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Taking a bike tour of Barcelona’s Old Town is a great way to explore this historic neighbourhood, allowing you to pack more into your day and get a workout at the same time. Whether you’re looking for a leisurely ride or a bit more of an adventure, here’s Culture Trip’s pick of the best.

Bike Tours Barcelona

Historical Landmark

Gothic Quarter, Barcelona.
Egor Myznik / Unsplash

This was one of the first companies to start offering bike tours in Barcelona and has been operating since 1995 when it opened under the Catalan name Un Cotxe Menys (‘One Less Car’). Today, Bike Tours Barcelona is one of the most trusted local bike tour companies and continues to work with the tourism board to promote a greener kind of sightseeing in the city. The company offers daily English-language tours of the city’s most popular neighbourhoods, sights and parks – most of which are accessed via cycle lane and pedestrian areas – as well as private trips for groups in a variety of different languages.

Fat Tire Tours Barcelona

Historical Landmark

“See more, less effort, more fun” is the motto of this international bike tour company with branches in Paris, London, Munich, Berlin, Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco and Washington DC, as well as in Barcelona. Fat Tire Tours’ offerings include classic bike tours that take in Barcelona city centre and Gaudí’s Modernist masterpieces, as well as more unusual trips such as an e-bike tour of Montjuïc (the e-bike gives you a little help getting up the slope, so you don’t have to worry about running out of breath) and a night-time excursion to a flamenco show and the city’s tapas bars.

Barcelona eBikes

Historical Landmark

Gaudi architecture in Barcelona, Spain
Tyler Hendy / Unsplash

Explore the heart of Barcelona with Barcelona eBikes, the city’s premier company specialising in e-bike tours. Join this tour and you’ll get a pretty complete look at Barcelona, but you can also personalise your experience by selecting one of two itineraries. One focuses more on the city’s rich variety of bohemian and cultural neighbourhoods, while the other is a deep dive into Antoni Gaudí’s Barcelona – the singular architect’s fingerprints are all over this city in ways both big and small. You’ll know it when you see the big, but your guide is on hand to help out with the lesser-spotted gems.

Barcelona eBikes – with tapas and drinks

Historical Landmark

Like the idea of a bike tour but like the idea of a tapas tour even more? Rest assured you don’t have to choose, since Barcelona eBikes also offer a tapas tour by bike allowing you to get a taste of Catalan cuisine while you explore the city. The tour consists of three-and-a-half hours of cycling (on an ebike) on flat surfaces and includes a visit to a local’s favourite tapas bar, handpicked by your in-the-know guide, where you’ll taste up to four different tapas dishes and up to three glasses of wine or soda as well. This is a great way to combine an introduction to the local food culture with a visit to some of the city’s most famous sights.

Barcelona eBikes – with skip-the-line Sagrada Familia entry

Architectural Landmark

Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain
Colin + Meg / Unsplash

As you can tell, we love the range of tours on offer from Barcelona eBikes, so we also wanted to flag this small group eBike tour that includes a visit to Barcelona’s most popular attraction, La Sagrada Familia. Other highlights of the tour includes the Gothic Quarter, El Born Centre Cultural, Parc de la Ciutadella, La Pedrera and Casa Batlló. You’ll arrive at La Sagrada around halfway through the tour, when you’ll hop off your bike and skip the line into Gaudí’s eccentric masterpiece cathedral, which is still yet to be completed to this day, such is the extravagance of the design. An audio guide device is included with your entry too.

The Legendary Steel Donkey Off the Beaten Track Tour

Historical Landmark

This tour is all about discovering the treasures that most tourists in Barcelona miss out on. You’ll hop on a bike and follow a knowledgable guide around some of the city’s coolest spots, from the the back streets of El Born, to the stalls of Los Encantes Barcelona and the bold street art of El Poblenou. This whole experience is all about giving you a better insight into the real Barcelona, so don’t hesitate to ask your guide plenty of questions. You’ll be sure to leave with an arsenal of epic recommendations, from the best coffee spots in town, to trendy nighttime hangouts and underrated cultural gems.

Barcelona CicloTour

Architectural Landmark

Barcelona CicloTour’s daily offering is one one of the most complete bike excursions in Barcelona, including a total of 17 different sights over the course of three hours, with a stop nearly every 100 metres (328 feet). Starting from the Plaça Catalunya, you’ll see the Gothic Quarter, Gaudí’s Sagrada Família, the beach and even the Roman ruins of the city. Child seat and helmets are provided free upon request, as well as ponchos in case it rains.

Let's Velo

Architectural Landmark

Vilafranca del Penedès, Spain
Aleix Ventayol / Unsplash

Last but not least, if you’re feeling a little sportier and want to explore the area surrounding Barcelona, Let’s Velo offer a number of bike tours out of the town of Vilafranca del Penedès – the capital of the cava industry. Cycle through some of the most scenic Catalan countryside on lightweight carbon bikes designed to help you get the most out of your pedal power and stop off at vineyards along the way to get a taste of some of the region’s wines.

About the author

Tara is a travel writer and editor who lived in Barcelona for 5 years writing exclusively for Culture Trip. She has a passion for sharing experiences around food and wine.

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