Barcelona Sightseeing Passes: Which is Best Value in 2024?

103 comments

1. I am going to be in Barcelona for 11 days however 3 of those days will be in Madrid. I loved doing the hop on hop off the last time I went. I got to see the Sagrada, but missed the Gaudi Museum and other things. I would like to see as much as I can including Montserrat. What pass do you recommend. I do not like having to book everything if possible, but I do have an idea of which days I wish to go to different places. Which pass would you recommend.

   Reply

   1. Hi Corbie,

      Take a look at the Go City Barcelona Pass which is available in two madalities: The “All Inclusive” pass, which allows you to see as many sights as you wand in a fixed number of days, and the “Explorer” which is valid for thirty days, and allows you to visit a fixed number of attractions or tours.

      You might also be interested in my Ultimate Guide to Visiting Montserrat, which contains loads of information about visiting the monastery and recommended hiking routes etc.

      Reply

2. Great comprehensive guide comparing the different cards with up to date prices! Thank you

   Reply

   1. Hi Mark,

      Thanks for your comment, I try to keep the information in this post as up to date as possible.

      Reply

3. Hi Richard,

   Really like your website and the price comparison is great but we’ve not quite figured out our best plan yet.
   We’re a family of 4 (girls aged 17 & 14) visiting for a week in early July.
   Sagrada Familia and Camp Nou are must dos but after that we are really just keen to get a feel for the city although we probably will do some other attractions.
   We’re happy to do a fair bit of walking (as long as it’s not crazy hot) so don’t know if the travel pass is essential or not – our hotel is quite central.
   We would love to hear your thoughts on the best pass/card option or if you think we’d be best just to book things individually. Also, anything else that you think must be on our to do list?

   Thanks for your help
   Colin & Laura

   Reply

   1. Hi Colin,

      Thanks for the kind words. I’m glad that you’ve found the calculator helpful; I updated all the prices in the database earlier this month, so it should be pretty accurate at the moment.

      Sorry to be the one who puts a spanner in the works, but unfortunately, Camp Nou will close at the end of this month for remodelling work. From the seventh of June onwards, the Camp Nou Museum will be rehoused in a nearby ice rink, and there will be a so-called “Immersive Tour”. I’m not sure what the immersive tour will be exactly. I imagine that it will be a virtual tour of the stadium. I expect it will be good, but you won’t get to actually visit the stands, press rooms, pitch and players’ changing rooms etc.

      The cut-off point between purchasing a T-casual or the Hola Barcelona Travel Pass is five journeys per day. If you will be taking more than five journeys per day, then the Hola Barcelona Travel Card works out cheaper; five or less, go with the T-casual. The only exception would be if you are going to take the metro from the airport, which costs €5.15 and isn’t covered by the T-casual but is covered by the Hola Barcelona Travel Pass, Barcelona Card etc.

      Assuming that you’re not going to take the airport metro. If you are staying central, don’t mind walking and plan your days logically so that you won’t be hopping around the city too much, then the T-casual or T-familiar should work out fine.

      As for which is the best pass, if you haven’t decided on at least a rough itinerary, it’s impossible to say. Deciding which sightseeing pass is best really is a case of deciding what attractions you are interested in, plugging them into the calculator and comparing the costs with and without the different passes. Having said that, the Barcelona Card and the Go-City Barcelona Pass seem to be the most popular at the moment and, depending on your interests, both could save you money.

      The same thing goes for what should be on your “must-do” list; it really depends on what sort of things you like doing. If you want some general inspiration, I recommend you start by taking a look at this post, which should give you some ideas.

      Sorry if this wasn’t the answer that you were hoping for. Let me know once you’re a bit further into planning and have some more specific questions, and I’ll do my best to help.

      Reply

4. Hi Richard, thanks for all the useful information you put together on this site, the best and most concise and clear site as far as Barcelona attraction passes!

   Me and my two adult daughters plan to visit Madrid/Barcelona in June. 3 days in Madrid and we will take iryo train to Barcelona mid day of the first day in our 5 days stay there. We will stay at a hotel next to Plaza Catalonia square.

   We are interested in all the top attractions minus Camp Nou. Having three of us, I figured we probably will use taxi/cabify more than the subways and buses. Our strategy is to get a Go-City 2 days unlimited pass that comes with 1 day of Bus Touristic.

   We will use the 2 days Go-city passes for our day 2 and day 3 full two days. Given this, we try to hit the several “must visit” sites that needs tickets earlier of the day and if we have the time we will visit some other attractions that requires ticket later on of the day.

   I have a question on planning. Say our day 2 we start with Casa Batlló at 10 am, then visit La Pedrera at 12 and eat some lunch afterwards. I figure after 3 or 4 pm we will head to Teleferic de Montjuic and up to the castle. How do we best plan the attraction in around Mont. Montjuic and for the rest of our day 2 that best utilizing the Go-City pass?

   Then question of our day 3: after start early at 9:30 am-ish we can visit Sagrada Familia, Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau at 12 pm and Park Güell at 1:30 pm-ish. We can use the Bus Touristic ticket on this day. Is Bus Touristic really an inefficient way to use for this purpose? Then the rest of the day (say 3-4 pm afterwards. we can visit somewhere that also best utilizes the Go-City passes. How should we plan this? Start with Sagrada Familia, or start with Park Güell in the morning and walk towards the centre?

   Our day 3, 4 and 5 we can take a bit more leisure and visit Gothic quarter, La Rambla area and port cell area without the pass.

   Any thoughts and suggestions you can think of? Thank you in advance.

   Reply

   1. Hi Dan,

      Thanks for your kind words; I’m glad you found the site helpful.

      Firstly, the fact that you’re not interested in visiting Camp Nou is good news, since the stadium is being refurbished and extended at the moment and is due to close temporarily at the end of May.

      I agree with your plan to use taxis. Taxi fares are quite cheap in Barcelona and, for three or more people travelling together, it will work out quite economically.

      The Go City Pass covers five attractions on Montjuïc: Poble Espanyol (Spanish Village), Montjuic walking tour, Barcelona cable car, Olympic and sports museum, and CaixaForum. Obviously, you’ve already decided to take the cable car up to the castle, which is one of them. The walking tour sounds like it might be interesting, and the Caixa Forum Museum is well worth visiting. It’s an art museum (in the broader sense) which is housed in an old Art Nouveau factory building and is located near Poble Espanyol. Poble Espanyol is best described as a kind of open-air museum which contains replicas of architectural styles from different parts of Spain. If Barcelona and Madrid are the only places that you will visit in Spain, then it might be of interest. Also nearby is the MNAC, which is well worth visiting.

      For general transport, the Bus Turistic isn’t great, because it follows a long circular route, whereas the most efficient way to visit Barcelona is to concentrate on smaller areas (say one day in the Gothic Quarter, another in the Eixample, one on Montjuic and another on the beach and at the Port, pretty much like you have described).
      Having said that, the idea of visiting the Sagrada Familia, walking from there to the Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau (a 10-minute walk) and then catching the Bus Turistic from there to Park Güell does make sense. You could then complete the route in the afternoon.

      You’d need to check what times are available for the tours which the Go City Pass offers and go from there. Allow at least an hour for the Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau, and remember that most restaurants in Barcelona don’t open for lunch until one o’clock. There are plenty of small restaurants near the Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau and along Av. Gaudí, which runs between there and the Sagrada Familia, so if you visited the Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau at 12:00, you could have lunch nearby at about 1:30 before catching the Bus Turistic to Park Güell.

      Reply

      1. Thank you Richard for validating some of our travel plan and making new suggestions. I will definitely consider your suggestions.

         I bought our Go-City 2 days passes and realized all these tours offered in the package are pretty much either start with the early morning or start at 1 pm in the afternoon, which makes impossible for us to do anything else in that morning or afternoon. Since we prioritize Sagrada Família, Park Güell, Casa Batllo and La Pedrera. we are fine not doing the tours. Also, the time slots offered from the Go-City Tour vendors are somewhat limited. For example, the earliest Park Guess for our date is 10:30 am etc. It seems the passes have its limitation altho they do save us a little money so it’s a trade-off.

         Several more questions:
         1. Since in Go-City package the tickets to Casa Batllo is not timed with skip the line. I suppose we have to wait the line to exchange for the ticket? Also Go-City says on their web site that La Pedrera is “Skip the general ticket line” but it doesn’t ask you to reserve a time. Do you know if they have a separate line or are they false advertising? Just not sure how that will work.
         2. If we make to the Montjuic around 4-5 PM and take the cable car up and visit the castle and Mirador de Montjuïc and want to make our way towards Magic Fountain area for a possible fountain show at 9 pm (if they are available in June), will the path walkable? I mean, I looked at google map and it’s all zip-zag streets and hard to figure out since we are talking about walking down from the mountain. Are these street walkable? How best to pace ourselves from Montjuïc to Magic Fountain area?
         3. Along with our Iryo train tickets it says that we can ride with local commuter train 4 hrs before or after the train ride. I read somewhere you have to go to the ticket machine to enter the Locator code to get the local computer train ticket. But for Barcelona Sants. station, do we have to go out of the station to take the local commuter or is this transfer all done inside the station?

         Thank you again you’re the best.

