Vic Holidays: Cathedral, Museums and Catalan Day Trips
Província de Barcelona · Catalonia · Spain · 39,844 residents
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Museum of Leather Artistry. A. Colomer Munmany Collection.jpg/500px-023_Casa_Comella%2C_c._Jacint_Verdaguer_1_(Vic).jpg)
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Museu Episcopal de Vic
Castell dels MontcadaVic is an inland Catalan town of around 40,000 people, sitting at 490 metres in the Província de Barcelona, and it rewards travellers who come for culture rather than beaches. Its heart is compact: Vic Cathedral, the Museu Episcopal de Vic with its medieval art, the Episcopal Palace and Palau Comella all lie within a few minutes' walk of one another. Getting here from the United Kingdom is simple, with direct flights into Girona, Barcelona and Reus, and Girona just 26 miles away. Summers are warm, winters are crisp and dry, and the surrounding towns of Ripoll, Olot and Manresa make easy day trips.
Why go
- Vic Cathedral and the Museu Episcopal de Vic sit within a short stroll of each other.
- Girona airport, with direct flights from the United Kingdom, is only about 37 minutes' drive away.
- December and January are the driest months, with just three or four rainy days on average.
Top sights in Vic
Cathedral, Museums and Old Castles
Vic Cathedral, the town's Roman Catholic cathedral, is the headline sight and lies barely an eighth of a mile from the centre. Close by is the Museu Episcopal de Vic, a museum of medieval art, and the Episcopal Palace, both within a quarter of a mile, so a single morning covers the core of the old town.
For something more unusual, the Museum of Leather Artistry, home to the A. Colomer Munmany Collection, is around a fifth of a mile away and works well for families. Palau Comella, a palace right in the centre, and Castell dels Montcada, a listed castle, add to the walk, while Castell d'en Planes sits about 0.6 miles out.
Tours and tickets for Vic and the surrounding area can be booked directly on this page.
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Museum of Leather Artistry. A. Colomer Munmany Collection
In the centre · Photo
Leather museum in Vic, Catalonia,Spain
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Museu Episcopal de Vic
In the centre · Photo
Episcopal Museum in Vic, Catalonia (Spain), Museum of Medieval Art.
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6palaceEpiscopal Palace of Vic
In the centre · Photo
Castell d'en Planes
castle · 1 mile from the centre
Tours & tickets in Vic
Guided tours, day trips and tickets in and around Vic can be booked in advance, priced in GBP.
See tours & tickets (opens GetYourGuide in a new tab)Where to stay in Vic
Staying in a Compact Inland Town
Vic is not on the coast, so the choice is really about how close you want to be to the old town. Almost every sight, from the cathedral to the Episcopal Palace, lies within a quarter of a mile of the centre, which makes a central base the most practical option for travellers without a car.
With a population of around 40,000, Vic is a working market town rather than a resort, so evenings are generally calmer than on the Costa Brava. Staying a little further out suits those with car hire who plan to explore Olot, Ripoll and the countryside. Live hotel prices are shown on this page.
Hire a car
The easiest way to reach Vic and the villages around it is a hire car from Girona (GRO), about 37 min away.
Best time to visit Vic
When to Visit Vic
- 12°CJan23 mm
- 15°CFeb46 mm
- 18°CMar50 mm
- 21°CApr69 mm
- 21°CMay115 mm
- 26°CJun125 mm
- 31°CJul51 mm
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- 25°CSept65 mm
- 22°COct59 mm
- 17°CNov25 mm
- 13°CDec13 mm
Highlighted months are the sweet spot for warm, dry weather.
April and September to October offer the most comfortable sightseeing weather, with highs of around 21 to 25°C. July and August are the hottest months, reaching 31 to 32°C, while minimum temperatures stay at a pleasant 18 to 19°C.
Late spring is the wettest period: May brings around 115 mm of rain over 16 days and June about 125 mm. Winter is the driest season, with only 13 mm in December, though highs of 12 to 13°C and lows near 2°C mean you will want a warm coat. As an inland town, Vic has no sea temperatures to consider.
