{"id":89093,"date":"2019-08-10T20:12:38","date_gmt":"2019-08-11T03:12:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/?p=89093"},"modified":"2023-05-07T15:14:31","modified_gmt":"2023-05-07T22:14:31","slug":"exploring-barcelona-by-car-barcelona-day-trips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/exploring-barcelona-by-car-barcelona-day-trips\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring Barcelona by Car &#8211; Barcelona Day Trips"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Exploring Barcelona by Car &#8211; For several years now, I&#8217;ve been hearing about what a wonderful place Barcelona is to visit.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;d only been to Madrid before, and it was a dazzling experience.<\/p>\n<p>Still, when I kept hearing about Barcelona, I decided that a trip there was essential.<\/p>\n<p>I had heard not only about the delights of the city but also the many sites in the surrounding region that were not to be missed.<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s when I had the idea of exploring Barcelona by car.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_89720\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-89720\" style=\"width: 815px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-89720\" src=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Exploring-Barcelona-by-Car.jpg\" alt=\"Exploring Barcelona by Car\" width=\"825\" height=\"550\" srcset=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Exploring-Barcelona-by-Car.jpg 825w, https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Exploring-Barcelona-by-Car-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Exploring-Barcelona-by-Car-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 825px) 100vw, 825px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-89720\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Exploring Barcelona by Car<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/exploring-barcelona-by-car-barcelona-day-trips\/#Exploring_Barcelona_by_Car\" title=\"Exploring Barcelona by Car\">Exploring Barcelona by Car<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/exploring-barcelona-by-car-barcelona-day-trips\/#Explore_Barcelona_by_Car\" title=\"Explore Barcelona by Car\">Explore Barcelona by Car<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/exploring-barcelona-by-car-barcelona-day-trips\/#Eixample\" title=\"Eixample\">Eixample<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/exploring-barcelona-by-car-barcelona-day-trips\/#Barcelona_Museums\" title=\"Barcelona Museums\">Barcelona Museums<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/exploring-barcelona-by-car-barcelona-day-trips\/#Montjuic\" title=\"Montju\u00efc\">Montju\u00efc<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/exploring-barcelona-by-car-barcelona-day-trips\/#Barcelonas_La_Rambla\" title=\"Barcelona&#8217;s La Rambla\">Barcelona&#8217;s La Rambla<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/exploring-barcelona-by-car-barcelona-day-trips\/#Tossa_de_Mar\" title=\"Tossa de Mar\">Tossa de Mar<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/exploring-barcelona-by-car-barcelona-day-trips\/#Pyrenees_Mountains\" title=\"Pyrenees Mountains\">Pyrenees Mountains<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/exploring-barcelona-by-car-barcelona-day-trips\/#Barcelona_Day_Trips\" title=\"Barcelona Day Trips\">Barcelona Day Trips<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/exploring-barcelona-by-car-barcelona-day-trips\/#Driving_Barcelona\" title=\"Driving Barcelona\">Driving Barcelona<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Exploring_Barcelona_by_Car\"><\/span>Exploring Barcelona by Car<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Driving around Barcelona can be challenging, but if you are prepared for it, it&#8217;s a lot of fun.<\/p>\n<p>Renting a car is inexpensive and easy, and as long as you are committed to defensive driving and have some patience, there&#8217;s really no reason not to try it.<\/p>\n<p>I rented my car from the Barcelona Airport Rental Cars.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s true that you may not need a car for seeing much of the Catalonian capital.<\/p>\n<p>Parking can be hard to come by, especially in certain quarters of <a href=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/barcelona-vs-madrid-which-do-you-prefer\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Barcelona<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>A determined driver can always find a spot to leave their car.<\/p>\n<p>Just be willing to do a bit of walking in case you have to park farther away than you&#8217;d like.<\/p>\n<p>When I asked myself, &#8220;Should I drive in Barcelona?&#8221; I wasn&#8217;t sure what the answer would be.<\/p>\n<p>Then, I started looking more closely at all of the things there are to see and do in the area.<\/p>\n<p>Suddenly, numerous Barcelona day trips became priorities on my itinerary.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_23064\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23064\" style=\"width: 426px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23064\" src=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/as-we-travel-barelona1.jpg\" alt=\"Barcelona Spain Why You Must Visit VIDEO\" width=\"436\" height=\"281\" srcset=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/as-we-travel-barelona1.jpg 436w, https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/as-we-travel-barelona1-300x193.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 436px) 100vw, 436px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-23064\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Barcelona Spain Why You Must Visit VIDEO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Explore_Barcelona_by_Car\"><\/span>Explore Barcelona by Car<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>With just a day trip, I was able to venture out to the Costa Brava and the Costa Daurada to the north and south of the city.<\/p>\n<p>Ancient, intact villages and stunning stretches of coastline were my rewards.<\/p>\n<p>I even had the time to visit the Pyrenees Mountains and the famous ancient monastery Montserrat.