         Reply

         1. Hi Dan,

            1. I don’t know what the setup is at La Pedrera, and would suggest you call Go City. In the US you can call them toll free on +1 800 887 9103 (I’m guessing that’s where you’re located based on the time you commented at). At Casa Batllo there are several queues on the street outside, one for people without a ticket, another for blue tickets etc. Whenever I’ve walked past, none of the queues have been that long so you shouldn’t have to wait long. Likewise, at La Padrera, the queues aren’t usually long. Certainly, it’s nothing like it used to be at the Sagrada Familia before they finally got rid of the ticket offices.

            2. WRT Montjuïc. Firstly, unfortunately, the Magic Fountain is currently not in action due to water restrictions. It’s hardly rained at all this winter, and I wouldn’t expect things to change before you arrive, so, I don’t think you’ll be able to see it in action. It is perfectly possible to walk down from Montjuic, either by following the roads or by taking shortcuts through the various parks and gardens. If I were you, I’d walk the footpath down from the castle through the park to the Mirador de l’Alcalde and then follow the road from there around to the Olympic museum and the stadium if you are planning on visiting them.

            If you want to get an idea of what the road’s like, you can see it on Street View on Google Maps, although I think it will take a little longer than Google suggests, probably about half an hour. From here, you can take an almost direct downhill route, through a park, to the MNAC and from there on to the Caixa Forum and Poble Espanyol. The non-walking option would be to take bus number 150, which snakes around the hill from the Castle down to Plaça d’Espanya.

            3. It’s all inside one station. Barcelona Sants is organised into two sections: Platforms 1 to 6, which is where the high-speed trains depart and arrive and on the other side of the main concourse, platforms 7 to 14, which is where the commuter and non-high-speed trains arrive and depart. I believe that at Barcelona Sants, you no longer need to print out a “combinado cercanias” ticket and can now use the QR code directly at the barriers before boarding the commuter train. This is a fairly recent change, and I haven’t verified it for myself yet. Having said that, depending on where your hotel is in Barcelona, you might be better off taking the metro, which isn’t covered by the Combinado Cercanias. If you want some advice on getting to your hotel, just let me know.

            Reply

5. Hello Richard,

   Thanks to answer my former Q. My schedule has been changed a little bit. I will arrive Barcelona Airport T1 on April 6 10:05AM and leave on April 9 3:30PM flight to Valladolid on T1 also. Based on your last suggestion, I did my following plan. Could you please help me to do a better plan and try to visit as much spots as I can. I booked Yeah Barcelona Hostel at Carrer Girona, 176, Eixample, 08037 Barcelona during my stay. Is it safe for a single woman to walk at night around that hostel area?

   April 6: arrive Barcelona T1 on 10:05AM, arrive hotel and finish lunch around 1Pm –> 10min walk to La Pedrera for 1H –> 5min walk to Casa Batlló for 1.5H –> explore Casa Batlló if possible

   April 7: Montserrat town 8AM-1PM meet at Passeig Lluis Companys, 5 Barcelona, Barcelona 08003 –> Sagrada Familia for 2H –> 10m walk to Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site for 30m–> cable car –> Magic Fountain at 9PM

   April 8: bike tour 10:15AM-1:30PM meet at Plaça Reial, By the fountain Barcelona, Barcelona 08002–> lunch –> Park Güell for 2H –> then where, maybe old town (please suggest)

   April 9: not sure where to visit?
   flight is 3:30PM from airport T1 to Valladolid

   Reply

   1. Hi again Ju-An,

      Don’t worry, your hostel is in a very nice and safe area, and you should have no trouble walking in the area at night. In fact, it’s only about a block away from the hostel I recommended to you in my first reply.

      Unfortunately, there’s been very little rain this winter, and there are currently water restrictions, which I believe means that the Magic Fountain is currently not operating. You might want to check that with the tourist information office when you arrive, just in case I’m wrong.

      WRT visiting Montserrat, since your last comments, I’ve published a Guide to Visiting Montserrat which you may find helpful.

      Assuming your bike tour finishes at Plaça Reial, you might want to swap the order of Park Güell and seeing the old town because Plaça Reial is right in the heart of the old town, and Park Güell is a bus or metro ride away.

      Locations worth visiting in the old town include Santa Maria del Mar, Plaça da Sant Jaume, Plaça del Rei, Plaça de Sant Felip Neri, Temple of Augustus, the Jewish Quarter and Barcelona Cathedral.

      Since you are going to be embarking on the Camino, you might also be interested in visiting the Església de Sant Jaume (church of St. James), which is also near Plaça Reial. You could also get your pilgrim’s credential stamped there if you want to.

      If you haven’t got your pilgrim’s credential yet, they sell them at Sant Pau del Camp which is also worth visiting and has a very nice stamp, I got my credential there last year.

      Reply

6. Hi Richard
   your details are amazing , I am planing to be in barcelona on april 27 noon to april 30 noon ,I was in famous Gaudi park and famous soccer Stadium last trip but cant see inside gaudi houses and big famous Church , this time I would like to see them.
   let me know what is a good itenery for this trip if skip that 2 places I already went and which card is best to buy to save me city transfers as well ,
   also after purchase cards should I book places too ? or showing cards are enough to go inside ?

   thanks for helping

   Reply

   1. Hi Nona,

      I recommend you take a look at the 96-hour Barcelona Card Modernista which covers most of the Gaudí buildings except for the Sagrada Familia, plus unlimited transport on the metro, commuter trains, trams and buses, including the metro and trains from the airport. Depending on how many of the Gaudí houses you visit, it can save you up to about 50%.

      You definitely need to book the Sagrada Familia in advance because it often sells out, and it isn’t covered by the pass, so I recommend you book your tickets online at least five days in advance.

      You don’t normally need to book at the other houses; you can just turn up whenever’s convenient and show the pass at the entrance. Sometimes there may be a short queue, but they don’t usually sell out.

      Reply

7. Hi Richard! I’ll be in Barcelona with 5 others in mid April with just two full days to explore. We’ve settled on the Barcelona Card for transport for convenience. and the Gaudi Bundle. I see the prices have gone up a bit from your post on both. What I can’t seem to find is if I purchase all of this now are they both refundable up to 24 hours before? I wouldn’t mind hearing if you think these two are our best bets, as well. The Gaudi Bundle attractions were everyone’s top choices to see. Also, do you know if the Dali Immersive has any discounts with the Barcelona card? And can I purchase both cards for all 6 of us, or is it better if everyone purchases their own? Thanks for your expertise and wonderful informative website!

   Reply

   1. Hi Ren,

      Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to keep all the prices up to date at this time of year because the different attractions update their prices at different times. Usually, all the new prices will have been released by April, so I’ll give the page and the calculator a full update sometime in early April. In the meantime, I think that most of the sightseeing pass prices are correct, although it is a totally manual process, and there may be one or two which I’ve missed, which is why I always encourage readers to double-check by clicking through the links.

      WRT cancellation policies, I’m not sure what the current policy is for the cards mentioned, so I’ve written to my contact and will let you know as soon as I get a reply. I think that the Barcelona Card is always a good choice; the Gaudí Bundle is good value if you want the audioguide for both sites and the 10% discount at other sites which are included. Since you’re going to purchase the Barcelona Card, you’ll already have a lot of discounts, so the Gaudí Bundle may not be such a good deal.

      Yes, you can purchase six of each card, no problem.

      Unfortunately, the Dalí immersive isn’t covered by the Barcelona Card.

      Reply

      1. Hi Ren,

         I’ve received the following feedback about the cancellation policies of both the passes you mentioned: In the case of the Barcelona Card, if you purchase it through this link, then you can get a refund up to sixty days after the date of purchase. In the case of the Gaudí Bundle, it’s not possible to get a refund.

         Reply

8. Thank you for an excellent compilation the options. One card I recently learned about is called the Barcelona Card Modernisa. It is not mentioned much on the internet, but seemed to have good value. Is it no longer being offered?

   Reply

   1. Hi Liam,

      Thanks for your comment.

      The Barcelona Card Modernista is still available. As you say, if you plan on visiting most of the sites it covers, it works out to be very good value. It’s actually quite a new product; I believe it was launched in 2020, which was unfortunate timing and has meant that it hasn’t received much coverage yet.

      I’d be interested in hearing how it works out for you. One thing to bear in mind is that although it covers most of the main Modernista sights, it doesn’t include the Sagrada Familia or Park Güell.

      Reply

9. Very helpful to understand all the difference between the Barcelona discount cards. I used your referral link and bought (Hola Barcelona Public Transport Cards) for my upcoming travel. FYI – the Tiquets system does not seem to like American Express card for payment as I kept getting error asking to use another payment card, so ended up using Visa to purchase. Thanks for the information.

   Reply

   1. Hi William,

      Thanks for the feedback and for purchasing through my link. I appreciate it.

      Reply

10. Hello Richard,

    First of all, I have to say that your site is amazing! You share useful info that add real value to our journey.
    I plan to visit Barcelona next week and I would like to take the train from the airport to the town center. More specifically my hotel is near the Colombus monument so I need to arrive in Drassanes metro station.
    Can you please highlight which is the route that I have to take?
    I guess I can use the T-casual or T-familiar ticket for this route, correct?

