Tag Archives: bicycle

Barcelona by bike.

Barcelona is known for its excellent transport network. Recently, Barcelona has focused on sustainable mobility and, in particular, on bicycle transport by building more and more bike lanes. And it’s working! According to Barcelona City Council, between 2021 and 2022, the use of bikes and scooters in the city increased by 11%.

bike lanes in Barcelona

Between November 2022 and June 2023 alone, 32.6 kilometers of bike lanes were built, and 11.7 kilometers were renovated to make them more accessible. Barcelona now has more than 270 km of bike lanes throughout the city, including some of the most popular tourist spots! The Arc de Triomf, Casa Milà, Casa Battló, Barceloneta beach, Parc de la Ciutadella, Montjuïc, etc. In short, there is something for everyone when it comes to cycling.

Guided bike tours in Barcelona by Born Bike Tours Barcelona.

Born Bike Tours Barcelona allows you to visit Barcelona by bike, in the most sustainable way possible! We offer bike rentals for the more adventurous (you can find a map of Barcelona’s bike lane network here), and we also offer guided tours with guides led by knowledgeable guides who are well-acquainted with Barcelona and will share their anecdotes about the Catalan capital.

Are you planning a visit to Barcelona soon? Treat yourself to a guided tour with Born Bike Tours Barcelona.

La fiesta de la bicicleta returns in Barcelona in 2023!

La fiesta de la bicicleta (bike festival) is back in Barcelona for another edition on Sunday the 11th of June 2023. Organized every year by the city hall of Barcelona to promote sustainable mobility for everyone, la fiesta de la Bicicleta should once again be a great success this year.

La fiesta de la bicicleta (bike festival) in Barcelona, the 11th of June 2023.

On the agenda of la fiesta de la bicicleta

The event will take place from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm, Passeig de Lluís Companys (Between the arc of Triomf and the Ciutadella Parc).

On the agenda, activities for young and old:

  • Games and workshops around the theme of the bicycle
  • Raffle to win various prizes
  • Presentation and testing of various bicycles such as cargobikes or bicings (Bicycles available to everyone in the streets of Barcelona, offered as an alternative to polluting transport)
  • The traditional Bicicletada
La fiesta de la bicicleta (bike festival) in front of the arc of Triomf, Passeig de Lluís Companys.

The Bicicletada: the famous bike ride of la fiesta de la bicicleta

Every year, on the occasion of la fiesta de la Bicicleta, a bike ride of a dozen kilometers is organized in the streets of Barcelona. The Bicicletada connects the intersection of Carrer d’Aragó and Passeig de Sant Joan to Passeig de Lluís Companys, passing through several emblematic places of Barcelona. You will be able to discover the Eixample, Ciutat Vella and Sant Martí districts while pedaling! 

Are you convinced?

Then meet us on Sunday the 11th of June 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at the intersection of Carrer d’Aragó and Passeig de Sant Joan to participate in the Bicicletada.

It is advisable to arrive 30 minutes early.

The bicicletada from la fiesta de la bicicleta (bike festival) in Barcelona.

We hope to see you at la fiesta de la bicicleta on the 11th of June. But, if by chance you are not available that day, discover Barcelona by bike is possible every day of the year at Born Bike Barcelona.

Want to discover Barcelona? Let us explain the advantages of cycling.

Discover the Parc de la Ciutadella by bike.

Born Bike Tours Barcelona is a Catalan cultural tours company created in 2009 with a clear objective: to take advantage of our roots and origins, to combine our knowledge of Barcelona’s history and our passion for the world of cycling and culture.

The human factor is one of our values and we consider it our responsibility to achieve our collective goals with empathy and fidelity.

With 240 kilometres of cycle path, visiting Barcelona by bike allows you to drive to unusual places, emblematic or not yet known, to discover its history or its milestones.

Through these authentic guided tours. Born Bike Tours Barcelona offers you a historical, cultural, economic and sociological point of view.

Guided bike tour at Montjuïc.

Why choose cycling as a means of transport ?

Cycling is the fastest means of transport in the city and will allow you to stop regularly without constraints in places where cars do not pass in order to admire the landscape.

In addition, visiting the city by bike will improve your physical and mental health while reducing the stress that road traffic could generate.

These days, we must also take into account the economic factor.

Indeed, a bike does not need fuel to move forward, just the strength of your legs. Thus, you will reduce your carbon footprint, and the planet will thank you!

A group taking advantage of a sunny day to cycle the Montjuïc.

The bike is ideal for families !

If you have children, this is the opportunity to offer them a holiday around a pleasant activity that will be perfect to create unforgettable memories.

22-23 October: The Barcelona Architecture Festival reopens its doors!

The city of Barcelona opens the 14th edition of the “48h Open Doors” architecture festival from 22 to 23 October 2022.

This year’s festival highlights all the disciplines and professionals that make Barcelona’s architecture a collaborative and global work.
The aim is to bring designers, craftsmen, users and architects out of the shadows to share their collaborative design secrets and to raise awareness about these professions that build Barcelona’s environment.

Planning :

Visits to the most emblematic places in Barcelona will take place in all areas of the city.
For example, in the Centre you can visit

THE “APARTAMENT PICASSO”.

This is a complete remodelling of a small, very isolated house into an open flat, where the spaces interact and nothing is designed at random

PICASSO

“NNWALLERY: VALÈNCIA-ROGENT WALL”

On the Carrer de València at the corner of Rogent street, you can find the work of DXTR (Dennis Schuster, Berlin), an internationally renowned urban style artist who combines applications on city walls with advertising campaigns for well-known brands. It will be an interactive mural of over 50 metres in length and 2.5 metres in height.

You can also search for all other exhibitions on the festival website at

https://www.48hopenhousebarcelona.org/els-edificis/

Enjoy your immersion in Barcelona’s architecture!

Sports competitions in Barcelona in 2022 

In Barcelona, sport is very present. Indeed, the people of Barcelona are sporty and have competition in their blood! That’s why we are going to present you the main sports competitions taking place in Barcelona in 2022.

TRAM BARCELONA OPEN 2022 

📆 Dates : From 18.05.2022 to 22.05.2022

📍Place: Real Club de Polo de Barcelona – Av. Doctor Marañón, 17-31, 08028 Barcelona 

In order to show that sport is accessible to all and thus normalize disability sport, one of the most important events will be present in Barcelona for the 5th edition. This sports competition is an international tennis tournament for people in wheelchairs. The Tram Barcelona Open highlights the surpassing of oneself, the efforts and also the perseverance in spite of some differences. The tournament is hosted by the Real Club de Polo de Barcelona. 

Poster of the Tram Barcelona Open
©JohanCruyffInstitute

E-DREAMS: MITJA MARATÓ OF BARCELONA 

📆 Dates: 03.04.2022

This is the eDream half marathon of Barcelona. It takes place in the center of Barcelona and passes through the most famous avenues of Barcelona. This sporting event brings together runners from all over the world, from different countries, of different levels, to spend a great time in the beautiful city of Barcelona.

Photo of the finish of the E-Dreams Marathon of Barcelona
©20minutos

45th INDOOR TRIAL OF BARCELONA 

📆 Dates: 10.04.2022 – 17h00

📍 Place: Passeig Olímpic, 5-7, 08038 Barcelona 

The Trial Indoor Barcelona is the best Indoor Trial for men and women. This event takes place once again at the Palau de Sant Jordi in Barcelona for a round of the FIM X-Trial World Championship 2022. 

On the program: Obstacles, jumps, and acrobatics. The best riders in the world will compete to offer a show as beautiful as impressive.

Photo of the X-Trial of Barcelona
©TrialIndoorBarcelona.com

ZURICH MARATON OF BARCELONA

📆 Dates : 08.05.2022 

It is the 44th edition of this marathon which is very famous in the European continent. It is a great civic celebration in which runners from all over the world come together. Indeed, the circuit of more than 42 kilometers is one of the most spectacular in the world!

Photo of the start of the Zurich Marathon in Barcelona
©World’sMarathon

FORMULA 1 FIRST GRAND PRIZE OF SPAIN

📆 Dates: 20.05.2022 to 22.05.2022 

📍 Place: Circuit of Barcelona, Catalonia, Mas “La Moreneta”, 08160 Montmeló

The Formula 1 invites itself to the circuit of Barcelona in the year 2022. It is one of the most anticipated sporting events of the year in Barcelona. It is the fifth race of the F1 championship season.

Poster of the Formula 1 of the circuit of Barcelona
©CircuitdeBarcelona

It’s up to you, the enthusiasts, to come and support your favorite athletes!

The festivals of March in Barcelona in 2022

In this month of March 2022, you will not be bored! You’re going to get an earful!

Indeed, many festivals are planned and organized this month and there is something for everyone. Jazz, classical music, cinema, humor and so on.

Barcelona Obertura Spring Festival & Obertura City + 

The Barcelona Obertura Spring Festival is a classical music festival that highlights great international performers. The festival is in collaboration with the Gran Teatre del Liceu, the Palau de la Música Catalana and the Auditorium. The Barcelona Obertura Spring Festival also takes place in major emblematic places of Barcelona such as the Casa Batlló, the Museum of Music, the National Museum of Art of Catalonia, the Joan Miró Foundation and others. 

For this year 2022, the festival wants to highlight women composers who have been forgotten only because they were women.

Festival poster of Barcelona Obertura Spring Festival
©Barcelonaturisme

41th International Jazz Festival of Terrassa 

In this year 2022, the 41st edition of the International Jazz Festival takes place in the city of Terrassa and the Vallès Occidental region. 

In fact, several concerts and artists will perform in the squares, courtyards, terraces, or parks of the city and on the stage of the famous Nova Jazz Cava. The festival will organize various activities, competitions, film screenings, workshops, or swing sessions! 

It’s a great way to discover Jazz and you won’t get bored!

Festival poster Jazz Terrassa
©Distritojazz

In Risus Festival 

This year in Barcelona you can enjoy one of the most entertaining festivals, the In Risus Festival. Indeed, you can enjoy great comedians and masters of monologue who will perform on the stages of several theaters and halls in Barcelona. 

Artists such as Berto Romero, Ana Mogarde, Charo López, or David Fernández will be present on stage. 

Laughter is at the center of the festival for our greatest pleasure! And yes, the month of March rhymes with farce and it is not for nothing!

Festival poster In Risus 2022
©mpcmanagement

XXIV Mecalpro Festival 

The Mecalpro Festival is an international festival that aims to present more than 5000 short films by international directors in Barcelona. Its objective is to promote new talents and thus to bring together creators and distributors.  

It consists of audiovisual screenings divided into 4 sections, other diverse activities are also organized including themes, genres, authors and different eras.

Festival poster XXIV Mecalpro
©Barcelonaturisme

This month of March promises to be full of discoveries !

Don’t miss the Barcelona rally !

The Barcelona Rally returns in 2022 for its 64th edition. It will take place on 19 and 20 March 2022. The participating cars and motorbikes come from various national locations and will run from Barcelona to Sitges. The only condition to participate is their production date! Up to 1928 for the cars and 1938 for the motorbikes. Some of them will be a hundred years old!

Did you know that? The rally is considered as an Event of National Tourist Interest! 

2022 poster:

This year’s poster pays tribute to the French brand Amilcar, which produced 3 or 4-wheeled vehicles weighing up to 350 kg.

Old cars at the Barcelona rally
©BlogStaySitges

Waiting for the start of the Barcelona – Sitges rally…

From 7 to 19 March, to keep you waiting, you will be able to see many vintage cars on display, open to the public!

The rally program 

On the program on Saturday 19 March : 

9:30 am: Cultural Gymkhana. 20 cars (Porsches) will participate in this gymkhana which will start in front of the ME Terramar Hotel in Sitges. The route ends at 14:00. The cars will then be on display at the Fragata until mid-afternoon.

10:00 – 17:00: Inspection and control of the vehicles and their display at Avenida Diagonal. For an atmosphere in keeping with the era of the cars, a music group will play jazz from the 1920s which will be danced by members of the BCNswing association.

On the programme for 20 March :

Arrival of the participants at the plaza de Sant Jaume at 8:30 am sharp!

The drivers and passengers of the cars will be dressed in the same way as they were when their car/bike was designed, often in collaboration with Menkes (a specialist in the craft of clothing and shoes).

The start will be at 10:30! The route is as follows :

Barcelona (Pl. Sant Jaume – Ferran – Rambles – Pl. Catalunya – Ronda Universitat – Ronda Sant Antoni – Sepúlveda – Paral-lel – Pl. Espanya – Gran Via – Badal – Constitució), to L’Hospitalet de Llobregat (Santa Eulàlia – Enric Prat de la Riba – Barcelona), Cornellà de Llobregat (Carretera de L’Hospitalet – Av. de la Fama – Tirso de Molina – Av. Baix Llobregat – Connection with the C-245), Sant Boi de Llobregat, Viladecans, Gavà, Castelldefels, connection with the C-246, Costas del Garraf and arrival at the port of Sitges-Aiguadolç around 12:30.

Meanwhile, around midday, a music and dance show will begin with the group Apocadixie Cotton Pickers accompanied by dancers from Swing Garraf. The show lasts until the arrival of the Ral Oleo caravan.

They depart again at 13:30 pm :

This time from the port of Sitges to the Fragata, the cars will be on display until 17:00 once they arrive at the Fragata. 

The itinerary of the route is as follows: Av. Puerto de Aiguadolç – Emerencià Roig and Raventós – Av. Balmins – Puerto Alegre – Rafael Llopart – Jesús – Cap de la Vila – Parellades – Marqués de Montroig – Plaça de l’Industria – 1 de Mayo – Pº de la Ribera – Balsa Redonda – San Antonio – Avda Sofía and Paseo de la Ribera to the Fragata.

Then, the passions, the amateurs or the curious one awaits you numerous! 🏁

Street art, a modern art

Very common in Barcelona, street art is still growing. “Street art” means Urban Art, it is a contemporary artistic movement that appeared at the end of the XXth Century. It is present in the streets, on the walls, in public places. It comes in different forms: graffiti, poster creation, stencil graffiti, pastel and video projection.

If you want to discover street art, Barcelona is for you! In this article we present you the 5 graffiti not to be missed, but you should know that there are some on almost every street corner !

The Carboneria of Sant Antoni : a place full of history

The old abandoned coal factory is now transformed into a squat. It is one of the spaces where we find the most street art. Long threatened with demolition, the coal factory is now one of the most emblematic places of street art. Indeed, the *okupas have made a fresco on the facade of the charcoal house, making it of historical and artistic interest and avoiding its demolition.

*People who occupy and take possession of unoccupied places to live in.

📍 Address : Carrer del Comte d’urgell 30 08011, Barcelona

Hot air balloon represented on the facade of the coal factory
©lavanguardia

The face of Rosalia : the Barcelona pop star 

Originally from Barcelona, Rosalia has been known worldwide since 2018 thanks to her songs and duets with international stars. Supported by the citizens of her hometown, the Catalan singer has been represented on the walls of the city by the famous artist Uriginal, in the district of Sants to immortalize the face of the new voice of flamenco!

📍 Adress : 32 calle Creu Coberta, 08014 Barcelona

Portrait of the singer Rosalia on the walls of Barcelona
©pinterest

El Pez : an explosion of colors 

Renowned worldwide, the Barcelona artist is one of the greatest figures of street art. He has created works all over the world: Barcelona, Lyon, Paris, Oslo, Miami, Bogota, etc. His works are easily recognizable because he always represents smiling fish with bright colors.

📍 Adress : Mia Festival Barcelona

The artist painting the smiling fish in bright colors on a wall in Barcelona
©beyondstreetart

Pablo Picasso : youth has no age 

Portrait of Pablo Picasso by #myhoodisgood with the phrase “youth has no age.” This phrase is dedicated to Picasso’s adolescence and early adulthood in Barcelona, where he met his lifelong friends. It also expresses the youthful spirit of the famous painter who died in 1973.

📍 Adress : Carrer de l’Agricultura, Barcelona

Portrait of Pablo Picasso with the sentence " Youth has no age"
©Barcelonaviguator

The agora : street art pays tribute 

This work is a tribute to Juan Andres Benitez, who died in 2013 during an altercation with the police that degenerated in the Raval neighborhood. Several artists wanted to honor his memory by telling his story through street art. This place is called the Agora and is a space for meetings and exchanges.

📍 Address: Carrer de l’Aurora, Barcelona

An eye with people represented in the ward
©juontheroad

Don’t hesitate, come and discover the street art in Barcelone !

To see more, here are the artist’s Instagram accounts :

@pezbarcelona

@uriginalbcn

@myhoodisgood

New cycle paths in Barcelona to encourage the use of soft mobility.

Apart from being a leisure activity and a family sport accessible to all, cycling is becoming one of the best means of urban transport. More ecological than the car, healthier than public transport, and faster than walking, the bicycle is more than ever a sustainable solution to the ills of today’s society, and the Barcelona City Council has understood this.

In recent years, Barcelona has made a major effort to increase the city’s network of cycle paths and become a cycle-friendly city. From 2015 to today, the kilometres of cycling infrastructure have doubled to the current 240 kilometres of network. These steps are in line with the objectives set out in the 2024 Urban Mobility Plan (PMU), where the City Government commits to strengthening sustainable travel, moving towards a more sustainable, healthy and safe mobility.

bike land cycle path bike barcelona palm tree holiday born bike tour

The need for sustainable mobility has been taken on board by city dwellers, even after COVID 19. The month of September saw an increase of 22.4% in cycling on working days, which proves this trend. In view of the increase in the use of this means of transport, the municipal government wishes to increase and improve the current network of cycle paths. In total, the new package includes 28 new actions that will take place between 2021 and 2023.  This includes 44.3 kilometres of the cycle network: 32.6 kilometres of new cycle paths will be created and 11.7 kilometres of the current network will be improved.

