Barcelona Bike Tours

Sightseeing from the saddle

By Duncan Rhodes Barcelona Life

With a host of highly-rated tour operators in town, balmy weather and an extensive network of bike paths, exploring Barcelona on two wheels is a LOT of fun! Here’s everything you need to know to get pedalling…

Why Explore by Bicycle?

A bike tour is a great way to see Barcelona, and has numerous advantages over traditional walking tours. The most obvious is that being on a bicycle enables you to see much more of the city, but those of you who like a little exercise will also appreciate the chance to burn off a couple more calories and keep the oxygen flowing to the brain as your invariably knowledgeable guide regales you with fascinating histories and amusing anecdotes.

The chance to rattle around Barcelona on two wheels will also make you feel a little more independent (and dare we say ‘cool’) than those who’ve hopped on the nearest tourist bus

The chance to rattle around Barcelona on two wheels will also make you feel a little more independent (and dare we say ‘cool’) than those who’ve hopped on the nearest tourist bus – and you can even maintain the moral high ground on environmental friendliness. There’s no carbon emissions generated from pedal power.

The fact that Barcelona is (with the exception of the odd mountain) an incredibly flat city with over 300km of bike paths (and more planned) should provide additional incentive to get in the saddle and discover the town’s best attractions.

8 Advantages of Exploring by Bike

  • Barcelona’s warm & dry weather is perfect for biking
  • It’s not strenuous, but still a good work out
  • You can fit in many more sights than on a walking tour…
  • But you are more independent than on a bus / coach tour!
  • Barcelona has 300km+ of cycling paths and many car-free zones
  • The centre of the city is mostly flat (and the hilly tours you can do on an Electric Bicycle!)
  • It’s an environmentally friendly way of seeing the city
  • Bicycle tours tend to be very affordable!

Most of Barcelona’s numerous bike tour companies offer both private tours and group excursions with a guide. As well as catch-all routes that take in the likes of La Sagrada FamiliaBarceloneta Beach and La Rambla in one circuit, you’ll also find some exciting alternative tours on offer, concentrating on different themes (like eating tapas or football) or taking you to less-heralded, but equally fascinating, districts.

…article continues after photo.

Top 7 Bike Tours

Find our recommended list of providers below, many of whom also do bike rentals if you prefer free-wheeling it…

1. Steel Donkey Bike Tours

Looking for a two-wheel ride you will never forget? The Steel Donkey team (the donkey is the national animal of Catalonia in case you were wondering!) offer intimate adventures around the city of Barcelona, riding in small groups of no more than 8 people. Their friendly guides are all Barna locals, with an eye for the fascinating details and stories that others might miss, and a nose for adventure. You won’t get a history lesson on Gaudi, but you might learn a little bit about Catalan independence and see sides of the city that most tourists simply don’t know about, as you spend a unique afternoon uncovering Barcelona’s secrets. There is no fixed itinerary (each guide shows you their personal Barcelona highlights!), but hidden squares, city beaches, side streets, chocolate and churros, flea markets and forgotten cemeteries are just a few delights you might experience. A simply great tour for people who don’t like to be tourists. Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence winners from 2013 to present day, check out their bike tour reviews, or their website below.
www.steeldonkeybiketours.com

The Legendary Steel Donkey Experience

Price: €39 per person
Bicycle Type: City Bike (E-bike upgrade available)
Duration: 4 hours
Maximum group size: 8 people
When: Every day at 10am and 3pm (or request a private departure)
Itinerary: Varies, but usually includes cool barrios, local markets, hidden squares, modern architecture, street art, authentic shops, refreshment stop at nice locale.

2. Gaudi Bike Tours

If you’re curious about Barcelona’s legendary architect, look no further than the aptly named Gaudi Bikes Tours, because their comprehensive tours visit ALL of Gaudi’s greatest hits. Their daily Gaudi Highlights Tour not only stops at the world-famous Sagrada Familia, Casa Mila and Casa Batllo, but also calls by underrated gems like Casa Vicens and Palau Guell, and examines the architect’s street lamps, tiles and other design work in iconic locations like Plaça Reial and Parc de la Ciutadella. Their Gaudi Legacy w/ Park Guell electric bike tour goes even further, up to the gorgeous gardens of Park Guell – tickets to the park are included in the price. Both tours include a relaxing refreshment break, either on a charming square or on the rooftop of a luxury hotel, with spectacular views over the city.
www.gaudibiketours.com

Gaudi Highlights Tour

Price: €39 per person
Bicycle Type: City Bikes (E-bike upgrade available)
Duration: 4 hours
Maximum group size: 8 people
When: Daily at 10am (or supplement for private departure)
Itinerary:  Parc de la Ciutadella, La Sagrada Familia, Passeig de Gracia, La Pedrera (Casa Mila), Casa Batllo, Casa Vicens, Las Ramblas, Gothic Hospital, Plaza Real, Palau Guell, Barceloneta

