Bus turistic Barcelona, Spain / Photo by bcn.travel

At these prices, the pass is a steal! That’s because the Bus Turistic – specially designed as a connector between Barcelona’s key sites and most popular attractions – covers a total span of over 30 kilometres, whose non-stop tour takes about five hours.

The hop on hop off buses runs on three routes: Blue Line in the north half of the city and Red Line in the south, both of which operate year round, and the Green Line – a coastal route – which operates between April and September. The three lines’ expansive range is bounded by F.C. Barcelona’s Camp Nou in the western corner, Montjuic down in the south, Parc del Forum in the eastern corner, and Park Guell to the north. All told, the routes connect about 50 locations! These include Barcelona’s major landmarks such as Placa de Catalunya and Sagrada Familia, cultural attractions such as the Museum Strip and Poble Espanyol, relaxing diversions such as the Miramar and the zoo, plus many other places you may like to visit – yet more reasons that the pass’s price is a steal.

When you buy a hop on hop off Bus Turistic pass, you get rather more than a pass for bus travel:– Included is a booklet with coupons for discounted admission to many of the attractions and diversions on the bus’s route. Every bus has a tour guide who will be happy to answer your questions. Finally, each bus is equipped with an audio-guide which you can listen to in your choice of ten languages.

And, oh, who said double-decker buses are a London monopoly? All Bus Turistic buses are double-deckers – with the upper deck being open-top so that Barcelona’s refreshing cool breezes during our warm summers riffle your hair and keep you perked up.

Among the massive number of visitors a large proportion uses a hop on hop off bus in Barcelona, for which reason it has a fleet of 74 buses. This fact in and of itself demonstrates Barcelona’s ‘pull’ as a Continental destination. But don’t let that scare you off: if you don’t care for the hum and throb of crowds, simply come to Barcelona during the off-season – and you might get nearly a whole Bus Turistic to yourself!

La Rambla, Barcelona, Spain / Photo by bcn.travel

After a day’s exhausting excursion on the Bus Turistic, simply disembark at either Barcelona Walks (North end of La Rambla) or Museu Maritim (South end), take a short stroll, and enjoy a delicious dinner at any of the many fine restaurants on La Rambla. And though you will probably not hear Herb Alpert’s Tijuana music on this lively and ‘happening’ promenade, you will surely thrill to the sounds of Flamenco!

This post was brought to you by Kersie from www.bcn.travel – Barcelona’s local travel expert.

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Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain by Ramon Llorensi

City Highlights

This excursion gives you the chance to see the areas and landmarks of Barcelona that have made the city famous and characterise it to this day. Seeing the city on foot is also a great way to really immerse yourself in the local culture and engage with local residents as well as other travellers. Some of the highlights of this trip are the Gothic Quarter and the Spanish Village and two unforgettable places are the religious sites. The 600-year-old, quintessentially Gothic Cathedral of St Eulalia is built on the site of a former Roman temple to Hercules. The world-famous Sagrada Familia, designed by Gaudi, is spectacular despite still not being completed to this day.

For Football Fans

One of Barcelona’s greatest highlights is its football team. It’s renowned worldwide for its success, both nationally and internationally and usually fields a team of some of the footballing world’s best players. Their home is at the Nou Camp stadium, known locally as simply the Barca and a guided tour is a great way to soak up a real feel of the team and the ground. This tour allows you to pass through the visiting team’s changing room, down the tunnel and on to the pitch, as well as seeing other areas such as the press and interview rooms. There is also a great chance to wander round the Barca Museum, which houses memorabilia from the club’s immensely successful past.

Nou Camp stadium, Barcelona, Spain by Börkur Sigurbjörnsson

Sun and Sea

A chance to make the most of Barcelona’s coastal location is offered by the nearby town of Sitges, accessible by a 45-minute coach journey. This quaint town with its whitewashed houses has plenty on offer, from winding lanes with little shops to explore to seventeen beaches where you can relax, catch some sunshine and enjoy a cool drink. There is something for everyone in Sitges, whether you’re looking for sedate sunbathing or a frolic in the waves. If playing in the water is what appeals to you and your family, then a visit to Isla Fantasia is a must. It’s a giant water park with countless slides, splashdowns and a children’s area. A day at Isla Fantasia will be one that you won’t forget in a hurry.

Into the Mountains

For those who want to see the surroundings of Barcelona, a trip to Montserrat is a great starting point. Literally meaning ‘jagged mountain’ in Catalan, Montserrat is a striking feature of the local landscape and lies only a short distance from the city. One of the most interesting features is the 1000-year-old monastery nestled at the foot of the mountain which hosts the sanctuary of the Black Virgin of Montserrat a site of pilgrimage in the region. From the monastery, it is possible to take the rack railway to the summit of the peak, which is over 4000-feet high and offers spectacular views across the local area.

Any trip to Barcelona will allow you to experience cultural attractions, many great landmarks and hopefully some glorious weather too.

Post by Tony, a UK based travel blogger on behalf of cruise.co.uk.

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