From terrace to terrace, taking a refreshing dip in the sea or immersing yourself in the impressive architecture of Gaudi. A city trip to Barcelona is always a good idea. But what if we tell you that the city has even more to offer? Barcelona has a vibrant cycling culture that lets you discover the metropolis in a unique way. Cycling in Barcelona is a must and I’ll tell you why.
Hop on a bike and explore the surroundings of Barcelona from a perspective that most tourists miss. Or stop by one of the cozy bike cafes for a delicious cup of coffee. ¡Vámonos!
Why cycle in Barcelona?
Barcelona is located between the Collserola mountain range and the Montjuïc hill, making the city the ideal base for cyclists who enjoy climbing. From the city center, you can reach the foot of the Arrabassada climb in the Collserola nature park in just a few kilometers. If you want to see more, you will find the national park del Garraf west of the city, a mountainous area with caves and gorges. Along the coast, you will see beautiful bays with turquoise waters and picturesque villages, such as Sitges.
Where can I rent a bike?
It is the end of November when I go to Velodrome A walk, a hip and chic bike shop in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, one of the richest neighborhoods in the city. On the way, I stop at a terrace in the sun for a ‘Café con leche’. Although summer is long gone, I barely notice that here. Because what a delight it is to feel the sun on my face after all those gray days! It makes me even more eager to get on my bike today.
If I were to wait even a little longer Velodrome As soon as you step inside, it’s immediately clear that they know what they’re doing here. The most beautiful and stylish cycling gear hangs here. Beautiful bikes are displayed in between. My rental bike is already ready; it’s without unsightly stickers and well-maintained. It’s neatly assembled, with the type of pedals I had requested and the saddle height I had specified. That’s how I like it, but unfortunately I sometimes encounter things differently.
How is it to cycle in Barcelona?
It’s such nice weather that I decide to leave my legwarmers in the store. In a short while I get on the bike. To be honest, the first few kilometers aren’t exactly fun. Cars and scooters zoom past me, I have to dodge obstacles and every 200 meters there’s a traffic light. Sometimes I have no idea if I’m allowed to cycle on the road in question and what exactly my place on the road is. Fortunately, I run into other cyclists, so I just do what they do.
After about 5 kilometers that changes. One moment I’m still cycling in the middle of the busy city, the next moment my Garmin says: ‘Start climbing!’ and I ride up a quiet winding road. It’s the Forat del Vent, a 4 kilometer long climb with an average gradient of 5.5%. Immediately I’m in the mood to enjoy it and I know: ‘This is why I brought my bike on my city trip.’.
The higher the better
The higher I go, the more impressive the view of the city becomes. The imposing Sagrada Familia towers high above the city. The sun shines brightly into the sea, and I have almost the entire road to myself. The traffic that comes towards me consists mostly of other cyclists.
As I descend, the city disappears behind the hill and I cycle amidst nature. The narrow, winding roads, surrounded by green hills and pine trees, make the feeling complete: peace reigns here. The only sound I hear is the rattling of my chain and the wind that blows past my head. For my sense, I am far from the hustle and bustle of Barcelona.
Through villages and along a tourist highlight
The route I follow winds its way through the park and takes me from the charming village of Sant Cugat del Vallès to the famous Tibidabo church. An 8-kilometer climb with an average gradient of 4.7%. As I get close, I suddenly hear something rushing past and people screaming. What turns out? Next to the church, an amusement park has been built… For a moment I’m back in the mass tourism of Barcelona, but the view I have here of the city is no less impressive.
Coffee stop
I continue my journey towards the village of Vallvidrera. Here I encounter Uaala, A cute little place that’s a sort of combination of a coffee shop and an ice cream shop. The cappuccino isn’t that good, but they do have a lot of pastries and empanadas. There’s a bench in the sun in front of the building. Exactly what you want when, like me, you’re escaping those dark days in the Netherlands. It’s a lovely place to take a break. After that, I start the climb up the last hill: the Tibidabo from La Foresta. A 7.4-kilometer climb with an average gradient of 4.4%, the last part of which is quite steep: between 8% and 13%.
After that last climb, the sun slowly disappears behind the hills. As a result, it immediately gets much cooler in the shade. Fortunately, all I have to do is descend back to the city and then to Velodrom. When I get there, I think: what a great idea this was! And why don't more people do this? Combining a city trip with a day Biking in BarcelonaI say: do it!
Cycling route highlights around Barcelona
Not just cycling – also look around!
Would you like to combine a visit to the city with cycling yourself and also get to see some of the sights? Here's a tip: in 2026, the Tour de France for men in this Catalan city. The route will be announced in autumn 2025. In 2023 they had already been to the city with the Vuelta. Then with the finish on Montjuic.
More about cycling in Catalonia? You can find that here, including some cool routes around Girona:
Questions & tips
Do you have any questions about this route, or have you been there yourself? Share them here. We read everything and usually respond within a few days.