    Thank you in advance!

    Reply

    1. Hi Tolis,

       Firstly, thanks for your comments; I endeavour to make the blog as helpful as possible.

       Yes, that is correct; you can use either the T-casual or the T-familiar for this journey.

       You need to catch the R2Nord train from the airport train station at terminal 2 to Barcelona Passeig de Gràcia, where you catch the L3 metro (the green line on the metro maps) 3 stops to Drassanes. The final stop of the L3 line is Zona Universitarià, and you should look for this on the signs at the metro station.

       If your flight lands at terminal 1, there’s a free shuttle bus that takes you to terminal two, where the train station is located.

       You might see that Google maps tells you to transfer to the metro at Barcelona Sants, and although that is an alternative, I think that it’s easier to make the change at Passeig de Gràcia.

       There’s more information about the shuttle bus and how to get to the airport train station from both terminals in this post.

       Reply

11. Hi Richard

    This is exactly what I have been looking for, thanks for such a detailed post! I am going to Barcelona with my partner arriving at the airport on Wed 25 Jan at 10.15am and leaving on Sat 28 Jan at 10.55am. We are staying at Catalonia Magdalenes. Keen to do La Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell, Casa Batlló, Picasso Museum, botanic gardens and maybe another art or science museum and the cable car. We also like wandering around markets and different areas, nice food etc. What would you suggest for our itinerary?

    Thank you!

    Rachael

    Reply

    1. Hi Rachael,

       With two and a half days in Barcelona, I’d suggest a maximum of ten major sights (my rule of thumb is max. four major sights per day).

       Your hotel’s near Barcelona Cathedral; based on that, I’d spend the first afternoon exploring the Gothic Quarter and include the Picasso Museum in your route.

       Other places to look out for (in no particular order) include the Cathedral, Plaça de Sant Felip Neri, Plaça Reial, the Boqueria market, Plaça de Sant Jaume, Temple d’August, Santa Maria del Mar. Note: you could easily spend a whole day exploring the Gothic Quarter.

       I’d then dedicated day 2 to visiting the Modernista buildings of the Eixample district. After breakfast, take bus number 24 from Plaça de Catalunya to Park Güell, spend an hour or so visiting the park, and then catch bus number V19 to the Sagrada Familia. The bus doesn’t stop right outside the Basilica; it drops you a ten-minute walk away.

       You could then have lunch at one of the places recommended in this post or at one of the many restaurants on Av. Gaudí.

       After lunch, you could continue along Av. Gaudi to the Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau. From here, you can catch metro line L5 from Sant Pau Dos de Maig, three stops to Diagonal. From here, walk down Passeig de Gracia, where you can visit La Pedrera, Casa Batllo and Casa Amatller. If I were you, I’d go inside one of them and just look at the others from the outside. They’re all worth visiting, but apart from time constraints, I think it’s overwhelming to visit three Modernista houses in one go, so I recommend reading up about all three and taking your pick! From here you can walk back to your hotel.

       I’d dedicate day three to seeing the attractions on Montjuïc (the Botanical Gardens and the Cable Car) and add a visit to the MNAC museum, which is a fascinating art museum with an impressive collection of Medieval art and also an interesting collection of Art Nouveau.

       I’m not sure how much time to allow for the Botanical Gardens because I haven’t visited them yet. If I were you, I’d probably start the day by visiting the Port Vell area and then by mid-morning aim to catch the port cable car up to Montjuïc, visit the Botanical Gardens, and from there go to the MNAC in the afternoon, there are several other museums on Montjuïc which you could also visit while here, I like the Caixa Forum (another art Museum) which is near the MNAC. From here, if you have time, you could then walk along Av. Mari Christina to Plaça d’Espanya and the Las Arenas bullring before catching the metro back to your hotel.

       You mentioned that you are interested in visiting either a science or an art museum, I’ve included an art museum, but Barcelona also has an excellent science museum called CosmoCaixa which you could also read up about. I didn’t include it in my list because it’s not near any of the other places you mentioned.

       Reply

       1. Hi Richard

          This is incredibly helpful, thank you so much! With this itinerary which (if any) card would you recommend?

          Thanks

          Rachael

          Reply

          1. Hi Rachael,

             For transport, if you follow the itinerary I described, you won’t be using public transport that much so probably a T-casual each will be enough.

             For the attractions, then I think that it works out cheapest to purchase the tickets individually online. Make sure you purchase Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, Picasso Museum and Casa Batlló tickets in advance.

             Reply

12. Hello Richard,

    Thanks so much for your informative info. about Barcelona. I will come to Barcelona on April 6 around noon. I am solo traveler and safety is my most concern. I will take train from Barcelona 8PM to Leon on April 8th, then go to Camino Trail. I will be in Barcelona from April 6th noon to April 8th 8PM. I want to visit Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, Casa Batlló, Casa Milá, Magic Fountain of Montjuïc，Mercado de La Boqueria，Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus，and Telefèric de Montjuïc (Barcelona Cable Car)
    If I have time, I would like to check these as well: Cathedral of Barcelona，Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar，MUHBA Turó de la Rovira，CaixaForum Barcelona，Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site, Recinto Modernista de Sant Pau – Museo.

    Any suggestion for each day plan design and restaurant to recommend?
    which pass tickets I need to buy and public transportation tickets?
    For solo female traveler, do you have any recommend reasonable motel to suggest?

    Thanks so much for your help! Appreciated!

    Reply

    1. Hi Ju-an,

       There are a couple of things you should bear in mind when planning: This is Easter weekend so that it will be busy, and I, therefore, recommend booking all the Gaudí buildings in advance, plus Friday (your second and only full day) is a public holiday which means that the Boqueria market will be closed.

       Also, since it is April, the Magic Fountain will only be running on Friday and Saturday.

       You didn’t give a budget for your hotel, but since you say motel and are going to walk the Camino, I’m going to assume you’d be happy staying in a hostel.

       I usually recommend staying close to Plaça de Catalunya, but since you mention that you are concerned with safety, I’m going to recommend that you stay in the Generator Hostel on Carrer de Corsega, which is in a very safe area on the border between the Eixample and Gràcia neighbourhoods and is near to several of the sites that you have listed.

       Now on to planning an itinerary.

       You don’t say the exact time of arrival or how you plan to travel from the airport, but I’m going to assume that you arrive at exactly midday, and travel to the hostel by public transport. Allowing for time to go through customs, arrive at your hotel and freshen up and have something to eat, let’s say that you’ll be ready to start visiting sights by about 3 pm.

       Assuming that you take my recommendation, then La Pedrera is a ten-minute walk from your hostel, so allowing for possible delays, you could aim for a 4 pm time slot.

       Next, you can walk five minutes to Casa Batlló, maybe book a slot for 6 pm.

       Once you finish at Casa Batlló, depending on how tired you are from your flight, you can either return to your hostel or continue walking down Passeig de Gràcia and explore Las Ramblas and the Gothic Quarter.

       Day 2 (Good Friday)

       I’d start the day at Park Güell, at 9:30 when it opens. To get there from the Generator hostel takes about half an hour, walk three blocks to Passeig de Sant Juan and then catch the V19 bus to the park. Allow about an hour or so to visit the “Monumental Zone” in the park.

       You could then either catch the same bus (V19) from the Park to La Sagrada Familia or walk it. It’s downhill, and both options take about 30 minutes, so you could book entrance to the Sagrada Familia for 12:00 or maybe 12:30 to be on the safe side.

       Allow two hours to visit the Sagrada Familia and then have lunch nearby at one of the restaurants recommended in this post.

       By the time you’ve had lunch, it will be about 3:30 pm, and the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site is a ten-minute walk away, so I’d go there next. Allow an hour for visiting; this is one sight that you probably don’t need to book in advance because it seldom gets busy.

       Next, you can take the metro and funicular railway to catch the Teleferic de Montjuic up to the castle. Take metro line L5 to Sagrada Familia, followed by metro line L2 to Paral.lel and the funicular up to the Cable Car. This will take about 45 minutes, so you have plenty of time to catch the Teleferic.

       From the castle, you can catch bus number 150 to Plaça Espanya, where you can have a bite to eat at one of the restaurants on the roof of Las Arenas while you wait for the Magic Fountain show, which should start about 9 pm.

       After the show, you can catch the metro line L3 from Plaça d’Espanya to Diagonal, a short walk from the hostel.

       Day 3:
       On Saturday, you can once again get up early, check out and leave your bag at the hostel before walking back to the Diagonal metro stop and catching the metro L3 three stops (5 minutes) to Liceu. from here it’s a short walk along La Rambla to La Boqueria market, where you could have a leisurely breakfast. From here, you then continue walking up la Rambla to Plaça de Catalunya and follow the instructions in this post to take the FGC train plus funicular railway and bus to the Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor de Jesús. Then follow the instructions in reverse back down to Plaça de Catalunya.

       Once back at Plaça de Catalunya, you can have lunch and then visit the Cathedral before returning to the hostel to pick up your bags and catch the L5 metro to from Diagonal to Barcelona Sants.

       For this itinerary, I’d normally recommend the Go Barcelona Explorer Pass, but since its Easter and you’re short of time, as I mentioned above, you’ll need to reserve time slots in advance so I recommend that you book tickets individually.