Full monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12°C | 2°C | 23 mm | 8 h |
| Feb | 15°C | 3°C | 46 mm | 9 h |
| Mar | 18°C | 6°C | 50 mm | 10 h |
| Apr | 21°C | 7°C | 69 mm | 11 h |
| May | 21°C | 10°C | 115 mm | 12 h |
| Jun | 26°C | 15°C | 125 mm | 12 h |
| Jul | 31°C | 18°C | 51 mm | 13 h |
| Aug | 32°C | 19°C | 52 mm | 12 h |
| Sept | 25°C | 14°C | 65 mm | 10 h |
| Oct | 22°C | 12°C | 59 mm | 9 h |
| Nov | 17°C | 7°C | 25 mm | 8 h |
| Dec | 13°C | 2°C | 13 mm | 7 h |
Averages 2015–2024. Highlighted months are the sweet spot for warm, dry weather.
Getting there from the UK
Flights, Ferries and the Drive
Girona is the nearest airport, about 26 miles away and roughly 37 minutes by car, and it has direct flights from the United Kingdom. Barcelona airport, also served directly from the UK, is about 45 miles away, around an hour's drive. Reus, with direct UK flights too, is roughly 78 miles away, just under two hours by road.
The port of Barcelona, about 39 miles from Vic, has ferries to Palma, Alcúdia, Maó, Ciutadella and Ibiza, as well as to Italy and Morocco. Driving the whole way from Calais takes around 14 and a half hours.
By air
- Girona (GRO)26 miles, about 37 min by roaddirect flights from the UK
- Barcelona (BCN)45 miles, about 1 h 3 min by roaddirect flights from the UK
- Reus (REU)78 miles, about 1 h 51 min by roaddirect flights from the UK
By car and ferry
Driving from Calais takes roughly 14 h 30 min without stops. Nearest ferry ports: Barcelona (39 miles).
Vic is good for
Around Vic
Day Trips Around Vic
Ripoll, about 19 miles away, is the closest of the nearby towns, with Breda at 20 miles. Olot, a town of some 33,500 people, is around 21 miles off, and the small village of Santa Pau lies at 22 miles.
Heading towards the coast, Hostalric is about 23 miles away and La Roca del Vallès about 24. Castellfollit de la Roca, a village of under 1,000 people, sits at roughly 25 miles, and Manresa, the largest town in the area with over 76,000 residents, is about 26 miles away.
Tips from Robin
Practical Tips for Visitors
At 490 metres above sea level, Vic gets cold winter nights, with lows around 2°C from December to February, so pack layers even if the afternoons feel mild.
If you travel in May or June, bring an umbrella: these are the wettest months, with rain on around half the days. The old town is compact enough to explore on foot, but car hire makes sense if you want to reach Olot, Ripoll or Castellfollit de la Roca.
Questions people ask
What is the nearest airport to Vic?
Girona is the nearest airport, about 26 miles from Vic and roughly 37 minutes by car. It has direct flights from the United Kingdom. Barcelona, around 45 miles away, and Reus, about 78 miles away, also have direct UK flights.
Is Vic near the beach?
No, Vic is an inland town sitting at 490 metres in the Província de Barcelona. It suits travellers interested in culture, with its cathedral, Museu Episcopal de Vic and castles. The port of Barcelona is about 39 miles away for ferries to the Balearic Islands.
When is the best time to visit Vic?
April and September to October are comfortable for sightseeing, with highs around 21 to 25°C. July and August are hottest at 31 to 32°C. May and June are the wettest months, while December is the driest, with cold nights near 2°C.
What are the main sights in Vic?
Vic Cathedral is the best known sight, joined by the Museu Episcopal de Vic, a museum of medieval art, the Museum of Leather Artistry, the Episcopal Palace, Palau Comella and Castell dels Montcada, all within a quarter of a mile of the centre.
Can I drive to Vic from the UK?
Yes. The drive from Calais to Vic takes around 14 and a half hours. Once there, having a car makes it easy to visit nearby towns such as Ripoll, about 19 miles away, and Olot, about 21 miles away.
Is Vic good for a day trip from Barcelona?
Vic is about an hour's drive from Barcelona airport, so it works well as a day out. The cathedral, the Museu Episcopal de Vic and the Episcopal Palace sit close together, making it easy to see the main sights in a single visit.