For a day trip from Barcelona, pack a small day bag with water, sun protection, a light layer, a charged phone, ID and money for lunch, which is not included on any private tour. Wear walking shoes with grip, then add one or two items for the route: covered shoulders at Montserrat, swimwear on the boat days.
Key takeaways
- The vehicle is reserved for your group all day, so you only carry what you need between stops.
- Comfortable shoes with grip matter most: Montserrat has mountain paths, Girona has cobbles and stone stairs, and Tarragona has uneven Roman ground.
- Montserrat Monastery and Basilica is a place of worship, so covered shoulders and knees are the sensible choice there.
- The two boat days, Tossa de Mar and the Medes Islands, have time by the sea, so swimwear, a small towel and something warm for the boat are worth packing.
- Food and drinks are not included on any private tour. Budget for lunch and carry a card or some cash.
- Keep passports, wallets and phones with you. Bulky things like a spare jumper or beach bag can usually wait in the vehicle, but valuables should not.
Why packing for a private day trip is a little different
A private day trip is a long day of short walks, time in a vehicle and stops with different ground and dress expectations. Seven of the eight private day trips from Barcelona run 10 or 11 hours. Essential Montserrat: Landscape, History and Spirituality is the only 5-hour one.
Because the vehicle and guide are reserved for your group, you do not need to carry everything on your back all day. You step out at each stop with a small bag and return to the same vehicle afterwards. That changes the question from "what can I carry for 10 hours" to "what do I need for the next stop".
It also means the pace can flex, though the core route stays close to the listed one. Specific requests can be sent before booking.
The day bag: what to bring on a private tour from Barcelona
This is the base list for every route. Add the route-specific items from the sections further down.
Essentials for every route
- Water. A refillable bottle per person. Long days with walking stops make it easy to forget to drink.
- Sun protection. Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat or cap. Many stops are open-air.
- A light layer. A thin jumper, fleece or packable jacket. Montserrat sits much higher than Barcelona, boat decks are breezy, and winery cellars are underground.
- Phone and a power bank. A phone that dies by mid-afternoon is a nuisance on a 10-hour day.
- Payment. A card and a little cash for lunch, coffee, snacks, souvenirs and anything optional.
- ID. Your passport or national ID card. It is good practice to carry one when travelling, and you may be asked for it.
- Small personal items. Tissues, hand gel, lip balm, any medication you take during the day, and plasters for anyone in new shoes.
Bag size
A small backpack or crossbody bag works best in narrow streets, museum rooms and on a boat. One small bag per person, or one shared bag for a couple, is plenty.
Food, drink and money for extras
Food and drinks are not included on any private tour. On a 10 or 11-hour day there is normally a lunch stop, and you pay for your own meal. Plan a lunch budget per person and carry a card and some cash for it.
Snacks for the drive are useful, especially with children. Gratuities are optional.
Route by route: what to pack for each private day trip
The table below shows what to pack for a day trip from Barcelona on each of the eight private routes, with the duration and the price for the whole group.
| Route | Hours | Price per group of up to 6 | What to pack specifically |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential Montserrat: Landscape, History and Spirituality | 5h | €835 per group of up to 6 | Shoes with grip for the trail, a warm layer, covered shoulders for the Basilica |
| Montserrat and Boutique Wineries: a Sensor Journey | 10h | €855 per group of up to 6 | Layers for the mountain and the underground cellars, walking shoes, lunch money |
| Montserrat, Girona and Costa Brava Private Tour | 11h | €845 per group of up to 6 | Layers for mountain and coast, covered shoulders, sunglasses, a phone charger |
| Medieval Girona and Dali Museum in Figueres | 10h | €825 per group of up to 6 | Cushioned shoes for cobbles and stairs, a small bag for the museum |
| Medieval Girona and Costa Brava | 10h | €850 per group of up to 6 | Cobble-friendly shoes, a hat and sunscreen for Pals and the coast |
| Costa Brava, Tossa de Mar and Panoramic Boat Ride | 10h | €865 per group of up to 6 | Swimwear, a small towel, a windproof layer for the boat, sandals |
| The Roman and Greek heritage of Costa Brava with Panoramic Boat Ride | 10h | €875 per group of up to 6 | Hat for the open Empuries ruins, swimwear, a towel, a layer for the boat |
| Roman Tarragona and Mediterranean Sitges | 10h | €865 per group of up to 6 | Sturdy shoes for Roman ground, a hat, water, optional swimwear for Sitges |
Every price above is for the whole private group of up to 6, with the vehicle, the guide and hotel pick-up in Barcelona.
