3 Days in Barcelona: The Day-Trip Itinerary
Three days from a Barcelona base covers the two trips from our 2-day plan , Montserrat and the Girona-Figueres combo, then adds Sitges, a beach town 35 to 40 minutes south that needs nothing more than an R2 Sud ticket. No rental car anywhere on this plan. For a longer version, see the 5-day plan.
Book these before you go
- The FGC-plus-Cremallera combined ticket for Montserrat: book it online
- Dali Theatre-Museum entry for day two: check current Figueres tickets , cheaper online than at the door
- A Barcelona hotel near Sants for three easy morning departures: check rates on Booking.com
| Day | Trip | Distance / Train Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montserrat | 1 to 1.5h, FGC + Cremallera from Placa Espanya |
| 2 | Girona + Figueres | 40 min to Girona, another 30-45 min to Figueres |
| 3 | Sitges | 35 to 40 min, R2 Sud from Sants |
Day 1: Montserrat
Morning
FGC R5 from Placa Espanya, not Barcelona-Sants, reaches Monistrol de Montserrat in about an hour. The Cremallera rack railway or Aeri cable car covers the final steep climb in 5 to 15 minutes. Combined ticket: 15.90 EUR one-way, 28.80 EUR return, per current fares on the Cremallera de Montserrat site .
Afternoon
The basilica and the Black Madonna, La Moreneta, come first, then a marked trail across the massif if the weather holds. The Museu de Montserrat runs Mon-Fri 10am-5:45pm, weekends 10am-6:45pm; the monastery’s own visitor information sits on montserratvisita.com .
Evening
Back down to Monistrol, FGC train into the city, dinner in Barcelona.
Day 2: Girona and Figueres
Morning
Trains leave from Barcelona-Sants this time, a different station than yesterday. Girona’s fast train takes about 40 minutes; spend the morning in the old town, the cathedral, El Call, and the pastel houses along the Onyar.
Afternoon
Continue 30 to 45 minutes to Figueres for the Dali Theatre-Museum , 18.50 EUR online, more at the door and again in peak summer. Give it at least two hours.
Evening
Both towns sit on the same line back to Barcelona-Sants, no backtracking. Combined day fares run roughly 19 to 42 EUR.
Is Montserrat or Girona the Better First Day Trip?
Neither beats the other outright, they solve different problems. Montserrat delivers dramatic mountain scenery and a working monastery within about 1.5 hours; Girona and Figueres deliver medieval streets and a genuinely strange art museum on one train line. Doing Montserrat first, as this plan does, front-loads the more physically demanding day while everyone’s energy is highest.
Day 3: Sitges
Morning
The R2 Sud line from Sants or Passeig de Gracia reaches Sitges in 35 to 40 minutes, trains running roughly every 20 minutes, fares 4 to 5 EUR each way. Spend the morning on the beach or wandering the old town’s Modernisme facades.
Afternoon
Sitges built its reputation on more than sand: the town has a major LGBTQ-friendly scene and hosts one of Spain’s best-known Carnival celebrations each February. A late lunch on the seafront promenade is the easy call.
Evening
Last train back to Barcelona-Sants; Sitges runs frequent enough service that you are not locked into a single evening departure.
Is Sitges Worth a Full Day or Just a Half Day?
A half day covers the beach and the old town comfortably, which is exactly why it slots in as day three after two more demanding trips. Stretch it to a full day if the Carnival dates line up with your visit, or if a Modernisme architecture crawl through the side streets is your specific interest.
Check the R2 Sud timetable before your last Sitges train; weekend evening frequency drops compared to weekday service, and missing one means a longer wait than you would expect for a 35-minute ride.