This means that by 2023, the city will have 272.6 kilometres of cycle network. To make this possible, Barcelona City Council is planning an investment of 30.8 million euros.

bike land cycle path bike barcelona palm tree holiday born bike tour arc de triomphe

Among the new cycle paths you can find

– Plaça Catalunya (Ciutat Vella – Passeig de Gràcia and Rambla Catalunya)

– Còrsega (Freser – Castillejos)

– Vía augusta (Laforja to Bonanova)

– Fabra y Puig (avinguda Meridiana – plaça Virrey Amat)

– Escòcia (Arnau de Oms – Avinguda Meridiana)

– Independència – badajoz (Sant Antoni María Claret – Passeig Marítim)

– Mallorca (Clot Tarragona)

– Joan de Borbó (plaça Idrissa Diallo – Escar)

– Travessera de les Corts (Numancia – Joan Güell)

– Avinguda Roma (Tarragona – València)

And many more to discover on the website of the Barcelona City Council!

Tour de France 2021 Summary

Today we turn to one of our neighbors for the mythical annual cycling race, the 108th edition of the Tour de France.

The 2021 Tour de France was held from June 26 to July 18. About 230 cyclists set off from Brest and arrived, just for some of them, on the Champs Elysees in Paris after more than 3,400 km of riding.

The route of the last Tour de France proved to be relatively difficult with, among the 21 stages on the program, numerous mountain passes through the Alps and the Pyrenees. Let’s take a look at this 108th edition of the Tour de France.

Different stages of the Tour de France 2021

First of all, a reminder of the stages of this Tour de France 2021

  • Stage 1, Saturday, June 26: Brest – Landerneau
  • Stage 2, Sunday June 27: Perros-Guriec – Mûr-de-Bretagne
  • Stage 3, Monday June 28: Lorient – Pontivy
  • Stage 4, Tuesday June 29: Redon – Fougères
  • Stage 5, Wednesday June 30: Changé – Laval (individual time trial)
  • Stage 6, Thursday, July 1: Tours – Châteauroux
  • Stage 7, Friday, July 2: Vierzon – Le Creusot
  • Stage 8, Saturday, July 3: Oyonnax – Le Grand-Bornand
  • Stage 9, Sunday, July 4: Cluses – Tignes
  • Monday, July 5: rest in Tignes
  • Stage 10, Tuesday, July 6: Albertville – Valence
  • Stage 11, Wednesday, July 7: Sorgues – Malaucène
  • Stage 12, Thursday, July 8: Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux – Nîmes
  • Stage 13, Friday, July 9: Nîmes – Carcassonne
  • Stage 14, Saturday, July 10: Carcassonne – Quillan
  • Stage 15, Sunday, July 11: Céret – Andorre-la-Vieille
  • Monday, July 12th: Rest in Andorra
  • Stage 16, Tuesday, July 13: Pas de la Case – Saint-Gaudens
  • Stage 17, Wednesday, July 14: Muret – Saint-Lary-Soulan
  • Stage 18, Thursday, July 15: Pau – Luz-Ardiden
  • Stage 19, Friday, July 16: Mourenx – Libourne
  • Stage 20, Saturday, July 17: Libourne – Saint-Emilion
  • Stage 21, Sunday, July 18: Chatou – Champs-Elysées, Paris

Who won the last Tour de France?
From stage 8 to the end of the Tour de France, Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar took and held the yellow jersey. Winner of the stage 5 time trial, he crushed the competition in the Pyrenees by winning at the top of the col du Portet (stage 17) and the following day at Luz-Ardien (stage 18). Thanks to his performances, he finished first overall, best climber and best young cyclist in the 2021 Tour de France. This is his second victory in the Grand Loop after the one he won the previous year in 2020.

Other riders shone in this edition of the Tour de France. Mark Cavendish, the designated sprinter of the Deceuninck-Quick Step team, won 4 stages in this edition (4th, 6th, 10th and 13th), which allowed him to finish first in the points classification. This is the second time in his career, after 2011, that he has won the green jersey in the Tour de France.

What happens to the Spanish riders in the 2021 Tour de France?
Of the 17 Spanish riders who took the start, 16 made it to the Champs Elysees. The only rider to retire was Marc Soler in the first stage, after a spectacular crash caused by a spectator.

Massive fall during the first stage of the Tour de France 2021

Enric Más finished the race in 6th position, losing one position from his 2020 ranking. Pello Bilbao finished 9th after also having done the Giro, he finished the Tour de France in the top 10 for the first time. Jonathan Castroviejo finished 23rd, just ahead of Alejandro Valverde (24th), who will go to the Tokyo Olympics, as did Ion Izaguirre, who finished 26th. Tour de France debutants Cristian Rodríguez, Alex Aranburu, Rubén Fernández, Jorge Arcas and Carlos Barbero finished their race in 46th, 74th, 84th, 90th and 124th places respectively.

There are also Omar Fraile, who will finish 57th, Imanol Erviti in 67th, Víctor de la Parte in 72nd, Jesús Herrada in 87th, Iván Gracia Cortina in 94th and Carlos Verona in 101st.

Visit Barcelona in 3 days

You’ve decided to give yourself a few days off and have booked your flight to the Catalan capital but once you’re there you’re in trouble! You only have a few days to visit the big city and you don’t know where to start, don’t panic, we have prepared a guide to visit Barcelona in 3 days.

Day 1 – The historical center

The Holy Cross Cathedral and the Gothic Quarter

What better way to start than in one of Barcelona’s most emblematic neighborhoods? The Barrio Gòtico is what you might call the city’s historic center. A medieval district, you can discover the Sant Jaume square, the Plaça del Rei, the Barcelona History Museum, the Plaça Nova, the Plaça del Pi and above all the Holy Cross Cathedral, considered one of the city’s most important monuments. Don’t just admire it from the outside, the 7€ entrance fee is worth it, cloister, choir, chapels, you won’t know where to look

Holy Cross Cathédral of Barcelona

Walk on the Rambla

The Rambla is a must-see avenue in Barcelona and is a must during your stay. It is the busiest pedestrian avenue and connects the port of Barcelona to the Plaça Catalunya for approximately 2km. Going down to the port you will be able to observe the Grand Theatre of the Liceu, the mosaic of Joan Miro, the Plaça Reial and the Güell Palace.

The Boqueria market

Also located on the Rambla you will find the Boqueria market. The oldest market in Barcelona, you can’t miss its entrance marked by a large portal in the Art Nouveau style.

Casa Batlló and Casa Mila

Both symbols of Barcelona, we owe these creations to the famous architect Antoni Gaudi. Located on the Passeig de Gracia, it takes about 20 minutes to walk from the market. Both registered in the world heritage of the UNESCO, the Casa Batlló can also be known as Casa del Ossos due to its balconies in the shape of skull and the Casa Mila under the name of La Pedrera in reference to the cliffs from which Gaudi would have been inspired. Our article will introduce you to these two essential works in more detail.

Casa Batlló of Barcelona

Day 2 – Gràcia

Güell Park

Built between 1900 and 1914, the Güell Park was built to house gardens and about 60 houses, but due to a lack of budget, only 4 houses were built. Divided in 2 parts (one paying and the other free) it is in the paying zone that you will be able to admire the wavy bench and the mosaic salamander. Don’t hesitate to go up to the Mirador de Virolai, which will offer you a panoramic view of the most beautiful places in Barcelona.

Park Güell of Barcelona

The Bunkers del Carmel

Let’s continue with another point of view which are the Bunkers del Carmel. Located on the Turo de la Riviera on an old anti-aircraft base, they offer a 360° view of the city. From the Parc Güell it is a 20-minute walk, but you can also get there by bus.

Views from the Bunkers del Carmel

The Recinta Modernista de Sant Pau

Our path continues towards the Recinta Modernista de Sant Pau. Formerly a public hospital, it now hosts exhibitions. A visit to the different buildings that trace the history of the place is possible but if you are in a hurry you can just observe its architecture from the outside.

The Recinta Modernista de Sant Pau

The Sagrada Familia

A must-see is the Sagrada Familia. Major work of Gaudi, this basilica is classified as a world heritage site by UNESCO and is the most visited monument in Spain. Although it will not be completed until 2026, it is well worth the visit from the inside, let yourself be enchanted by the colors of the stained glass windows and the spectacular architecture of the interior.

Sagrada Familia of Barcelona

The El Born neighborhood

To finish this day nothing better than a walk in the El Born neighborhood. Together with the Barrio Gotico it forms the old town of Barcelona, old stores, tapas bars, gothic churches, Picasso museum, Music Palace, you will not lack things to see. Don’t forget the Citadel Park and the Arc de Triomphe in this neighborhood.

Park de la Cituadella de Barcelona

Day 3 – Montjuïc Hill

Plaça Espanya

To begin this last day of visit we give you an appointment on the Plaça d’Espanya. Built in 1929 for the Universal Exhibition according to the plans of the architect Puig y Cadafalch, this square is recognizable by its large sculpture installed in the center of the huge traffic circle. Around the square you can also find Las Arenas, an old bullring transformed into a shopping center, on its roof you can enjoy a breathtaking view.

Plaça Espanya of Barcelona

The MNAC

The National Art Museum of Catalonia is located in front of the Plaça d’Espanya, passing by the Magic Fountain. Housed in a palace, it is one of the most interesting museums in Barcelona and one of the largest in Spain. It houses the richest collection of Romanesque art in the world!

MNAC of Barcelona

Montjuic Park 

The green lung of the city, take the Montjuic cable car to get there. The park is home to green spaces and gardens as well as museums such as the Olympic Museum and the Joan Miro Foundation. A good opportunity to enjoy beautiful views of the sea and the city, visit the botanical gardens, museums and historical monuments.

Montjuïc Park of Barcelona

The Olympic facilities 

In order to host the 1992 Olympic Games, many sports facilities had to be created, which you can visit today on Montjuic hill. You can see the Olympic stadium, the Palau Sant Jordi, the Calatrava Earth, the Sports Palace of Barcelona and the Pavilion of Industrial Spain.

Olympic facilities

The Castle of Montjuic

In the park of Montjuic you can also find the Castle. Built in 1640 to protect the city from Catalan rebels, Montjuic Castle was later converted into a prison and then a military museum in 1960. The visit, which will cost you 5€, will allow you to walk around the ramparts, visit the military museum and admire the magnificent panorama of the Barcelona coastline.

The Magic Fountain

To close these 3 days in Barcelona we suggest you return to the Plaça Espanya to enjoy tapas before enjoying the show at the Magic Fountain. Located between the MNAC and the square, the Magic Fountain of Montjuic welcomes the public every evening from Wednesday to Sunday (from 8pm from November to March, and from 9pm from April to October) with light shows on a musical background.

Now you know how to visit Barcelona in 3 days! Visiting the city by bike can also be rewarding, especially since we offer guided tours with local guides. Choose the Gothic to Modernism Bike Tour if you want to visit the points of the first day or the Montjuic Bike Tour to discover the last day itinerary by bike.

This summer do not get bored with the museums of Barcelona

Concerts, poetry, cinema and guided tours, among the multitude of scheduled activities.

For some time now, many museums have been organizing activities that go beyond the usual exhibitions. The summer that is now beginning is a good example of this desire of museums to be not only a place to go to observe historical or valuable objects or where to acquire knowledge from static pieces, but also to be cultural dynamizers from very diverse activities and a meeting point for citizens. From the end of June to the end of September, the museum spaces of the city of Barcelona, both municipal and consortium and also many private, mount dozens of proposals ranging from film screenings to concerts and poetry recitals, as well as courses and workshops, guided tours and dynamic, open days, and even games of clues and trivia. There will be something for everyone and for all age groups.

projection of a movie in the Park Güell of Barcelona

Some of the summer activities of the museums, moreover, have two singularities compared to most of those organized by these facilities in the other seasons: there are many more in outdoor spaces, and in the afternoon-evening time slot. Among the multitude of proposals that you will find, we mention for example the free express tours organized by El Born Centre de Cultura i Memòria, the outdoor film series of the Museum of History of Barcelona (MUHBA) to be held in a unique space such as Park Güell and will be called Portraying Barcelona on the threshold of the XXI century, or the itineraries by sea of the Maritime Museum of Barcelona (MMB), one aboard a traditional sailboat and another with the historic pailebote Santa Eulàlia. Precisely the MMB starts this summer a virtual escape room entitled Mar adentro… guardas del tiempo, and, with three other spaces, the Botanical Garden of Barcelona, the Museu d’Arqueología de Catalunya and the Centro de Cultura Contemporánea de Barcelona, organizes the fifth edition of the cultural trivia team Museum Quiz Summer Tour, a free activity with prior registration inspired by the pub quiz, a question and answer contest played in the pubs of Great Britain.

Music will be very present in the summer program of the museums, and, in addition, you can see and hear concerts in charming places. The Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Pedralbes, the Palau Güell, Casa Vicens, the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion, Montjuïc Castle and the Museum of the History of Catalonia are some of the emblematic places that will host these shows. On the other hand, there are those that make summer casals related to the theme in which they are specialized, as is the case of the Egyptian Museum or the Design Museum of Barcelona, while the Museu Etnològic i de Cultures del Món offers the casals combined visits with workshops. There are spaces that will live a particularly intense month of July, such as the Arts Santa Monica, scene of the international festival of contemporary art and charity Kronos Art Barcelona and the emerging photography festival Art Photo Bcn.

Check all the details of the activities on the websites of the respective museums and cultural facilities, and also on the websites of the Institute of Culture of Barcelona.

You can also spend the summer with our bike tours and enjoy several of the museums presented.

The benefits of cycling for the health of children

Several times in our blog we have talked about the benefits of cycling both in the economic plan as healthy or ecological as for example with this article. But always referring to adults.

In today’s article we will focus on children, who also have every right to use the bike and that from their early years. We will then see the benefits of cycling for the physical and mental health of children.

  • A great dose of oxygenation 

From their earliest days, children of the Alpha generation are bathed in the technologies: screens, video games, etc.. Cycling is one of the best outdoor activities for children, it allows them to get outdoors and breathe freshness.

  • Increased endurance

Work their cardio without really realizing it, that’s the advantage of pedaling outdoors, with your family or friends. Uphills, downhills, curves or obstacles, your child will do a respiratory workout. In this way, they will work on their cardio, endurance and breathing.

  • Improved coordination 

Thighs, arms, abdominal girdle, all these muscle groups are worked while cycling. Starting with the dandy horse from the age of 2 years (yes yes, the one we presented in the previous post, but more modern) you will learn very quickly the coordination and body control.

By handling the bike better and better and anticipating accelerations, brakes and direction changes your child will gain in self-esteem, precision, agility and balance.

  • A better mentality

With the practice of cycling, your future cyclist will develop certain reflexes and gain confidence in his motor skills. And, of course, the practice of sport helps to prevent several diseases in the long term, such as obesity and cardiovascular diseases. 

picture of a child riding a bike on a bike lane

Getting your children used to physical activity when they are young is a way to instill in them good habits and a taste for a healthy lifestyle. And above all, without forgetting the fact that they will have fun!

The first bike lane, with a pick and shovel

Today Barcelona has exactly 240 kilometers of bike lanes in the city. But do you know when the first bike lane in Barcelona was built?

It was not the City Council that built it, but the cyclists themselves who demanded the use of this means of transport in the city. Already in 1982 Amics de la Bici created an imaginary bike lane with a ride along the Paseo de Gracia and Provença.

A year later, in 1983 the Gracia Verde collective painted green what would become the first “pirate” bike lane on Passeig de Gràcia and Diputació. Using pick and shovel they lowered the curbs, painted the ground with “bike lane” and the drawing of a bicycle.

After the actions of Amics de la Bici and pressure from other groups in the City Council, that same year the first official bike lane was made on the street of Consell de Cent and Diputació, but it was still very dangerous for cyclists and could only be used on weekends.

Currently, although the number of bike lanes is increasing, several demands are still pending. Lanes not very connected, narrow, deformed lanes, dangerous crossings, Amics de la Bici tries to put forward all these problems. The main demand of Amics de la Bici is the safety of users, fairer regulations and cities for people.

As you can see, the first bike lane is quite recent and like all the others, it is not perfect. To continue to support the city’s cyclists the City Council aims to reach 308 kilometers of bike lanes before the end of its mandate, bike enthusiasts that we are we hope to reach this figure as soon as possible and not stop at those 308 kilometers.

5 reasons to visit Barcelona

We all know that Barcelona is a magical city and that without a doubt, you have to visit it, if you are still hesitating whether to come or not, today we present you 5 reasons why you should visit Barcelona.

Places of interest

If we had to list the 10 most characteristic things you can not miss during your visit to Barcelona. Without a doubt we would choose the following places. We would start the visit by the famous Sagrada Familia, one of the most characteristic works of Gaudi and that today is still under construction. We would continue the tour visiting La Pedrera and Casa Batlló, two emblems of the city that we are sure will surprise you. In the neighborhood of Gracia, and very close to the Batlló house, we will visit the Casa de Vicens, another work of art by Gaudí. A house of Moorish influence.

Other icons of the city are the Tibidabo, the Montjuic Castle and, of course, the Parc Guell. 3 places you should not miss thanks to their historical importance, the last two, and the Tibidabo to contemplate breathtaking views of the city.

Finally, we want to recommend 3 museums that we love such as the Museum of the History of Catalonia, the Picasso Museum and the Museum of Modern Art.

Activity for the whole family

There is no better way to explore the city, and enjoy some time with family or friends, than by bike. Born Bike Barcelona offers cultural guided tours, private tours and bike rentals. Everything for you to enjoy Barcelona on wheels, and without having to worry about public transport. 

4 guided tours to explore the port area and the Mediterranean coast, enjoy a tour of Montjuic, the oldest Barcelona or even the tapas tour. The best tours for you to discover first hand everything that a city like Barcelona has prepared for you.

Gastronomy

Of course, visiting Barcelona and not eating anything typical of the area should be a sin. During your visit to Barcelona, as you explore all its corners, taste typical dishes such as pa amb tomata, the most traditional dish that serves as both breakfast and tapa. Another of the star dishes and even celebrated abroad are the calcots. Onions cooked on the grill and then eaten with a romesco sauce. 

