4 Days in Barcelona: The Day-Trip Itinerary
Four days from a Barcelona base covers the same spine as our 3-day plan , Montserrat, Girona plus Figueres, and Sitges, then adds Tarragona, whose Roman ruins earned UNESCO recognition and whose slower train genuinely beats the faster one. Everything runs by train except nothing on this plan; the rental car only shows up in the 5-day version .
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
- A Barcelona hotel near Sants for four early 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 |
| 4 | Tarragona | 45 min to 1.5h from Sants, slower train wins |
Day 1: Montserrat
Morning
FGC R5 from Placa Espanya, not Barcelona-Sants, reaches Monistrol de Montserrat in about an hour, then the Cremallera or Aeri cable car covers the final 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, the Black Madonna, and a marked mountain trail if the weather cooperates. Museu de Montserrat: Mon-Fri 10am-5:45pm, weekends 10am-6:45pm; visitor details sit on montserratvisita.com .
Evening
Back to Monistrol, FGC into the city, dinner in Barcelona.
Day 2: Girona and Figueres
Morning
Trains leave from Barcelona-Sants. Girona’s fast train takes about 40 minutes; morning in the old town, the cathedral, El Call, and the Onyar river houses.
Afternoon
Another 30 to 45 minutes to Figueres for the Dali Theatre-Museum , 18.50 EUR online, more at the door and again in peak summer.
Evening
Same rail line back to Sants, no backtracking. Combined fares run roughly 19 to 42 EUR for the day.
Day 3: Sitges
Morning
R2 Sud from Sants or Passeig de Gracia, 35 to 40 minutes, trains roughly every 20 minutes, 4 to 5 EUR each way. Beach and Modernisme old town in the morning.
Afternoon
A late seafront lunch, then wander the side streets for the town’s architectural streak, this is a genuine LGBTQ-friendly beach town, not just a sandy stop.
Evening
Frequent evening service back to Sants; no need to lock in one specific return train.
Day 4: Tarragona
Morning
Skip the fast AVE here and take the slower Rodalies regional train, 75 to 90 minutes, 7.50 to 9 EUR, it drops you directly in Tarragona’s historic center. The AVE is faster on paper but leaves you roughly 10km outside town; check both options on Renfe before booking.
Afternoon
Tarragona’s Roman amphitheater, circus, and forum earned UNESCO World Heritage status; a combined 5-site pass runs 15 EUR, or pay roughly 5 EUR per site individually. Half a day covers the main sites comfortably.
Evening
Train back to Sants; last services thin out earlier here than on the Sitges or Girona lines, so confirm the return schedule before you head out in the morning.
Why Take the Slower Train to Tarragona?
Because the destination is the old town itself, and the slower Rodalies regional train solves that directly by stopping inside it. The AVE shaves 30 to 45 minutes off the ride but adds a taxi or bus connection from a station roughly 10km out, which erases most of the time saved and adds a logistics step the regional train never requires.
Buy a paper map or screenshot Tarragona’s UNESCO site layout before you go; the amphitheater, circus, and forum sit at different points around the old town, and Roman-era streets do not follow a grid.