Route in Spain by car from Barcelona – photo, description, map
On the Mediterranean coast there are many large and small, famous and not so, luxurious and modest resort towns. Among all this diversity, Barcelona stands apart. Bright, controversial, proud and, of course, unusually atmospheric. This is a city of geniuses, unrecognized and recognized talents, and, of course, art lovers. A city that can rightfully be called the resort capital of the Mediterranean. However, even with all this diversity and splendor, sometimes you want to travel around Spain by car, starting the route from Barcelona and discovering every day more and more new corners of Catalonia and beyond.
How to get to Barcelona
The easiest and fastest way to get to Barcelona is by plane. Every day, at least 10 regular flights from Russia arrive at El Prat International Airport. In addition, you can consider options with transplants. You can find the cheapest and most convenient option and book tickets on the Aviasales website. Other ways are railway and bus. In both cases, you will have to get from Moscow to Paris, and then make a transfer. It is worth noting right away that such a journey will take a lot of time.
Where to stay in Barcelona
Barcelona is a big city, and there are hotels of different star ratings, from luxury to economy class, in almost every area. There are more than 200 of them in total. And this is not taking into account the numerous apartments, hostels and campsites. And, despite this, during the season, places must be booked in advance. A distinctive feature of the Barcelona fives is that design hotels and so-called “boutiques” are often found among them. Even here, the love of art, typical of the Catalan capital, could not be avoided. By the way, not always traditional – among such hotels there are often avant-garde ones. As for the price, it varies – from 200-300 euros per day for a double room in luxury hotels in the central part of the city to 5-10 for a “bed” in hostels. Here, as they say, everyone chooses for themselves. Fortunately, there is something.
Car rental in Barcelona
If you are planning to travel around Spain on your own, it is most convenient to do this by renting a car – there are many companies in Barcelona that provide such services. Managers, as a rule, are ready to communicate with clients in advance, book a car for specific dates at their request, and even deliver it to the airport by the specified time. Protom payment for this will be purely symbolic. But it's better to find out in advance where to look for parking during trips – in Spain they are not cheap and spontaneity in this matter can be very expensive, in the truest sense of the word.
Sights of Barcelona
How to get started in Barcelona? This question, probably, will not be answered even by experienced travelers who have visited it more than once. Someone prefers to walk along the noisy and always busy Rambla, someone prefers to look at it from the height of the Columbus monument, someone prefers to admire the legendary Sagrada Familia, someone prefers to enjoy the silence (yes, this is possible even despite the presence of hundreds of tourists) Park Güell… There are a lot of sights in Barcelona that have become its symbol. But still, despite the rather diverse “mast see” collage, you still have to single out something important for yourself. If you answer the question – where to go in Barcelona, if there is only an hour to explore it, it will probably still be Rambla. Why? Because it is as controversial as the Catalan capital.
At first glance – cheerful and carefree. But one has only to peer into the sad faces of living sculptures, turn right (if you walk from Plaza Catalunya towards the embankment) and find yourself in the Boqueria market, colorful and devoid of any metropolitan flair, turn left, go a few blocks and stumble upon the Cathedral, which serves as a residence archbishop and built back in the 15th century (although it began even earlier – in the 13th century), it becomes clear that the Rambla, like Barcelona itself, is much deeper. One involuntarily recalls the lines of the Russian poet N. Rylenkov “Here it is not enough to hear, here you need to listen attentively… It is not enough to see here, here you need to peer…”. This is about her – the central pedestrian street of Barcelona.
If there is something in the world that is contradictory, ambiguous, but invariably captivating and amazing (in terms of architecture, of course), then this is the Sagrada Familia, or as it is also called the Sagrada Familia. It is truly unique – it is a building that keeps the memory of many historical events (construction began in 1882) and at the same time sounds in unison with modernity, linking eras and generations with an invisible thread. It should be noted that this is the only case in the history of architecture when an unfinished long-term construction (completion dates have already been postponed more than once and are currently scheduled for 2026), which attracts millions of tourists and is wildly popular.
