The underground, the fastest and cheapest option

Barcelona is very big and walking to places may not be the best idea. The Barcelona underground has a very good network and it reaches all the corners of the city. Moreover, it doesn’t matter how much distance you travel or how many changeovers you do, the price is always the same (Very different to the London Underground).

If you purchase a ten-trip voucher (€7.80), the price is very cheap and you can go from one end of Barcelona to other in just a few minutes.

Very important!! Always look after your bag and your wallet in the underground. Otherwise, before you realise it, you might have already been mugged. Look after your thing closely. But don’t worry, these pickpockets never use violence, i.e., they take away your things without you realising it, that is why you have to be extra careful, especially entering the underground stations, on the platform and inside the underground if it’s full.

You can ask for a map of the underground at the ticket office and it will be easier for you to get around.

Walking, the most beautiful and entertaining option

Even though the underground is the best option, there are places where walking is a must. And keep in mind that there are many of them, so please wear comfortable footwear. Don’t use uncomfortable footwear. Marian had a muscle strain injury in her right foot for not following this piece of advice. And don’t wear mountain boots, people in Barcelona are very fashionable and the Ramblas or Paseo de Gracia are not the best places to walk around in them. But some people do…

Taxi, the easiest and most comfortable option

Sometimes, it’s worth getting one. From Monday to Friday, the underground closes at 1 a.m. At the weekend, it closes at 4 am. So, if you go out at night, and return to your hotel late, you’ll have to take a taxi. It’s also very comfortable if you don’t want to walk or look for an underground station.

We took a taxi a few times and if we compare with other cities, it’s not very expensive. For example, for a 6-7km journey we paid a bit more than six euros. At night time it’s a bit more expensive (about eight euros), but not too expensive. Bear in mind that in Barcelona you pay the taxi driver for the distance not for the time spent, so they’ll always try to avoid traffic jams and you’ll get to where you want to go as soon as possible.

Moreover, all the taxi drivers (we took five taxis) were very friendly and funny. They always explained a story to keep us entertained.

Are you a tourist? Then, travel like a tourist. We propose four different ways to travel around Barcelona. They are all very entertaining.

The Tourist Bus (Bus Turístic):

We have written a few paragraphs about the Bus Turístic. It is worth catching it for one or two days, €20 and €24 respectively. But, you will receive discount vouchers and you can save up to €40 each.

Cable Car:

It is not very famous, maybe because it costs 11€ and there are no discounts for anyone (students, retired people, etc.) The cable car takes you from the Miramar Gardens (recently restored just like in the 1929 Universal Exposition and one of the best viewpoints in Barcelona) to the centre of the harbour of Barcelona. But bear in mind that you can’t go back down! In other words, it takes you to the tower in the harbour, you enjoy the fabulous views and then you take another cable car back to the gardens. To go back down you can take the funicular.

The cable car, in the Miramar Gardens.

If you want to see Barcelona from a bird’s eye view, take the cable car. We found it exciting, but we don’t think it’s a must for tourists.

The Montjuïc Funicular:

The funicular is a small train that takes you straight up to the top of the Montjuïc Mountain. It is a very exciting experience that cost €5 (€3.50 with a discount voucher).

The Golondrinas:

The Golondrinas (Spanish for Swallows) are small boats that you catch at the Olympic Harbour and that take you all around the harbour. You’ll see the city from the sea, and they’ll take you to the Forum site. It is very typical to ride them.

It worth going on the Golondrinas, you’ll see Barceloneta, the Olympic Village, all the beaches, the Forum site (it’s also horrible if you look at it from the sea). And if you’re lucky, you’ll see beautiful yachts tied up (we still doubt if they were yachts or mini cruise ships since some of them even had heliports).

They cost €12 and with the Bus Turístic you get a €1.50 discount voucher.

A caprice? A ride on a helicopter. €150 for thirty minutes.

It’s another way of travelling around Barcelona. We didn’t go on it, but the views must have been astonishing. Anyway, if you want to see Barcelona from the air, but you don’t want to spend €150, you can go on the cable car. Since it doesn’t go as high as the helicopter, you’ll see things much better. But, keep in mind that on the helicopter you’ll be able to see all of Barcelona, from the cable car you’ll only be able to see the area nearest to the sea.