Bages ideal for hiking trail lovers. In addition to the ruins of Rocafort Castle, this municipality also has some unique buildings: some extraordinary dry-stone vats in which wine was produced next to the vineyards. These unique buildings date from the 18th and 19th centuries and testify to the importance of wine in this corner of central Catalonia. In addition, since November 2018, this construction technique has been on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
And that’s not all: just a few kilometers from El Pont de Vilomara i Rocafort, two of Barcelona’s most picturesque medieval towns await you: Mura and Talamanca. Get your camera ready!
HOSTALRIC (61 KM)
We are now going to the Girona region of La Selva to take you closer to another jewel that you must see: Hostalric. This charming town, dominated by a military fortress, still has many medieval buildings. Its main attractions include the Frares tower, the Convent tower, the walls, the Barcelona gateway, the Relliguer cave and the fortress, also known as Hostalric castle. In the Torre del Convent, there is an exhibition room dedicated to Benet Frigola i Arnau, a photographer who has been working in Hostalric since 1920 and who has left an extensive legacy. On 13 December 1963, the architectural complex was declared a historical monument of national interest.
CALAFELL (63 KM)
Although we have already mentioned this village in Tarragona on our post about what to see in the Costa Daurada, we believe it is necessary to talk about it again. This municipality has 5 km of fine sand beaches, formed by three beaches: Calafell, 1 km long and located in a town with all the services; L’Estany Mas Mel, ideal for water sports, and Segur de Calafell, which has a small port. Likewise, on the outskirts of the town you can visit the castle and the Iberian Citadel of Calafell, an archaeological site excavated in 1980, the oldest remains of which date from the 6th century BC. A few years ago, the disappeared Iberian constructions were rebuilt, which makes this site an excellent option to familiarize yourself with Tarragona’s past.
CAPELLADES (65 KM)
We return to the province of Barcelona, specifically in the Anoia region, to visit an old industrial town with a complete tourist and cultural offer: Capellades. Among the enclaves you cannot miss, the Capellades pond, in the center of the town, and the Abric Romaní, a prehistoric park discovered in 1909 by Amador Romaní and which testifies to the presence of hominids between 72,000 BC and 30,000 BC, are worth mentioning. Traces of dwellings and a tree carved by the Neanderthals 56,000 years ago have been identified there.
You can also visit the Museu Molí Paperer de Capellades, which opens its doors in an old paper mill from the 18th century. Walking through its facilities, you will discover the traditional system of paper production. You can even take part in a workshop where you can make your own handmade paper. What do you think?
VIC (71 KM)
The capital of the Osona region of Barcelona, Vic, is another place you can comfortably visit if you stay in our rental apartments in Barcelona. It’s worth it, because it has one of the most beautiful medieval sites in Catalonia, which include the cathedral, the arcaded Plaça Major and a Roman temple, originally from the second century AD and discovered in 1882. After the discovery, its reconstruction was promoted and it was opened to the public (you can access its interior for free, where exhibitions are usually organized). In 1931, it was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest.
As remarkable events, we advise you to attend the Mercat del Ram, which is held annually just before Easter, and the Mercat Medieval de Vic, an open-air market that takes place in early December.
BLANES (71 KM)
We close our particular journey by stopping at the coastal town of Blanes, in Girona, the gateway to the Costa Brava. Once there, stroll through the Jardí Botànic Marimurtra, which is home to more than 4,000 types of plants, and the no less fascinating Jardí Botànic Pinya de Rosa. Of course, you can also go to Sant Joan Castle, at the highest point of the municipality, and attend the Festa Major, in honor of Saint Anne and Saint Joachim. These make room for the Focs de Blanes, a fireworks display show that brings together more than 500,000 people on the last weekend in July.
What do you think of this list? If you want to extend it with other suggestions of day trips that are less than 80 km away from Barcelona, don’t hesitate to write to us: we’ll be happy to read your recommendations.
¿Qué te parece esta lista? Si quieres ampliarla con otras sugerencias sobre qué visitar a 80 km de Barcelona o menos, no dudes en escribirnos: estaremos encantados de leer tus recomendaciones.
MORE INTERESTING STUFF
Holiday apartments by the beach in Barcelona
Since 2010, Lugaris Apartaments has been offering you the best holiday rental flats in Barcelona, perfect for a family holiday, with friends or as a couple, or for medium-term stays.
You can choose between apartments near the beach in Barcelona, at Lugaris Beach, with sea views, 2 swimming pools (one for adults and one for children) and capacity for up to 6 people, and the Lugaris Rambla flats, located on the Rambla de Poblenou and just 300 m from Bogatell beach, with a balcony or terrace of up to 22 m2 and ideal for couples or families and groups of up to 5 people. All our luxury flats in Barcelona are air-conditioned and equipped with all the appliances, furniture and bed linen you will need during your stay. They also have satellite TV and free high-speed Wi-Fi connection, as well as a safe and a 24-hour private security service.
What’s more, when you make your booking, you can reserve many other additional services: international press in your flat, parking space, transfer service to and from Barcelona airport, bicycle hire, supermarket shopping, museum, sports and show tickets, babysitting service and much more.
For more information, contact Lugaris Apartments without obligation.