And, finally, in order to understand Barcelona, it is impossible to bypass the famous Camp Nou stadium. Football for the capital of Catalonia is like a second air, and there is nothing surprising in the fact that your favorite team is treated with awe and respect. It is no coincidence that the slogan “More than a club” flaunts on the podium. During the tour, guests can sit in the stands, visit the commentator's cabin and go to the edge of the field. And, of course, get acquainted with the museum exposition. Of course, these are not all the sights of Barcelona. The Olympic Park, the houses of Batllo and Mila, the Park Güell, the magnificent old port, the Picasso Museum, the mysterious Gothic quarter… You can go on for quite some time and what you have time to see depends solely on the availability of time. There is enough interesting stuff here for more than one week.
How to save money in Barcelona?
Everyone knows that Barcelona is an expensive city. If there is an opportunity to save, then why not take advantage of it?
Sagrada Familia Fast
Track Ticket Parc Güell
Entrance Ticket Ticket to Casa Batlló and Video Guide
Hola BCN: ticket for total transport for 2,3,4 or 5 days
PortAventura Park
Ticket and Transfers PortAventura and Ferrari Land
Tickets Ticket for Tibidabo Amusement Park Skip
-the-line ticket with audio guide to Casa Mila
Hop-on hop-off 1 or 2 day tour of Barcelona
Barcelona – Lloret de Mar – Girona – Vila Sacra
Having decided to go on an independent auto tour from Barcelona, many tourists first of all go to the sides of Lloret de Mar. Moreover, in one day you can have time to visit several interesting cities at once. Having overcome literally 70 kilometers, travelers find themselves in a completely different reality. Despite the popularity of the resort, a calm, peaceful atmosphere reigns here. In addition, there are quite a few attractions in Lloret de Mar – San Juan Castle, located on the coast and which has become the hallmark of the entire Costa Brava, the romantic chapel of St. Christina, the patroness of the city, the gardens of St. Clotilde and others. For those who decide to spend the night in Lloret de Mar, the town opens up from a completely different side. With the sunset, it seems to come to life and the streets, which seemed quiet and calm during the day, turn into one big party. You can roam between the bars until dawn. The main thing is not to overdo it with cocktails, especially if you have plans to go further in the morning.
The next stop for many travelers is Girona, which is only 35 kilometers away. It is often called the immortal city (over the years of its existence, the city fortress managed to withstand 25 sieges, and this is really a lot!), Spanish Florence and even the city of Salvador Dali (although the museum dedicated to him is not located here, but in Firegas). Girona is not as famous and popular as its neighbor Barcelona, but no less beautiful. The best way to start your acquaintance with Girona is with a walk through the Old Town. Small colorful houses of the 17th century with multi-colored facades, located on the embankment of the Onyar River, invariably fascinate and remind of the affairs of bygone days (someone compares them with Florence – and there really is some similarity), and Catalunya Square, which looks like a wide bridge and connecting two shores, looks very unusual and even mysterious. And, of course, you can’t pass by the medieval Cathedral, the construction of which began back in the distant XIV century.
Vila Sacra is located just 20 kilometers from Girona. Why is it worth visiting this small cozy village? At least in order to breathe the air of the Spanish province, find out what the national cuisine is (not tourist-oriented, but really local!) And spend the night in a cozy hotel in order to go further to discover beautiful Spain with renewed vigor in the morning.
Vila Sacra – Empuriabrava – Besalu – Castelfiolite de la Roca
Curious tourists are unlikely to want to linger in Vila Sacra for a long time – a couple of hour evening walks will be enough to get around the entire village. Therefore, in the morning, after having a snack at the hotel, you can get ready for the journey – to the shores of the bohemian Empuriabrava. This resort town is often called the Spanish Venice. It is all “cut” by channels, their total length exceeds 35 kilometers – this is a world record. As in Venice, luxury villas have access to the water – locals often travel on yachts and boats. However, land transport can also be used to reach any point in Empuriabrava. In general, this is a very atmospheric town, a walk through which will surely give a lot of positive emotions and vivid impressions.
