I’m just going to flash back to my Spain trip earlier in the year real quick, to tell you about a cool little day tour I did in Barcelona that I thought you might like.
Barcelona Ciclo Tours run daily bike tours around the city, showcasing the best that Barcelona has to offer. It takes around 3 hours to complete the circuit in total and is suitable for a beginner cyclist (like me!)
The tour kicks off from the meeting point in Plaça Catalunya near Las Ramblas, and starts by going through the neighborhood of El Raval. This is quite a cool area, the highlight definitely being the big cat sculpture in the middle of the street!
Then the lovely tour guide leads you through the criss-crossing lanes and alleyways of the Gothic Quarter. This is a really gorgeous part of the city with some quite stunning architecture. But make sure you use your bell to warn pedestrians as it can get quite narrow!
After a stop at the marina, you finally arrive at the beach! And damn are Barcelona’s beaches nice. Albeit packed in the sunshine. The tour includes a free drink in a local cafe so I stopped for a ‘Clara’, which is pretty much just a shandy but sounds much nicer in Spanish. This is clearly my kind of cycling.
After a really scenic cycle along the beach-front, you then arrive at the Olympic Park which feels very new compared to the Gothic Quarter which is drenched in history.
Then one of my favourite stops was in the Parc Ciutadella, a big park full of lovely fountains and bustling with people. There was even live performers when I visited. There’s a really good vibe here so I loved cycling around the place!
The main attraction for any Barcelona visit is of course Le Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s infamous unfinished church. So this is the next stop on the bike tour. You see the church from a viewpoint, so don’t actually go inside, but you get a lovely shot of the beaut from here.
(I haven’t actually been inside but I’ve been told the colours are amazing so I definitely have to go on my next visit!)
Finally you stop outside the Gaudi buildings of Casa Mila and Casa Batllo to take in the quirky, wavy-fronted exteriors. On a side note, you should definitely visit these buildings on their own as they are just as weird and wonderful on the inside!
And 3 hours later you’re back at Plaça Catalunya!
The best part of the tour was the guide, Sonia, who spoke fluent English and was able to explain in full a lot of the history and cultural aspects of Barcelona. The bike was also easy to use and had a bag attached at the front to put your belongings in, as well as the free bottle of water you get with the the tour!
What else could you want really?
Overall I really enjoyed the Barcelona Ciclo Tour as I felt like I got to see the highlights of the city when I was short on time to explore. And when you are travelling by bike you of course get to see all of the streets and local sights in-between the attractions. So it feels like a more authentic experience that the likes of a hop-on-hop-off bus.
And hey, you’re burning off the ridiculous steak you had for lunch right before the bike ride… Oh wait, that was just me.
This delicious steak was from La Gavina Restaurant FYI!
Anyway I highly recommend this tour if you’re visiting Barcelona. It only costs €22 for a rather lovely way to spend an afternoon. You can find out more details on their website here.
Have you done any cool bike rides on your travels that you would recommend? Leave a comment below or tweet me @HeelsInBackpack!
Oh wow. I will be doing this tour when I go in March, it sounds like even I could get around that trip lol 🙂
Oh good! Yes it’s really easy, don’t worry! Have fun in Barcelonaaaaaaa 🙂