A Sustainable Guide To Travelling Light In Barcelona

Marty McFly captured the world’s imagination when he rode a hoverboard in Back to the Future, and a recent prototype test proves that technology has finally caught up and you can ride an actual, real hoverboard! But then, some of the travel options that are popular in Barcelona do seem a little futuristic. Read on to discover what they are.

Barcelona is a comparatively small city, being contained by the sea on the eastern side and the mountains to the west. However, this small space is crammed with activity, and your most sustainable mode of transport, your feet, will need some help if you’re to make the most of your time here. As with most cities, pollution is a problem, so electric-powered vehicles are perfect for travelling around. Public transport in Barcelona is efficient and plentiful, but here we’re looking at more personalised and sustainable ways of getting around.

Bicycles

Green Bikes Barcelona are open seven days a week and you can rent a bike complete with locks, helmets and child seats (although helmets are not obligatory in Barcelona except for those under 16 years old). Green Bikes also refurbish bicycles, and for longer stays you can even buy a bike from them and they will buy it back at 50% of the sale price when you leave. If you think you need a bit more help with the hills, then you might want to consider an electric bike.

e-bike rent has a range of e-bikes: from children’s to foldable models, and trekking to mountain bikes for those planning a more adventurous route.

Segways

These strange-looking contraptions might remind you of something from a sci-fi film, with their fat tires gliding easily over Barcelona’s cobblestoned streets. They bowl along the seafront at pace, their riders upright and helmeted – and generally wearing a big grin, too. Segways are really only driven by tourists on guided tours, but they do add an exciting other-worldliness to your trip. Families with children over 10 years old will especially enjoy the experience of seeing the sights in a fun new way.

Scooters

If you do an internet search for ‘scooters’ in Barcelona, you’ll come up with a motorised Vespa-style vehicle, but here we’re talking about the ones you push along with your foot, except you don’t because they’re electric. Very popular with locals, the scooter avoids traffic completely as people just ride them on the sidewalk. Most fold up into a portable form once you’ve reached your destination. Of course, if you long for the Vespa experience but still want to go green, there is also the electric sit-on scooter (over 18s only).

Tuk-tuks or Rickshaws

If you’ve ever travelled in Sri-Lanka, you will recognise these iconic passenger vehicles. In Barcelona, you can take a pedal-powered one – electric ones are prohibited – for between one and six people. They’re a bit more convivial for group tours, and you can even grab an ice cream on the go.

Rickshaws

If you’d rather someone else do the work, you can sit back and be guided around the city in a rickshaw. The drivers often try to out-do each other for cool points and you’ll be able to choose from various genres of musical accompaniment. Book your ride online and have them come and collect you from your hotel or simply head down to Port Vell and take your pick.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.