       You’ll be using public transport quite a lot, so a 48 hour Hola Barcelona Pass will be a good choice, and will also cover the train / metro from the airport.

       Disclaimer, I planned this itinerary quickly, from memory and without checking timetables etc. To avoid disappointment, I strongly recommend you double-check everything before booking.

       If you’ve any questions, feel free to ask and ¡Buen Camino!

       Reply

       1. Hello Richard,

          Thanks so much for your planning and give me such informative information! Appreciated!

          Sorry I forgot to tell the exact arrive time. I will arrive in Barcelona on April 6th 10:05AM at Terminal 1.

          I can either take train on 8th and arrive Leon on 9th 6:25AM to save money and time, then have one day visit in Leon or take flight to Leon which I only see 6:10PM to 7:35PM one, if time is too tight and Leon don’t have too much stuff to visit, I can take April 9th flight which gives me one more day in Barcelona. Is it safe to take night shift train from Barcelona to Leon? What is your suggestion?

          Thanks again!
          Ju-an

          Reply

          1. Hi Ju-an,

             It depends on your priorities; in my opinion, the more time you can spend in Barcelona, the better, but then I am biased ;-) On the other hand, I understand that you’d want to get to Leon and spend some time there before starting The Camino.

             Public transport in Spain is safe, including night trains. However, I wasn’t aware that there is a direct overnight train from Barcelona to Leon. Which train are you looking at exactly?

             Reply

             1. I research from Rome2Rio and get this: Sun, Apr 09 8:00 PM from Barcelona, Estació d’Autobusos Nord to Leon on next day 6:25 AM, price is about $66. Is it train or bus?

                Based on your suggestion, I will stay one more day and leave on 9th 8PM. What is your suggestion for 8th and 9th day plan?

                Thanks,
                Ju-an

                Reply

                1. Hi Ju-an,

                   That’s a bus run by ALSA, the largest long-distance bus company in Spain, departing from the Barcelona North bus station near the Arc de Triomf.

                   The itinerary above is mostly Modernista sites in the Eixample district, so I think spending your additional day in the Old City (the Gothic Quarter, El Born and the Raval) would make sense.

                   You’ve already mentioned Santa Maria del Mar, which is in this area but you could easily spend half a day or more just exploring the Gothic Quarter (read up on sites like Plaça de Sant Jaume, Plaça del Rei, Plaça de Sant Felip Neri, the Temple of Augustus and the Jewish Quarter). The Palau de La Musica Catalana is also in this area, and may be of interest.

                   Reply

                   1. Richard, can I ask one more question about transportation? Because of schedule change, I will go from Barcelona to Astorga on April 9th. I searched from website, there has two options:
                      #1: flight Barcelona to Leon: 6:10PM – 7:35PM, then train Renfe from Leon to Astorga 8:46PM-9:18PM (I am not sure if there has enough time for me from Leon airport to Renfe train station and how)
                      #2: flight Barcelona to Valladolid 3:30PM-5PM, then rain Renfe from Valladolid to Astorga 7:30PM-9:18PM

                      What is your suggestion?

                      Also from Yeah Barcelona Hostel to airport, which public transportation I need take?

                      Thanks so much for your suggestion!

                      Reply

                      1. Hi Juan,

                         I’ve been to Valladolid a couple of times, it’s a nice place, and the airport is small; not been to Leon, but I imagine that it’s similar.

                         If you’re OK with paying for a taxi from the airport, I’d say go with Valladolid.

                         If you check on the ALSA bus company website, you’ll see why. In the evenings, there are two buses per hour from Leon airport to Leon train station, and it takes just over half an hour. In Valladolid, it looks like there are no direct buses at that time of day, so you have to go by a roundabout route which it appears would take 2 hours! The only caveat is that I’m only going by the bus timetables, not personal experience; there may be something which I’m missing.

                         If you’re ok with taking a taxi, then even if your flight is delayed by an hour, which could happen, you will still make the train. If the flight lands on time, there’s a nice park near the train station (Parque Campo Grande), where there are several pavement cafés and restaurants on Acera de Recoletos where you can sit outside and enjoy a coffee while waiting for the train.

                         I’m assuming that you’re flying with either Vueling or Iberia, right? Both of whom fly from Terminal 1.

                         The cheapest way to get there from your hostel would be to catch the train from Passeig de Gràcia train station to Terminal 2 and then the free shuttle bus from terminal two to terminal 1.

13. Hello Richard
    My husband and I, we will be arriving in Barcelona on May 18 in the morning and will have free time until the evening of May 19 in which we will be going on a cruse until the 26. Then we will have again a full free day in Barcelona until we leave on the morning of the 27.
    My questions are: what affordable hotel do you recommend around the cruse terminal or city centre?
    What’s the best way to go from the airport to the city centre and then to the cruse terminal?
    We want to see at least 4 or 5 attractions on those almost 3 days. What’s the best pass to buy?
    Do you think it’s a good idea to use the HOHO bus 48 hours?
    Thank you

    Reply

    1. Hi Aletere,

       I recommend you look for a hotel somewhere in the Gothic quarter, a taxi to your ship from anywhere in this area will take around fifteen minutes and cost between ten and fifteen Euros. In my where to stay in Barcelona post I list four hotels in the Gothic Quarter, each of which is at a different price point (from low-budget up to four-star).

       The best (most convenient and comfortable) way from the airport to your hotel and from your hotel to the cruise terminals is to take a taxi. From the airport to the Gothic Quarter will cost around €30 depending on what time of day and at which terminal you arrive.

       The Barcelona Pass might work well for you because it’s one of the few passes which isn’t valid for a fixed number of consecutive days. It also includes the Hop on Hop off bus. You can use the calculator in the post above to work out whether it will save you money or not with your planned itinerary. Note that if you chose the 2-day HOHO bus as part of the Barcelona Pass then the bus has to be on consecutive days but the other attractions can be spread out over as many days as you like, up until the end of the year.

       I think that the HOHO buses are a good way to get an overview of the city (there are 3 routes) but they’re not very practical as a way of getting around because they follow large circular routes around the city. Think of them as a tour rather than a mode of transport. I recommend you take the HOHO bus on the first day and then use the metro or regular buses to get around after that.

       Reply

       1. Thank you Richard for your help… all sounds good…

          Reply

          1. You’re welcome Aletere,

             Enjoy your cruise and your time in Barcelona.

             Reply

14. We will stay in pineda de mar (4 persons).

    Can we buy there a T-familiar Zone 4 in order to visit Barcelona in 2 days?

    Thank you very much!

    Reply

    1. Hi Ilker,

       Yes, you can purchase a four-zone T-familiar from the ticket machines at Pineda de Mar train station.

       A T-familiar covers eight journeys and has to be validated once for each person travelling, so if four of you travel together, you will need one T-familiar per day that you visit Barcelona.

       Reply

       1. Thank you very much for the quick reply Richard.
          Can I then change to the subway in Barcelona with the T-Familar ticket?

          Vielen lieben Dank für die schnelle Antwort Richard.
          Kann ich mit dem T-Familar Ticket dann in Barcelona, dann noch in die U-Bahn umsteigen?

          Reply

          1. Hi Ilker,

             Yes, the T-familiar is what is known as an “integrated ticket”, which means that you can transfer between train/metro/bus/tram and it still counts as one journey. When you transfer from the train to the metro, you’ll notice that the ticket doesn’t get stamped again when it passes through the ticket barrier.

             Reply

15. I am just making my plans to come to Barcelona. Your site is incredibly thorough!
    I am searching for home exchange for March-May 2023 and found your site by searching “best areas to stay in Barcelona“. I’ll bookmark it so as soon as I know exactly when I am coming and for how long, I will be searching and learning from your site! I’ll try to buy anything you make commission on that I need. Thank you so much for doing all this work!

    Reply

    1. Hi Peggy,

       Thanks for the feedback, I’m glad to hear you’ve found the site useful. If you’ve got any questions feel free to ask.

       Reply

16. In the section relating to the T-casual card, you state that this can be shared.

    Are you sure?

    My understanding that it is only for personal use.

    The user is not named/registered so that different users can use the same card at different times.

    However the T-casual card cannot, I believe, be used by more than one person during any specific journey.

    Am I wrong?

    Reply

    1. Hi Frank,

       Thanks for pointing out the error. You’re right of course, the T-casual can’t be shared.

       Its predecessor, the T-10, could be shared and it looks like I overlooked that line when I updated the post to cover the T-casual and T-familiar.

       Once again, thank you for taking the time to point out the errata, I’ve now updated the post.

       Reply

17. Thanks Richard,
    Does it cover transport? For these two days, considering the sites I mentioned what travel option/pass you suggest?

    Thanks and Regards
    Kaustubh

    Reply

    1. Hi Acme,
       I see you’ve posted three comments last night so I’ll try to answer them all together in one comment.

       Firstly, I’ve just realised that the dates you mention are the Thursday and Friday of Easter weekend!

       I normally recommend that you pre-book a timed entry for the Sagrada Familia, Park Güell and the Picasso Museum at least five days in advance. However, since this is Easter weekend it’s also a good idea to pre-book timed entry for La Pedrera and Casa Batlló.

