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Day-trips from Barcelona are easy and popular, particularly up or down the coast to one of the beach resorts that city dwellers have appropriated for themselves. The best coastal destination is Sitges , forty minutes south along the Costa Daurada, though there are plenty of other traditional beach bolt-holes closer to the city, like Castelldefels (on the way to Sitges) or those of the Costa Maresme to the north - all connected to Barcelona by very frequent train services that run throughout the summer. Further north still are the resorts of the Costa Brava, though these are rather too far from the city to be considered as day-trips. In any case, the southernmost Costa Brava resorts, closest to Barcelona, are also the least appealing. If you want some sand and sun, stick to Sitges. Otherwise, the one essential excursion is to Montserrat , the extraordinary mountain and monastery 40km northwest of the city. Montserrat warrants a full day (possibly even an overnight stop), which can include the short journey on to the little-visited town of Manresa , further north. If Barcelona's varied church architecture inspired you, there are a couple more towns in the same general direction - Sant Cugat del Valles and Terrassa - which retain fine medieval examples. The other route out of the city, due west, leads through the wine-producing towns of Sant Sadurni d'Anoia and Vilafranca del Penedes , both of which can be seen in a pleasant day's excursion with enough time for a wine-tasting tour. With more time and the inclination you could also see something of Barcelona's neighbouring Catalan towns and be back in the city the same day. To the south of Barcelona, beyond Sitges, lies Tarragona and its Roman sites; to the north, inland from the coast, are found medieval Girona and the renowned Dali museum at Figueres. For details of how to get to each town, see the relevant "Practicalities" sections; each account also includes full accommodation and service information, if you feel like spending a night away from Barcelona.
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