3. Ocean Bikes Barcelona

If you’re keen to see as much as possible while in Barcelona, electric bicycles will take you that bit further than a pedal bike. That’s the philosophy of Ocean Bikes who have created two sensational itineraries for curious explorers: namely their morning Photo Highlights Tour and their afternoon Barcelona Off The Beaten Track Tour. The former is the perfect introduction to the Catalan capital, as it calls by all the most breathtaking sights of the city, such La Sagrada Familia, the Gaudi mansions, and the famous palm tree-lined Barceloneta beach. On this tour you also cross over Montjuic hill, and see the Olympic Stadium, Calatrava’s Needle, the Joan Miro Foundation and several sensational view points – perfect for a few selfies. The more chilled Off The Beaten Track Tour meanwhile is ideal for a relaxed afternoon of cycling and alternative exploring and can be done on a pedal or electric bicycle. Both tours can be combined with a sailing trip from the bike store’s Port Olimpic base!
oceanbikesbarcelona.com

Ocean Bikes Photo Highlights Tour

Price: €49 per person
Bicycle Type: Electric Bike
Duration: 4 hours
Maximum group size: 8 people
When: Daily at 10am
Itinerary: La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s Casa Batllo and Casa Mila, Montjuic mountain, Olympic Ring and Stadium, Christopher Colombus monument, Barceloneta Beach, W-Hotel and ocean viewpoint.

4. Baja Bikes

Baja Bikes are one of the world’s leading bicycle tour companies, operating everywhere from Amsterdam to Zakynthos, Greece. Despite being Dutch-owned they actually started right here in Barcelona, and their Highlights Tour is a natural choice for those visiting the city for the first time. This 3-hour bike ride uncovers the secrets of Las Ramblas, the winding streets of the Gothic Quarter and many of Gaudi’s greatest hits, including of course La Sagrada Familia. The itinerary also includes the colourful Raval neighbourhood, as well as Born, Arc de Triomf and Parc de la Ciutadella. You can book the Baja Bikes’ Highlights Tour on their website, where you can also consider upgrading to their Tapas and Sightseeing Tour, where you also get to try three local tapas with a drink as part of the activity.
www.bajabikes.eu/en/barcelona-sightseeing

Baja’s Barcelona Highlights Tour

Price: €32.5 per person
Bicycle Type: City Bike
Duration: 3 hours
Maximum group size: 12 people
When: Daily at 11am (or 10:30am if you want a Dutch-language tour instead of English!)
Itinerary: Plaça Reial, Raval, Passeig de Gracia, Casa Batllo, Casa Mila, La Sagrada Familia, Borne, Arc de Triomf, Parc de la Ciutadella.

5. Fat Tire Barcelona

Fat Tire’s first ever sortie in the saddle took place in Paris back in 1999, and today you can find them in 12 cities around the world, including of course Barcelona. If you’re looking for the classic round up of the city’s main attractions for a fair price you can’t go wrong, and no need to take our word for it: their Barcelona Bike Tour was voted 11th Best Experience in the World and 9th Best Experience in Spain by TripAdvisors’ Travelers’ Choice Awards 2018 & 2019. Crowd-pleasing sights like the Gothic Cathedral, La Sagrada Familia, Parc de la Ciutadella and the beach make for a great introduction to the city, and their guides are young, charismatic and fun. Popular with backpackers and budget travellers they usually ride in groups of 15 people. You can securely book their most popular experience, the “Sagrada Familia & More City Tour” via their preferred booking partner Get Your Guide.

best-barcelona bike tours tripadvisor

Fat Tire’s Barcelona City Tour

Price: €30 per person
Bicycle Type: Beach Cruiser
Duration: 3.5 hours
Maximum group size: 15 people
When: Daily at 11am and 4pm
Itinerary: Plaça Sant Jaume, Gothic Quarter, Las Ramblas,  La Sagrada Familia, Borne, Parc de la Ciutadella, Barceloneta beach.

6. Buena Vista Tours

A relatively new player on the scene, Buena Vista explore the Catalan capital in small and intimate groups which respect the city, and its citizens. Their Barcelona City Bike tour takes in many of the city’s top highlights, such as La Sagrada Familia, the Palau de la Musica, Ciutadella Park and Plaça Sant Jaume, as well as some curious and hidden treasures off the usual tourist trail. The tour runs daily at 11am from Plaça Reial (one of the city’s most beautiful squares!), and led by passionate and knowledgeable locals who delight in showing travellers their home town. The relaxed vibe means there’s plenty of time to talk, take photos and – on a warm day – have a picnic on the beach. In 2023 they also launched a Gaudi tour, for fans of the architect.
www.buenavistatours.es

Buena Vista’s City Bike Tour

Price: €28 per person
Bicycle Type: City Bike
Duration: 3 hours
Maximum group size: 8 people
When: Daily at 11am
Itinerary: Plaça Reial, Plaça Jaume, Gothic Cathedral, La Sagrada Familia, Parc de la Ciutadella, the beaches.