       The Go-City Barcelona Pass includes timed entry for the Sagrada Familia, Park Güell and the Picasso Museum as it includes tours. But it doesn’t include timed entry to La Pedrera and Casa Batlló, so, although it does cover entry, you might find that they are no places left, or long queues when you get there.

       If you want to be 100% sure of visiting all five, you should either buy the tickets individually online or purchase The Barcelona Pass which also allows you to pre-book time slots but is a bit more expensive. You can compare prices using the calculator above.

       Whichever you choose, I recommend you act soon so that you can get the time slots you want.

       As for whether this is too much to do in 2 days, I usually recommend that you don’t try to fit in more than four major attractions per day so I suggest you remove 2 from the list. I suggest removing the Montjuic Cable Car, because you will get panoramic views from Park Güell, and either the MNAC or the MACBA museum because you will still be visiting 2 art galleries.

       I based the following itinerary on the attractions you selected and the times of the tours of the Sagrada Familia, Park Güell and the Picasso Museum which are included with the Go-City Barcelona Pass. If you decide not to use the pass, you could still use the same itinerary although in this case I’d switch the order of the Sagrada Familia and Park Güell.

       Thursday
       Take the metro from your hotel to the Sagrada Familia.

       9:15 – Sagrada Familia tour. The tours usually last about an hour but you’ll probably want to spend half an hour or so visiting the building and the museum after the tour finishes.

       Take the metro to Park Güell and meet your tour guide.

       12:15 Park Güell tour

       Catch the Metro (L5) to Camp Nou. You could also take the Bus Turistic (blue line) if you have time, the Bus Turistic is slower than the metro and is less predictable which is why I recommend the metro.

       Since it’s lunchtime you can decide whether to eat inside the Camp Nou, or in a restaurant near the stadium. If you prefer to eat nearby, I recommend La Riera which is in my list of the best vegetarian restaurants in Barcelona.

       15:30 Camp Nou Experience

       Catch the Bus Turistic (blue line) to Francesc Macia – Diagonal where you change to the red line. Complete an entire lap of the Bus Turistic (red line) back to where you started and then stay on until it arrives at Plaça d’Espanya (a bit more than an entire lap).

       Eat at one of the restaurants on the rooftop of the Las Arenas shopping centre or in the food court below it. Walk to the Magic Fountain, the shows have now started up again after being closed for two years and currently take place from 21:00 to 22:00.

       Metro back to your hotel

       Friday
       Take metro from your hotel to La Pedrera

       9:00 La Pedrera

       Walk to Casa Batlló (5 minutes)

       10:30 Casa Batlló

       Walk from Casa Batllo to the MACBA museum (20 minutes).

       12:00 MACBA

       Walk from the MACBA to the Passeig del Born which is near the Picasso museum (20 minutes). There are plenty of places to eat near to Passeig del Born and on route from the MACBA where you can eat lunch.

       16:00 Picasso Museum tour

       17:30 take the metro back to your hotel to collect your luggage and go to the station to catch your train to Madrid.

       Neither of the sightseeing passes mentioned include a travel pass. For this itinerary, you take the metro 7 times in two days so I recommend you purchase a T-Familiar which costs €10 for eight journeys. There’s more info in the article above.

       As I said before, things book up early at Easter so you should book things as soon as possible. Whichever pass or tickets you decide to purchase, have fun and let me know how it goes.

       Reply

       1. Thanks Richard for your quick and valuable inputs.
          I will definitely update you after I complete the tour.

          Thanks once again.
          Acme

          Reply

          1. You’re welcome Acme

             Reply

18. Hello
    I can no see button for calculator. Could you describe where I can find
    THX

    Reply

    1. Hi Norberto,

       There isn’t a button as such, just a drop-down list to select the pass and then a list of attractions with tick boxes next to them.

       The “Sum of Selected Items (Euros)” field at the bottom of the list, which displays the total, updates automatically as you select the tick boxes.

       If you aren’t seeing the drop-down list or the tick boxes, it’s possible that your anti-virus or ad blocker is stopping the calculator from rendering properly.

       Try turning both of them off temporarily and viewing the page in an incognito window.

       If that doesn’t work, could you tell me what operating system and browser you are using and I’ll try and replicate the issue on a virtual machine.

       Reply

19. Hi Richard,
    I am solo traveler, on business tour and have two days for Barcelona on 14th April the and 15th. I am coming on 13th Night and on 15th night travelling to Madrid I want to see the
    La Sagrada Familia
    Park Güell
    La Pedrera (Casa Milà)
    Casa Batlló
    Barcelona Bus Turistic
    Telefèric de Montjuïc (Cable Car)
    Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA)
    Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC)
    Picasso Museum
    Magic Fountain of Montjuïc
    Camp Nou
    I have not yet planned iternary, can you suggest which pass should I purchase.

    Thanks and Regards
    Acme

    Reply

    1. Hi Acme,

       The Go City Barcelona Barcelona All-Inclusive two-day Pass covers most of the attractions on your list for just €104.

       The only sites which aren’t included are the MNAC and the Cable Car, if you purchase them online they cost €11.40 and €12.78 respectively.

       If you decide to purchase the pass you should do so as soon as possible because you need to reserve the Sagrada Familia, Park Güell and the Picasso Museum in advance.

       Reply

       1. Hi Richard,
          One quick question what should be the sequence or which site on first day and which on second day? Any suggestion and does these are possible too view in two days ?
          Please suggest.
          Thanks and Regards
          Acme

          Reply

          1. Hi Acme,

             See my answer to your other question above.

             Reply

20. Hi Richard

    What a brilliant site. So knowledgeable and helpful! Thanks!

    Unfortunately the complexity of the options still means I’m going to ask for help!

    We are a family of 4 coming for 3 days – Sunday – Tuesday.

    We want to see Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, do Bus Touristic to get around for 2 days, plus Miro Museum, Palau Guell, Nou camp if time allows.

    We were thinking taxi from airport as there are 4 of us and the time benefit.

    Might we think Barcelona pass the best option then the other separately or the all inclusive option?

    Your guidance would be much appreciated.

    Thanks

    Luke

    Reply

    1. Hi Luke,

       I think that a taxi from the airport makes sense for a family travelling together, depending on where you are staying and what time you arrive, it should cost around €35 to €40.

       The Bus Turistic is also a good idea, although you will probably find that you still end up taking the metro at some point during your stay because the bus follows circular routes from attraction to attraction.

       In three days, assuming they are three whole days, you should have plenty of time to visit all the sites listed, just bear in mind the fact that the Joan Miró Foundation and Palau Güell don’t open on Mondays and that the Camp Nou Tour doesn’t run on match days, although you can still visit the museum and lookout point.

       To work out prices and help you decide which will be the best value, I need you to tell me how old your kids are, for example, the Miró museum is free of charge for children under fifteen.

       Reply

       1. Brilliant Richard – thanks – they are 13 and 15

          Reply

          1. Hi Luke,

             I think that the cheapest way to do this would be to purchase a 3-choice Go City Barcelona Explorer each and use it for the Sagrada Familia, Park Güell and Camp Nou Tour. You then purchase the tickets for the other sites and the Bus Turistic individually online.

             The Sagrada Familia and Park Guell are both tours, so you need to purchase the pass and book your places on the tours as soon as possible.

             By the way, I’ve not used this pass myself so I’d be interested to hear how it works out and what you think of the tours.

             Reply

21. Hi Richard,
    Hope you are doing good. You are really doing an amazing work. Really appreciate your efforts.
    I would like to get some suggestion from you on my upcoming trip to BCN ( 2 Ad + 2 Ch – 5 & 10).
    Arriving on 16-Apr 17:00 by Air. Departing on 20-Apr 19:00 by Air
    Satying at Feelathome Poblenou Beach Apartments, Carrer de Bilbao, 11, 08005 Barcelona, Spain
    I have 3 full days excluding the arrival and departure dates.
    1) I would like to know best way to travel between airport and Apartment
    2) My 3 day plans are like this
    Day 1 – Parc Güell/ Gaudi Experience 4D/Cosmo Caixa
    Day 2 – La Sagrada Família/ Casa Batlló/Gothic Quarter
    Day 3- Cable Car/Port Vell/Bogatell Beach
    Any suggestion on the pass and travel cards that suits above plan.
    If you could suggest any amendments the above plan also let me know.
    Thanks in Advance

    Reply

    1. Hi Arun,
       That sounds like a good plan for a relaxed few days in Barcelona with your family. If you haven’t already seen my Barcelona with kids post, there’s a lot of information that you may find useful there, including ideas for things to do in the Gothic Quarter.

       Poblenou is a nice area of the city to stay in, its a little way from the city centre but right near the beach and a lot of young families live in the area. The Rambla del Poblenou, two blocks away from your apartment is really nice, and there are plenty of bars and restaurants nearby.

       For airport transport, travelling to that location with kids and luggage, I’d take a taxi from the airport which will cost around €40 and take about 25 minutes. By public transport, you could take the train from terminal two to Barcelona Passeig de Gràcia followed by the metro L3 to Poblenou. This would take about an hour and if you purchase a travel pass would work out at about €5 for the four of you (more info about travel passes later). If you land at terminal one, there’s a free shuttle bus to terminal two then you take the train and metro as above, total travel time about an hour and a half.

