# Cerca de Tarragona

From Tarragona you head out in three directions. Along the coast to the north, Sitges, the Garraf and the Penedès cava cellars; inland, via Reus, Siurana, the Priorat and Prades; to the south, Peñíscola and the Matarraña, and for two nights, the Pyrenees of Lleida and Andorra.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/tarragona/getaways

## Planes de un día
- [Photos on an empty Punta, museums and xató](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/sitges/itineraries/carrer-den-bosch-sant-sebastia-sitges.md) (46 min en coche): By train from Barcelona: a photo session through the old town and along the shore while nobody is around, the Americano mansions, Cau Ferrat, a guided visit to the Palau de Maricel and xató opposite the Punta.
- [Sitges: seafront promenade and rice](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/sitges/itineraries/sitges-promenade-and-rice.md) (46 min en coche): The seafront promenade from end to end, the old town of the Punta and the Cau Ferrat, and a rice dish facing the sea. By train from Barcelona, without thinking about parking.
- [Codorníu: cellars by train and lunch in the tower](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/penedes/itineraries/codorniu-cava-cellars-by-train-sant-sadurni.md) (52 min en coche): Puig i Cadafalch's Modernista cellars toured by underground train, the village cava centre and lunch in the estate's tower. 45 minutes from Barcelona, by train too.
- [Penedès: cava and a table among the vines](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/penedes/itineraries/penedes-cava-and-vineyard-lunch.md) (52 min en coche): A morning in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia to understand cava, a winery visit with a tasting and a long lunch with the vines in front of you. Best by train: that way nobody drives.
- [Penedès: a walk through the vines and an aperitif at the winery](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/penedes/itineraries/penedes-wine-walk-and-aperitif-from-barcelona.md) (52 min en coche): The Camí del Vi in Vilafranca, flat between the vines, then wine and tapas at aperitif time on the terrace of a family-run winery in Sant Sadurní. Home by mid-afternoon.
- [Siurana: cliff, ledge and reservoir](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/siurana/itineraries/siurana-cliff-trona-path-and-reservoir-kayak.md) (56 min en coche): Catalonia's last Andalusi stronghold on a cliff, a ledge cut into the rock, lunch inside the village and an hour's kayaking beneath the crag. An hour from Tarragona.
- [Priorat: autumn vineyards by 4x4](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/siurana/itineraries/vineyards-by-4x4-and-autumn-tasting.md) (56 min en coche): A guided off-road route among vines that turn yellow and red in autumn, with a cheese and wine tasting at a Garnacha estate, and Siurana at midday. An hour from Tarragona.
- [Devinssi, Buil & Giné and Cal Llop](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/priorat/itineraries/two-wineries-and-a-night-in-gratallops.md) (1 h en coche): You head out to the vineyard with Devinssi, taste five wines and walk the Buil & Giné estate, have lunch at its restaurant, finish at a Priorat-only wine bar and sleep in Gratallops. Not on Wednesdays.
- [Garraf: coves and rice by the sea](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/garraf-coves/itineraries/garraf-coves-and-rice.md) (1 h 2 en coche): A tiny village at the foot of the cliffs, the beach of the huts, a path above the sea and a rice dish to finish. Half an hour from Barcelona by train.
- [Prades: red town and Roca Foradada](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/prades/itineraries/prades-red-village-and-roca-foradada-from-tarragona.md) (1 h 3 en coche): A hermitage tucked into a cave, an old town of red stone with its globe-shaped fountain, an inn lunch and a short walk to a natural arch. An hour from Tarragona and from Lleida.
- [Peñíscola: film route, castle and boat](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/peniscola/itineraries/film-route-and-boat-to-irta.md) (1 h 25 en coche): The tourist-office film route through the Game of Thrones and El Cid stops, the castle of Papa Luna, rice in the old town and an hour and a half by boat along the Irta coast.
- [Montserrat: horse, table and rack railway](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/montserrat/itineraries/horse-riding-lunch-and-rack-railway.md) (1 h 25 en coche): A horse ride in western style at the foot of Montserrat, Catalan lunch in Marganell and an afternoon at the sanctuary, going up on the rack railway from Monistrol Vila.
- [Peñíscola: castle, boat and rice](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/peniscola/itineraries/papa-luna-castle-boat-and-rice.md) (1 h 25 en coche): The Templar castle first thing, the old town and the Bufador, half an hour on a little boat around the rock and rice at Casa Jaime, an hour from Castellón.
- [Caldes de Montbui: Roman baths and a thermal soak](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/caldes-de-montbui/itineraries/roman-baths-and-el-safareig-soak.md) (1 h 25 en coche): The fountain that spouts water at 74 °C, the Roman baths with a guided visit, Catalan food at Robert de Nola and an hour of thermal bathing for €8. Half an hour from Barcelona.
- [Montserrat: cable car and Sant Jeroni](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/montserrat/itineraries/montserrat-cable-car-and-sant-jeroni-from-manresa.md) (1 h 27 en coche): The 1930 cable car up to the monastery, the Sant Joan funicular and a two-and-a-half-hour circuit to the roof of Montserrat, with a buffet and the basilica afterwards. Half an hour from Manresa.
- [Montserrat: flat path and mató](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/montserrat/itineraries/montserrat-flat-path-and-mato.md) (1 h 27 en coche): Go up by rack railway, walk early to the Sant Miquel viewpoint, hear the Escolania and buy mató with honey at the farmers' market.
- [Valderrobres and the Parrizal](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/aragon/valderrobres-and-matarrana/itineraries/sunday-in-valderrobres-castle-and-parrizal.md) (1 h 55 en coche): Valderrobres castle and church with a guide, the bridge over the Matarraña, a grilled lunch at El Salt and the Parrizal walkways to the Estrechos. 1 h 49 from Zaragoza.
- [Vic: square, cured meats and inn](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/vic/itineraries/vic-square-and-inn.md) (1 h 57 en coche): A morning on foot through Vic's Plaça Major and old town, the medieval museum, lunch of Osona cooking and the cathedral painted by Sert before heading back.
- [Berga: viewpoints and a mountain table](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/berga/itineraries/berga-easy-walk-and-lunch.md) (1 h 58 en coche): A morning of effortless viewpoints beside the Queralt sanctuary, a long lunch of Berguedà cooking and coffee in the old town. You are home before dinner.
- [Berguedà by motorbike: Coll de la Creueta and a mountain table](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/berga/itineraries/bergueda-motorbike-route.md) (1 h 58 en coche): A hundred kilometres of bends between Berga and a pass at almost 1,900 metres, with stops at La Pobla de Lillet and Castellar de n'Hug, and an inn lunch on the way back.