What to wear to Montserrat
Montserrat appears on three private day trips: Essential Montserrat: Landscape, History and Spirituality, Montserrat and Boutique Wineries: a Sensor Journey, and the Montserrat, Girona and Costa Brava Private Tour. The stops include Montserrat Natural Park, the Montserrat Monastery and Basilica and, on the 5-hour route, the Black Madonna (La Moreneta), a scenic walking trail and an optional stop at the Holy Cave.
Covered shoulders for the Basilica
The Basilica is an active place of worship. Covered shoulders and knees are the respectful and sensible choice. A simple approach is to wear a T-shirt and trousers or a skirt to the knee, or to carry a light scarf or shirt you can put on at the door. It is the same idea that applies inside Sagrada Familia, and a light scarf solves it in seconds.
What shoes for Montserrat
Wear closed walking shoes or trainers with a good sole. The paths around the monastery and the trail in the natural park include slopes, steps and stone surfaces that can be slippery when damp. Flip-flops and smooth-soled fashion shoes are the ones to leave behind.
Layers for the mountain
Montserrat is much higher than central Barcelona, and it often feels cooler and windier, especially early in the day or outside summer. A light fleece or packable jacket that folds into your bag covers most days. In cooler months, add a warmer layer and consider a light waterproof.
Motion on mountain roads
The road up to Montserrat winds around the mountain. If anyone in your group gets car sick, eat a light breakfast, keep water handy and bring whatever motion-sickness remedy usually works for you. Because the vehicle is reserved for your group, the person who feels it most can usually take a seat facing forward with a view of the road.
The winery stop
On Montserrat and Boutique Wineries: a Sensor Journey, the afternoon is spent at a family-run boutique winery in Penedes, including its underground cellars. Cellars are cool, so keep that layer with you after the mountain. If you would like to buy a bottle, keep some space in a bag that can stay in the vehicle.
What to wear in Girona
Girona is on three private routes: Medieval Girona and Dali Museum in Figueres, Medieval Girona and Costa Brava, and the Montserrat, Girona and Costa Brava Private Tour. The walk covers the old town, The Call (the Jewish Quarter), Girona Cathedral and the Onyar River.
Cobbles and stairs
The old town is built on a slope. Expect cobbled lanes, stone stairs and narrow passages, including the steps up to Girona Cathedral. Cushioned walking shoes or trainers are the best choice. Heels and thin-soled sandals make the walk harder than it needs to be.
If someone finds stairs difficult, mention it before booking.
Dress for the cathedral
Girona Cathedral is a working church, so the same advice as Montserrat applies: covered shoulders or a scarf to hand.
The Dali Theatre-Museum day
On Medieval Girona and Dali Museum in Figueres, the entrance to the Dali Theatre-Museum in Figueres is included. Inside, you move through busy rooms and up and down between levels. Travel light: a small bag, your phone and a layer you can tie round your waist. Large bags are awkward in crowded galleries, and anything bulky is better left in the vehicle. Check the museum's own rules on bags and photography on the day.
Pals and Calella de Palafrugell
On Medieval Girona and Costa Brava, the afternoon moves to the medieval village of Pals and the seaside at Calella de Palafrugell. Pals has more uneven stone streets, so keep the same shoes on. Calella is by the water, so sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat earn their place in the bag.
Costa Brava day trip: what to bring
Two private day trips include a boat ride. Both run 10 hours with hotel pick-up in Barcelona.
Costa Brava, Tossa de Mar and Panoramic Boat Ride
Costa Brava, Tossa de Mar and Panoramic Boat Ride stops at Lloret de Mar, takes a panoramic boat from Lloret de Mar to Tossa de Mar, includes beach time, and finishes at Sant Feliu de Guixols before the return to Barcelona.
Pack for three settings on one day: a boat deck, a beach and a medieval walled town. That means:
- Swimwear, worn under your clothes or packed in a small bag
- A quick-dry towel
- Sandals or water shoes for the beach, plus walking shoes for the old town of Tossa de Mar
- A windproof layer for the boat, which can feel cool even on a warm day
- Sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses with a strap or a case
- A small waterproof pouch or zip bag for your phone
The Roman and Greek heritage of Costa Brava with Panoramic Boat Ride
The Roman and Greek heritage of Costa Brava with Panoramic Boat Ride starts with a guided walk of the Empuries ruins, continues to Sant Marti d'Empuries, then takes a panoramic boat ride to the Medes Islands and includes time to swim in a Mediterranean cove.
The Empuries site is open ground with little shade, so a hat, sunscreen and water matter most in the morning. The boat and cove later in the day call for the same kit as the Tossa route: swimwear, a towel, a layer for the boat and somewhere dry for the phone. For help choosing between the two coastal routes, the comparison of Tossa de Mar and Empuries sets them side by side.
Do you need a swimsuit for a Costa Brava day trip?