       A few recommendations in the area: Madre Lievito (Carrer de Llacuna 1) for Neapolitan style pizzas. Tío Ché (Rambla del Poblenou 44) for ice cream and horchata (a kind of cold smoothie made from tiger nuts typical in Valencia), Blu Bar (Rambla del Poblenou 11) a vegan restaurant that serves burgers and pizzas with a large terrace where you can eat outside and Xiringuito Escribà (Av. del Litoral 62) for paella.

       As for sightseeing passes and travel cards. If you want to take a tour of the Sagrada Familia and Park Güell, I think that the Go City Barcelona Pass is the best value. If you don’t want to take tours then I’d purchase individual tickets online.

       For travel passes, you can choose between the Hola Barcelona Travel Card, the T-familiar and the T-casual. The break-even point between the Hola Barcelona Travel Card and the T-casual is six journeys. If you will be taking less than six journeys per 24 hour period then the T-casual works out cheaper, more than this then the Hola Barcelona Travel Card works out cheaper, with the added advantage that you can just purchase one card each and are then free to jump on the metro, trams or buses whenever you (or your kids) feel like it or get tired. There’s more information about all three travel cards above.

       For your itinerary, assuming that you take a taxi from the airport, that your kids won’t be up for walking (uphill) to the Cosmocaixa from Park Güell, and that on your third day you take public transport to Montjuïc and then catch the cable cars down to the Port Vell, your itinerary works out at 10 journeys by public transport. So you could buy one T-casual each, if you end up taking the odd journey extra you could buy a T-familiar and share it between the four of you.

       There’s more information about the cable cars, including how to get from one to the other, in this post. If you decide to start at the Barceloneta end and travel up to the castle, then it’s definitely worth purchasing tickets in advance since there are often queues, not so much in the other direction although there is a small discount online. As mentioned in my families and kids article, there are nice parks near the castle on Montjuïc for the kids to play and the views of Barcelona and out to sea are really good. Having said that, the Parc del Poblenou which is near to your apartment also has plenty of green areas for them to run around plus there’s a skatepark, for if there’s room in your luggage for your 10-year-old’s skateboard or inline scooter ;-)

       By the way, it probably goes without saying but make sure you book tickets for the Sagrada Familia, Park Güell and Casa Batlló in advance!

       Reply

22. Hi, my friend and I are visiting on April 8th for 3 nights. We are booked for the ice bar on the 8th and a wine tasting tour on 10th. We would like to squeeze in as much as possible on the 9th, including sagrada familia, park guell. Which would be the best option for us?

    Reply

    1. Hi Lisa,

       Unfortunately, there’s not a one size fits all recommendation, which pass is best for you really does depend on what you are interested in seeing and doing while you are here. Having said that, the most popular passes for short trips are the Barcelona Pass, the Barcelona Card and the Gaudí Bundle.

       If you know what you want to see, I recommend you use the calculator above to compare prices and work out which is the best value (I’m going to update all the prices this weekend so if you check back on Monday it’ll be right up to date). If not, then I recommend you start by reading this post to get some inspiration and then come back here to decide which pass will be best suited.

       Reply

23. Hi

    I’m off to Barcelona next week solo and will have 4 full days based in the Gothic Quarter. I’m looking to get a return ticket for the Aerobus from the airport. My plan is to use the HOHO bus on the first day just to get my bearings and have a general walk around. The second day will be taking in Sagradia Familia and Park Guell, the third day the Nou camp tour and Magic Fountain. Fourth day will probably be chilling around the beach area.

    With all that in mind, could you please let me know whether I should book separate tickets online or obtain a pass? I’m not too bothered about the transport side of things as I’d rather walk.

    Thanking you in anticipation

    Chris

    Reply

    1. Hi Chris,

       The Go City Explorer 4 attraction pass (number seven on the list above) would be a good fit for your itinerary, although the Sagrada Familia and Park Güell are both tours and therefore less flexible.

       If you don’t like tours then the Barcelona Pass, fourth on the list, is also a close match although with your itinerary it would actually work out about €2 cheaper if you booked the tickets individually online.

       By the way, the Magic Fountain sound and light show aren’t running at the moment. It was shut down during the COVID lockdown and it’s not been announced when it will start again yet. I’m guessing that it won’t be before Easter at the earliest.

       Reply

24. Hi Richard, I am currently looking for an airbnb in a town adjoining Barcelona (hopefully to save some money) but which is still in zone 1.
    Can you tell me how far zone 1 extends, or give me a link which will tell me.
    Thanks, Patrick.

    Reply

    1. Hi Patrick,

       This link lists the towns surrounding Barcelona and tells you which zone they are in (See “list of municipalities that make up the integrated fare system” and click on the “plus” symbol to expand the list).

       Also, as explained in this post, you can also use a 1 zone pass in the towns and municipalities where the metropolitan fare applies which are also listed on the page I linked to earlier.

       Reply

25. Richard, we were only getting The Barcelona Card Transport & heavy on Museums) instead of The Barcelona City Pass (Attractions & Experiences) because of the Transport portion. But, if we are 5 days (96 hours) in the Garciá District Boarding a cruise in Port Velle at the end of our BCN stay do we really need the Barcelona Card for Transportation (T-10)?
    We’ll take the Terminal 2 free shuttle from 11 to 12; then the Train (R2 North) to Wants estaci o
    ; Connect the Blue Line (5) metro and probably get off at Avinguda “The Diagonal”

    Does the Transport Car d of The Barcelona Card and/OR T-10 card cover other transports like the Funicular or the Cable cars, etc.
    Finally, if we are Embarking at Port Vell at 10 am Tuesday should we reserve the two cable cars for Early in the Morning or even after we board ship and have a few free hours before our shipboard dinner. It looks like The Barcelona City Pass is what we want. Booking La Sagrada Family separate but is it really necessary Skip line in October during Pandemic on Monday 11/10/21?

    Reply

    1. Hi Cheryl,

       The T-10 no longer exists, it was replaced by the T-casual and the T-familiar in 2019. Both cards are similar to the old T-10. The T-casual is valid for 10 journeys, slightly cheaper per journey but can’t be shared between two people. The T-familiar is valid for 8 journeys, not quite as cheap per journey but can be shared between two or more people. There’s more information about both cards in the post above.

       If you will only be using the Barcelona Card for transport and won’t be visiting the museums or making use of the discounts then it’s cheaper to just purchase a Hola Barcelona Travel Card instead (described above) which is equivalent to just the transport part of the Barcelona Card.

       If you will be taking the train from the airport, then my rule of thumb for comparing the T-casual with the Hola Barcelona Travel Card is that if you will be taking six journeys or less per day on public transport then the T-casual will work out cheaper.

       By the way, it’s just been announced that there will be a train strike during your stay (8th, 11th and 12th of October) which will affect the airport train. Normally when this happens, there are still a limited number of trains during peak times (when people travel to and from work) and then no trains during the rest of the day. Things may well have changed by the time you get here but you should definitely check on the Rodalies website to see whether there will be trains running when you arrive. The strike won’t affect the metro or buses.

       The T-casual, T-familiar and Hola Barcelona transport passes can be used for the funicular railways on Montjuïc and Tibidabo but aren’t valid for the cable cars.

       If you are embarking at 10 am, then you won’t have time to ride the cable cars before you embark since they won’t be open (the Port cable car opens at 11 am during October). I don’t know how long you have between embarking and having dinner but when deciding on whether you have time to take the cable cars, don’t forget to factor in the time needed to get off and on the ship and from the ship to the Port Cable car. Depending on where your ship docks, you may need to take the Cruise Bus.

       As you’ve suggested, due to the reduced number of people visiting Barcelona during the pandemic, it’s not so essential that you book the Sagrada Familia days in advance. Despite the fact that numbers have been restricted to reduce the number of people inside the basilica at any time, they don’t generally sell out days in advance at the moment. For example, it’s now 7:45 am on the 30th of September and I’ve just checked availability for today and there are plenty of tickets available for all timeslots except for between 10:30 and 11:00. So as long as you are prepared to be flexible with visiting times you could wait and purchase your tickets on the day. If you decide not to buy the tickets in advance, I recommend you check availability online regularly and purchase when you notice that some of the time slots are selling out.

       Reply

26. Richard, I, too, enjoy your thoughtful commentary. Hubby & I are in Barcelona starting Friday, October 8 until we catch our cruise on Tuesday. I would like to purchase your above recommendations On-Line (& have no problem with your commission; you earned it). However, specifically, how do I get these cards BEFORE we ARRIVE in Barcelona? I’ll need the transportation card(s) to get from the Airport to our Hotel/Apartment; which by the by, Barcelona is the ONLY European Destination we currently don’t have a clue about…do you have some BUDGET IDEAS (as we have BEYOND SPENT OUR Tourism Dollars now with our cruise, Venice, Croatia, Corfu, etc. and your above recommendations?

