Hop from terrace to terrace, take a refreshing dip in the sea or immerse yourself in Gaudi's impressive architecture. A city trip to Barcelona is always a good idea. But what if we told you the city has even more to offer? Because Barcelona has a vibrant cycling culture, which lets you discover the metropolis in a unique way. Cycling in Barcelona is a must and I tell you why.
Hop on a bike and explore Barcelona's surroundings from a perspective most tourists miss. Or make a stop at one of the cosy bike cafes for a delicious cup of coffee. ¡Vámonos!
Why cycle in Barcelona?
Barcelona lies between the Collserola mountain range and Montjuïc hill, making the city the ideal base for cyclists who love climbing. From the city centre, you can be at the foot of the Arrabassada climb in Collserola Nature Park in just a few kilometres. If you want to see more, west of the city you will find the national park del Garraf, 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 do I rent a bike?
It is late November when I go to Velodrom walk, a hip and chic bike shop in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, one of the city's wealthiest neighbourhoods. On the way, I settle down on a terrace in the sun for a 'Café con leche'. Although summer is far behind us, I hardly notice it here. Because how wonderful it is to feel the sun on my face after all those grey days! It makes me even more excited about today's ride.
When a little later I Velodrom step inside, it is immediately clear that they know what they are doing here. The most beautiful and stylish cycling clothes hang here. In between, beautiful bikes are displayed. My rental bike is already there; without ugly stickers and well maintained. It is nicely fitted, with the type of pedals I had asked for and the saddle height I had passed on. This is how I like it, but unfortunately I sometimes experience things differently.
What is it like to cycle in Barcelona?
The weather is so nice that I decide to leave my leg warmers at the shop. In short-long, I get on my bike. To be fair, the first few kilometres are not exactly a joy. Cars and scooters race past me, I have to slalom around obstacles and a traffic light looms every 200 metres. Sometimes I have no idea whether I am allowed to cycle on the road in question and what exactly my place on the road is. Fortunately, I meet other cyclists, so I just do what they do.
After about 5 kilometres, that changes. One moment I'm still cycling in the middle of the busy city, the next my Garmin says, "Start climb!" and I'm cycling up a quiet winding road. It is the Forat del Vent, a 4-kilometre climb with an average gradient of 5.5%, Immediately it becomes enjoyable and I know: 'This is why I took my cycling gear on a city trip'.
The higher the better
The higher I get, the more impressive the view of the city. The imposing Sagrada Familia towers high above the city. The sun shines into the sea and I have the road almost to myself. The traffic approaching me consists mostly of other cyclists.
As I descend, the city disappears behind the hill and I cycle in the middle of nature. The narrow, winding roads, surrounded by green hills and pine trees,complete the feeling: there is peace here. The only sound I hear is the rattling of my chain and the wind whipping past my head. To my mind, I am far away from the hustle and bustle of Barcelona.
Through villages and past a tourist highlight
The route I follow winds further through the park, taking me from the charming village of Sant Cugat del Vallès to the famous Tibidabo church. An 8-kilometre climb with an average gradient of 4.7%. When I am almost there, I suddenly hear something rushing past and people screaming. What turns out to be the case? A rollercoaster has been built next to the church... For a moment, I am back in Barcelona's mass tourism, but the view I have of the city from here is no less impressive.
Coffee stop
I continue my way to the village of Vallvidrera. Here I come across Uaala, a cute little place that is sort of a combination between a coffee shop and an ice cream shop. By the way, the cappuccino there is not very good, but they do have a lot of pastries and empanadas. Against the façade is a bench in the sun. Just what you want when, like me, you escape those dark days in the Netherlands. It's a lovely place to take a break. Then I start the climb over the last hill; the Tibidabo from La Foresta. A 7.4-kilometre 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. This immediately makes it a lot cooler in the shade. Fortunately, I only have to descend, back to the city and thus 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 cycling in Barcelona? I say: do it!
Bike route highlights around Barcelona
Not just cycling - watching too!
Would you like to combine a visit to the city with cycling yourself and watch bikes too? Here's a hint: in 2026 the Tour de France for men in this Catalan city. The route will be known in autumn 2025. In 2023, they were already in the city once with the Vuelta. Then with finish on the Montjuic.
More on cycling in Catalonia? You'll find it here, including cool routes around Girona:
