Have a look at these quick day trips ideas from Barcelona. Discover the most beautiful beach towns near Barcelona!
Cadaques is one of the most beautiful coastal towns in Catalonia.
Cadaques
A classic, Cadaques is one of the most famous coastal destinations among well-off Catalans. It’s a small fisherman’s town that became a cultural mecca.
Clearly one of the most picturesque coastal towns near Barcelona, Cadaques is also known for its connection with Salvador Dali.
RELATED: Top 5 Painless Day Trips From Barcelona (Using Public Transport)
The great Salvador Dali had a house in nearby Port Lligat, which you should visit (nowadays the Salvador Dali Portlligat House museum).
Is Cadaques Worth Visiting?
Cadaques is magical. But don’t expect wide beaches or tropical palms. Popular since the 60s, Cadaques used to be one of the most bohemian places in Spain. Dali’s presence attracted numerous intellectuals and artists that changed Cadaques vibe forever.
One of the main reasons why Cadaques remained so exclusive is because it’s relatively far away from Barcelona; it takes about 2h 15min by car, but there are also direct buses.
I’d recommend taking 2 or 3 days and combining it with a visit to Girona (a fantastic medieval old town located 1h from Barcelona), then Figueres (located just 45min from Girona and boasting the Dali Museum), and then finally Cadaques (45min from Girona).
Tossa de Mar
A picturesque beach town not far from Lloret de Mar and Barcelona, Tossa de Mar is well-connected to Barcelona and even directly from the airport.
The main sight in town is the coastal fortified medieval castle dating from the 12th century AD (the only one in Catalonia) and the wide white beach, is also uncommon for this area.
Calella de Palafrugell
Without any doubt, Calella de Palafrugell is one of the most beautiful beach towns near Barcelona.
Calella is a rather off-the-beaten-path destination, yet relatively popular among well-off local Catalans.
Forget about wide sandy beaches, and come here for tricky little rocky “cales“.
Sitges
A popular town not far away from Barcelona, perfectly reachable by train or bus from Barcelona in less than 1h.
Sitges is one of the best coastal beach locations near Barcelona and a great place to go for a day trip from Barcelona, even if you need to use public transportation.
Also, you might want to know that Sitges is also famous for being of the gay capitals in Spain, so it’s a friendly hangout place for the LGBT+ community.
Garraf
This tiny village with a port (Port de Garraf) on the way to Sitges is a beautiful stop on the course to Sitges.
Garraf offers a couple of restaurants, bars, and even a shop but you may want to come prepared.
The train station was inaugurated in 1881 and it links Garraf to Barcelona, Sitges, and beyond.