    Reply

    1. Hi Cheryl,

       You can collect your Barcelona Card at the Tourist Information offices at the airport. If you are arriving at Terminal 1, the office is to your right as you come out of baggage claim and is open daily from 08:30 to 20:30. If you arrive at Terminal 2 then there’s a Tourist Office in the arrivals hall, next to the horse statue by Botero. The tourist office in Terminal 2 opens from 08:30 to 20:30 Monday to Friday, (:30 to 20:00 on Saturdays and 09:00 to 15:00 on Sunday.

       You’ll receive the Go Barcelona Explorer by email, you can then either show the PDF on your phone or print it out at home, whichever you prefer.

       For budget ideas. There are plenty of enjoyable things to do in Barcelona for free or very little money. Personally speaking, I spend hours wandering around the Gothic Quarter and exploring the hidden plazas and alleyways, maybe stopping for a coffee and watching the world pass by.

       Then there’s the old port and the waterfront, October won’t be sunbathing weather but it’s still fun to explore the area and check out the boats and public art. The Parc de la Ciutadella and Montjuïc are also great areas for exploring that don’t cost anything, or you can take the funicular up to the Tibidabo Church.

       If you like museums, then the Barcelona Card covers Barcelona’s best museums, including the MNAC, MACBA and the Picasso Museum, which are highly recommended. When planning your visit, you should bear in mind that most museums are closed on Monday and plan to visit other attractions on this day.

       The 7th of October is “La Festa del Roser” which is the Festa Major de la Rambla, so, depending on restrictions, there may be things going on related to the fiestas in the area around Las Ramblas when you arrive although I haven’t seen a timetable of events for this year yet.

       Another way to save money is by eating your main meal at lunchtime when most restaurants serve a “Menú del dia” which is a set lunch. Normally two courses plus dessert and a drink, there’s normally a choice of three or four dishes for each course. It normally works out at about half the price of eating a la carte.

       Hope this helps and if you’ve any other questions feel free to ask.

       Reply

       1. Prompt & Professionally On-Point. Thank you for the Additional info about the La Festa del Roster…I thought all of Barcelona’s events, holy days, finished in September or before 12 October. Great Call!

          Reply

          1. Hi Cheryl,

             I’ve been trying unsuccessfully to find a program for this year’s Festes del Roser. I’d expect something to be published on this website during the next few weeks.

             Have a great time in Barcelona and on your cruise.

             Reply

             1. Richard, what a Fabulous Upcoming Topic for your Blog – either way – including how tourists & locals can expect to navigate the ever-evolving Landscapes, Locally (in this instance, Las Ramblas, and fiestas/ festivals) due to the always fluid landscape of the global pandemic We ALL live in. Such a priceless resource. We ended up booking a local apartment in the Garçia neighbourhood

                Reply

                1. Hi Cheryl,

                   Good choice, Gràcia is a nice neighbourhood to stay in.

                   I agree that a “current situation in Barcelona” type post would be pretty useful. To be honest, I’ve avoided writing one because it would be incredibly hard, if not impossible, to keep up to date.

                   Reply

27. Hi Richard,
    thanks for this informative article, however, I was wondering which ticket will be suitable if I want to visit the below attractions:

    La Sagrada Familia
    Park Güell
    La Pedrera (Casa Milà)
    Casa Batlló
    Barcelona Bus Turistic
    Telefèric de Montjuïc (Cable Car)
    Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA)
    Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC)
    Picasso Museum
    Public transport 96 hours
    Airport metro / train Transportation (return)
    Aerobus (return)
    Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona
    ELBorn

    Reply

    1. Hi Paul,

       I don’t understand why you’ve listed a return ticket on the Aerobus AND on the airport metro. I think that you will you only need one or the other right? Or am I missing something?

       Since you’ve also included a 96-hour travel pass which covers the airport metro and airport train, I’ve included that in the calculations and skipped the others. Does that make sense?

       The total price for the attractions listed, if purchased online, would currently cost €209.80 (adult tickets).

       The best sightseeing passes for these sites would be to purchase a 96-hour Barcelona Card which costs €50.40 when purchased online plus a GO Barcelona Explorer 3 attraction pass which costs €62.

       The Barcelona Card gives you free entry to the MACBA, MNAC, Picasso Museum, Museu de Ciències Naturals and El Born Cultural Centre plus approximately 10% discount for Casa Batlló and also covers the airport train and metro plus public transport within the city. If you click on the link above there’s a full list of the exact discounts.

       You then use the 3 attraction Go Barcelona Explorer for the Sagrada Familia tour (book in advance), Bus Turistic and La Pedrera.

       Finally, you purchase tickets to Park Güell and the Telefèric de Montjuïc individually online which works out slightly cheaper than buying them at the entrance.

       I calculate that the cost of the Barcelona Card plus the Go Barcelona Explorer and the other entrance fees will come to a total of €164.40. That’s a saving of €45.40 when compared with purchasing the individual tickets online which is pretty good value.

       Plus you get a guided tour of the Sagrada Familia instead of the basic ticket which I used for the original price calculation (only includes an audio guide).

       If you’ve not decided how you’ll be travelling to and from the airport yet, I recommend you read this post. The Barcelona Card can be used for travelling on the airport metro, airport train and the number 46 bus.

       If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

       Reply

       1. Hi Richard
          thank you so much for this rich information,however, I have one more question.
          Can i buy these tickets from the airport or only can be bought online.
          thanks again for your information and knowledge that you benifit others with it.

          Reply

          1. Hi Paul,

             You’re welcome. The Barcelona Card can be purchased at the Tourist Offices at the airport but it’s 10% cheaper if you buy it online. As far as I know, the Go Barcelona Explorer is only available online.

             To be completely transparent. If you purchase using the links above, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

             Reply

             1. hi richard, i have bought barcelona card and now i have reservation voucher number.
                shall i print anything or what shall i do with the email that i recieved?

                Reply

                1. Hi Paul,

                   You should print out the voucher and take it to one of the Barcelona Tourist Offices listed in the article.

                   When redeeming the voucher, you’ll also be asked to show your passport or ID card.

                   Reply

28. Hello!
    Your site is very informative and helpful.
    I’d like to know if there is a travel pass that can be used to travel the whole Spain?
    I will be in Spain in April for 10 weeks.
    I will spend 3 days in BCN, then from there take a flight to Granada (already bought ticket).
    Then stay in Granada for 2 days, then move to Seville for 2 days then to Cordoba then to Malaga or Cadiz for a day trip from Cordoba (still haven’t decided between Malaga and Cadiz) then back to Seville and stay another night.
    Our flight back to home is from Seville airport. Our host in Seville has offered us to drive us to the airport for 16 euros.
    Is there a public transportation pass where I can use to travel all over Spain? If so, is it worth it based on the places I go?

    Really need some guidance here.

    Reply

    1. Hi Afila,

       Thanks for your comment, I’m glad you like the site.

       If you mean transport on the metro, tram and urban buses within cities, then no, each major city has its own public transport system and tickets aren’t interchangeable.

       For example, the travel passes mentioned in this article are specific to Barcelona and the surrounding area.

       There are however several travel passes which may be useful for travelling from one city to the other on public transport.

       The first is the Spain Pass which is a train pass sold by RENFE (the Spanish train company). They sell passes which include 4, 6, 8 or 10 journeys.

       To decide whether it’s worth purchasing a Spain Pass, you should compare prices with the individual tickets on the RENFE website.

       Generally speaking, you can save money by purchasing train tickets in advance. Tickets for the high-speed AVE trains normally go on sale 60 days beforehand and are often considerably cheaper if purchased at this time.

       ALSA, the main long-distance bus company in Spain, also offers a couple of passes that may be of interest: The ALSAPASS which covers all of Spain and the TOURISTPASS which concentrates on Andalusia and Portugal.

       For example, the Granada – Malaga – Cordoba – Seville pass might be of interest. Once again, you should compare prices and availability with that of normal single tickets.

       The last time I was in Seville we took the bus to the airport, it was pretty convenient. Timetable here but €16 for a taxi seems pretty fair.

       By the way, assuming you plan to visit the Alhambra Palace in Granada. If you haven’t done so already you should think about booking tickets now because they get booked up very early. I’ve heard of it being booked up over a month in advance.

       Also in Barcelona, you should purchase tickets to the Sagrada Familia, Park Güell and the Picasso Museum in advance although they’re not so overbooked as the Alhambra so 5 days to a week in advance should be soon enough.

       Reply

29. Hi, your site is very clear and informative, can I find out the best option for the following journey please.
    2 adults and 3 children.
    Plan as follows.
    Day 1. Travel airport to loret de mar
    Renfe train to Santa
    Train to blanes
    Shuttle to loret.
    Stay in loret for 7 days.

    Day7. Return same route to
    Barcelona . Metro from train
    to liceu beside hotel.
    Day 8. Return to airport by train from
    passeig de gracias.

    Does this sound accurate?
    Is this a lot of changing with 3 children over 10.?
    In June 2020, would a T familiar card be our best option as we leave zone 1 and go to zone 5…..note 7 days apart, or would there be a better option?
    Really appreciate your assistance.

    Reply

    1. Hi Louise,

       I’m glad you like the site, I try to be as detailed and concise as possible.

       Now on to answering your questions :-)

       Starting with the changes, you need to change twice if you take the train from Barcelona airport. It’s straightforward enough, but the journey takes quite a long time because it’s quite a way and the trains stop at most of the towns in between.