7. Montefusco Cycling

Specialists in road biking, a day in the company of Montefusco involves more than tottering around the tourist sights… on their Hills Around The City Tour you’ll cover more than 80km of ground as you take in the entire city, starting from the epic Parc del Forum then following the route of the River Besos, before climbing up mighty Tibidabo mountain and cycling along the ridge of the Collserola hills for some of the best views of your life. If you want to go further afield check out their full roster of 12 amazing trips, including to the picturesque town of Sitges, along the winding roads of the Costa Brava and to the beautiful landscapes of Montserrat. This is a small and personable company that caters for serious cyclists.
www.roadcycling.barcelona

cycling barcelona

The Hills Around Barcelona with Montesfusco Cycling

Price: €90-130 per person
Bicycle Type: Road bike
Duration: 4 hours (covering 60-80 kms!)
Maximum group size: 4 people
When: Private, on demand
Itinerary: Hotel pick up, Parc del Forum, River Besos, Tibidabo mountain and hills of Collserola park

8. E-Bike, Cable Car and Boat Tour

Run by a boutique tour company specialising in unique experiences, this “Land, Sea and Air” tour is a Barcelona E-bike tour with Montjuic Cable Car and Boat Trip all included. First you ride your Mercedes Benz electric bicycle up to the magical Montjuic Mountain, where you will hop on the famous teleferic cable car and admire the Catalan capital from the air. From here you can enjoy a stroll around the Olympic Ring and Montjuic Castle. Next you’re back on the e-bikes to ride down to the Old Port and get on board on a romantic “goleta”-style wooden sailing yacht, for a relaxing waterfront cruise. And then there’s still time to ride up to the wonderful Passeig de Gracia to check out Gaudi’s biomorphic mansions, as well as call by the mighty La Sagrada Familia, in the company of your local guide.

E-Bike, Cable Car and Sailing Tour

Price: €59.99 per person
Bicycle Type: E-Bike
Duration: 3.5 hours
Maximum group size: 12 people
When: Daily at 10am
Itinerary:  Montjuic cable car, Olympic Ring and Stadium, Montjuic Castle, boat trips (from old port to Olympic marina), Casa Batllo, Casa Mila, La Sagrada Familia.

So there you have it… plenty of great options to choose from, and no excuses to not get in the saddle. And while you don’t have to be Sir Bradley Wiggins to take a bike tour (my mum has joined me on a couple of the above!), and many tours support young children, basic cycling competence is required. In other words, if you’ve never ridden a bike before, check out our guide to the best walking tours instead!

For a little more on what to bring, plus a couple of suggestion for cycling tours that take you out of the city, keep reading…

What Should I Bring?

Nothing too bad will happen if you rock up to a bicycle tour with just the shirt on your back (and some shorts hopefully), but this is what a boy scout would bring, in order to be totally prepared for a few hours in the saddle:

  1. Sunscreen. Be sure to apply plenty to the back of neck, forearms and face.
  2. Sunglasses. The light in Barcelona can be oh so bright… you’ll get a headache if you forget these.
  3. Sensible footwear. Flip flops on bikes are rarely a good idea.
  4. Bottle of water. You’re going to need to rehydrate, possibly quite regularly if it’s scorchio outside.
  5. Second layer. Check the weather forecast before you set off, as you might appreciate having a light rain jacket, or sweater, for those times when the legendary local climate lets us down.
  6. Camera. Probably best not to pack your DSLR… too clunky and not great way to carry it on a bike. But you’ll want to have a camera of some sort handy for when you stop outside one of Gaudi’s masterpieces, a cool piece of street art or are cruising back to the city via the beach. Your phone or a point of shoot should prove perfect.
  7. Address of the tour meeting point. Because there’s always one who doesn’t…
  8. Cash. Some pocket change for snacks and souvenirs (some tours stop via cool stores) might come in handy.
  9. Backpack. I’d recommend a double shoulder strapped bag as these are much more stable when you’re riding a bike.
  10. Lip balm. The Barcelona Life team have very sensitive lips, ok!?

Cycling Outside The City

If you’re a serious cyclist craving some hardcore thigh burn, then check out our guide to cycling and mountain biking in Catalonia. There’s some amazing countryside to be discovered, whether you’re interested in a day trip or a longer lycra-clad excursion.