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m getting ahead of myself.<\/p>\n<p>Before I could explore Barcelona by car, I needed to know more about the city and its history.<\/p>\n<p>This is something I do before all of my trips to new places.<\/p>\n<p>I find that reading about the destination before I get there just makes the journey much more rewarding.<\/p>\n<p>Barcelona is a wonderful four-season destination thanks to its relatively mild climate.<\/p>\n<p>True, it can be pretty hot and humid in the summer, but fall, winter and spring are all fairly comfortable times to get out to do some exploring.<\/p>\n<p>Summer can work too, especially if you&#8217;re inclined toward lying on the beach and checking out the air-conditioned museums.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_34697\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34697\" style=\"width: 483px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-34697\" src=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/Screen-Shot-2012-07-15-at-10.30.38-AM1.png\" alt=\"Barcelona Spain City Guide\" width=\"493\" height=\"330\" srcset=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/Screen-Shot-2012-07-15-at-10.30.38-AM1.png 493w, https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/Screen-Shot-2012-07-15-at-10.30.38-AM1-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 493px) 100vw, 493px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-34697\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Barcelona Spain City Guide<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>There are three million inhabitants in Barcelona, but that number swells when the tourists are in town.<\/p>\n<p>With approximately eight million visitors every year, you&#8217;re bound to run into other tourists.<\/p>\n<p>I don&#8217;t mind that, but I also like to visit places that the locals frequent.<\/p>\n<p>It gives me a much more genuine experience of Barcelona.<\/p>\n<p>Barcelona&#8217;s history is long and complex, dating back to the first century BCE when it was established by Romans.<\/p>\n<p>Since then, the city has seen plenty of booms and declines.<\/p>\n<p>Evidence of the historical booms are clear in the Gothic Quarter, and the 20th century was a time of tremendous renewal throughout the city.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Eixample\"><\/span>Eixample<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>One of the most distinctive neighborhoods in the city is Eixample, where you can see amazing examples of buildings in the Catalan art nouveau style.<\/p>\n<p>The restoration of democracy in 1978 brought back the Catalan language.<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the city would host the 1992 Summer Olympics and undergo even more modernization.<\/p>\n<p>Within the city, there are many well-known sites.<\/p>\n<p>The Barri Gotic, or Gothic Quarter, is filled with fascinating sights like the ruins of the temple to Augustus that was built by the Romans.<\/p>\n<p>This is also the place where you&#8217;ll find a cathedral and the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.museuhistoria.bcn.es\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Museu d&#8217;Hist\u00f2ria de Barcelona<\/a> as well as the Call Jueu, the ancient Jewish Quarter.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Barcelona_Museums\"><\/span>Barcelona Museums<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The Museu Picasso is another can&#8217;t-miss attraction.<\/p>\n<p>Barcelona is where Picasso lived during key moments of his development as an artist.<\/p>\n<p>He was an apprentice here, and he was strongly influenced by the city.<\/p>\n<p>The idea for the museum was first put forth by Picasso himself through his secretary Jaume Sabartes.<\/p>\n<p>In 1963, the museum opened with Sabartes&#8217; personal collection of Picasso works forming the majority of the collection.<\/p>\n<p>It has expanded considerably now, and the museum is considered to possess one of the best collections of Picasso&#8217;s work.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Montjuic\"><\/span>Montju\u00efc<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you&#8217;re interested in the Olympics, funiculars and castles, then Montju\u00efc is a destination you shouldn&#8217;t miss.<\/p>\n<p>Just getting there is half the fun.<\/p>\n<p>You&#8217;ll travel by cable car and funicular to get to the top of the mountain.<\/p>\n<p>Here, I toured <a href=\"http:\/\/ajuntament.barcelona.cat\/castelldemontjuic\/ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Montjuic Castle<\/a> and the Joan Miro Foundation where I fell in love with this Catalan artist&#8217;s work.<\/p>\n<p>I also caught glimpses of the village and swimming facilities that were built for the 1992 Summer Olympics.<\/p>\n<p>Many of my favorite memories are of Barcelona&#8217;s La Rambla.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_16255\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16255\" style=\"width: 290px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16255\" src=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/Weekend-Barcelona1.jpg\" alt=\"Weekend In Barcelona\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-16255\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Weekend In Barcelona<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Barcelonas_La_Rambla\"><\/span>Barcelona&#8217;s La Rambla<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>I started my journey at the Mercat de la Boqueria in the early morning.<\/p>\n<p>The delicious smells of the fresh food and produce were unforgettable, and the breakfast I enjoyed was remarkable.<\/p>\n<p>It also was fun to see the top chefs in the city bargaining for the raw ingredients that would make up the eclectic menus for the day at their restaurants.<\/p>\n<p>From there, I strolled toward the Gran Teatre Opera House.<\/p>\n<p>It was impossible not to be affected by the color, charm and bustle of the heart of the city.<\/p>\n<p>Street performers are found all along the boulevard, and exploring the many shops and restaurants is an essential part of the experience.<\/p>\n<p>The first of the Barcelona day trips that I took was to Tossa de Mar.