On the two boat routes, yes, if anyone in your group might want to swim. Both itineraries include time by the sea: beach time near Tossa de Mar and a swim in a Mediterranean cove on the Empuries day, weather permitting.
On the Medieval Girona and Costa Brava and Montserrat, Girona and Costa Brava routes, the coast is more about viewpoints and seaside villages. Swimwear is optional there.
Seasickness on the boat
If anyone gets seasick, eat lightly beforehand, bring your usual remedy and sit on the open deck looking at the horizon. Sea conditions vary from day to day.
Roman Tarragona and Sitges: what to pack
Roman Tarragona and Mediterranean Sitges runs 10 hours and includes entrance to the Roman Amphitheatre and the Roman Circus. The stops are Les Ferreres Aqueduct (Devil's Bridge), the Roman Forum of Tarragona, the Roman Circus, the Roman Amphitheatre and the Balcony of the Mediterranean, then Sitges old town and waterfront and San Sebastian Beach.
Shoes and sun for the Roman sites
Roman sites mean old stone, uneven steps and open ground. Wear sturdy shoes with grip. The amphitheatre and the aqueduct are exposed to the sun, so a hat, sunscreen and water are the priorities. The tunnels of the Roman Circus are shaded and cooler, a welcome change in summer.
A beach bag for Sitges
The afternoon in Sitges ends at the waterfront and San Sebastian Beach. A swim is not a fixed part of the day, but some travellers like to bring swimwear and a towel in case there is time to paddle. If not, sandals for the promenade are enough.
Packing for kids and seniors
Children
For children, the long drive and the long day are the main things to plan for. Pack snacks and drinks, as food is not included, plus a small entertainment kit for the vehicle, a spare set of clothes on the boat days, and children's sunscreen and hats. If you need a child seat, mention it before booking so it can be discussed. A lightweight stroller can help in Sitges or along a seafront, but in Girona's old town and on Montserrat's trails, steps make a carrier more practical for small children.
Seniors and anyone who walks slowly
For older travellers, comfortable shoes and a light layer matter most. A folding walking stick can help on Girona's stairs and Montserrat's slopes. Bring any regular medication in your day bag rather than leaving it in the vehicle. The pace can flex on a private tour, so there is time to sit down and rest between stops. Send any mobility details before booking so the day can be planned with them in mind.
Seasons: how packing changes through the year
A day that starts in Barcelona can end on a mountain or a boat, so pack for a range of conditions.
- Summer. Expect strong sun and heat on the open-air stops. Pack extra water, sunscreen, a hat and light, breathable clothes, plus a layer for the boat and the mountain. The guide to a Barcelona private tour in summer covers heat and crowds in more detail.
- Spring and autumn. These are mild, changeable seasons. Mornings at Montserrat can be cool and afternoons on the coast can be warm. Layers are the answer, with a light waterproof in your bag.
- Winter. Expect cooler days, especially at altitude, and the possibility of rain. Pack a warm jacket, a hat for Montserrat and waterproof shoes. Boat rides and swimming depend on the weather and sea, so check the plan with your guide.
Check the forecast for each place on your route the evening before, not just Barcelona.
What can stay in the vehicle reserved for your group?
Because the vehicle is reserved for your group for the whole day, you can travel lighter between stops. Items that people commonly leave in the vehicle while they walk include:
- A spare jumper or jacket
- A beach bag with towels after the boat ride
- Water bottles and snacks for the drive
- Shopping bags and any bottles of wine bought at the winery
Keep valuables with you at every stop: passports, wallets, cards, cash, phones, cameras and medication. If you are not sure whether to bring something on a walk, ask your guide.
How pick-up works on the day
Every private day trip collects your group from a hotel or apartment in Barcelona in a vehicle reserved for you, and brings you back there at the end. The address is confirmed when you book, and the pick-up time is agreed before the day.
Pack the day bag the night before, charge phones overnight and be ready a few minutes before the agreed time with your booking confirmation on your phone.
If your plans change, a free cancellation or a free date change is possible up to 96 hours before the tour starts, on every tour. A no-show is not refunded. Refunds go back to the original payment method within a few business days.
Conclusion
The best packing list for a private day trip from Barcelona is short. Start with a small day bag, comfortable shoes with grip, water, sun protection, a light layer, ID and a card or cash for lunch. Then add what the route asks for: covered shoulders and a warm layer at Montserrat, cushioned shoes for Girona's cobbles, swimwear and a boat layer for Tossa de Mar and the Medes Islands, and a hat for Tarragona's Roman sites. Leave bulky things in the vehicle and keep valuables with you.
When you have picked a route, each tour page has a Book this tour form. If you have questions about what to bring, the pace or a request for the day, send a message on WhatsApp to +34 632 93 79 41 or write to [email protected] before booking.