Other classics such as coca catalana, escalivada, butiffara with mongetes or roast chicken a la catalana, can not miss on your menu. Or the star dish of every December 26th, the cannelloni. Made with all the leftovers from the previous days.

Finally, and for the sweetest palates, savor sweets such as panellets, crema catalana, xuixos or buñuelos de cuaresma.

Supporting local commerce 

Due to the current situation, another reason why we want to encourage national tourism and your visit to Barcelona is to support local commerce, which is suffering so much from the consequences of the coronavirus. 

That is why we recommend that you sit on the terrace of your neighborhood bar, establishments dedicated to tourism or small family-run lodgings. Another tip we want to share with you is to share your experience with family, friends and even social networks and platforms such as tripadvisor. All these recommendations help future users to get a better image of the establishment and, as we all know, are of great importance in the modern times in which we live.

Finally, we suggest that you make reservations. By making these reservations, you are helping the establishment to manage its resources in a better way and this translates into less waiting time for its users. However, there are many establishments that have this reservation system, such as bars, adventure activities, tours and even parking lots. If this is your case, we want to remind you that you can compare and book your parking space at the airport of El Prat, Barajas or whatever your airport of departure is with Vuelapar. With this platform, you will be able to compare and book your parking space saving time and money.

Weather 

In Barcelona you will enjoy an enviable climate. Winters are characterized by being mild, and usually does not fall below 8 degrees and with an average of 4 days of rain per month. And on the other hand, summers are warm but without reaching extreme temperatures. With minimum temperatures of 20 degrees and maximum temperatures of 29 degrees, with an average of 2 days of rain per month. The autumn and spring months are also characterized by being very mild and with pleasant temperatures. In conclusion, a perfect climate so you do not have to worry and enjoy your visit to Barcelona to the fullest.

Riding a bike makes you happy

We’re not kidding, and we’re not just saying that because you’re passionate about cycling. Cycling allows our body the production of endorphins, the more scientific will already know what it is, but if you do not know endorphins are also known as the hormone of happiness.

What are endorphins?

As we have already told you, endorphins are the hormone of happiness, but from a more scientific point of view they can be defined as a neuropeptide whose function is to stimulate the areas of the brain that produce the sensation of pleasure.

As a natural drug, endorphins are classified as endogenous opiates due to their chemical composition and their effects are similar to those produced by opium derivatives.

Why do we produce endorphins?

Cycling training can have as side effects muscle inflammation, fatigue and stress, with the endorphins produced you can counteract these negative feelings and provide a sense of wellbeing.

  • Endorphins as an anxiolytic

Pedal for 20 minutes at 70% of your maximum heart rate and the secretion of endorphins will reduce negative emotions such as stress. The effects generated will last up to 6 hours afterwards.

  • Endorphins as an analgesic

It is normal to feel better after a cycling session, even if you were in pain before. Endorphins also act as an analgesic. Muscle and tendon pain will be reduced for 4 hours.

  • Endorphins as anti-fatigue

They allow the reduction of exhaustion by slowing down the cardiac and respiratory rhythms.

this picture is a foto of a violet bike in front of the beach, it was taken in the Llobregat River mouth

Endorphins are not the only benefits of cycling, in this article we present you the different benefits of cycling.

Do you want to get a shoot of endorphins?

Don’t hesitate to book your tour with our guides or simply rent our bikes for the time you want.

The RACC’s study scared us…

RACC carried out a study on cycling in Barcelona in 2020 and we cannot say that the results are very positive.

The most worrying thing is the fact that 38% of bicycle users in Barcelona admit not knowing the traffic regulations. However, 87% of cyclists consider that they circulate correctly.

Faced with these figures, the president of the RACC, Josep Mateu, has demanded a “minimum of training” ending what could be a licence. Of the surveys conducted, 76% are those that would be “in agreement” or “very in agreement”.

On the other hand, this survey highlights the figure that 24% of users recognize using the mobile while riding a bike, and 36% wear headphones and in the case of those under 20 years are 55%.

It is also noted that 56% of cyclists wear helmets despite the fact that it is not mandatory and that they grow from 55% to 60% who feel vulnerable to driving.

In the light of the report’s findings, RACC has made a number of recommendations in addition to increasing training. These include growing the bicycle road network and improving its quality and signage, establishing mandatory liability insurance to cover accidents or boosting the use of bike registration to minimize the risk of theft.

But you can also visit our article on how to go safely by bike, we present you the main signs you should know to go safely

Ride a bike safely

Restrictions on the use of the car in the city center, economic savings, more important rental offers, etc. There are several reasons why more and more people are choosing to use bicycles as a means of transport.

According to la Vanguardia, in Barcelona 99% of the population has a bicycle network within 150 meters of their homes, and 89% has a bicycle lane within 300 meters. But are cyclists aware of the traffic regulations that affect them?

this picture shows the blue bicycles that we have in Born Bike Tours Barcelona

Following, we will present you the main bicycle traffic signals that not only the bikers have to know but also the cycle users, the motors users and the pedestrians.

  1. Main bicycle traffic signals
this picture shows the bicycle forbidden's signal

Bicycle forbidden: entry or access to all types of bicycles is forbidden.

this picture shows the cycle lane or lane reserved for bicycles' signal

Cycle lane or lane reserved for bicycles: obliges bicycles drivers to ride in the lane reserved exclusively for cycles and cancels the previous signal.

this picture shows the end of lane reserved for cycles or cycling lane's signal

End of lane reserved for cycles or cycling lane: indicates the end of a lane reserved exclusively for cycles and cancels the previous signal.

this picture shows the cycle path's signal

Cycle path: indicates the existence of a path for pedestrians and cycles, separated from motorized traffic and normally running through open spaces such as gardens or parks.

this picture shows the destination sign for a bicycle lane or cycle path's signal

Destination sign for a bicycle lane or cycle path: indicates the way to a bicycle lane.

this picture shows the cycle lane or cycle lane attached to the roadway's signal

Cycle lane or cycle lane attached to the roadway: indicates that the lane on which the cycle lane sign is located can only be used by cycles. The arrows indicate the number of lanes on the road and the direction of traffic.

2. Bicycle road markings

this picture shows the cycle lane marking

Cycle lane marking: this is a marking consisting of two discontinuous and parallel transverse lines on the roadway indicating a lane where cyclists have the right of way.

this picture shows the cycle marking

Cycle lane marking: this image on the roadway indicates a cycle lane or cycle path.

Now yes! Take care of the traffic signals that you can see and bike safely in Barcelona or where you want.

Sunsets on bicycle

Barcelona is one of the most bike-friendly cities in Spain, with almost 200 kilometers of bike lanes, used both for those who use the bike as a means of daily transportation or for those who are just walking around the city, getting to know it and discovering its streets.

In Born Bike Tours Barcelona we propose a tour of the beach and the Barcelona neighborhood. Where you will find a complete tour, passing through the following points:

  • Christopher Columbus Monument
  • Drassanes
  • Port Vell
  • Palau del Mar
  • Barceloneta neighborhood
  • Olympic Port
  • Forum of Cultures
  • Parc Diagonal Mar
  • Poblenou neighborhood
  • Olympic Village (Olympic Games 1992)
  • Ciutadella Park

The tour runs almost entirely on peaceful roads without traffic, bike lanes and zones 30, very safe for all ages.

We accompany you with experienced guides who know the city and its history. In the course of the tour we will make several stops to liste, contemplate and enjoy each point and where you can take your pictures and your memories of the tour.

Live Barcelona on wheels!

Barcelona and photography

Many of the people who live in Barcelona are passionate about photography, but many tourists are too. We invite you to experience a photographic exhibition of the city where you will find all the magic that Barcelona hides.

Seventy photographs taken by women that explore the links between the history of the city and the images that women photographers have built.

The exhibition, which includes seventy images distributed chronologically, is a unique opportunity to vindicate the role that women have played in the history of photography in our city. Because, although the historical narrative has left them in the background, without them, without the photographers, it is impossible to know the real Barcelona.

Photography by Barcelona.cat

The exhibition makes visible the line of continuity of the photographic practice of those women who placed the city at the center of their creative works, in a period ranging from the thirties to the early nineties.

You can visit this exhibition focused on women, photography and the city until June 6, 2021. In the Plaça Comercial, al savant d’El Born CCM (Plaça Comercial, 12 – Ciutat Vella – Barcelona)

Modernism and Barcelona

Barcelona is a city that is characterized by its architecture and beauty, since 1984 UNESCO has declared 9 architectural works as world heritage, seven of them by the architect Antoni Gaudí, along with 2 buildings by Lluís Domènech I Montaner.

The first buildings in the Catalan capital that entered the UNESCO list were Park Güell and La Pedrera, both by the architect Antoni Gaudí. The next to enter the list was also the work of Gaudí, the Palau Güell, built in 1889 on behalf of Gaudi’s great patron, Eusebi Güell.

The two great architectural works of the architect Lluís Domènech I Montaner, the Palau de la Música Catalana (1908) and the Hospital de la Santa Creu I de Sant Pau (1930) were declared World Heritage Sites in 1997 and are the only buildings in Barcelona with this classification that are not the work of Gaudí.

The list is closed by the Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló, the Crypt Colònia Güell and Casa Vicens, which were declared World Heritage in 2005.

Historical bicycle tour

Today we will show you one of the most interesting place in Barcelona and what it behinds.

The archeological remains excavated and that can be seen today inside the old Born Market show us the history of Barcelona from medieval times until the beginning of the 18th century, when life in this part of the city was suddenly interrupted by the outcome of the War of Succession.

Not all the remains have the same entity nor have they been preserved in the same way. We must keep in mind that the remains preserved before the 13th century were not part of the urban core of Barcelona, although they were related. On the other hand, from the 13th century, the structures onwards the city, as a consequence of its growth.

Despite being an area far from the city of Barcino, the Born area preserves in its subsoil burial from medieval times.

The first archeological remains documented in areas close to the Born date from the low-Imperial period. In this period an extensive necropolis was located, the main nucleus of which was located in what, some centuries later, would be the subsoil of Santa Maria Del Mar. No burials from this period have been located inside the old market, but in the archeological intervention of the Commercial Square in 1991, fourteen were located.

The athletic tower in Barcelona

In our bike tours Barcelona we have climbed the Montjuic mountain where we find the athletic tower built by the architect Santiago Calatrava, between 1989 and 1992, it is one of the best known elements that are part of the so-called Olympic Ring, referring to the whole of facilities that were built and remodeled on the occasion of the Barcelona 92 Olympic Games. 

An image containing sky, exterior, exterior object, windmill

Its enormous white and curved silhouette, reminiscent of an Olympic torch celebration, can be seen from many points of the city. Its avant-garde design and original shapes have made it a famous element of Montjuïc and a symbol of Barcelona. 

The tower is a clear tribute to the modernist architect Antoni Gaudí. Its promoter was the Telefónica company, which is why it is also known as the Telefónica tower. 

A curious fact is that, due to its shape, the tower is also designed to act as a sundial, as the shadow of its central spire is projected on the Plaza de Europa, which is next to it. 

In addition to its functionality, its futuristic style of sloping lines and modern materials that evokes a moving image has made Torre Calatrava an architectural landmark in Barcelona. 

If you want to discover Barcelona on wheels, don’t miss our tours
Born Bike Tours Barcelona
📍Carrer de la Marquesa Nº 1 08003 Barcelona
A 50 metros estación metro Barceloneta L (4) amarilla
✉️info@bornbikebarcelona.com
🔹www.bornbikebarcelona.com
📲(+34) 93 319 00 20

Gaudí’s Barcelona

If there is an architect associated with Barcelona, that is, without a doubt, Antoni Gaudí. His mature works, such as La Pedrera, Park Güell and the Sagrada Familia, are internationally known icons that attract thousands of visitors daily. However, in the city there are also several works by this great artist that are not so well known and that often, due to being far from the usual circuits, go unnoticed and make up a little-explored route, but no less spectacular. 

Une image contenant extérieur, arbre, plante, immeuble résidentiel

Like the ones we list here: 

  • The Pavilions of Finca Güell 
  • The gate of Finca Miralles 
  • The pavement of Sant Pacià 
  • The Bellesguard Tower
  • The Vicens House 

If you want to know more about the architectural works of Antoni Gaudí you can do a bike tours with us.
Born Bike Tours Barcelona
📍Carrer de la Marquesa Nº 1 08003 Barcelona
50 meters away from the Barceloneta L (4) yellow metro station
✉️info@bornbikebarcelona.com
🔹www.bornbikebarcelona.com
📲 (+34) 93 319 00 20

In our tour in Spanish we arrive at Plaça Sant Felip Neri

Among the narrow walls of the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona, we are in the Plaza de Sant Felip Neri, where we see holes in the walls, which originate in 1938, caused by a bombardment by the Francoist side during the war, in the middle of the capture of Barcelona. 

image of a building that contain door, lights, windows, born bike tours Barcelona, text

This event caused the death of forty-two people, as can be read on the plaque that commemorates the memory of the victims since 2007. At the time of the bombing, the grounds of the current square were occupied by a medieval cemetery. Little remained after the bomb, which devastated nearby houses and caused some damage, still present, in the church. 

Ciutadella Park

We continue with our Tour in Spanish and now we find the Ciutadella Park, being the first park specifically designed as a public park and was built at the end of the 19th century. It is a space widely used for all kinds of recreational and cultural activities. It has more than one hundred plant species, with many hundred-year-old trees and interesting sculptures. 

Full of hundred-year-old trees, the Ciutadella Park contains a great diversity of elements: the monumental waterfall, 19th-century buildings now converted into museums, a lake for rowing boats, walks and numerous sculptures. Share space with the zoo.

an image that contain park, nature, people, bikes, born bike tours Barcelona, text
Come and enjoy a memorable experience!

The Barceloneta Tour

We continue with our tours in Spanish and we tour Barcelona by Bike. 

An image which contain bikes, people, road, trees, beach tour, born bike tours Barcelona

Until the middle of the 18th century, La Barceloneta was a practically uninhabited area. In 1754 fishermen began to settle in this area of the city due to its proximity to the sea. 

Despite having acquired a more modern look, currently La Barceloneta still retains its special charm. Its narrow streets and facades darkened by the salt of the sea have made this area one of the most appreciated in Barcelona, a place with a quiet, maritime and family atmosphere that remains foreign to the big city. 

One of the main attractions of the neighborhood are its beaches, the largest, best known and busiest in the city. They have a great atmosphere and excellent services. 

If you want to know more about our tours you can stop by our place 
Born Bike Tours Barcelona 
📍Carrer de la Marquesa Nº 1 08003 Barcelona 
At 50 meters Barceloneta metro station L (4) yellow 
✉️info@bornbikebarcelona.com 
🔹www.bornbikebarcelona.com 
📲 (+34) 93 319 00 20 

Bicycle repairs and rental in Barcelona

Barcelona is one of the most beautiful cities to travel by bicycle with more than 200 kilometers of bike lanes, where you can enjoy a walk along the Mediterranean coast, through the Gothic streets or enjoy a day on the Collserolla mountain.

If you are still in doubt about repairing that old bicycle, or renting one to enjoy Barcelona on wheels, we leave you five tips that will help you make that decision.

  • Enjoy a safer ride

The bicycle is a safe vehicle, you will walk through the city of Barcelona enjoying great views and places, using the safety of the bike lanes.

  • Easier and simpler

Mobility by bicycle is easier than in other means of transport. Did you know that the bike is faster than the car in short and medium urban distances? Through several door-to-door competitions, with the city center as the destination, it has been found that, in general, the bike is the fastest transport. in addition to being faster in short distances, it is ideal to combine with public transport

  • Be more sustainable and collaborate with the environment

The bicycle is a key factor in reducing the levels of environmental and noise pollution in cities. An, at the same time, it is the most energy efficient means of transport: it uses twelve times less energy than a car, even if it is full, to move a person over a kilometer, and fifty times less than a car occupied by only one person.

  • To enjoy more space

A cyclist occupies five times less space than a motorist, whether he is stationary or in motion. This data has very profound implications for the well-being of residents, who can enjoy peaceful, calmer, safer and noise-free spaces.

  • To always be on the move

Going by bike is one of the most beneficial exercises for health, since during the effort large muscle groups are mobilized. Of practiced regularly it can reduce resting heart and breathing rates.

If you want to know about bike rental or repair you can stop by our store Born Bike Tours Barcelona
📍Carrer de la Marquesa Nº 1 08003 Barcelona
50 meters away from the Barceloneta L (4) yellow metro station
✉️info@bornbikebarcelona.com
🔹www.bornbikebarcelona.com
📲(+34) 93 319 00 20

Spanish village in Barcelona

El Pueblo Español is a museum that offers contemporary art, architecture, crafts and gastronomy. The site is made up of 117 full-scale buildings, which make up a typically Spanish town with its streets, houses, squares, theater, school, restaurants and artisan workshops. 

statue of a woman in blue clothes from Pueblo Espanyol, in Barcelona

It was built for the international exhibition that was held in Barcelona in 1929, an idea promoted by Joseo Puig I Cadafalch (Catalan architect) where they created a small town that brought together the main characteristics of all the towns in Spain. They also worked together with Joseo Puig, Francesc Folguera and Ramon Reventós, and the artists Xavier Nogués and Miquel Utrillo, in order to achieve this exhibition, they made various trips through Spain taking photographs, drawings, observing the styles and creating concepts of the different places.  

Today there are various activities, exhibitions or events. 

Tourists can visit it by taking their ticket on the website  : www.poble-espanyol.com  

Our recommendation is to rent a bicycle and tour the mountains of Montjuic, where you will find various monuments, museums and historical buildings. 

