Montserrat

For Barcelona, check out Montserrat.

spend a few days there and go to Montserrat, Girona, Cadaqués or any other Costa Brava town for a day.

If you have time, do a daytrip to Montserrat. Take the R5 train from Placa de Espanya. Get off at the Aeri de Montserrat station and take the aerial cable car up. Explore. Ride the funiculars. Take the cog railroad back down to Monistrol de Monserrat station (NOT Monistrol-Vila) Best to buy tickets in advance.

if you have time you can go to Montserrat (near Barcelona) or Segovia/Toledo (near Madrid)

Montserrat was very cool, bring hiking shoes as there’s some neat trails you can do.

If you feel city fatigue, consider using one Barcelona day for a nature break (Montserrat is the classic, but Montseny is quieter). September is great for it.

Montserrat is the classic choice, but places like Montseny Natural Park offer a very different experience: more forest trails, less crowds, and a calmer atmosphere. April is actually a great time for it.

Toledo and Segovia from Madrid, Montserrat, Girona Figueres or Tarragona from Barcelona.

I LOVED visiting Montserrat just as a day trip from Barcelona. It felt like I was in another world.

I would love to do this again, but with the total solar eclipse coming up around the exact same dates in 2026, accommodation prices are going to be crazy. Still, if you ever get the chance to stay there overnight, definitely go for it.