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tossa_de_Mar\"><\/span>Tossa de Mar<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This Costa Brava resort village is really second-to-none.<\/p>\n<p>Costa Brava, which translates to Rugged Coast, arguably features some of the most beautiful scenery in all of the Mediterranean.<\/p>\n<p>As I was driving, I had to stop frequently to take pictures or just enjoy the awe-inspiring views.<\/p>\n<p>I fell in love at first sight with Tossa de Mar.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s tiny, but it is so completely and beautifully preserved that a trip there is like stepping back in time.<\/p>\n<p>It was actually a little hard to believe that this is still a working, living village and not an incredibly well-done living history museum.<\/p>\n<p>I wandered in and out of shops, took pictures and enjoyed a hearty lunch of Catalan delicacies.<\/p>\n<p>After that, I drove down to the small, crescent-shaped beach for even more gorgeous views.<\/p>\n<p>I had the time, so I took a short boat trip to see more of the spectacular coastline.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pyrenees_Mountains\"><\/span>Pyrenees Mountains<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>On another day, I took a drive to the Pyrenees Mountains.<\/p>\n<p>They really are a breathtaking sight, and the journey there is a big part of the fun.<\/p>\n<p>I got an early morning start so that I would have plenty of time to explore.<\/p>\n<p>Three gorgeous villages can be visited along the way.<\/p>\n<p>First, I encountered Vich, then Ripoll and then Camprodon.<\/p>\n<p>Each one is a bit smaller and more contained than the last but no less charming.<\/p>\n<p>If you have the time, I recommend finding a little time for each.<\/p>\n<p>Hiking and skiing are two of the most popular activities in this part of the Pyrenees.<\/p>\n<p>I wasn&#8217;t prepared for skiing, but I am always up for a hike.<\/p>\n<p>With my hiking boots, I was ready for even the most rugged of trails.<\/p>\n<p>It was a memorable day, one that I still look back on as one of the best on my Barcelona vacation, and it was all possible because I rented a car.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_34688\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34688\" style=\"width: 479px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-34688\" src=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Screen-Shot-2012-07-15-at-10.00.07-AM1.jpg\" alt=\"Things To Do In Barcelona\" width=\"489\" height=\"306\" srcset=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Screen-Shot-2012-07-15-at-10.00.07-AM1.jpg 489w, https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Screen-Shot-2012-07-15-at-10.00.07-AM1-300x188.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 489px) 100vw, 489px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-34688\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Things To Do In Barcelona<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Barcelona_Day_Trips\"><\/span>Barcelona Day Trips<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Other Barcelona day trips included visits to villages like Calella de Palafrugell, the fishing village Cadaques and Figueres.<\/p>\n<p>That village is notable because it is the birthplace of Salvador Dali.<\/p>\n<p>A wonderful museum there commemorates his life and work in a distinctive way.<\/p>\n<p>Visit the Old Quarter and cathedral too to get a feeling for the more ancient past of this village.<\/p>\n<p>To the northwest of Barcelona is the historic monastery known as Montserrat.<\/p>\n<p>With a name that translates to &#8220;Saw-toothed mountain,&#8221; you can be certain of seeing some rugged and spectacular scenery.<\/p>\n<p>That was a day that was filled with awe-inspiring sights.<\/p>\n<div class=\"mv-video-target mv-video-id-lv9l3zpzx6f03lcakq7a\" data-video-id=\"lv9l3zpzx6f03lcakq7a\" data-volume=\"70\" data-sticky=\"1\" data-autoplay=\"1\" data-disable-optimize=\"1\"><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Driving_Barcelona\"><\/span>Driving Barcelona<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you&#8217;ve never been to Barcelona and are wondering, &#8220;Should I drive in Barcelona?&#8221; the answer is an unqualified yes.<\/p>\n<p>The day trips in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.barcelona.cat\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">area<\/a> are outstanding, and you may find it helpful to drive within the city too.<\/p>\n<p>Exploring Barcelona by car is an authentic experience that lets you live life like the locals.<\/p>\n<p>While it&#8217;s true that driving around Barcelona may be stressful from time-to-time, the ease and affordability of renting a car and having it at your disposal simply can&#8217;t be beat.<\/p>\n<p>I can&#8217;t imagine going there again without renting a car to enjoy all of those glorious day trips.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/pros-cons-driving-versus-flying\/\">Pros and Cons of Driving vs Flying<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Exploring Barcelona by Car &#8211; For several years now, I&#8217;ve been hearing about what a wonderful place Barcelona is to visit. I&#8217;d only been to Madrid before, and it was a dazzling experience. Still, when I kept hearing about Barcelona, &#8230; <a title=\"Exploring Barcelona by Car &#8211; Barcelona Day Trips\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/exploring-barcelona-by-car-barcelona-day-trips\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Exploring Barcelona by Car &#8211; Barcelona Day Trips\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":89720,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89093"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89093"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89093\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89720"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89093"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89093"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aswetravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89093"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}