Free museums in Barcelona

Barcelona is a city full of life and culture, the good thing is that we have free museums so that we can all enjoy them, it is only a matter of knowing the hours and days. 

image of a blue bike of Born Bike Tours Barcelona in front of the National Museum of Art of Catalunya
  • Picasso museum 

The museum has a collection of 4,249 works by the Malaga painter Pablo Picasso in the multiple media that he addressed, which is the most complete in the world in works of his youth. 

You can enter for free every Thursday from 5:00 p.m., the first Sunday of each month and on February 12 (Santa Eulàlia), May 18 (International Museum Day) and September 24 (La Mercè Day) 

www.museupicasso.bcn.cat  

  • Museum of the History of Catalonia  

The museum was created in 1996 by the Government of Catalonia, with the idea of narrating the history of Catalonia. 

You can see it for free It can be visited for free during the Sant Jordi and Santa Eulalia festivities, the Museum Day, and the days of the Catalan and Mercè days.

 www.mhcat.cat  

  • Barcelona Center for Contemporary Culture (CCCB)  

Located in the Raval, its main theme is the city and urban culture. It bases its success on quality, a certain eclecticism, attention to a wide range of audiences and a singularity in the way it treats things, and its function is to link the academic world with creation and citizenship. 

You can visit it for free on Sundays 

www.cccb.org  

  • Catalonia art museum 

A must-see in the city with a tour of works of art from the 10th to the 20th century, highlighting above all its collection of Romanesque art, considered one of the most complete in the world. 

It can be visited for free on Saturdays from 3 pm, the first Sunday of the month, Museum Day and Catalonia and Mercè Days.  

www.museunacional.cat 

Get your bike ready and enjoy Barcelona

Get your bike ready and enjoy Barcelona

We really like healthy life and the city, that’s why we look for the perfect combination so that you can enjoy this summer of Barcelona by bike.

  • We carry out repairs and maintenance
  • We have answers and accessories
  • Review hardware and adjustments
  • Washing and greasing
  • Punctures and wheel centering

That is why we invite you to give life to that stored bicycle and accompany us to visit La Ronda Verda de Barcelona, a circuit that has about 72 kilometers of route and crosses different municipalities such as L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Esplugues de Llobregat, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Montcada I Reixac, Santa Coloma de Gramenet and Sant Adrià de Besòs. There is also a variant that extends the round and incorporates the city of Badalona.

This route can be divided into six sections

  1. Collserola Park: The Collserola Park extends over 8,000 hectares. Forest areas with a great variety of plant formations of valuable biological diversity predominate.
  2. Parque Fluvial del Besòs: This section of the Ronda Verda connects the Parque de Collserola and the Front Marítimo. It has an approximate extension of five kilometers.
  3. Park of the Cordillera de Marina: This natural space is part of the Cordillera Litoral and has a total area of 2,086 hectares. The visitor has the opportunity to envoy Iberian villages, hermitages, monasteries and numerous fountains and recreation areas.
  4. Maritime Front: The Ronda Verda runs along the maritime fronts of Barcelona, Sant Adrià de Besòs and Badalona.
  5. Montjuïc Section: The itinerary in this section of the pool is numerous museums, sports facilities, parks and gardens. The tour has splendid views of the city of Barcelona and its surroundings.
  6. Llobregat Route: This route approaches the Llobregat basin, allowing connections with the river glare, the delta area and the Collserola Park.

Bicycle Routes

We won the TripAdvisor Travelers of the Year award and we don’t want to stop posting cool things about Barcelona. 

That is why we decided to create different routes so that you can go cycling. 

bike, born bike tours barcelona, blue bikes, six bike, barcelona, Spain

The Mountain of Montjuic 

The Montjuic mountain (name attributed to the Montjuich etymology ”Mount of the Jews”) being a fortress, created as a strategic place to defend the city, where in 1751 the current castle was built, the work of Juan Martín Cermeño, who during the war of the Spanish Independence it was occupied by the French. 

Nowadays and thanks to the 1992 Olympic games we can find around it the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium (next to which is the Fundació Barcelona Olímpica Museum). 

Walking down Lleida street, you will find the old Palacio de los Deportes, now converted into the Barcelona Teatre Musical. You can also walk through various places of tourist interest such as the Pueblo Español, an enclosure built for the 1929 exhibition and which includes streets, squares and characteristic places from all over Spain, the Montjuic Telecommunications Tower designed by Santiago Calatrava. The Joan Brossa Gardens or the magic fountain of Montjuic that offers a night light show. 

Collserola 

You will find the great natural treasure in the ”Collserola Natural Park”, with more than eight thousand hectares of surface, where you can enjoy a bike ride through the mountains, one of the main routes is called “La carretera de las Aigües” where it begins on the Pla del Maduixers route (accessed from Avenida del Tibidabo) and ends in Plaza de Mireia. It is a path of low difficulty, since it is mostly flat, and it is where you can get to know one of the best views of Barcelona and the Mediterranean Sea. 

The good thing about this tour is that it is suitable for all bicycles and you will be able to visit emblematic buildings such as the Collserola tower and the Fabra observatory. 

Greenway of Llobregat 

Greenway of Llobregat  is the old route of the Manresa-Olván railway. It runs through a natural environment shaped by the passage of the Llobregat river. It is a route suitable for families and children due to its flatness and ease of travel, on it you can pedal along the Llobregat river, crossing tunnels and visiting the Gothic bridge or the Pedret Monastery. 

On this road you will find both vehicles, people walking or cyclists, since it is a route suitable for all kinds of walks and at the end you will cross the Llobregat river through a small bridge until you reach the Baells reservoir dam. 

You can find the face of Barcelona a few steps from our local Born Bike Tours Barcelona, From the metro station Barceloneta L (4) amarilla🚇
Visit our web  www.bornbikebarcelona.com
Or write to info@bornbikebarcelona.com 
📍Born Bike Tours Barcelona find us Carrer de la Marquesa Nº 1 08003 Barcelona A 50 Mts. 

Barcelona is enjoying a short spring, which is perfect to experience by bicycle

February 20th, 2019

Are you taking advantage of these idyllic days in Barcelona?

Photo by Walkerssk in Pixabay.com

For some weeks now, Barcelona and, obviously, some other parts of the territory are rejoicing in some days of idyllic weather, perfect for enjoying the city by bicycle. This is something that “professionally” we call “not a very cold weather, neither a very warm weather”. You will not need a lot of cloth layers in order to feel the warmth of the bicycle exercise, but, even so you will not feel the sticky weather of the summer.

So, you should take advantage of free afternoons and weekends. Enjoy the parks and gardens of the city: Parc de la Ciutadella, Labyrinth of Horta, Montjuïc, Collserola… Practically every district of the city has a natural space. Although, if you are not looking for the refreshing green, you can take advantage of the fact that there are not so many brave swimmers, and go to ride through the Passeig Marítim. La Barceloneta is a neighborhood where, during weekends, it is difficult not to find some kind of activities. And if there are not any of them, the tapas (appetizers) that you can get there will be a marvelous consolation prize.

Even though, if you are the kind of person who prefers going shopping, our suggestion for you is taking advantage of the big network of bike lanes and visiting the nice and great markets of Barcelona. In addition to the big offer, especially talking about food, they are Modernist works of art, so you shouldn’t miss them if you are interested in the architecture of Barcelona.

This weekend you don’t have any excuse, clean the dust off your bike and go out for pedaling through Barcelona!

You can avoid the cold weather with the sofa, blanket and a film or… ¡with a bicycle!

January 21st, 2019

Ok, ok… We also like to take a break and collapse ourselves in the sofa. But let’s  never forget that the best way to get rid of the cold from our bodies is riding a bicycle, enjoying the city or some mountain route.

Photo by Luca, Papagnoc in Pixabay

This January has been very “refreshing” in Barcelona, but it hasn’t been serious enough to stop us from keeping pedaling. No matter how much our sofa has been calling us, thanks to the bicycle we have become the heroes of our movies. We have discovered new corners of our incredible, insatiable, traditional and intercultural city. We have pedaled up to our last breath in order to get the best views. And we have met some marvelous people.

Don’t succumb to the trap of falling into the blanket and do this by keeping yourselves active and happy. In addition, it gives to you the break that you need for facing all the daily challenges.

Don’t think more about it. You simply leave the sofa, ride your bicycle and you will suddenly realize that you are having a great time.

Remember, in Barcelona of the year 2019, the cyclists must circulate away from the sidewalks

January 15th, 2019

Some weeks ago we informed you about the new regulation which has been applied this January, month dedicated to the bicycle circulation in Barcelona, so, today, we are going to present a reminder just in case you have forgotten it.

Photo by Claudia, einszweifrei in Pixabay.com

From the very first of this month of January 2019, the cyclists must circulate away from the sidewalks in Barcelona, in order to ride through the almost 1,000km (620 miles) of the city’s bike lane. And, why do you have to circulate away from the sidewalks? Because the cost of riding a bicycle on the sidewalks could be punished with fines of up to €500, so, save yourself this fine and the annoyance following this simple cohabitation rule.

We want to remind you that the only way allowed to circulate on the sidewalk is when it measures a width of more than 5 meters and 3 meters are free (and you haven’t any other alternative or bike lane closer) or if you are younger than 12 (years old) and you are circulating with your own bicycle and accompanied by an adult.

And returning to our wise words: Even if you usually pedal through the streets of Barcelona or because you are visiting this great city, remember, share and obey this regulation. All together we are building a healthier city and a good cohabitation is one of the keys.

The Christmas’ holidays are closer, do you know how to take the maximum advantages of them?

13th December, 2018

Guides, blogs, social networks… They are huge sources of information which will help you to get inspired this Christmas.

Photo by StockSnap from Pixabay

If Christmas is a good time to spend with the family, we are sure that you can find some free time to relax yourselves and digest the big meals.

You can organize bicycle tours with the family and friends during the non-official vacation days, it could be a great opportunity to get to know closer places that, during our daily routine, we have no time to discover and enjoy.

In order to organize a route which adapts to you, there are thousands of resources in just over two clicks away. Blogs, guides, key #hashtags (tags) in the social networks… all of them are going to help you to discover up to the last corner of the places that, maybe, you think you already know.

This vacation you shouldn’t leave your bicycle at home. Digest the nougats pedaling, you will see how good it feels.

And if you need help planning your route… you know where to find us.

As of the 1st of January, bicycles must circulate away from the sidewalks of Barcelona

December 5th, 2018

Kara De Leos

After the extension of the bike lane in the city, almost 1,000km (620 miles) adapted to the bicycle circulation, the City Hall of Barcelona considers that the bike circulation through the road is safe enough to forbid the circulation of this vehicle on the sidewalks.

The City Hall of Barcelona is in the middle of a campaign in order to make public, to every urban cyclist, local and temporary ones, that, as of the 1st of January, the circulation on the city’s sidewalks will be punished with fines up to €500. Their motto, “When you are riding a bicycle, leave the sidewalk”, is covered by a second slogan: “You have almost 1,000km of alternatives”.

The only way allowed to circulate on the sidewalk is when it measures a width of more than 5 meters and 3 meters are free (and you haven’t any other alternative or bike lane closer) or if you are younger than 12 (years old) and you are circulating with your own bicycle and accompanied by an adult.

Even if you usually pedal through the streets of Barcelona or because you are visiting this great city, remember, share and obey this regulation. All together we are building a healthier city and a good cohabitation is one of the keys.

Enjoy your route through the ‘Ronda Verda’ of Barcelona by bicycle

November 28th, 2018

If you are visiting Barcelona or you still have no plans for this weekend, here you have a suggestion to keep you pedaling. A healthy and enjoyable activity for everyone.

Photo by Silvia (Sipa at Pixabay)

We are always talking about the improvements of the bike lane, which have achieved transforming the city into a paradise for the urban cyclist, but we cannot forget about the Ronda Verda -Green Beltway-. This road surrounds the whole city, connecting it to the neighboring cities, offering us a huge means of connection of 72km and a fantastic lane for riding a bicycle.

This lane connects Badalona, Barcelona, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Sant Adrià de Besòs, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Esplugues de Llobregat y Montcada i Reixac. In addition, it has 6 sections, so we can decide if we prefer to ride the whole route or only enjoy one of its variated zones that we can find in this sea and mountain city. For example, we could dedicate our morning to riding through the mountain of Collserola, or spend our afternoon at the now very quiet beaches of Barcelona. In addition, we could start our route through the beach from the Front Marítim and get to the mountain through the Montjuïc route.

The options are very assorted, so take advantage of Barcelona and of every one of the marvelous options that this city offers you.

You only can go ahead by bicycle

November 12th, 2018

The number of urban cyclists in Barcelona has an exponential growth thanks to the extension of the bike lane during these last years in Barcelona. The security that these lanes provide is translated in a lot of people who enjoy the advantages of moving around with this very sustainable vehicle.

Photo by Joan Cabotti

Any person who has ridden a bike any time of his/her life will be realized that when you move the pedals backwards it’s useless. The bicycle has been designed for moving forward and if you need to go backwards you will have to do facing it, being fully aware of what you are doing and where we really want to go.

And, why is so interesting this consideration nowadays? Because in our 10 years of experience pedaling through the streets of Barcelona we feel astonished (in the good sense of this word) about how the kilometers of the bike lane in Barcelona have been so extended and, especially, how a lot of urban cyclists have leaped to take advantage of even the last signalized meter of lane.

The bicycle will continue advancing in Barcelona and it is going to do that in a conscious and safe way, transforming the city in a cleaner, more tranquil and more sustainable place each time.

Some tips in order to continue pedaling against the cold weather in Barcelona

2 de noviembre de 2018

This last week, in Barcelona and in Catalonia, the temperatures have suddenly fallen and with this descent the rain has come too. But this doesn’t to be a reason for stopping pedaling in the city.

Photo by Mabel Amber

In Barcelona, as a Mediterranean city, we have a really nice temperature which allows us to pedal without any problems, and if you don’t believe us, ask our neighbors in the north of Europe, where not even the snow can stop them.

For this reason, we shouldn’t stop pedaling during the cold days, because, in addition, with the movement and the sport that we do riding a bicycle, we will again feel the warm sensation that we usually miss. That’s why our first tip is that you should wear different layers, such as an onion, because, at the same time that you are feeling warmer your body will need you to remove some of these clothes layers.

Second tip, you should prepare yourself in order not to be surprised by the rain. Use waterproof clothes (also trousers) and also suitable shoes.

Third tip, something that you always have to keep in mind, whether it’s raining, snowing or it’s a really sunny day: you should keep your bike ready. Clean and greased chain, pumped up wheels (you can deflate a little bit your wheels if it’s raining in order to achieve a better adhesion, but not too much, because you could suffer a puncture), front and back lights and, in addition, it’s interesting to use a mudguard, because we will arrive at our jobs more decently.

If we follow these tips and we keep alert, we even will enjoy the cold and rainy days!

The bicycle as a way of life

October 16th, 2018

Photo by Pere Serrat

Who usually use the bicycle for moving around the city have another point of view about it. Ride one and stir up your life.

The continuous pedaling changes many things. We can assure this because we move constantly around Barcelona by bicycle.

For us the bike is a physical revolution, but also a mental revolution.

That’s physical in the sense of the health exercise as the reward of our work, because of the reduction of the CO2 and because the completely change of the city’s view. For us, several noiseless bicycles going through the streets is a present for the eyes and for the ears, especially if we compare it with the motorized vehicles traffic.

But we cannot forget the mental revolution. The exercise and the simplicity of the bicycle release your mind and it allows you to observe around. And that’s a really good exercise to make you reflect and inspire.

If you not agree with us, ask to the people who usually meet every first Friday of the month to ride their bicycles in Barcelona. The next excursion will depart from Arc de Triomf.

Come to the healthiest movement! The pedaling through Barcelona 😉

 

For the people who keep pedaling under the rain in Barcelona and in any single city

October 9th, 2018

Autumn comes with rain in the city, but for the people who love to ride a bicycle, this is an unimportance challenge, because, finally, the rain cleans and purifies the city. What else can we ask for the people who like to breath clean air?

Photo by ORNELLA BINNI on Unsplash

Dear city cyclists,

Today, this post is for thank you for keeping pedaling this raining days in Barcelona or in any single city. For understanding the importance of this meteorological phenomenon in the city. For keeping calm and patient with the other drivers. And for being alert with the segurity, because this is very important these days.

The rain in Barcelona is not so usual than in other cities, because of that, during the week days, when the traffic jams in the city is normal, the rain could be a nuisance. For this reason, we should keep this though in our mind: the water from rain cleans and purifies the environment because it drags away the damaging particles. And for everyone who breathes the city air daily this is the key.

In addition, if we have the suitable equipment (nothing very especial) and we keep alert, the rain won’t be and impediment to pedal.

Appropriate equipment, waterproof clothes, a footwear which resists rain without problems and all the elements which make you being more visible, especially for the motor vehicles: reflective clothes, the front and the back bicycle lights. A back mudguard will avoid you to arrive at your destiny with your back full of mud.

Get your bicycle ready, you can help to improve adhesion on the road by reducing the tire pressure (a little bit! If not, you will be in danger of getting a flat tire) and be sure that the treads of your tires are well marked. It is also important to maintain the chain clean and lubricated. And, specially (with or without rain), check if your brakes respond quickly.

The rainy days are perfect to show our skills with the bicycle. We are talking about reinforcing your concentration on the road. Brake before a curve and take it slowly. Keep a safety distance with regard to the other vehicles; avoid puddles, marks painted on the road and the multicolour marks that appear on the road (they are car oil).

With these tips, the only thing that we want to repeat again is: thanks for keeping pedaling.

Experience the culture and the tradition of Barcelona while you are pedaling through La Mercè 2018 festivity

September 20th, 2018

Photo by Feradz

From the 21st to the 24th of September, you have a very important date with Barcelona, in order to enjoy the cultural activities that the city has prepared only for you -well, and for other miles of people too-.

As we always say, the best way to get to know a city is introducing yourself in its festivities, because popular celebrations are the best show of the local’s environment, their culture, their tradition and their gastronomy. In Barcelona, the most remarked festivity -because each neighbourhood has each own festivities- is La Mercè celebration. And this year it will be celebrated from the 21st to the 24th of September.