## In the middle of the Catalan coast

Tarragona sits in the middle of the Catalan coast, and almost everything around it is reached by three roads. The AP-7 north takes you in under an hour to [Sitges](/en/spain/catalonia/sitges), the [Garraf](/en/spain/catalonia/garraf-coves) and the [Penedès](/en/spain/catalonia/penedes), with Vilafranca and Sant Sadurní d'Anoia among the vines; carrying on past Martorell you reach [Montserrat](/en/spain/catalonia/montserrat) and, inland, [Caldes de Montbui](/en/spain/catalonia/caldes-de-montbui), [Vic](/en/spain/catalonia/vic) and [Berga](/en/spain/catalonia/berga). The same AP-7 heading south drops down to [Peñíscola](/en/spain/valencian-community/peniscola), already in Castellón.

The third way out is inland, through Reus. From there the winding roads climb into the Camp mountains: to Cornudella de Montsant and the crag of [Siurana](/en/spain/catalonia/siurana), in the Priorat, and to [Prades](/en/spain/catalonia/prades), at 950 metres. Further west, via Gandesa, you enter Aragon and the Matarraña of [Valderrobres](/en/spain/aragon/valderrobres-and-matarrana). For the Pyrenees and Andorra the road goes up towards Lleida or along the C-14 towards La Seu d'Urgell.

Without a car, the way out is the coastal train. Regional services towards Barcelona reach Sitges, and at Sant Vicenç de Calders you can change to the Rodalies R4, which stops at Vilafranca and Sant Sadurní, so the whole Penedès can be done without driving. Siurana, Prades and the Matarraña need a car.

## Sitges, the cava cellars and Siurana fit in without an early start

**Under an hour away** are Sitges (46 minutes), the Penedès cava cellars (52) and Siurana (56). These are the Sundays that fit without an early start: the seafront promenade and the Cau Ferrat, a visit with a tasting at Sant Sadurní or the Moorish castle above the reservoir.

The landscape changes **between one hour and an hour and a half**. A little over an hour away are the village of Garraf with its beach huts (62) and Prades (63), the nearest cool mountain range; at 85 minutes, Peñíscola and the hot springs of Caldes de Montbui, and at 87, Montserrat, with two ways up: by the [Aeri and funicular to Sant Jeroni](/en/spain/catalonia/montserrat/itineraries/montserrat-cable-car-and-sant-jeroni-from-manresa) or by the [rack railway to the Sant Miquel viewpoint](/en/spain/catalonia/montserrat/itineraries/montserrat-flat-path-and-mato).