For people with normal-sized thighs and fitness levels, there are still a couple of really fun and accessible bike rides that get you out of the city. As a bonus, they all seem to involve wine!

Keep reading below for some fun suggestions:

1. E-Bike Coastline & Wine Tasting Tour

Setting off daily from the centre of Gothic Quarter, your tour guide will lead you up Barcelona’s stunning coastline to the picturesque village of Alella where you’ll visit one of Catalonia’s only family-run urban wineries, and stroll along its ancient vineyards. Your sleek, power-assisted electric bike makes the journey a doddle, and there’s plenty of golden beaches and maritime views to enjoy en route, before you tuck into a selection of tapas and sample some of the winery’s best vintages. Don’t worry about drinking too much, as you’ll take the train on the way back! The train ticket is included in the price of the tour.

E-Bike Coastline & Wine Tasting Tour

Price: €69 per person
Bicycle Type: E-Bike
Duration: 4 hours
Maximum group size: 12 people
When: Daily at 10am
Itinerary: Gothic Quarter, Barcelona urban beaches, coastal towns of Badalona and Montgat, Alella winery.

2. Penedes E-Bike & Wine Tasting Tour

The rolling hills and vineyards of the nearby Penedes wine region make an idyllic setting for a bit of low key pedalling, punctuated by wine tasting. On this half day tour, you catch a train out of town to Laverns-Subirat station, which is less than an hour away by train from central Barcelona. Once in Laverns-Subirat, your genial guide will guide you around the local countryside on nifty electric bicycles, before taking you to a boutique family-run winery for a cellar tour and organic wine tasting. All-in-all a wonderful escape from the city! You can find out more and book via Get Your Guide. If you prefer to spend the whole day in the Penedes, there’s a full day tour option as well.

Penedes Wine Tasting via E-Bike

Price: €74 per person
Bicycle Type: E-Bike
Duration: 4 hours
Maximum group size: 15 people
When: Daily at 10am
Itinerary: Meet at Laverns-Subirat station, cycle amongst vineyards, enjoy a wine tasting at family-run boutique winery.

Frequently Asked Questions

We’ll wrap up this post with the answers to your FAQs… and if there’s something we haven’t covered in this article, please ask us in the comments section and we’ll do our best to help!

Is Barcelona good for biking?

Barcelona is the perfect city for cycling, as the weather is warm and dry most of the time, the centre of the city is totally flat, and there are over 300 kms of dedicated bike paths.

Which are the best bike tour companies operating in Barcelona?

Steel Donkey Bike Tours are perhaps the best local Barcelona tour operator, while international companies like Baja Bikes and Fat Tires also have a strong presence in the city. Lovers of architecture might look at Gaudi Bike Tours.

Does Barcelona have a public bike sharing system?

Yes, Barcelona launched a city bike share scheme called Bicing in 2007. As of 2022, there are over 500 Bicing stations. Unfortunately it is NOT available for tourists to use, as you need to be city resident to obtain a Bicing card.

Do I need to wear a helmet when cycling in Barcelona?

By law you are not required to wear a helmet when cycling within the city limits. Naturally, if you don't know the local roads and traffic rules, it can make sense to use one. Most bike rental and tour companies will be able to offer you one for free when you use their services.

More Local Tips!

Confession time! I’ve been blogging about Barcelona since way back in 2009… in other words, apart from quite a few more grey hair since arriving in the city, I’ve got plenty more great advice for you, whether you want to work out which Gaudi buildings to visit, what is the best day trip to go on, or which is the best value Barcelona Card. Follow the links to articles with more of my local tips!

About the Author

Duncan the Author

Duncan established Barcelona Life in 2009, whilst freelancing for the likes of Conde Nast, The Guardian, Easyjet Magazine, CNN Traveller and many more. From interviews with Ferran Adria to revealing the secrets of the city’s poetry brothels, he knows the city inside out… and shares all his best tips right here.

5 Comments

  • Teresa Ruetz

    I am blind and we require a tandem bike to rent. Are there Tandem bikes available to rent?

    22.04.2023
  • Ali Zohair

    Hi Duncan,

    Could you recommend a route if we wanted to do a free-wheel bike tour of these places?
    And are there places to lock your bikes if we want to go inside somewhere?

    05.04.2023
  • Bill Sandke

    Just found your site- we arrive soon and will be back on line with you after we land! Love the bike tour recommendations – Boston and Amsterdam were epic on 2 wheels – can’t wait to Bike Barna. And, true confession, as we will be in town for St. Pats- the Irish Bar web search got me to your site. Hasta Luego!

    14.03.2023

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