I will be in barcelona for five days and would like to take a fun day trip to a nearby town. we would like to see a town that is small and interesting without all of the cathedrals. my choices are montserrat, sitges, girona or costa brava. need your help on this one.

When we were in Barcelona we took a trip to Collioure on the French coast just above Spain. It's a wonderful little town with great restaurants and scenery. Henri Mattisse lived there for part of his life.

In February we went to Barcelona...we also explored Sitges & then headed north to the Costa Brava.
I'd vote for Costa Brava......we found a great place to stay....with terrific views, reasonably priced....90 euro
Hotel Sant Pol.
www.hotelsantpol.com

Enjoy Spain!!

Montserrat is a magnificent monastery perched high up in the mountains outside Barcelona. There's plenty to see - old church, the 'black madonna', as well as the views from the top - they are spectacular. It's reached by train from Placa de Catyluna and takes approx 1 hour to get there.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...1570XluzPHXmRH

Montserrat is all that Gavan says above, and it is easy to reach by train. However, if you are looking for "a town that is small and interesting without all of the cathedrals", then it does not fit the bill. It is not a town at all, and of course it does have the basilica.

I'd vote for Costa Brava or Girona. Costa Brava is really nice but I'd reccommend you taking a car to get there. Girona has a very beautiful old town and you can get there by train (it takes one hour approximately).

Girona is a lovely city and the old Jewish ghetto is worth seeing, with its museum...However, if yu have a car, go to Cadaques...Dali's town and visit his home...mind-blowing. There is also theb Dali museum in Figueras...but Cadaques is a small oceanside town, charming.
Stu

All your options are very interesting but why don't you try Vic.
It's an historic town (30.000 people) in the heart of Catalonia. Its old area is quite interesting and it has the most beautiful square in Catalonia. There is an interesting market on saturdays.
You can reach Vic by train from Sants or Plaça Catalunya (1 and a half hours).

Another vote for Montserrat and its excellent art museum.

I would go for Giorna; it's a very beautiful destination and check this link for not expensive hotels: http://www.olotels.com/en/index.html
hope you have fun (ps you should also consider visiting Castelldefels - 20km away from Barcelona; check this out for other super destinations: http://www.olotels.com/olo/oloengine...istancelist=50