**Between an hour and a half and two hours** the day gets tighter: Valderrobres and the Parrizal footbridges (115), Vic (117), Berga and the [motorbike route to the Coll de la Creueta](/en/spain/catalonia/berga/itineraries/bergueda-motorbike-route) (118), and the Montseny (123). Here a night away starts to pay off, and the Matarraña has one: [Valderrobres and Beceite in two nights](/en/spain/aragon/valderrobres-and-matarrana/itineraries/matarranya-valderrobres-beceite-weekend).

Beyond **two hours**, it is a weekend trip. The [Ripollès, its monasteries and Núria](/en/spain/catalonia/ripoll/itineraries/ripolles-romanesque-monasteries-and-nuria) are 143 minutes away; [Besalú and the Garrotxa](/en/spain/catalonia/besalu/itineraries/besalu-garrotxa-one-night-balloon), 157; [Alquézar and its canyons](/en/spain/aragon/alquezar/itineraries/alquezar-canyoning-walkways-somontano-wine) and [Rupit and the Collsacabra](/en/spain/catalonia/rupit/itineraries/rupit-collsacabra-cliffs-one-night), 160, and the [medieval Empordà from Peratallada](/en/spain/catalonia/peratallada/itineraries/medieval-weekend-peratallada-emporda), 166. A little further, [Aínsa and Añisclo](/en/spain/aragon/ainsa-and-sobrarbe/itineraries/ainsa-anisclo-canyoning-weekend), just over three hours.

## To the snow, with two nights

In winter you go to the snow with two nights away: the [Cerdanya](/en/spain/catalonia/cerdanya/itineraries/cerdanya-ski-weekend-from-barcelona), 165 minutes away, is the closest; [Grandvalira](/en/andorra/grandvalira/itineraries/grandvalira-ski-weekend-from-lleida) is a little over three hours away, and the [Vall de Boí, with Romanesque churches and a spa](/en/spain/catalonia/boi-valley/itineraries/ski-romanesque-spa-weekend-vall-de-boi), and [Baqueira](/en/spain/catalonia/aran-valley/itineraries/baqueira-ski-weekend-from-lleida), three and a half hours. For a cold Sunday without snow, the hot baths of [Caldes de Montbui](/en/spain/catalonia/caldes-de-montbui/itineraries/roman-baths-and-el-safareig-soak).

In spring and early autumn the coast is at its best: Sitges and Garraf without the August crowds, and the [stroll among the vines with an aperitif in the Penedès](/en/spain/catalonia/penedes/itineraries/penedes-wine-walk-and-aperitif-from-barcelona). It is also the best time for Peñíscola and the [Sierra de Irta](/en/spain/valencian-community/peniscola/itineraries/peniscola-sierra-de-irta-weekend), 85 minutes away.

In summer it pays to climb or get wet. Prades, at 950 metres, is the cool spot of the Camp de Tarragona, and on the Siurana reservoir you can paddle beneath the cliff. Sitges, Garraf, Montserrat by the Aeri and Caldes are not recommended in July and August.

In October and November the Priorat vineyards turn yellow and red: it is the time for the [Sunday in a 4x4 among the vines with a tasting](/en/spain/catalonia/siurana/itineraries/vineyards-by-4x4-and-autumn-tasting). Further afield, two hours away, the beech woods and mushrooms of the [Montseny in autumn](/en/spain/catalonia/montseny/itineraries/montseny-autumn-mushrooms-beech-forest).

## A starry night in Prades

- **Without a car, in a day:** [the Codorníu cava cellars by train](/en/spain/catalonia/penedes/itineraries/codorniu-cava-cellars-by-train-sant-sadurni). Regional train to Sant Vicenç de Calders and the R4 to Sant Sadurní, the Modernista cellars toured on an underground train and lunch in the estate's tower.
- **With one night:** [Prades and its starry night](/en/spain/catalonia/prades/itineraries/prades-night-of-stars-from-tarragona). 63 minutes away, the red village, the Roca Foradada, a telescope session and the climb up the Baltasana in the morning.
- **With two nights:** [Siurana and the Priorat](/en/spain/catalonia/siurana/itineraries/siurana-priorat-weekend-vineyards-reservoir). 56 minutes away via Reus and Cornudella, for the Camí de la Trona, the reservoir by kayak and the vineyards by 4x4 without watching the clock.