From expositions, “cercaviles”, castellers, giants, sardanes to the night concerts and light shows.

You should be fit riding the bicycle, if you want to arrive at everything!

Take a look to the daily activities programming in https://www.barcelona.cat/lamerce/en and take the most advantage of this celebration. You only can enjoy it once a year.

 

Returning to school by bicycle

September 12th, 2018

This week a lot of kids are going to start again the school studies and that means a clear return to the routine for a lot of people. But, this time, if you haven’t tried it before, you can add a refreshing change to this routine, it consists in returning to the school by bike.

Barcelona is every time a safer city when we talk about riding a bicycle through its streets, all this thanks to the extension of the bike lane. So, why don’t take advantage of this situation and be an example for the little ones using the cleanest means of transport?

This video that we have used other times (yes, we admit it, we thrill every time we play it) shows how this situation can be absolutely normalized and a main situation, so, why don’t we try it?

For us, this is a mantra, we should work in order to Barcelona become a cleaner city by including the bicycle in our routine, being an example to the future generations.

Then, this new school year, are you going to join our club? That’s free and very healthy!

It’s still summer in Barcelona

September 1st, 2018

Although the summer holidays have finished with the August’s month for a lot of people, for other ones, who have suffered the hot weather in the work place while they saw how the work mates departed to remote countries, the good time starts now.

Photo by Katerina Zhang

Barcelona is not going to disappoint all the people who have been waiting for the arriving of their well-deserved vacations. On the contrary, the activity of the city is not going to let anyone to get bored.

From refreshing ridings through the beach by bicycle, to the challenge of getting to the top of the hill of Montjuïc, where you will be awarded with the amazing views of the city. Everything with the nicest weather and avoiding the July and August build-ups –overbooking in hotels, in restaurants and, even worst! in the streets-.

And, if it was not enough, we cannot forget that the great fiesta of La Mercè 2018 is very close. A festivity that, as always, will get you closer to the culture and tradition of the city.

Barcelona is waiting for you with open arms, take your bicycle and come to pedal!

The Great Fiestas time is here, the best way to enjoy Barcelona

August 16th, 2018

If this summer you are ridding a bicycle though the streets of Barcelona, you shouldn’t miss to get to the Great Fiestas, the best show of culture and tradition in the city.

pl-vila-festes-de-gràcia

During summer, Barcelona doesn’t stop, on the contrary, that’s really strange to find a week without any Great Fiesta. Next, a brief calendar with which you can check if your trip to Barcelona coincides with a neighborhood’s festivity.

Festes de Sant Roc from the 14th-18th of August.

Festes de Gràcia from the 15th-21st of August.

Festes de Sants from the 20th-28th of August.

Festa Major de la Bordeta from the 28th of August to the 15th of September.

Festes de Vallcarca coincides with the first two weeks of September.

Festa Major del Farró from the 7th-11th of September.

Festa Major de la Barceloneta, coinciding with the Sant Miquel festivity, around the 29th of September.

Festes de la Mercè from the 21st to the 24th of September.

Try to confirm this calendar in the City Hall web site, when the date comes closer. Some variations could be possible.

And, above all, enjoy this amazing fiestas!

 

Which characteristics have Born Bike Tours Barcelona for chosing a good bicycle for the city

6th August, 2018

One of the most common questions made by those who have just started their urban cycling is: “What type of bike is the best for the city?” For us, it is important to select a model that will make the coexistence with the traffic in the city easier, so it has to be safe.

1. It should be easy to start and stop

Upon forming part of the traffic of the city, it should be easy to put the feet on the ground when you’re waiting for the traffic light to change.

2. There should be a good acceleration

This is important when you have to move the bicycle to cross and intersection or change lanes.

3. It should be easy to see

It’s important to maintain yourself visible to other users. For this objective, you should have good front and back lights.

4. It should allow you to see the traffic around you

The straighter up the cyclist rides, the easier it is for him to see what is happening around you.

5. The bicycle should be easy to control with one hand

Take into account that the hand signals are extremely important in order to maintain an adequate communication with drivers and other cyclists.

6. There should be an efficient range of speeds

The diversity of the speeds depends on the topography of your city and the distance that you have to go. More important than the number of velocities is the range you have available. If there are many slopes in your city, you need a low range of speeds. The contrary happens in a city that is relatively even.

7. It should be efficient

The back suspension and the common rims in the case of mountain bicycles are not recommended for a city bicycle. Even though this is useful for the mountains, the suspension (especially the rear one) absorbs part of the energy we apply to the pedal. If you plan to use your mountain bicycle in the city, you should make some modifications.

As we have already said, there are a great variety of bicycles. It’s important that you like the bike, that I has the right size and be according to your necessities.

Now you know some of the important things about our bicycles, so, start to pedal!

Come to the activities in Barcelona during the month of August 2018 by bicycle

July 31st, 2018

Photo by Enes on Unsplash

Here you have a list of activities in Barcelona during this August, in order you don’t miss anyone during your trip.

Music in Barcelona!

2018.07.31 – 08.31 – Mas i Mas

The Mas i Mas Festival returns to Barcelona in the summer with jazz, flamenco, classic, techno and much more.

2018.08.10 – 11 -DGTL – Festival Barcelona

The DGTL Festival will make you dance in Barcelona at the rhythm of music house and techno.

2018.026.02 – 08.30 – Music in the Parks

This season, 2018, the program includes 49 concerts and all of them free. From June to the end of August you can listen to music in the parks of Barcelona. These have been taking place for the past 15 years and include best quality music. Not only this, it is also great for sitting in a pleasant place at night with good music, friends and family.

2018.07.01 – 09.16 Brunch in the Park

Take your picnic basket, your plaid table cloth and get ready to …. Dance without stopping until the 17th of September..

Outdoor movies in Barcelona

2018.07.06 – 08.31 – Mecal Air, outdoor movies

In summer we all want to spend a lot of time outdoors -and what a better way than watching short films with friends while having a glass of wine. Mecal Air is a summer alternative to the classical cinemas, It is the one preferred by the Barcelona neighbors. The good part is that there is a combination to “short films” and a gastronomical offer. The entrance is free.

2018.06.29 – 08.03 – Outdoor movies – Sala Montjuïc

Important recent films and concerts that take place outdoors.

2018.06.28 – 08.02 – Free films t the Barcelona beach

Free movies at the beach during the summer nights.

Other events

During summer from Thursday to Sunday from 9:00p.m to 11:30p.m. – The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc

In the summer from Thursday to Sunday from 9:00p.m to 11:30p.m. the spectacles take place every half an hour.

2018.08.09 – 19 – Circuit Festival

Don’t miss the most fun gay Festival in Barcelona.

2018.08.05 – 05 – Joan Gamper Trophy from the FC Barcelona

Experience the Barcelona Football Club Joan Gamper a the Camp Nou!

Have a good time!

A new bicycle route from the sea to the mountain in Barcelona

July 26th, 2018

With the inauguration of the bike lines in the streets of Bilbao and Jonquera, which have been added to the street of Navas -look at the map and you will understand it better 😉-, the axis which will allow us to go from the Parc del Guinardó to Marbella beach is completed.

Something very especial from Barcelona that we always try to remark is that this city is a sea and mountain city, where the landscape and the environments are very varied and it allows us to enjoys its different modalities.

Up to now, a very important bicycle route was the one where you can go from the Port Olimpic to Montjuïc mountain in the Sants-Montjuïc district. In just one day you can enjoy the sea breeze and the mountain views. Now, to this amazing route, we have to add another one from Guinardó to the Marbella beach, so we have a new one for changing the views and the environment of the beach.

The most important thing of these routes is the fact that now we can do that in a safe way thanks to the extension of the bike lane in Barcelona.

This summer experience Barcelona to the maximum and discover the last of its corners by bicycle.

A bicycle as your best trip mate

Photo by Autumn Studio

July 27th, 2018

This summer you shouldn’t forget your bicycle at home. It will be your best trip mate.

If you have kept yourself fit all year getting around everywhere by bicycle, this summer you cannot waste all this effort. Moving around the cities by bicycle is the best investment that you can make.

With the bicycle, you can get to know all the cities at street level, without any problem when you decide to park, and enjoying the city environment directly.

The respect for the environment, the noise and the neighbors are synonyms of bicycle. This will make you earn points with the local people who are sharing the city with you.

Flexibility of movement, especially in Barcelona, city of sea and mountain. By bicycle, the moment you wake up, you can decide if this a mountain or a sea day. It will make you enjoy the trip and allow you to stop anywhere you want. It doesn’t matter if you want to immortalize the moment by taking a photo or if you want to have some tapas -Spanish appetizers- in a bar that you like.

All these advantages, combined with the bike lanes which the city is taking from the space of the cars, make the bicycle the best trip mate during our summer adventures.

This summer, let’s share Barcelona by bicycle

July 3rd, 2018

We have to insist that the best way to travel is by the ecotourism, achieving that our passing through the city be the most sustainable and positive possible, and generating the best memories for us and for the people who live in the city and who turn it into a marvelous place.

Photo by Sergi Larripa

The City Hall of Barcelona has initiated a new campaign this summer: ‘Compartim Barcelona’ -Let’s share Barcelona- where they gather some tips for everyone who visits and lives in the city. We feel very identified with them, because they are something that we try to transmit in many of our mails.

Sharing the public places, taking care of the urban furniture, not obstructing the life’s rhythm of the people who live in the city, not making noise after a celebration and, in general, controlling the volume… these are some basic tips from the web site. It seems very logical, isn’t it? Well, these are annoyances that the people who live in Barcelona are experiencing continuously, and which complicate their day-to-day. For this reason, we are sharing it in our blog, in order to do our part to achieve a more habitable city for everyone.

To all these tips, obviously, we want to add another one: riding a bicycle when you visit the city. This means of transport doesn’t make noise, doesn’t dirty it and, thanks to the extension of the bike lane, we can practically move around the whole city in a safe way for us and for the pedestrians. Of course, in order to make this idea a reality, we need your help by respecting all the traffic sign, the places to stop and park and this rhythm of the people who live in the city that we have talked about. Because, they are sharing their bicycle routes, so try not to obstruct the rhythm of these.

Take these tips with you and enjoy Barcelona by bicycle!

This holidays you can practice the ecotourism in Barcelona by the best means of transport: the bicycle

June 19th, 2018

Summer is very close and we cannot avoid to remember you some tips that will help you to plan an unforgettable trip, respecting the environment and people who you are going to visit.

Born Bike Tours Barcelona are very fans of ecotourism, this combination of activities that allow us to travel respecting the environment and the people who live in this place. But, although this point of view comes from the respect, ecotourism is much more. We are going to sum it up in the 8 tips presented by the International Ecotourism Society:

  1. Minimize physical, social, behavioral, and psychological impacts.
  2. Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect.
  3. Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts.
  4. Provide direct financial benefits for conservation.
  5. Generate financial benefits for both local people and private industry.
  6. Deliver memorable interpretative experiences to visitors that help raise sensitivity to host countries’ political, environmental, and social climates.
  7. Design, construct and operate low-impact facilities.
  8. Recognize the rights and spiritual beliefs of the Indigenous People in your community and work in partnership with them to create empowerment.

You are going to see that a lot of these points are easy to resolve if you visit the place by bicycle 😉

Are you looking for culture, gastronomy and tradition in Barcelona? Here you have some suggestions for this weekend, come by bicycle!

May 23rd, 2018

After some years, the Sant Antoni Market opens its doors to the public and it does that on a large scale. One unique opportunity to move beyond the center of Barcelona and surround yourself by its culture.

Photo by Enric https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Enric

In many other mails, we have insisted that, if you are getting to know the city, a visit to the markets of Barcelona is indispensable. Because of its architecture, its traditional products combined with the modern gastronomy of the city, because of the interaction with the local people… But, specially this weekend, the Sant Antoni Market is going to celebrate a great inaugural party, where all the ingredients which we have mentioned before are going to be complemented by sport, musical and dance exhibitions, workshops for kids, poetry, art and culture.

If you are visiting Barcelona and you like cultural immersions, you should not miss this opportunity. Ride a bicycle, for us the best means of transport in the city, which will transport you directly to the activities, through the bike lane of the Compte d’Urgell street -the one that goes through Ronda Sant Antoni, the location of the market, is under construction-.

Barcelona never stops, take advantage of that by bicycle!

What do you know about the best means of transport? The History & Evolution of the Bicycle

May 16, 2018

We love to talk about how useful is going around Barcelona by bicycle, but, what do de know about this incredible and, at the same time, simple means of transport? Here you will find some interesant notes about its history.

Photo by Oberholster Venita

There are many different histories of the bicycle. One source claims that it has a history that goes back about 600 years and is quite different than the bike as we know today. Another day we will speak about the source that claims the history of the bicycle began in 1815 after a large volcano, Mt. Tambora, erupted in present-day Indonesia.

Following we highlight major milestones for the bicycle that show the evolution leading up to the modern bicycle:

1418 – Giovanni Fontana builds the first human-powered land vehicle. It has four wheels and uses a rope connected by gears to the wheels.

1790 – Comte Mede de Sivrac invents the celerifere. It has two wheels and a seat, but no steering or pedals.

1817- Karl Drais invents the steerable “Laufmaschine”.

1866 – James Starley, a British engineer, invents the penny farthing.

1870’s – The unicycle is invented.

1878 – The first portable bike is made by William Grout.

1879 – Henry J. Lawson patents the bicyclette – a rear wheel, chain-driven safety bicycle.

1880’s – The adult tricycle is invented and offers a more dignified alternative to its high-wheeled counterpart.

1885 – John Kemp Starley invents the Rover safety bicycle in England.

1894 – Michael B. Ryan is granted the first patent for a folding bike.

1924- The velocar is invented by Charles Mochet.

1933 – Cruiser bikes are invented and sold by Schwinn.

1979 – Joe Breeze creates the mountain bike.

1989 – The Sanyo Encale electric bike is released with NiCd batteries – a big advancement from lead-acid batteries.

1989 – Michael Kutter develops what is considered to be the first pedelec, an electric bike where pedaling causes the motor to assist the rider.

1991 – The conference bicycle is invented.

 

I would like to share what Ernest Hemingway said about riding a bicycle.
It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. ― Ernest Hemingway

How can you feel better with the hot weather of these days? With some tapas, fresh drinks and, of course, going by bicycle

April 26th, 2018

These last days in Barcelona, the temperature has increased, so, here you have some tips about how you can take advantage of this moment pedaling a bicycle.

Appetizers, soft-drinks and a bicycle is our recipe for the warm days in Barcelona. Spring always invites us to carry out some activities and Barcelona is full of opportunities for enjoying every minute of a day. Today’s tip is that you should concentrate on the city’s gastronomy.

One referring to the sea and the mountain. There is a great variety of tours in Barcelona, but, if you feel like it, we can start by talking about beaches. An outing by bicycle through the promenade, stopping for a quick dip (this is only for the most courageous), has to be compensated by some tapas (Spanish appetizers) in more than one of the different bars and restaurants of this zone. In addition, by pedaling only 5 minutes, you can go to the center of the city, where you will not be disappointed.

And, from enjoying some fish and shellfish to the “pa amb tomàquet” (bread with tomatoes rubbed on it) with some home-made croquettes, some cold meat, olivada (an olive pure) or whatever you prefer. In Barcelona, the combination of flavors and textures is infinite, because, besides the local gastronomy, a lot of restaurants and bars bet on incorporating products from many other cultures.

So, now you know that, after some important pedaling, you have to recover energy!
And if you need more information, we, Born Bike Tours Barcelona, are going to be glad to help you 😉

We repeat: we love going through Barcelona by bicycle

April 10th, 2018

The “30 Days by Bicycle” challenge is still active in Barcelona, so, here you have some reflections in order to motivate you even more after this first training week.

If you have achieved the first week of pedaling, we are sure that you have seen a lot of the advantages of the bicycle and that you have achieved some of its challenges. Sharing your experiences in the social networks is the key to motivate and help other people. So, don’t stop doing that.

For example, you can talk about how pleasant it is when you arrive at work, or at any other place, after pedaling your bicycle: how you avoid traffic jams, how you enjoy the city environment, how you greet the other cyclists and how you activate your body as soon as you are awake. The physical exercise is a key element for motivation and creativity, we are sure that you have performed even better these working days.

In addition, you can talk about annoying fumes, which come from the other motorized vehicles -not the electrical ones, of course-. Imagine how nice the city could be without all the atmospheric and acoustic pollution.

And yes, you can talk about how you have overcome other things that were not so good, such as the rain of some of these days. We bet that it wasn’t as terrible as you imagined before leaving home. If you have the equipment, you will see that going by bicycle while it is raining is not a problem. In order to reach the step of leaving home, think about the importance of rain for the purpose of dispersing the polluting particles from the air. This always encourages us.

You can achieve the “30 days of biking” challenge. Do that for you and for your city.

In love with #30daysofbiking, or #30diesAMBbiciBCN in Barcelona

March 4th, 2018

Photo by Soroush Karimi

These days, this very special hashtag for us is shared in the social networks, because the pedaling is the best social movement for us, our neighborhoods and our city.

30 days of biking is the best challenge of the year. The 30 days of April pedaling for going from one place to another one in the city, for going to work, taking kids to school, going for errands or, basically, enjoying pedaling through the city. A challenge with which the most part of the participants, who have in the bicycle world, will not be able to ever leave it again.

In addition, we shouldn’t forget to share it in the social networks in order to inspire even the the laziest people to participate. A lot of photos have already been distributed in order to awaken the envy -very healthy in this case- and the motivation of a lot of people.

The 30 days of biking comes with a lot of activities organized by entities and collectives from the city, whereby every one of these is gathered in a specific web page (you can access it right here).

If you are tired of traffic jams and pollution since quite some time ago, this is your opportunity to immerse yourself into the bicycle world and start changing things.