       Depending on connections it will take about two and a half hours or so.

       If your flight lands at T1 then you will also need to take the free shuttle bus to T2 to catch the train, adding another change and 10 minutes or so to the journey.

       As long as your kids can carry their own luggage, it shouldn’t be a problem. The plus side is that, after leaving Barcelona, the train line runs along the coast and the journey is quite scenic.

       The alternative is to take the bus which is run by Sarfa and takes about an hour and a half from the airport to Lloret de Mar (no changes). In the winter there are only a couple of buses per day, but in the summer this increases to about 10 buses per day. The fare is currently €13.15. Check prices and times here.

       If you decide to take the train then what you said is correct. You will be able to use a 5 zone T-familiar travel card which will cost €40 for 8 journeys. Since you will be travelling there and back and there are 5 of you in your group, you will also need 2 additional tickets.

       The T-familiar can’t be used for the direct bus from the airport to Lloret de Mar or for the bus from Blanes train station to Lloret de Mar.

       The bus from Blanes train station to LLoret de Mar costs €1.90 so, combined with the T-familiar, this works out at €6.90 per journey.

       For the 2 additional journeys, you can purchase a combined ticket for the train plus bus to Lloret which costs €8.00. More info here.

       The route you describe is correct, however when changing trains in Barcelona, I prefer to make the transfer in Barcelona El Clot-Aragó station instead of Barcelona Sants. It’s a smaller station and less busy. More information about the airport train here.

       For the trip to the airport on the last day you will be able to use a one zone T-familiar which will cost 10.

       Remember that, when sharing a T-familiar, you have to validate it once for each person travelling when you go through the ticket barriers at metro and train stations and when you get on the bus.

       Reply

30. Hi,

    I noticed that in some of the reviews you mentioned TMB buses and in others ATM buses. What’s the difference between the two? Are they different companies? Could you explain please?

    Reply

    1. Hi Ben,

       TMB stands for Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona which is the name under which the three main transport companies in Barcelona operate. Between them they run city’s buses, the metro, the Montjuic funicular railway and cable car, and the Bus Turistic.

       ATM stands for Autoritat Transport Metropolità which is a consortium of transport companies serving Barcelona and surrounding towns and cities which operate an integrated tariff system. ATM travel cards such as the T-casual can be used on all the operators in the consortium (list of operators here) and allow you to transfer from one mode of transport to the other as part of the same journey.

       Reply

31. Thank you for this wonderful information! I will be in Barcelona for a total of 10 days. We plan to take two or three day trips (Montserrat and Figures for sure), but will actually be in the city for at least 7 days of our vacation. We are interested in all things Gaudi, art, and history and will be staying in an apartment in Eixample. We will be using public transport.
    Since we will be in town for a longer period of time than some, we will most likely have a chance to visit not only the top sites, but many others as well. We also generally choose to purchase audio guides, or even guided tours, when possible. Can you suggest the best discount card for us?

    Thank you for your time and expertise!
    Janice

    Reply

    1. Hi Janice,

       The best way to be sure is to make a list of the sites you want to visit, check which card covers most of what you are interested in and then compare prices with the cost of booking the same tours & attractions online using the price calculator above or directly on the official Barcelona Tourist Office website.

       Since you will be staying for over a week, like taking tours/audio-guides and are interested in visiting Montserrat and the main Gaudi sites, I think that either the 7-day iVenture Card or the Barcelona City Pass would be good choices.

       Reply

32. Hi
    We are group of 8 arriving in Aug we will be in Barcelona for 6 days and will be visiting Barcelona stadium, sagrada familia, beach, las ramblas daily. We will be starting our journey from our apartment in the Sagrada Familia area. What is the best travel option T10 or Hola? Also for T10 does one journey count as full day trip say from Apartment to Las Ramblas and back again to Apartment or is that 2 journeys?

    Reply

    1. Hi NM,

       From what you say, it doesn’t sound like you will be using public transport that much so I think that the T-10 would be a better choice for you.

       From your apartment to the beach counts as one journey. Then from the beach to your apartment is another journey. The maximum journey duration for a one-zone T-10 is 75 minutes.

       Remember that the T-10 is a multi-person travel card, so one can be shared by 2 or more people. In this case, you have to validate the ticket once per person travelling. You must insert the card in the ticket barrier at the entrance to the metro station once per person. Remember that when sharing a T-10 you have to stay together for the entire journey. If not you run the risk of being stopped by ticket inspectors without a valid ticket.

       Since there are 8 of you, you could also consider the T-70/30 which is also a multiperson pass. Although it doesn’t really work out that much cheaper than the T-10.

       Once again, when sharing a T-70/30 you must validate the card once per person and remain together for the entire journey.

       Remember that it’s essential to buy your tickets to visit the Sagrada Familia in advance. I recommend that you purchase them at least 5 days before you plan to visit. More info about visiting the Sagrada Familia in this post.

       Reply

33. Hi,

    I will be visiting Barcelona with my husband next month for 4 days to celebrate his birthday.

    We’re interested in seeing the main Gaudi buildings plus the old town and Montjuic mountain area ( Magic Fountain). Staying in a hotel near the Cathedral and planning to visit: Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, Casa Mila, Casa Batllo, Palau de la Musica, perhaps the Picasso museum if we have time.

    We have purchased the Barcelona City Pass plus one day HOHO bus. Should we also add a travel pass?

    Also, I want to reserve a table in traditional Spanish restaurant for a special birthday meal. Where do you recommend?

    Reply

    1. Hi Jane,

       I’m assuming that you will be taking the Aerobus from the airport to Plaça de Catalunya then walking to your hotel right?

       With that itinerary, I don’t think you’ll be using public trasnport that much so I think that a 1 zone T-10 (share one between you) will be sufficient.

       For the special meal I think that Restaurant 7 Portes would fit the bill. It’s a long standing and popular restaurant which serves traditional food in elegant surroundings near Port Vell.

       Reply

34. Hi, and thank you for your attention to so many details in your informative post! Very appreciated!

    I would like further clarification on the BARCELONA CARD which you mentioned above is a smart card and runs for 24 hour increments “the duration from the time you first use it.” This info seems contrary to the info on another site, I believe it’s the official website : “Keep in mind that the Barcelona Card is valid for consecutive days – not 24-hour periods. For example, if you activate a 5-Day Barcelona Card on Monday at noon, it will expire on Friday at midnight.” barcelonacard.org

    So which is it? Also, if I purchase the card online now before my traveling to Barcelona, am I able to take advantage of the discounts etc. when booking tours/attractions in advance online? Or can I only make use of the discount if purchasing the tickets on the spot after I have validated the card?

    Thanks so much!

    Reply

    1. Hi Ellen,

       Thanks for your comment, I’ve tried to make the post as detailed and informative as possible.

       About the validity of the Barcelona Card. I can confirm that the cards are valid for a number of consecutive hours starting from the first use (48, 72, 96 or 120 hours).

       The confusion has arisen because, up until 2 years ago, the Barcelona Card used to be valid for a number of calendar days days and expired at midnight (as you stated in your comment).
       This is no longer true but unfortunately there are still lots of websites which haven’t updated yet and still show out of date information.

       The website you mentioned isn’t the official Barcelona Card site. As far as I can see it’s an affiliate site. This means that the website owner earns a small commission if you purchase the card from one of the links on the site. The same as I do if you purchase your Barcelona Card from one of the links on this page.

       You can only use the Barcelona Card to get discounts when purchasing your tickets on the spot, at the attractions. Not when purchasing tickets online.

       Reply

35. Thank you for the wonderful tips above. We’ll be staying in Barcelona for 3 full days. Arriving at BCN airport and leaving via train to Madrid. There’s 3 in our family. We have a free Hop on Hop off for a day from our hotel. We plan to visit the La Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, La Pedrera, Picasso Museum and maybe a few others if time permits. Which of the Barcelona discount cards would you recommend? Or maybe we’re better off getting the 10 tickets pack for the metro and purchasing individual tickets (maybe get the Gaudi Bundle) instead.

    Hope to hear your recommendation soon.

    Thank you,

    Neil

    Reply

    1. Hi Neil,

       Thanks for your comment, I’m glad you found the post helpful.

       I agree, if you will only be visiting the sights listed then a T-10 will probably be the cheapest option for you. Don’t forget that the T-10 is valid for the airport train but not for the airport metro (more info in this post)

       Also, since you already have the Hop On-Hop Off bus covered (I’d be interested to know which hotel gives it away free) then (assuming that you want the audio guide) the Gaudi bundle plus individual tickets for the other sites will be your best bet.

       As mentioned in the post above, the Gaudi bundle is convenient because it allows you to buy both tickets together but if you don’t want the included audio guide it would actually work out cheaper to buy the tickets online individually. Personally speaking, especially if it’s your first visit, I think that the audio guide is worth the small additional cost.

       By the way, if you’ve already bought your train tickets to Madrid they should have a code on them which entitles you to a free commuter train ticket to Barcelona Sants train station (more info in this post) so if you are staying near to Plaça de Catalunya, Passeig de Gracia, Arc de Triomf or El Clot you could use this to get to the train station for free on the last day.

       Have a great time in Barcelona and if you have any more questions feel free to ask.

       Reply