Of the attractions of the resort in the first place it is worth noting the beaches. Wide, sandy, almost endless… In fact, there are two of them – one is well-maintained, and the second is wild. Despite the popularity of Empuriabrava, there is enough space for everyone even at the height of the tourist season. But lovers of architectural masterpieces, this town is likely to disappoint. It is not old, and there are no attractions as such. But in medieval Besalu, the first mention of which dates back to the 10th century, there are enough of them. It would be more correct to say that the whole city is one continuous attraction. It is small in area, only 5 square kilometers, and you can get around all the nooks and crannies in 2-3 hours. City landmarks are the El Castel castle and the bridge over the El Fluvia river. However, not only they, but also every house, every alley reminds of the former greatness.
Having enjoyed the color of bygone days, you can go further. Just 15 kilometers from Besalu is the village of Castelfollit de la Roca, very famous far beyond the borders of Spain. It is amazing in the first place because it is located right in the rock. And it was built neither more nor less than in the distant Middle Ages. Hence – a very unusual architecture and many buildings worthy of attention. Among them, the church of San Salvador and the museum located next to it stand out. From the observation deck you can enjoy stunning panoramic views of the surroundings. In general, Castelfollit de la Roca is not just colorful – it seems to be lost in time. Walking along its narrow streets, you begin to believe that a brave knight in armor, or a lady in a chic lush dress, is about to appear around the corner. Fortunately, there are very few tourists here and the stories of the guides do not disturb this mysterious atmosphere. But no matter how beautiful the village in the mountains is, it is unlikely to interest inquisitive travelers for more than 2-3 hours. Therefore, in the evening you can return to Vila Sacra in order to continue the journey in the morning and see a completely different Spain – to the Pyrenees.
Vila Sacra – Seira, Pyrenees
From Vila Sacra to Seira is not so close – about 350 kilometers. However, the roads in Spain are good and the path can be easily covered in 4-4.5 hours. Why, having decided to visit the Pyrenees, is it worth staying here? First of all, because Seira is a very cozy, colorful village where you can get acquainted with national traditions and feel the special spirit of the Spanish province. Secondly, housing here is not expensive – for the price of a room in a three-star hotel in Barcelona, you can rent a two-story apartment with a mountain view. From the point of view of attractions, Seira is of no interest. They are simply not here. But the immediate surroundings deserve attention. The first place to go is the dam near the lake Estany De Cavallers. It is considered the most equipped and convenient for inspection. The building is indeed striking in its scale. In addition, dizzying views open up from the dam itself.
You can admire nature almost alone – getting to Estany De Cavallers is not so easy, you can do this only with your own transport. That is why there are not too many tourists here. In the dam area, there are simple places to rest (wooden tables and benches), but if you want to relax and have a picnic, then stock up on food in advance – there are no shops and other outlets here. Aiguestortes National Park is located near the lake. It is notable primarily for the fact that several routes for short trekking have been laid across the territory – the easiest one, designed for unprepared tourists, can be overcome in 2-3 hours. On the way there are swift mountain rivers, slopes rushing towards the clouds, almost abandoned bridges. Occasionally, somewhere in the distance you can see lonely houses. The landscapes are complemented by lonely walking cows with bells – almost alpine romance. Although the Pyrenean landscapes are not at all similar to the Alps. They are beautiful in their own way, bewitching and breathtaking.
Enjoying the beautiful, do not forget about returning home – from Aiguestortes to Seira is not so far, only 80 kilometers, but the road is quite difficult – a narrow serpentine. Therefore, it is better to overcome it before sunset.