 

Pedaling against cold weather in Barcelona

March 20th, 2018

Photo by Mabel Amber

The beginning of Spring has come accompanied by a cold snap and by a bit of snow. Here we are going to explain how you can manage this situation.

Today, the typical conversation about weather makes sense. From the start of the week the decrease of the temperatures has become noticeable and this Tuesday it has arrived accompanied by a snow alert at minimum levels.

This doesn’t mean that you have to leave your bicycle at home, if you usually use it as your habitual means of transport. With the correct kit, the bicycle will help you to keep yourself warm.

When you dress, you should use the onion trick, which means wearing various layers of clothes. You will start to pedal warm and at the same time that you get warmer, you will be able to remove the different layers of clothes. You should use a neck gaiter to protect your face, the wind is a bit cold.

Wearing waterproof clothes is very important, and this is not only important for protecting your torso; it is also for protecting your legs. Although at this moment it is not raining or snowing, if the streets are dirty, you will avoid mud splashing your clothes.

Finally, make you sure that your bicycle is in a good shape. A professional service is always useful. But, the most important thing is being sure that your chain is clean and lubricated, that the breaks work well and that the wheels are not deflated, because you could have a flat tire.

With these tips you will be able to arrive anywhere and you will avoid the typical traffic jams of these days when everyone takes car.

‘Bicia’t’, a promotional program for going to work by bicycle thanks to the City Hall of Barcelona

February 20th, 2018

‘Bicia’t’ certifies the ‘bicycle friends’ buildings, which favor the bicycle use among their workers and prepares a recommendation guide.

As we have talked about since quite some time ago, Barcelona is working a lot on the sustainable means of transport matter. And, which is one of its preferences? The bicycle, a means of transport without contaminant emissions, which keeps you fit, which adapts itself to your life and gets you into harmony with the environment of your city.

One of the ways that the City Hall has found to promote this means of transport is through rewarding everyone who works in its same line, with the creation of various grants and promotional programs. In this case, we are going to focus on the Bicia’t program of the City Hall of Barcelona in collaboration with BACC -Bicicleta Club de Catalunya-. If you are used to going to go to work by bicycle, find out about the activities of this program, because it could help to add more work mates to your cause.

With Bicia’t, the City Hall certifies the “bicycle friends” buildings and it recommends a necessary remodeling for achieving the highest emblem. In addition, it promotes the bicycle use with free bicycles for hiring, circulation and mechanical training, organized excursions, parking installations and so on.

¿How many reasons do you need to join this movement? The healthy movement of cycling.

Those of us who use a bicycle in Barcelona love the rain

February 13th, 2018

Photo by Di Zhang

There are a lot of reasons for using bicycle as the usual means of transport, but one of the most important ones is the reduction of pollution. And which is the other element that helps to clean the city? The rain.

If we usually take the bicycle to move around Barcelona, it is possible that when you wake up in the morning and you see that it is raining you feel a bit irritated. For this reason, we suggest you to focus on this idea: rain is an indispensable factor to reduce pollution in the city, so don’t consider it your enemy, consider it your ally.

The water from rain cleans and purifies the environment because it drags away the damaging particles. And for everyone who breathes the city air daily this is the key.

The World Health Organization (WHO), in its report WHO, GBoD 2016, estimates that “some 3 million deaths a year are linked to exposure to outdoor air pollution”. This profound exposition to a high level of pollution could cause: an increase of allergy among the population; a development of cardiac illnesses; respiratory diseases, etc.

So, take advantage of every rainy day wearing the suitable bicycle equipment for these days and enjoy this phenomenon, which is very necessary for life.

31 days pedaling through Barcelona

30th January 2018

Photo by Zhivko Dimitrov

Ok, no, the European City Challenge is not here yet, this great event is in May but, we have spent 31 days since New Year Eve’s. Have you achieved all your proposals? If your answer is yes, congratulations! And if your answer is no, don’t worry, you still have 11 months for achieving them. We suggest some ideas to you.

For starting, we only want to remind you of the three main questions that you have to raise again: Are your intentions specific enough? Do you have a deadline? And, are these realistic?

We insist on these questions because, for us, they are the key when you want to achieve solid intentions.

We are going to give a random example: “Doing more exercise for keeping us fit and healthy”. It is a great initiative, but is a bit generic and you can achieve it in a lot of different ways. With the first question and basing ourselves on our routines, we can develop different task. For example, going to work by bike, shopping healthier proximity products, and practicing ecotourism pedaling during this summer… easy, right?

Now, consider the next question: do you have a deadline? In this case we have task that we want to apply to our routines so, talking about time, the most important thing is getting us firm doing that during a month. We are sure that if you spend 31 days pedaling through a city like Barcelona for going to work, you will not be able to leave it.

And, finally, are they realistic? If you imagined, when you decided to do more exercise, that you could spend 2 hours in the gym everyday… Well, maybe you will achieve that, or probably, after one week you will miss too many things that you have given up for spending more time in the gym.

We hope that all these tips will help you for achieving your goals or for following them, because reaching the target, in these cases, is a big pleasure.

Barcelona makes its way through the bike lane

January 24th, 2018

In 2015, the City Hall of Barcelona promised us 308km of bike lane, nowadays the city has 184km and, although the final goal for the end of the year is lower than the first one -233 of 308km-, the 89% of the citizens of Barcelona already have a bike lane at a maximum of 300 meters from their homes.

The City Hall of Barcelona can already boast that in the last two years they have extended the cyclist infrastructure of the city, also improving the security. And this is something very important to promote the use of ecological and alternative means of transport such as the bicycle.

We have already noted this promotion because, according to the information of the City Hall, between 2015 and 2016 the average of urban cyclists increased by 14%.

The fact that the City Hall continues betting on bicycles is something we all have to work for. Going to work by bike means a healthy routine, getting fit and an ecological benefit for the whole environment of the city.

We cannot feel happiest seeing that every day Barcelona is closer of being a big net for bikes 🙂

Blogs and guidebooks, windows which show us the cities that we want to get to know

January 16th, 2018

This week, we have wake up with this marvelous mail’s blog from Silver Stories, by Caroline, where she explains its riding by bike through Barcelona together with Born Bike Tours Barcelona.

Photo by Judit Aranda

Before start a trip, long or short, it is essential to inform us about which kind of things are we going to find in our destination. This information that we used to find in guidebooks, now, we can also find it in an unlimited number of blogs, where people show their own experiences while they were traveling.

Just as when you visit a specialized bookstore looking for the guidebook which show you all the things in the littlest possible space, which has been actualized during the last year and which allows you to move as a local when you arrive at the city, more and more, people look for this specialization in a blog. Recently blog entries, updates and the experience of the person who has written it are the elements which give us the confidence to accept their tips and write it down in our trip’s notebook.

This is something that we find in blogs, as Silver Stories, where you quickly see that Caroline has a great experience traveling and, in addition, she loves it.

Always is a pleasure to meet people like she, for this reason we love our job.

Returning to the routine of Barcelona, but by bicycle and with a smile

January 10th, 2018

Photo by Engin Akyurt

If, some days ago, we were elaborating a never-ending good intentions list for the new year, surely, with the return to the routine, this list becomes a hill. But don’t give up hope, here you have some tips, in order to don’t throw in the towel.

Achieve our good intentions list is not an easy work. We want to formulate 3 questions, which will help you to reach your goals.

Are your intentions specific enough?

Preparing another sublist with the specific and definite tasks, which we have to achieve in order to reach our goals, will help us to see our way easily.

Do you have deadline?

365 days are a too many days. If we delimit a clear date to every one of our task in our new calendar, we will be able to review all our progresses.

Are these intentions realistic?

The goals, the task and the deadline. Only us are conscious about our limits, but sometimes we err being too much optimistic. If you demand too much of yourself, it is possible that you feel overwhelmed, so, if you have too many intentions, leave some of them for the next year, you have all life for doing that!

Some of the intentions that we think you cannot miss in your list for this new year are:

  1. Going by bicycle to work, in order to improve your environment.
  2. Practicing the ecotourism during your next trips.
  3. Getting fit without wasting money or time (ok, this intention is the same that the first one…) ;P

For this new year, we wish that you achieve all the goals that you have decided.

Dear Three Wise Men…

January 3rd, 2018

After Christmas Day and the New Year’s Eve, there is another important moment of these days: the arriving of the Three Wise Men. What are you going to wish for? We will explain how to contact with them here.

If you are one of the persons who has been doing things in an unlimited way these last days –eating non stop, visiting your family and playing games with the kids-, surely, the first thing you will wish for is some outdoor activities.

These days Barcelona is full of activities referring to the Three Wise Men, because the people can walk through its streets and enjoy the last days of Christmas. The Three Kings’ toy factory will be active until the 4th of January at the “Fabra i Coats – Fàbrica de Creació” facilities. Do you know anything about this place? It is a spectacular industrial building in the district of Sant Andreu, which has been remodeled to become a place full of activities, where different businesses and projects live together. Take advantage of this event to leave the center and discover a bit more of this city. In addition, you will enjoy a tour full of magic and you will see how the letters to the Three Wise Men are transformed into presents.

You can also deliver your wish list to the helpers of the Three Wise Men, Estel and Omar, who are at Plaça Catalunya from Tuesday to Thursday, in order to assist the Three Wise Men with their work.

And, certainly, you shouldn’t miss the Three Wise Men’s parade of the 5th o January, which will start at 6 p.m. You can follow the planned trajectory or you can wait for their arrival at one of these points:

6 p.m. Av. Marquès de l’Argentera

6.10 p.m. Pla de Palau

6.25 p.m. Via Laietana

7 p.m.  Pl. Urquinaona

7.05 p.m. Fontanella

7.10 p.m. Pl. Catalunya

7.25 p.m. Pl. Universitat

7.35 p.m. Rda. Sant Antoni

7.45 p.m. Sepúlveda

8.25 p.m. Paral·lel

8.35 p.m Pl. Espanya

8.45 p.m Av. Reina Maria Cristina

Remember to include non-sexist presents in your list, for example… a bicycle 😉

The future of Christmas is already present in Barcelona

20 de desembre de 2017

The end of the year is closer and with that our reflections about Christmas in Barcelona, pedaling our bicycles, increase.

You can contact with the Three Wise Man by email. Girls can order race cars and boys can order kids’ play kitchens. An original present is the one which is related to sustainability, education… There are a lot of examples about what we can find nowadays at Christmas, which shows that we are making progresses for a more equal and sustainable future.

In Barcelona, we are maintaining the tradition, but we also make aware about that, because this is not based on consumerism nor discrimination. So, in order to don’t miss this tradition, it is important to maintain the basic values, either at Christmas, at Carnival or Halloween.

So, we couldn’t avoid to do that, we have related a good Christmas with a bicycle.

The bicycle is for everyone, without regard gender or economic level, because we can find it with a very affordable price. It can be adapted to any situation easily. It is completely sustainable, it doesn’t contaminate or waste. And the energy that moves it is ourselves.

If you are agreed with these values, make the exercise of comparing your Christmas with your bicycle, what else do you want for your celebrations?

The bicycle: good vibes for the atmosphere in Barcelona

October 10th, 2017

Fotografia de David Marcu – Fuente: Unsplash

Wake up, have a quick breakfast, take the car, wait in the traffic jam, sit in your chair and work, take the car, wait in the traffic jam… go to sleep.  Wake up, have a quick breakfast, take the car, wait in the traffic jam, sit in your chair and work, take the car, wait in the traffic jam… go to sleep. 

Every now and then, we like to remind you that sometimes our society pushes us towards an unhealthy routine, which is not good for our physical, mental and atmospheric health.

If you break with just one of the elements of this routine, and, of course, it cannot be one of the basic needs, you can achieve great changes in your life. For example, what could we change if we took the bicycle instead of the car?

“You wake up, you dress, you have breakfast and… you take your bicycle; you enjoy the fresh air of the morning and the first sleepy faces; your muscles become more active in the same way that your mind does. And when you get to work you park just in the entrance. You sit in your chair at your desk, but this time you are ready for the next 8 hours”.

We wrote this 2 years ago, and since then, things have changed. Maybe you are one of the nice people who has changed his routine, improving your life and the life of the other people. Or, maybe, you are one of the indecisive person who has seen the creation of a new bike line near your house and now you are contemplating whether or not to go to your work pedaling.

Try it. We are sure that with one week of going to work by bike, you will not be able to return to the old routine.

Rueda, the international film festival about cycling in Barcelona returns one more year

October 5th, 2017

Among all the events which are taking place these last days in the city, we shouldn’t forget the importance of the bicycle and all the mobilization that goes with it. For this reason, we shouldn’t miss this festival.

Have you thought about disconnecting these next days? The best cultural suggestion that we have found is this festival about cyclist cinema in Barcelona, which will be celebrated from the 5th to the 8th of October.

This is not only an exposition and a competition of films, this is also a variety of activities for adults and children, which will induce us much more in this cultural space dedicated to the bicycle.

Discover unique cinematographic works with one common element: the bicycle. Connects with this style of life on another level. It will be one of the best trips that you will take with this vehicle.

We love going through Barcelona by bicycle

September 27th, 2017

The new season has been a cause of reflection, because we love riding a bike in Barcelona and here you have some of the reasons

Every season is good

We love summer. Tourism, vacation, beach, tapas… During autumn the sweat is finished, the mountain is really beautiful and we again start with renovated energies. Winter, Christmas holidays, weekend breaks with a bike, the opportunity of getting to know closer places, the warm food after a nice day pedaling… And again spring, discovering gardens and tracks which are blooming, with a scented air that fill our lungs when we are doing exercise.

We improve the good vibes in our city

Mark physical challenges, although they can so easy as going to work by bike, will improve our creativity and productivity when we were working. “Mens sana in corpore sano” -healthy mind in a healthy body-. How couldn’t we feel better, with ourselves and with the other people, after this personal growth?

We improve the environment in Barcelona

For each person added to the pedaling, one exhaust pipe less.

If you are not already decided to pedal through Barcelona, try it, you will not be able to leave it! 😊

12 Tips for Better Cycling, specially with the weather change

September 12th, 2017

Next week we are going to embark on many activities and events, before we would like to remind you of some basic safety tips when using a bicycle

Photography by Alejandro Lopez

Photography by Alejandro Lopez

Wear a Helmet

Only in the U.S. more than 6,000 cyclists need emergency care for head injuries each year. Choose a well-fitting helmet.

Start Slowly

A good training could be only to pedal about 30 minutes on flat terrain during the first three or four weeks.

Dress for Comfort

Choose comfortable clothes.

Go Bright When there is only Low Light 😉

Try not to ride at night, but if necessary, make use of the lights.

Always Use Good Road Sense

Respect all traffic signs and norms. It’s well worth while for everyone.

Be Traffic-Aware

If there is heavy traffic, ride in the lane with the cars, not to the side.

Use your Brakes Adequately

For optimal pressure, put your hands at the ends of the levers. Apply firm pressure to the brakes.

Get In Gear

Try not to pedal in high gear during long periods to avoid pressure on your knees.

Taking these simple tips into account, you’ll get more enjoyment out of biking!

 

Has anyone missed the fresh air of his/her city? Welcome to the Barcelona of September

September 04th, 2017

Holidays are finished but, for sure, more than one person feels like having a rest, returning to his/her routine with recharged batteries and with the fresh air of September. In addition, we always have the weekend plans!

Photo by Alisa Anton on Unsplash

During September, the tourism period becomes more relaxed. Although the warm weather continues during this month, it is not that intense anymore. And the routine, sometimes, results in a relaxing time after having had intense trips. So, September, welcome to our life.

With the return to work, you can also return to the weekend plans, more relaxed and nearer by. And if you have followed our tips and you have taken advantage of bike as a means of transport, you cannot miss all you have achieved and learned. Enjoy your city and #GoToWorkByBike –with this hashtag you will find a lot of motivation in the social networks- and during the weekend look for the places that you have yet not gotten to know in your city and organize a bike tour with your friends.

Sport activates the mind and the motivation, new challenges and objectives, such as the ones we have recommended, will avoid your thinking about any post-vacation depression 😉

Pedaling through the parks and gardens in Barcelona, the green zones that you shouldn’t miss!

July 4th, 2017

Barcelona, sea and mountain city, takes care of its green lungs and turns them into a perfect places where take a walk and refresh yourself during summer.

In our opinion, this is the number 1: Parc de la Ciutadella. Why? Because it has a perfect access for bicycles and converts it into one of our favorites places in Barcelona. More than 17 hectares where you can walk, ride, look it over, stop to rest and, even do some rowing, because the park has a little lake.

Although, if you really want to get away from the city, there are two parks, which are very special for us. On the one hand, we have the Laribal’s Gardens, situated in the district of Sants-Montjuïc. We can get there on bicycle, even though, we will have to park it at the entrance. There, we will be able to enjoy the great vegetation and the different ponds and waterfalls. In addition, we shouldn’t miss the famous Font del Gat (The Cat Fountain) and getting to know its legend. And, on the other hand, we have the Horta’s Labyrinth in the district of Horta-Guinardó. This is the oldest park of the city, but it preserves a great beauty in its vegetation, streams and statues of mythological characters.

Soon, the city will have a new green lung in Glòries. The City Hall of Barcelona has already presented the project of a great park which will give life to this end, which, until now, has been a grey point in the city.

The bicycle is the best trip mate, you should not give it up at home during this summer

June 27th, 2017

Haystack-bike-springSports, the reduction of the pollution in our city or the simple and marvelous fresh air on our faces are the reasons that push us to take the bicycle during our daily life. Why are we going to leave it at home during the holidays?

The daily pedaling is one of the best habits that we can achieve, something that the grumpiest people, with regard to the bicycle, cannot deny. Giving it up during the summer months is one of the worst errors that we can commit, especially, because, in the new cities, it is also very beneficial.

Getting to know new corners at the street-level, pedaling together with local people, parking anywhere we prefer, these are the pleasures that we can only achieve by one special means of transport: the bike.

Haven’t you tried it yet?

