City tours
Book a city guide
Official city guides can be hired from the Barcelona Guide Bureau at Via Laietana 54. The costs vary depending on the language and the day of the week.
Phone: (93) 310 77 78 (Barcelona Guide Bureau)
Website: http://www.bgb.es (Barcelona Guide Bureau)
Boat tours
The harbor tours depart from the Portal de la Pau near the Columbus Monument at the end of La Rambla; daily from 11 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. in summer, only on weekends in winter. If you want to do something for your fitness, you can only buy a ticket for the outward journey and then walk the four kilometers from the breakwaters back to Barceloneta.
Bus tours
Two companies offer identical tours of the city: Julià Tours departs from Ronda Universitat 5; Pullmantur departs from Gran Viá de les Corts Catalanes 65. There is a morning ride that focuses on the Gothic Quarter and Montjuïc, and an afternoon tour dedicated to Barcelona’s architectural heritage and the Picasso Museum. The tours are half a day. With a TMB pass, visitors can leave and board the tourist bus at any time with a defined route. There are two routes, and the first bus leaves Plaça de Catalunya every day at 9 a.m.
Phone: (93) 317 64 54 (Julià Tours); (93) 487 69 72 and 488 18 18 (Pullmantur)
Website: http://www.julia-tours.com
Tours
The Ruta Modernista houses 50 of the city’s most important Art Nouveau buildings, including the Sagrada Família and some structures that are normally not open to the public. The self-guided tour starts at Palau Güell, Carrer Nou de la Rambla 3-5. Tickets are available at Casa Lleó Morera, Passeig de Gràcia 35, Mon-Sat 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sun 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Several sights, including the Palau de la Musica, La Pedrera and the Sagrada Familia, can be visited for half the price.
Trips
beaches
Sitges is a lively seaside resort in the style of the Balearic Islands and is particularly popular in the Spanish, British and German gay scene. From Barcelona-Sants, Sitges can be reached by train in around 40 minutes. Tossa de Mar, 40 km north of the city, has some beautiful beaches and small bays, an attractive old town and a museum worth seeing. Buses run frequently from Barcelona during the summer, but at other times Only private arrival may be possible.
Website: http://www.sitges.com
Dalí Theater-Museum
This museum in Figueres is a surrealist showpiece of Dalí’s eccentric imagination and was built by the artist himself in the former municipal theater, the place where his very first exhibition took place. Here is also his surprisingly spartan grave. Figueres is about 145 km northeast of Barcelona and can be reached either via the motorway or by train from Passeig de Gràcia. From July to September the museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7.45 p.m., from October to June Tue-Sat from 10.30 a.m. to 5.45 p.m.
Phone: (97) 267 75 00
Website: http://www.dali-estate.org
Montserrat
The spectacular peaks of Montserrat, 40 km northwest of Barcelona, have been a popular pilgrimage destination for centuries. Today, the tourists come in droves to take the cable car up to this atmospheric monastery, which rises above the rugged, rugged mountain landscape. According to tradition, a series of miracles have occurred in Montserrat, all of which revolve around the image of the Black Virgin La Moreneta , which was once hidden here by Saint Peter. In addition to the monastery and the associated museum, which features paintings by El Greco, Caravaggio and Picasso, there are also numerous cloisters and caves that can be reached on foot via a number of mountain hiking trails. FCC– Trains to Montserrat leave Barcelona every hour from Espanya station to the cable car terminal in Aeri de Montserrat.
Mont Tibidabo
On clear days, the Tibidabo in the northwest of the city offers clear views of the city and the Mediterranean in one direction, and Montserrat and the Pyrenees in the other. The slopes of the mountain are crossed by appealing shady hiking trails, and at the summit there is an old-fashioned amusement park. To get there, take the FCC metro to Avinguda Tibidabo, then take the Tramvia Blau tram to the Peu de Funicular, from where a cable car takes you to the summit.