Seira – Benasque
Just 22 kilometers from Seira is a place that is known to every lover of active winter recreation – the ski resort of Benasque. In winter, at the height of the season, there is literally “no place for an apple to fall”. But in the summer in a small town with a population of 2000 people, as if lost among the Pyrenean peaks, it is calm and quiet. There are several trekking routes of varying difficulty in the vicinity – designed for both amateurs and professionals who know a lot about hiking. The beauty of the surrounding landscapes amazes even seasoned travelers – glaciers, lakes, waterfalls… not a single photograph conveys all this grandeur and magnificence. Benasque is not only a modern ski resort. The city has a rather interesting history, so there is nothing surprising in the fact that there are many architectural sights on its streets. Among them are the palace of the Counts of Ribagorets, the houses of Casa Huste, Casa Faure and Casa Martial del Rio. As you can see, this place has always attracted representatives of the Spanish nobility. In addition, the Romanesque church of the XIII century Santa Maria Maggiore deserves attention.
The Seira-Benasque road is not too long, only 22 kilometers, but it is worth deviating just a few meters from the main route and you can find yourself in truly fabulous places. One of them is the dam at Presa de Benasque lake. By itself, it is closed to the public, but there is an observation deck nearby, which offers a beautiful panoramic view of the dam itself, a tunnel through the rock (they are quite common in the Pyrenees) and the lake. Another place that would be a real crime to drive past is Lake Escarpinosa and the Posets Maladeta Park, which is located in its vicinity. Many call it the most beautiful thing in the Pyrenees. In any case, lovers of nature and beautiful landscapes will not remain indifferent.
You can end this day by staying at one of the Benasque hotels (in summer, the prices for accommodation in the city are very attractive, since the resort is empty) or by returning to Seira – it will be more convenient to continue the journey from there.
Seira – Montserrat – Castelldefels
Of course, these are far from all the interesting places of the Pyrenees, but if you are limited in time, the “must see” route can be considered completed on this route. On the way to Barcelona there is an object that you simply cannot pass by. This is the spiritual center of Catalonia, the holy of holies for local residents and Catholics around the world – the monastery of Montserrat. It is known primarily for the fact that it is here that the statue of the Black Virgin of Montserrat is located. The history of the monastery began over 1000 years ago. Since then, and to this day, it is considered to be active, however, now there are not too many monks, no more than 20 people. The monastery has a small museum where you can learn about the affairs of bygone days. In terms of architecture, the monastery of Montserrat is interesting primarily because that it was almost completely rebuilt in the 19th century with the participation of the famous and controversial architect Antonio Gaudí. His ideas, connected with the unity of man and infinite harmony, here he embodied really very successfully.
Montserrat Monastery is located in a very picturesque place. Several trekking routes have been laid in its vicinity – for the convenience of tourists, there are signs everywhere, so you won’t get lost for sure. In addition, they pass through the most picturesque places and are designed for tourists with different levels of physical fitness – even those who are “on you” will cope with the conquest of the simplest ones.
How much time do you plan to visit Montserrat Monastery? A few hours is enough for someone, and someone is ready to stay here forever. For those who decide to stay and spend the night, there is a hotel near the monastery. True, the prices here are not low, tourist prices.
Having completed your acquaintance with the monastery and having breathed enough of the air of the monastery, you can return to the coast. Back to Barcelona? Of course, you can do that, but there are still many beautiful places in Catalonia where you can end up in the end. For example, a tiny and very cozy town of Castelldefels. It is known, first of all, for its endlessly long beach – a great place to put the final point and say goodbye to beautiful Spain. In addition, there are a huge number of restaurants with a wide variety of cuisines – from national Catalan to Japanese. Seafood dishes are considered a local “highlight”. If you are lucky enough to get to Castfeldefels in July or October, then you can become a participant in a pirate feast or a chestnut festival, the fame of these events “spreads” throughout Catalonia.
Of course, this is not the only “Spanish” route that you can take to travel by car from Barcelona. Catalonia and neighboring regions are rich in sights, natural parks and all sorts of interesting places. Spain is many-sided, colorful and invariably hospitable. It opens to each traveler in its own way, but every tourist will certainly leave a piece of his soul here.