So, write down in capital letters in your good intentions’ notebook: TURNING THE BICYCLE INTO THE BEST MEANS OF SUMMER TRANSPORT. If you achieve this challenge, you will not be able to stop pedaling during the whole year!

Join the Bicycle Fiesta of this year 2017 in Barcelona, pedaling!

June 6th, 2017

This Sunday, the 11th of June, the Bicycle Fiesta will be celebrated in Barcelona with a pedaling from the center of Barcelona, crossing Sants-Montjuïc and the port, to Poble Nou.

If you want to ride a bike through Barcelona with the local people, you shouldn’t miss the opportunity this Sunday, the 11th of June, offers. With the bicycle fiesta in Barcelona, streets will be closed for cars, but opened to this excellent means of transport for enjoying this spring day together with the most enthusiastic fans of the bicycle.

If you would like participating in this event, at 9.30 a.m. you should be all ready at Aragó with Roger de Flor street. From this point, you will circulate to the Tarragona Street. From there you will go down to the Espanya Square, and then from Avinguda Paral·lel to Floridablanca Street, until arriving at the center. Although the route won’t finish there, but rather, it  will continue to Marina, at this point , you will go down to the sea and then up for going to ride through some streets of Poble Nou. The tour will be finished at the Passeig Lluís Companys, to end up where the great Bicycle Fiesta will take place.

Totally, 12km of enjoyment. So, take a bike and don’t miss this opportunity!

How to avoid the mobility problems during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona? Riding your bike, of course

February 28th, 2017

Photo by Mari Carmen Díaz

This week, the City Hall of Barcelona is working very hard to avoid the mobility and access problems to the giant congress of mobile technology. We, riding our bicycle, haven’t noticed it.

Barcelona is the headquarter of the Mobile World Congress since 2006 and, since this year, the mobility and the access to the city have been the greatest. Speaking of public transport, the underground and the bus lines are completely packed. Speaking of taxis, we find a frenetic movement. But, speaking of bicycles, a luxury.

In counterpoint to the frenetic rhythm which seems that Barcelona is experiencing Barcelona as the headquarter of the newest technologies, we are there, and we are enjoying the city through the streets without stress nor masses. A nice image that we want to share with everybody who hasn’t yet planned a rest, such as we have, during this week.

Our tip for this week:  relax yourselves with a great stroll by bike through our parallel world in Barcelona.

A new example about sustainability associated with the bicycle in Barcelona

February 14th, 2017

We are not tired to repeat that the bicycle is the best means of transport in the city. And here we have the news that confirms this premise, but this time we are not only talking about moving ourselves, we are talking about moving products.

The City Hall of Barcelona, together with the Rezero organization, has promoted the Comerç Verd, Comerç + Sostenible initiative –Green Business, Business + Sustainable. With this initiative, the City Hall pretends to make public and spread a great number of testimonies, who work producing 0 pollution.

The bicycle couldn’t be out of this project. For this reason, we find a couple, Marina and David, who are the owners of Freefood, an alimentary products shop. They base their contribution for improving the environment, in the distribution of these ecologic products with their bicycle. In addition, they make discounts to the clients who go to their shop by this means of transport.

We encourage you to look at the video, where the protagonists of this story tell you the advantages and the importance of the bicycle in the city.

(We are sorry, it is only in Catalan, if you have any doubts, contact us by our social networks).

¿Have you been convinced? Tomorrow, you can be who contribute for a better city.

A perfect week for a tour by bicycle through the activities in Barcelona

January 31st, 2017

The meteorological prediction advises us that this week are going to have a great opportunity to enjoy the city pedaling through all its streets

born bike tours - Barcelona - Ciutadella

Maximum temperatures of 16ºC and minimum temperatures of 7ºC will allow us to go from one side of the city to the other one with our bikes without getting cold or sweating at all.

From the Agbar Tower, going to Sagrada Família and the great modernist works at the Eixample -such as the Casa Batlló and La Pedrera-, stopping to shop and discover the most typical products in the markets of the city, for example, in the symbolic Boqueria, up to arriving at the relaxing parks and gardens, either in the Parc de la Ciutadella, closer to the sea, or in the Laberint d’Horta, close to Collserola. And you cannot forget to stop at some of the innumerable restaurants and/or bars where you will taste a piece of Catalan gastronomy.

You can experience all these things pedaling through the streets and don’t miss any detail. You can leave your bike close to the place where you want to relax -always assured with a good chain-. The bike lane connects the streets of Barcelona and is getting continuously longer, allowing us to enjoy this experience in a safe way.

Therefore, you cannot miss that! Come to pedal through Barcelona.

Which is the best way to get over this cold wave? Pedaling your bike through Barcelona

January 17th, 2017

Since last week, the meteorology services have been announcing the great cold wave that we are experiencing these days. Don’t be afraid and take your bicycle, in a few minutes your body will feel warm.

Photo by Clem Onojeghuo

Cold weather is used as the best excuse to get sleepy under the sofa’s blanket, but this luxury is not allowed on working days, so we have to manage this situation to reactivate our body and keep it warm.

Sport is the key to achieve that. If, in the morning, instead of walking to the underground and becoming squashed among people, or going to the garage to take the iced car (or, still worse, taking the motorbike to suffer a slow freezing while, impotent, we give it more speed), if, instead of all that, we take the bicycle, for sure, we are going to start the day better.

The bicycle gives us life. We will start a bit cold (although, at your own home’s entrance door), but after some pedaling we will need to unbutton the coat. Little by little, we will enjoy the air, the same which bothers the rest of the people, and when we arrive at work we will feel fresh and awake, with our muscles and articulations more active and stronger to stand all the work’s day.

New Year and a healthy life: our list of intentions for this 2017 with which you will not be able to stop pedaling

December 28th, 2016

If you still don’t have your list of intentions for this New Year, from BornBike Tours we are going to suggest some key points to improve your health and your environment.

  1. Go to work by bicycle in order to improve the environment

We know that. This point has appeared in our blog a lot of times. But, the daily bike displacements in Barcelona continue being a 2% in comparison with the other modalities (car, motorbike or walking) and, although during the last 10 years these displacements have been multiplied 4 times, there is still a long way to go with regard to pedaling.

Moving around by bike with intern displacements through the city, as well as when we go to work, is the key to improve our health and reduce the pollution and the bad mood.

  1. Responsible and sustainable trips, the best ecotourism

Ok, yes, again nothing new. But, did you achieve this intention last year? Because if you have done it, forgetting it now is not right. Share your experience this year and you’ll be sure to go on your trip accompanied.

Remember, the best tourism is the one you do together with locals.

  1. Keeping fit without losing money or time

This is for when you have finished the Christmas holidays. Although the gym is always a basic point in our lists, when we return to the daily reality, we forget it due all the expenses and the little free time. So, we can always take advantage of our daily displacements and take our bike, not only for going to work, we can use it for taking the kids to school or for going shopping and so on. You will enjoy the fresh air, which you cannot breathe in the public transport or in the car. You will share the public space with your neighbors, something very important for feeling integrated in the city. And, at the same time, you will lose the extra kilos gained on Christmas.

Now you know that, if you don’t have a bike for starting the new year, don’t forget to ask the Three Wise Men for one!

If you are going to travel during Christmas, remember some of the main points of ecotourism

December 12th, 2016


During Christmas, there are a lot of people that bet on knowing these dates from other cultural perspectives. For achieving this purpose, it’s essential to keep some main points in mind in order to leave a positive mark at the place  

  1. Minimize the negative impacts on the environment and on the community

Get a bicycle and enjoy the city from the best perspective, helping to not increase pollution and noise.

  1. Respect the environment and the culture

With your bicycle, you will be able to enjoy a lot of places at a street level, something essential for experiencing the culture of a country. If you have never been there, you should look for some information about its traditions in order to avoid slip-ups.

  1. Positive experiences for visitors and hosts

If you are respectful with the environment and culture, you will achieve a better atmosphere with the local people. If the people of a country are happy with you, you will achieve a unique experience and, what are we looking for when we travel, if it’s not this?

  1. Direct financial benefits for the local people

Being Christmas, probably, you will not be able to avoid buying some souvenirs. Try to keep away from the big chain stores, which you can find everywhere. The local commerce is unique. In this way, you will be able to buy the most original presents.

Enjoy your trips during Christmas or during any other time of the year following these basic tips.

The bicycle as an educative tool

November 22nd, 2016

Improving the environment of the place where we live by reducing the pollution, the noise and the stress is important. But, for maintaining it, educating the youngsters with good habits is a basic thing.

This post has been inspired by the initiative of the neighborhood of La Sagrera in Barcelona. From the 17th of November, this neighborhood is celebrating its great fiesta. And, among performances and activities, we have wanted to emphasize the children’s bicycle race, which will be celebrated on the same day of the closure, this Sunday, the 27th.

In this race, which will take place in the Pegaso Promenade, the participants will be between 5 and 14 years old. And, so that none of them lose the will to participate, in addition to the common race, the “snails” race, where the winner is going to be the last one, will also be celebrated.

This great initiative will motivate children to enjoy their streets, as well as to introduce themselves into some healthier habits, with which to enjoy the journey and the everyday life a bit more.

Take part in this solidary action through the bicycle in Barcelona

November 15th, 2016

Do you have any plans for this weekend? If you have a Brompton folding bicycle and 15 euros saved, take a look at this initiative to collect money for the Movember Foundation at the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit. 

Some months ago, we talked about the curious Brompton World Championship, which will again be celebrated on the 22nd of April this coming year within the BiCircuit Festival frame. In the same line, this Saturday, the 19th of November, the Solidary Vermouth with Brompton will be celebrated.

At 12.30 p.m. participants, with their Brompton being ready, will meet at the Circuit and at 13 p.m. the lap around the circuit will start. After enjoying the pedaling over the asphalt track, all the participants will be able to recharge batteries with a luxury vermouth at the Privilege Corner building.

Photo by Geoff Peters

So, now you know that, if you don’t have any plans for this weekend yet and you are close to Barcelona, don’t doubt about signing up for this solidary action and training for the next Brompton World Championship.

Which is the evolution of the bike lane in Barcelona?

November 2nd, 2016

Photo by Sergi Larripa

Almost one year ago, we published ‘If we were already enjoying Barcelona, we will do it even more in 2018 with the 308km of finished bike lanes’ and, after these 345 days, the issue of the bike lane in Barcelona is still in the spotlight.

These days, the City Hall is working on the bike lanes of the following streets: Marina, Travessera de Gràcia, Cartagena, Eduard Maristany, Taquígraf Serra and Gelabert and on the connection of Barcelona with Esplugues del Llobregat.

On the other hand, with regard to the streets of Joan Güell, Can Bruixa, Marquès de Sentmenat, La Jota, Múrcia and Numància, the bike lane is working at full capacity.

The Numància street bike lane connects, in both directions, the Plaça de Països Catalans with the Avinguda Diagonal, one axis more than necessary. But since its first use, some weeks ago, there has been a polemic between shop-keepers, drivers of motor vehicles and cyclists. The shop-keepers criticize the lack of space for loading and unloading products; the drivers, basically of cars, complain about lacking the parking lots; and finally, the cyclists are sick of vans and taxis which park on the bike lane itself.

Another point that has also been conflictive these last weeks, is the delay referring to putting the prohibition of the bike circulation on the sidewalks into practice. This month of November this prohibition, which doesn’t allow bicycles to circulate on the sidewalks with a width of less than 4,75 meters, and with a minimum of 3 meters of free terraces for bars -although this does not affect children younger than 12 and people who ride the bike between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.-  had to become effective. For the moment, this regulation will not become effective until next year, because the City Hall considers that we are still lacking infrastructures which make the bike lanes safer for the bike circulation.

All these changes have again opened up the discussion between cyclists and drivers. The first ones ask for more safety, the other ones are reticent to losing space. But, in our opinion, if we want a city with less pollution and at the service of people and not of cars, it is essential to improve the condition of those who work for this better future.

Bicycle theft is still a problem in Barcelona

October 26th, 2016

Barcelona is working on a safer road circulation -which is the most important- but, on the other hand, it’s necessary to make a bigger effort in order to reduce the number of the stolen bicycles, and this is a problem which discourages a lot of people to continue taking this means of transport every day.

BACC -Bicycle Club of Catalonia- has denounced the great number of bicycles which have been stolen in Barcelona repeatedly. They have calculated that around the half of the users, who use bicycle, have suffered a theft. We can, even, find users who have been theft victims several times in a row.

If we used to be in love with using this means of transport to circulate in Barcelona, we cannot avoid this general problem: the theft, because a lot of users decide to give up the bicycle for this reason.

The only action that we have found in order to solve this problem is Vadebike

This is a company that has provided a service to the citizens with this bike parking lot, which allow us to park our private bicycles in a safety way. We can even leave the helmet. But this solution has a cost for people who use it: €15 per year year and you have to add an extra price per hour of parking.

Other associations and organizations have launched themselves to denounce this problem. An example which deserves to be mentioned comes from these students of the Pompeu Fabra University.

After they hung a bicycle from a height of 5 meters, in order to make their denunciation visible, they have started campaign with signatures so as to ask the City Hall for some measures about these robberies.

We, the same as we advise you to follow all the safety and maintaining tips about your bicycle, in addition, we advise you to lock it the best you can. You should keep in mind to lock the front wheel to the place where you park and to the bicycle frame, and using a second padlock you should assure the back wheel and the seat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t let them take away your means of transport!

‘La Mercè’, the great fiesta in Barcelona, is coming

September 20th, 2016

Tradition, culture, music, gastronomy… everything you want to know about Barcelona is summed up from the 22nd to the 25th of September.

Photo by: Feradz

One more year, Barcelona will celebrate its great fiesta, La Mercè, which, this year, is going to be celebrated from the 22nd to the 25th of September. And we will never get tired of repeating that: if you really want to experience the city the same as an authentic local person, a celebration like this one is the best opportunity for achieving this. So, if you are visiting Barcelona this days, you shouldn’t miss this.

During the day, you will enjoy all the activities that you can imagine for all the family in the streets of the city. During the night, you will have the best local and international music concerts. A lot of people are going to come these days in order to enjoy and keep this amazing fiesta alive, are you going to be one of them?

Remember, the 22nd is going to be celebrated as the Day Without Cars in Barcelona and the bicycle will take over all the importance in this city, maintaining it clean of fumes during this first day of the festivity.

Are you going to come with us to pedal during the fiestas?

Warming up the pedals for the Mobility Week in Barcelona

September 15th, 2016

During this week and the next week, coinciding with the great fiesta of La Mercè in Barcelona, we will celebrate the Mobility Week. It will be accompanied by a lot of activities for the awareness which we should have about our vehicles in order to maintain the city’s environment.

The Sustainable and Safety Mobility Week in Barcelona, from the 16th to 22nd of September, is directly related to the European Mobility Week, in which almost 2,000 registered cities from different countries are participating. The goal is that all these cities organize different activities in order to awaken the awareness about a sustainable mobility model for everyone.

In Barcelona, the bicycle, together with the going on foot and the public transport, will be the protagonist of this campaign.

The week will culminate with the Day without Cars, during which the motor vehicles will remain parked, in order to allow civic centers, schools, etc. to occupy the road with their activities. This day is already a tradition in our city, but this year it will be more special. Instead of fitting it into a weekend, the Day without Cars will be celebrated during a working day Thursday. A risky bet of the City Hall, but surely that it will encourage a lot of people for taking the bicycle to go to work, reducing pollution and increasing the quality of life.

What is the best way to enjoy spring’s arrival in Barcelona? Pedaling your bicycle

Haystack-bike-springAlthough the winter has come and passed unnoticed and it has given us nice trips through the city, spring continues being the favorite season for traveling on a bike.

Sunny days without being scorching ones

Hot weather can be an enemy, even worse than cold weather, for everyone who likes to travel on bicycle. Enjoying spring temperature will avoid the tiredness caused by other seasons of the year and, even more, it can give us a short break stretched out on the green of a park.

Colors that make the trip more pleasant

We are talking about the colors of spring, not only the colors from plants and trees which start to flower everywhere, but also the warm color tones of the sun over the buildings. If you like to take good photos of your trips, spring light, without burning landscapes as happens in the summer, will give life to your mementos.

The beginning of the festivities

Even though every season has its festivities and they are always reflected on the big city, during spring, the celebrations in streets with all the community are more common, taking advantage of the warm weather. If you are interested in getting to know new cultures during your trips, these kinds of celebrations are the best chance.

You should not forget that spring comes marked by rain. So, when you are preparing your trip, make sure of taking the correct clothes for possible changes in the weather. Warm and under a raincoat, a rainy city also has its charms.

The bicycle, an instrument capable of inspiring works of art with the size of a city

Stephen Lund's work on Strava art

Stephen Lund’s work on Strava art

Cyclists from all over the world draw amazing figures through their GPS for sharing them later. It is called Strava art.

Other times, we have talked about mobile applications such as Strava or Endomondo which, in addition to being good tools for keeping us fit with our bicycle, are new social networks where we can share routes, record times which make us feel pride, among other impressions. But the thing that their inventors maybe never imagined when they programmed them is the fact that the users are taking an artistic advantage of them when they use the routes marked on the streets where they move around.

Such as the expression “mente sana in corpore sano” predicts, there is a very narrow relationship between the wealth of our minds and the training of our bodies.

In this sense, we want to make reference to this (we think that it can be already called like this) “movement” which, taking advantage of the digital applications, has transformed the cities into a big canvas.

Stephen Lund's work on Strava art

Stephen Lund’s work on Strava art

Cyclists of everywhere in the world plan and prepare a route which ends up in images (some of them really complex figures), which will finally be shared with friends and, even, with the rest of the world.

If you are thinking about a new challenge, this is the best way to combine sport, art and new technologies.

The women also use the bicycle

“Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel…the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood.”

