Best Bike Tours in Barcelona

Are you visiting for the first time and want to see everything Barcelona has to offer? Have you visited several times and want to see a different side? In both cases, a bike tour is highly recommended. Thanks to the bike, you'll be able to cover shorter distances and visit a number of attractions in just a few hours.

In this post you will find the main options available. And if you want to put yourself to the test on a unique means of transport, you can always opt for a Segway tour.

No trip in Barcelona would be complete without admiring the Art Nouveau jewels. These buildings are scattered around the city centre and the ebike routes in Barcelona touch the most famous ones. Here is a list of the main ones:

• Casa Milá, the Pedrera of Barcelona. It was the last civil work of the architect from Reus. After finishing it, it was completely dedicated to the Sagrada Familia. It is located on Passeig de Grácia, the most elegant avenue in the city.
• Casa Amatller, a mixture of Flemish and Catalan Gothic style. This building by Puig i Cadafalch was commissioned by the chocolate industrialist Antoni Amatller.
• Casa Batlló,
• Basilica of the Sagrada Familia, the famous church in the Eixample district. For more info about the entrances I recommend you to read the dedicated post
• Casa Lleó i Morera, an elegant residence built by Lluís Domènech i Montaner, the same architect of the Palau de la Música Catalana. It stands out for its richly decorated façade and splendid stained-glass windows.

These tours are designed for groups of a maximum of 12 people and may differ slightly from one another. In any case, they are very complete and have very good reviews.

• Duration: between 2.5 and 4 hours.
• Cost: between 35 € and 50 €.

These urban routes usually include a small number of participants: it's easier to organise and enjoy! Before entering the Sagrada Família, you'll pass through the Gothic and Born quarters, two essential parts of the old town. Before pedalling towards the city's most famous temple, your guide will explain the most important stories of these neighbourhoods.

After leaving the Parc de la Ciutadella, the Arc de Triomf and the Plaza de Toros Monumental behind you, you'll arrive at the foot of Gaudí's jewel. Normally, these tours give you an hour and a half to visit the interior. Note that you won't have to queue: you'll have direct access thanks to a priority entrance ticket.

A word of advice: although it's Barcelona's most visited attraction, the Sagrada Familia is still a church! To avoid problems at the entrance, avoid wearing swimwear, excessively short trousers and transparent garments.

• Duration: between 3 and 4 hours
• Cost: between 60 € and 80 €.

This urban tour combines an ebike ride with a tapas tasting. Before stopping at a bar and tasting three or four pinchos, the guide will take you to the foot of the following monuments and attractions:

• Santa Eulalia Cathedral, the most famous example of Catalan Gothic architecture. Its courtyard is the home of 13 geese and once there you will discover why.
• Palau de la Música Catalana, a UNESCO World Heritage auditorium. It was designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner, the same architect who designed the Hospital de Sant Pau and the Castle of the Three Dragons.
• Mercat de Santa Caterina, the Born market. You'll recognise it by its colourful roof
• Born, a must-see neighbourhood in Barcelona
• Parc de la Ciutadella, the oldest park in the city. It was built on the site of an old military fortification
• Parliament of Catalonia
• Port Olímpic, the dock built for the 1992 Olympics
• Barceloneta, the fishing district of Barcelona. This area is home to the Maremagnum shopping centre, sandy beaches and the cable car that connects the coastline with the summit of Montjüic.
• The Ramblas
• Basilica of Santa Maria del Pi

At the end of the walk you will recover your strength with a tapas tasting. You can eat pescaito, pan tumaca, patatas alioli, an assortment of cheeses and cold meats or other traditional pinchos. The price includes a glass of wine or cava or a non-alcoholic option.

• Duration: between 3 and 4 hours
• Cost: between 50 € and 70 €.

These urban routes do not focus on the city's usual attractions, and touch on less crowded spots. However, the first part usually starts from the old town and its most significant neighbourhoods: Gothic and Born. After pedalling through the narrow streets and touching the Parc de la Ciutadella, the route reaches the following points:

• Torre Agbar, the city's most iconic skyscraper. It is located in the 22@, a technological district that has replaced an industrial area. At night it is very suggestive as it is illuminated in different colours.

• Els Encants, an open-air market housed in an avant-garde structure. It is known for the auction of products that takes place every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 7:45 to 9:30. For more info I recommend you take a look at the official website

• Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, a masterpiece of Modernisme. The Sagrada Familia attracts most visitors but this old hospital is a jewel worth seeing.

• Barceloneta, the city's seaside neighbourhood. It is the ideal place to end the route with the sea breeze in your hair.

• Duration: about 6 hours

• Cost: between 30 € and 40 €.

The hill of Montjuïc overlooks Barcelona and the Mediterranean Sea. From the top of the mountain you can enjoy the best views of the city, but this is not its only attraction. Montjuïc is a place with a lot of history and although its vicissitudes are linked to the 1992 Olympic Games, the first settlements date back to the Middle Ages.

The jewel in the crown is the National Palace, which was built for the 1929 International Exhibition. It now houses the MNAC, the museum that houses the most outstanding works of Catalan art. By the way, if you are interested in the cultural institutions of the city, I recommend you to read the article about the Barcelona Museum Pass.

Thanks to the electric bike you will easily climb the 173 metres that separate the summit from the coastline. Before reaching Montjüic, you'll cycle through two emblematic areas: Born and the Gothic Quarter. In many cases, these routes also pass through Parc de la Ciutadella.

• Duration: around 3 hours
• Cost: between 35 and 50 €.

Only if you wish. Safety devices are provided by each tour. In many cases, agencies that rent out electric bikes also provide child seats. Please note that the routes are safe as they avoid the busiest streets and, where possible, pass through urban parks. For more information, I recommend you read the post on how to get around Barcelona.

Of course not! Each tour listed in this post is done with electric bicycles or ebikes. These are velocipedes with an electric motor, a lithium battery and a series of sensors that detect the force exerted on the pedals. This information is encoded by a control unit that calculates the "help" given to the cyclist.

In simple terms, ebikes require you to pedal but every movement of your legs can be assisted by the electric motor. Typically, the batteries have a range of 30 kilometres and can be mounted on any type of velocipede, from mountain bikes to city bikes. Generally, these means of transport include three levels of assistance: eco, sport and turbo.

No, there is no minimum age but there is a minimum size. These tours are for people who are at least 140 cm tall. Children can also get on the saddle, as long as they reach this height. Please note that no licence or permit is required to ride them.

Of course! If you're an experienced cyclist, you can rent a bike and explore the area around the city. A good option is, for example, Terrabike Tours (Carrer València 337), which offers both road and mountain bikes. As for the routes, here are some of the most interesting ones:

• River ride along the banks of the Besòs. The route starts in Sant Adrià del Besòs (not far from the Diagonal Mar) and reaches the municipality of Montcada. Shortly before your arrival you will pass through the Parc de les Aigües.
• From Barcelona to the Vallvidriera reservoir. This route requires more experience. You will have to cycle to Sant Just Desvern, a municipality just beyond L'Hospitalet de Llobregat. From there you can enter the Vallvidriera Park. Follow the signs and enjoy a stroll through nature.
• From Cornellà to the Llobregat Delta, an easy route with a total length of about 25/30 km. If you like planes, you'll be pleased to know that halfway along the route you'll find a viewpoint where you can see the aeroplanes up close.