Best Day Trips from Sabadell
Sabadell makes a smart base for day trips. Its train stations link you to Barcelona and beyond, and the motorways run right past the city. Better still, every trip below fits into a single day. Some take just ten minutes by train. Others work best with a hire car. Hire a car with Discovercars. Not sure about trains? Read our guide on how to use trains in Spain. You can also check whether renting a car in Spain is worth it for your plans.
Barcelona
Start with the obvious choice. Barcelona sits only 37 to 45 minutes away by train, with services every 15 to 20 minutes. Book ahead for the Sagrada FamÃlia, GaudÃ’s unfinished basilica, because timed tickets sell out. Buy Sagrada FamÃlia tickets here. Then head to Park Güell for mosaic benches and city views. Tickets sell out there too, so reserve early. Buy Park Güell tickets here. Finish by wandering the lanes of the Gothic Quarter. Rodalies line R4 runs from Sabadell Centre to Plaça de Catalunya, and FGC line S2 serves the city too. Check Train Schedules and Buy Tickets on Omio.
Terrassa
Next, hop over to Terrassa. R4 trains take about ten minutes and run every 20 minutes. Start at the Seu d’Ègara, a complex of three churches dating back to the 5th century. Then visit the Masia Freixa, a modernist mansion with parabolic arches and rose gardens. After that, explore the mNACTEC, Catalonia’s national science and technology museum. It fills a former textile mill held up by 161 cast-iron columns. For more history, try the Castell Cartoixa de VallparadÃs. Check Train Schedules and Buy Tickets on Omio.
Sant Cugat del Vallès
Sant Cugat feels calm and leafy, yet it hides a medieval treasure. Take FGC line S2 from Sabadell towards Barcelona and hop off at Sant Cugat. Then walk to the Monestir de Sant Cugat, a fortified Benedictine abbey on Plaça d’Octavià . Its Romanesque cloister holds 144 carved capitals. Look up at the Gothic rose window too, which echoes the one at Notre-Dame. Guided tours run on Saturday mornings in Catalan, with Spanish on request. Book your place on the visit website. Check Train Schedules and Buy Tickets on Omio.
Montserrat
Montserrat’s jagged peaks make a dramatic escape. The mountain’s Benedictine abbey houses the Black Madonna, known as La Moreneta. Buy combined tickets for the train, cable car or rack railway, and monastery entry on the official Montserrat Visita platform. Driving takes about 50 minutes via Martorell, and free parking waits at the cable car station. If you are already in Spain, get directions. By train, ride to Barcelona, then take FGC line R5 from Plaça Espanya. Get off at Aeri de Montserrat for the cable car. Alternatively, stay on to Monistrol de Montserrat for the Cremallera rack railway. Check Train Schedules and Buy Tickets on Omio.
Sant Sadurnà d’Anoia
Cava fans should visit Sant Sadurnà d’Anoia, home to more than 80 cava producers. Tour CodornÃu, where Josep Puig i Cadafalch designed the modernist cellars between 1895 and 1915. A small electric train carries you through the underground tunnels. Tours fill up, so book ahead on the CodornÃu website. Meanwhile, Freixenet sits opposite the station, which makes it easy to visit too. The R4 train runs through Barcelona to Sant SadurnÃ, so allow around an hour and a half. Check Train Schedules and Buy Tickets on Omio. Drivers should nominate a non-drinking driver. If you are already in Spain, get directions. For more tips, read our guide on how to visit Spanish wineries.
Vic
Vic is a medieval treat in the hills of Osona. Its Plaça Major is the largest arcaded square in Catalonia. Then step inside the cathedral, where Josep Maria Sert painted huge murals. Next door, the Museu d’Art Medieval de Vic shows Romanesque and Gothic masterpieces. Don’t miss the Roman Temple, built in the 1st or 2nd century. Visit on a Tuesday or Saturday morning, when a market fills the square. The town is also famous for its cured meats. In December, a medieval market draws huge crowds. Plan to drive, as the trip takes about an hour. If you are already in Spain, get directions. See our list of towns with weekly markets for more ideas.
Girona
Girona is the longest trip, but it earns its place. Wander the old town to the Girona Cathedral. Then explore the Jewish Quarter, El Call, and snap the colourful houses along the Onyar river. Afterwards, walk the old city walls for rooftop views. By train, take the R4 to Barcelona Sants, then a Girona-bound service. Allow two to two and a half hours in total. Check Train Schedules and Buy Tickets on Omio. Drivers need about an hour and a quarter via the AP-7. If you are already in Spain, get directions. Torn between two Catalan cities? Read our Girona or Tarragona day trip guide.
Whichever trip you pick, start early and check train times the night before. For even more ideas, browse our list of towns near Barcelona worth visiting. Then return to Sabadell for tapas and a well-earned rest.