Susan B. Anthony North American suffragist, (1898)

 

JGKlein-Women_on_bicycles,_late_19th_Century_USASuch as was declared in the 19th century, by the North American suffragist, Susan B. Anthony, who had also traveled on bicycle, this vehicle had been one of the symbols of the women empowerment during this age.

This fact had not only taken place in the United States, it also happened in a lot of other places around the world. A similar case is Great Britain, which has been thoroughly documented by Dr. Sheila Hanlon.

Because it is during this century when the bicycle became a bold element which started a lot of debates: a woman could go from one place to another without the necessity of being accompanied by a man; the image of a physically weak woman was demolished; some clothes became uncomfortable for being used on the bicycle… some little changes which revolutionized a lot of aspects and won against the ridiculous theories, such as some of them the emerged from the medical sector, from where they alerted physical damage such as the sterilization or the abortion. A useless attempt for trying to control women.

Although the evolution is obvious in a lot of countries, nowadays we still have a lot of work and tours to do. On this International Woman’s Day, we want to keep going this way with all the women on this historical symbol, the bicycle.

Four bicycles from movies to motivate ourselves before going out to pedal

Photo-by-Andreas-Winter

Photo by Andreas Winter

The bicycle has been the protagonist on the big screen a lot of times, and we can find films for everybody’s tastes which, if we are tired of taking the bicycle, will again make us feel like going out again.

For the most classical people, Bicycle Thieves

Set at the terrible crisis which Italy suffered after World War II, the protagonists, a billsticker and his son, show us this reality while they try to recover the bicycle which was stolen during work. Because if nowadays going to work by bicycle can be a pleasure, for the protagonist it is indispensable.

A bit of absurd humor with Pee-wee’s Big Adventure

Also related to a stolen bicycle and the adventures that this fact unchains. Pee-wee, the outlandish protagonist, will gain a lot of challenges in order to recover his most precious jewel and at the same time, if we are fans of this kind of humor, he will make us laugh.

For everybody who goes against conventionalism, Wadjda

The first film directed by a woman in Saudi-Arabian, protagonized by a girl with a clear conviction: with a bicycle she could arrive at the school faster and win races with her friend Abudllah. Until here everything could seem very normal, but in the Wadjda reality these kinds of freedom are not allowed for the women and the conventionalism which she questions is the law that governs the country.

And for everybody who prefer the persecutions, Premium Rush

Who needs a motorized vehicle to move around the big city at full speed? This film achieves all the requirements of an action film: persecutions, attempted murder, inconceivable escapes, love plots, a lack of dialogs… The only difference: most part of the story takes place on a bicycle.

Do you have clear ideas about which bicycle you prefer?

¿How could you win a good vacation by pedaling your bicycle every day?

Photography by Javier Calvo

JAE Ingeniería y Desarrollo, a company from Logroño, La Rioja (Spain), clearly knows how to take care of the workers who make themselves responsible for the environment: even one week of vacation can be earned by them for riding the bicycle to their work every day.

The importance of the workers’ motivation has been heard by a lot of companies and, each one looks for the best way to award the employees. This week we have found the company who, in our point of view, has won the first place: JAE Ingeniería y Desarrollo has thought up a system in which, for every day that you go to work with a non-motorized vehicle you accumulate 10 minutes of vacation and in this way until you have reached one week.

In conclusion, a great system to thank all the people who are concerned about the environment, about the city and about the tranquility of a lot of people, because, in the end, what is more tranquil, quick and less polluting than a bicycle?

This initiative is similar to the other one that the French government announced last October, which has not yet been put into practice, but which is planning to pay 0,25 cents for each kilometer ridden to work.

It seems that the bicycle is going to continuously win more allies and maybe we, using it, will be able to earn some paid vacation, but, of course, on bicycle.

The 200km of bike lanes in Barcelona

Related to last week’s mail and in order to complete our safety guide a bit more, here you have a map and some tips to circulate through the bike lanes in Barcelona. carril-bici-bcn

It continuously results easier and safer getting through Barcelona on bicycle; this fact is thanks to the 200km of bike lanes in a lot of streets of the city which connect us with almost every district (it would only be necessary to have an extension through the peripheral zones).

At first, if we don’t know all the streets exactly, Barcelona on a bicycle might seem quite big. For this reason we can access to this City Hall updated map of the different bike lanes.

mapa-aj-barcelona-carril-bici

click on the image to access to the map

 

google-maps-carril-bici-barcelonaAlthough, if we have problems for getting orientated, and we want to consult if we are on the right way while we are circulating, we will be able to do that through our Smartphone thanks to the Google Maps application, which, among its different options, allows us to highlight the different bike lanes of Barcelona on our map.

In order to circulate in the bike lane, in addition to wearing the necessary bike equipment and always respecting all the sign posts, it is also important to follow these basic tips:

  • Signal your next manoeuvre with your arms for the benefit of the rest of the cyclists.
  • You should circulate in the right direction: not every lane is two directions; pay attention to the direction of the road marks; it’s possible that you sometimes need to cross to the other side of the street.
  • And, specially, keep calm with some pedestrians; warn them kindly if they are walking in our lane. They are almost never conscious about this error. Remember that at the crossings they have priority.

To get to know more details, consult Article 14 of Pedestrian and Vehicle Circulation of Barcelona.

Remember that our security is the most important factor for arriving at our destination!

Tips to enjoy rainy days with our bicycle summed up in 3 essential points

bicycle rainWith the arrival of autumn the rain increases, but this should not be an excuse to abandon our bicycle at home. Here you have some safety tips to avoid accidents and also enjoy the rain:

1. Appropriate equipment:

Starting with your clothes, always have a thick raincoat on hand; if you have a backpack, the raincoat should be wide enough to cover it (there are also trousers which you can wear over the ones you are wearing at the moment), It’s important to always keep dry in order not to arrive at your destiny with a cold.

Your feet are important too. Be sure that your footwear resists rain without problems!

In addition to raincoats, your clothes should be visible. Remember that inside a car the vision can sometimes be difficult. Try to maintain your bicycle lights in good condition, even though it is daytime and you have a good visibility, this helps others to see you. Equip your bicycle with a front mudguard to improve your visibility and a back mudguard so that, for example, you don’t arrive at work with your back full of mud.

2. Get your bicycle ready:

You can help to improve adhesion on the road by reducing the tire pressure (a little bit! If not, you will be in danger of getting a flat tire) and check that the treads of your tires are well marked. Maintain the chain clean and lubricated and check if your brakes respond quickly.

3. Reinforce your concentration on the road:

Emphasize the attention referring to the habitual precautions: brake before a curve and take it slowly. Keep a safety distance with regard to the other vehicles.

In addition to these, you have to take other new precautions: avoid puddles and the road edges (there is usually lot of water there); keep an eye on the marks painted on the road, especially pedestrian crossings, and multicolour marks on the road (they appear with rain), they are car oil and they make us skid easily.

It is always is better to avoid the hours with worse visibility, such as when the sun rises, at sunset or at night.

If you follow these tips, you will be able to enjoy your route and arrive at your destination dry and warm.

Discover the coast of Barcelona in a different way, a new plan for this summer

To plant yourself under the sun of the beach in the Barceloneta all day is not the only way to enjoy the coast of Barcelona. Discover that by taking a ride by bicycle.

If the last week we proposed a tour around the mountain of Montjuïc, this week we suggest for you to also discover the history and the evolution of the beaches in Barcelona, especially the Barceloneta.

We will start at the Port Vell (Old Port), one of the oldest parts of Barcelona. It has gone through more than four centuries of transformations: from being one of the first stable docks of the city to becoming an important commercial and touristic zone.

Following the sea line, we will go through the sector of the Barceloneta to arrive at the Port Olímpic, built for the 1992 Olympic Games, a key event in the Barcelona transformation. And in this line of transformations, we will arrive at the Universal Forum of Cultures, another great place of modern architecture of the city.

bornbike ciutadellaUpon returning, in order to not repeat, the best place to get to know on bicycle and stop to rest is the Parc de la Ciutadella with perfect earthen pathways for circulating and green spaces for lying down and enjoying the shade. In addition, you will find great jewels (although this will be the content of another mail, so we will do it in the future…).

Enjoy this tour through the coast of Barcelona which is full of activity during day and night. From now until the 16th of August, on Thursdays and Sundays at 9 p.m., there are also free projections of films and short films at the San Sebastian Beach of Barcelona!

From the sea to the mountain during a morning of a cultural and historic tour through Barcelona on bicycle

Barcelona is not only a port city with lively beaches; it also stands out thanks to its green places, especially Montjuïc, a magic mountain, which we can reach by pedalling from the sea and where we will find the best combination of nature and culture.

tour-bornbike-MontjuïcFrom this elevated place we will have the best view of Barcelona, but before, we will enjoy an amazing tour, because in BornBike we think that without the previous experience the end is not so worthwhile.

In order to arrive at the top from the port, the best choice is to start at the Statue of Colón, although instead of following its indication, we will go up through the Paral·lel Avenue, a homage to the scenic arts in the city.

At Plaça Espanya, we will continue going up through the Maria Cristina Avenue, a street that, without any doubt, you should not miss if you want to get to know the history of the great events in Barcelona. We will see the National Palace, the Magic Fountain lit up in the evening and the Poble Espanyol in first person. All of them are the results of the International Exposition in 1929.

Once we have arrived at the top, we cannot forget the Sant Jordi Palace and the Olympic Stadium: both were protagonist of the 1992 Olympic Games.

And then yes, we can observe Barcelona at the Mirador (Lookout) de Miramar, because then we are going to do that with a richer and more experienced vision.tour-bornbike-Montjuïc-vistas

Take the bicycle and go around the markets of Barcelona, there are a lot of choices!

We propose up to 14 markets to pass through, where you will find all kinds of typical and non-typical products from Barcelona, all of them better than the habitual July sales.

Barcelona_Mercat_Boqueria

Mercat de la Boqueria de Alain Rouiller

Markets have always been very important meeting places for the cities. There you can (would) find all kinds of curiosities and products of the gastronomic base of the zone. Barcelona is not only full of a great variety of markets; in addition, the majority of them are architectonic pieces which uncover part of the city history. So…¿Which would be a better way to shopping than visiting some of these emblematic markets of the city?

If you really want to shop and taste some of the most delicious products of Barcelona, it is almost obligatory take a walk through one of the most famous markets: the Boqueria Market; although if it is far away from you or not within your tour, there are five more markets where you can find the best typical products: the Sant Antoni Market, the Santa Caterina Market (we will be impressed by its colourful roof), the Concepció Market, the Ninot Market or the Barceloneta Market.

If, apart from the products, we are interested in modernist art from Barcelona, we can’t fail to go to the Llibertat Market, the Sants Market, the Galvany Market or the Sarrià Market.

¿And what if we are full and we want to look for clothes or other curiosities? The Encants Market of Glories is the best place to lose ourselves among clothes, handmade products, new and old objects… although if you prefer a place which is specialized in culture, the Sant Antoni Dominical Market is your place. And following the Barcelona traditions, you couldn’t miss the Flors Market in the Rambla.

Besides these permanent markets, in Barcelona the tradition of second hand street markets has also increased. One of the most famous ones is Lost&Found. The next upcoming date is on the 20th of September at the Plaça del Mar (Barceloneta).

Don’t forget your bicycle! With it you can plan a one day tour through the different markets, which we have proposed you, and in addition you can load all the things you have bought in a better way.

Continue pedalling the bicycle, also during the summer

In January the Department of Territories of the Generalitat de Catalunya made the information of the Barómetro de la Bicicleta (Bicycle Barometer) public, showing that 450.000 of the people in Catalonia daily move around with their bicycles, number which has maintained itself stable since 2011 and which has doubled itself compared to 2006.

450.000 of the people in Catalonia love pedalling to their job every day, a number which has maintained itself in the majority of the cities and which has increased 11.5% in Barcelona. With our strong legs, knowing the pleasure of moving around by this means of transport to our destination and being aware of the personal satisfaction which the fact of pedalling the bike every day means, how could we stop doing this during the vacation?

Whoever rides the bicycle daily doesn’t do that only to go from one place to another. Besides being pleasurable, we also contribute to an improvement of our environment. Everything is advantages which we can continue enjoying during our vacation. We can discover new cities going through their streets faster than walking, saving time, but without missing little details, as would happen if we travelled by car or by public transport while we contribute to a responsible ecotourism which get us closer to the people who live in this city.

During the summer, don’t park your bicycle. With it you can enjoy yourself much more.

The bicycle economy

¿What kind of relationship does the bicycle have with the economic and social crisis evolution of the last years?

The crisis in the west had a demolishing effect on the major part of the families who had reached the middle class. The dream of a lot of people vanished and became a nightmare of receipts, mortgages, unemployment and inequality. For a lot of people this situation was unsustainable; others continued with the fight. They had to juggle in order to make ends meet. Some of the others bought a bicycle, we left the car or the motorbike behind and we saved on the ticket increases of public transport. And, finally, we realized that… Hey! We had also saved on gym expenditures. And while we were pedalling little by little against the unemployment, the abusive contracts, the rents, the mortgages… we began to see that we were not alone.

Now, a lot of the others continue pedalling with the small sprocket and the large chainring, and ascending, but when some of our mates are faced with obstacles, we also pedal for them. And we realize that while we are pedalling we become stronger, much stronger than some people who continue driving their cars.

And don’t be overconfident, because in the end we will feel the fresh air while we are riding our bicycle and we will be pedalling stronger and happier.

2 simple tips for a safe circulation with the bicycle around Barcelona

If you like to move around Barcelona on bicycle like us, you need to keep 2 basic points in mind in order to avoid some risk situations.

1. Take care of the maintenance of your bicycle

The maintenance of your bicycle is very important for your security, especially if you have to pedal every day, and it’s more simple than the maintenance of a motorized vehicle, so you don’t have any excuse for not looking over your own bicycle. It’s important to maintain it clean and greased; in addition you need to check that the brakes work perfectly. The tires have to have clear treads. If they are worn they could lose the adhesion to the road and it might be dangerous, mostly when it rains.

These are some of the most important points to keep in mind. As time goes by you will learn more about your bicycle, even though at the beginning, if we have to assemble and disassemble anything it’s important to take note or make some photos of every step that we make. And if you don’t feel quite confident with your mechanical qualities, you should consult a professional.

2. Keep the ordinance in mind

You should take into account that the rules about circulating with a bicycle according to the city ordinances can vary depending on the city you’re in. This is very important if we don’t want to get a fine, but also to avoid dangers for us and for others (especially for the pedestrian). Something really basic about of Barcelona is that whenever possible, we always circulate in the bike lane. We can circulate on the sidewalk if we don’t have any bike lane near or if circulating on the road is dangerous. Nevertheless, it needs to be wider than 5 meters and not have too many pedestrians. If one of these two points are not present, it’s better to walk with the bicycle. We can also circulate on 30km/h roads. We will be able see that these are duly signalized, and it’s recommendable to circulate in the middle of the road so that we more visible for the motorized vehicles.

Even if the helmet, the bell and the lights are sometimes not obligatory elements, we will avoid risk situations if we use them.

If you follow these simple tips, you will avoid dangerous situations and you will continue enjoying your bicycle as always.

When the bicycle cannot transport us, but we have to transport our bicycle through Barcelona

There are some times that the terrain or the time that we spend in going from one point to another will impede us to travel comfortably on our bicycle. But there are some alternatives, like public transport, which will solve this problem, although we have to keep in mind when and how.

Even though we haven’t any doubt about the bicycle being the best means of transport, we have to accept the fact that some distances or terrains cannot be crossed with the same speed if we go pedalling. For this reason, we need to calculate the time well and have to know which kinds of alternatives are available for us.

In Barcelona, for, example, if we don’t want to give up the bicycle, because when we arrive at our destination it will be very useful, we can take the subway. Although we have to remember this: there are peak hours when we will not be allowed to board the subway with our bicycles: from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (these restrictions are not applied during July and August).

If you are interested in getting away from the capital city, we recommend you to take the train, Renfe, since some of the train cars have a place where we can leave our bicycles safely.

There are some other means of transport, like the bus, but in this case, if we haven’t a folding bicycle, we cannot use it (because of an obvious question of space, of course).

Anyway, even though it’s good to remember these other means of transport, we think that if you have the necessary time available, with the bicycle you will enjoy the route more and you will turn a simple trip into a nice journey.

You can change your routine and the routine of your city if you pedal your bicycle to your job

The daily use of the bicycle provides us with a great variety of advantages for ourselves and for our cities.

8 o’clock in the morning, you wake up, you dress, you have breakfast and… are you starting a new day? You take the car, you become stressed in the daily traffic jam; you look for  parking place for your car in the infinite parking lot of your work; you sit at the same table and there you waste the next 8 hours only to return to the parking lot; to the car; to your home.

Or…

You wake up, you dress, you have breakfast and… you take your bicycle; you enjoy the fresh air of the morning and the first sleepy faces; your muscles become more active in the same way that your mind does. And when you get to work you park just in the entrance. You sit in your chair at your desk, but this time you are ready for the next 8 hours.

We have created a system where it is continuously more difficult to enjoy physical exercise and where the sedentary lifestyle is becoming something alarming. For these reasons it’s very important take advantage of every opportunity to move around.

The bicycle, as well as being cheap, is one of the few vehicles whose speed depends on ourselves the major part of the time. Not even the traffic jams can hinder our route.

In addition, we will save to the city the high levels of pollution that it  usually  has, and we will be able to enjoy it without bad smells and without exhaust pipes.

Join everyone who is moving around by pedalling every day!

Beach bike tour

A cultural and fun experience right by the sea! Enjoy the amazing sights from the coastline. You will discover the history, present and past of the harbor as well as the charm of its typical neighborhoods (La Barceloneta-Poblenou-Port Olimpic).

Read more about our Bike Tours

Tapas tour

Delight your senses discovering the medieval Barcelona and the charm of the Born district. Loose yourself in the Gothic Quarter with its narrow streets, become familiar with our typical dishes and taste the “Tapas”.

Read more about our Bike Tours