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.

La Castanyada: the international chestnut festival

This traditional and popular festival, deeply rooted in Catalonia, is celebrated on All Saints’ Day (1 November), but also the day before (31 October).

The tradition of this festival is to eat chestnuts. Chestnuts are traditionally eaten on the day before and the day of Castanyada, but they can be found at street vendors in Barcelona at any time in late October.

What is it?

Chestnuts are roasted chestnuts on charcoal grills and often sold wrapped in newspaper, perfect for warming company when it is cold in Barcelona. Panellets are also very common in Barcelona at this time of year. They can be described as small almond-flavoured balls covered with pine nuts. These snacks are served in coconut, lemon or chocolate flavours. They are beautiful and traditional, and you can find them mainly in local bakeries. If you visit Barcelona during this period, this is a must-have dessert, which can also be used as a souvenir!

If you have a salty palate, you can also find sweet potatoes during the Castanyada. These little delicacies will warm you up from the inside out, often accompanied by a glass of sweet traditional muscatel wine.

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Where does this festival come from?

Castanyada is a pagan tradition – like Magosto in Galicia or Asturias or Halloween in the Anglo-Saxon countries – whose origins date back to the 18th century. There are several legends that explain these beginnings. It is said that before All Saints’ Day, families gathered to watch over their dead. In order to survive, they stocked up on the first fruits of autumn, mainly chestnuts, legumes and sweet potatoes washed down with sweet wine (today’s Muscat). This custom gave rise to the emblematic figure of the “castanyera”, who prayed while the chestnuts were roasting.

Another theory is that the festival was for bell ringers, who rang the bells all night to remind the faithful of the need to pray for the souls of their dead. Whenever they rested, they regained their strength by eating what people brought them, in this case the fruits of autumn.

How is it celebrated?

Although most festivities in Catalonia include wild street parties, dancing, costumes and fireworks. The castanyada is more of a quiet celebration, with most families going to the cemetery to lay flowers and then spend time with their loved ones. If you are in Barcelona during this festival, do as the locals do and visit one of the city’s most beautiful cemeteries, the Poblenou Cemetery.

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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.

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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.

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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 in the botanical garden

A bike tour on the botanical garden

Ideal for the weekend plan!

The botanical garden is located on the mountain of Montjuïc, between the castle and the company of Olímpic Lluís.

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It has 14 hectares of surface and its shape recalls that of a large amphitheater. It retains the collections of Mediterranean plants around the world and offers a magnificent view of the Delta del Llobregat, the Olympic Ring and part of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area.

In the botanical garden you will find a large collection of plants, you will focus on the plants of the Mediterranean regions of the world, it is a vegetation linked to the Mediterranean climate that is characterized by a long summer, of mild winters and rains in spring and autumn.

The paths allow us to access the area of ​​the region, from the Canary Islands at the entrance and rises to the west Mediterranean recognizable by the Botanical Institute, which stands out.

From the Northern Hemisphere, the region with a greater representation is the Mediterranean basin, following the way of a visit welcomed to the Californian coast of the Mediterranean climate.

Then there are the Mediterranean regions of the southern hemisphere where the Mediterranean region of Chile, South Africa and the two Mediterranean regions of South Australia are visited.

Are you ready for a bike tour and enjoy a day of plants?

We are committed to cycling

Passionate about outdoor activities, sports and bicycles, we have united to ride and enjoy Barcelona fun, healthy and different. The bike is also an alternative solution to circumvent the city and the most efficient means of transport in terms of energy. It is the most practical, healthy and durable: it does not produce smoke, does not make noise, it does not consume energy and helps to recover the streets, the spaces of coexistence of citizens.

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The bike has many advantages and here are five of them:

1. Increased safety: The bike is a safe transportation that helps reduce the number of car accidents through variation in speed. However, we must not forget to circulate with caution and pay attention to other users of the road.

2. Better mobility: Did you know that the bike is faster than the car over short and medium urban distances? In the city center with all the prohibited senses and pedestrian spaces, the bike is the fastest transport.

3. Take care of the environment: Cycling is a key factor in reducing environmental contamination levels.

4. Greater pleasure: a cyclist occupies five times less space than a motorist, whether he is stopped as if he moves. These data have very deep implications in the well-being of residents, who can enjoy more peaceful, quieter and safe spaces.

5. Healthier: Cycling is one of the most beneficial exercises for health because large muscle groups are mobilized during the effort. If it is practiced regularly, it allows to keep in shape. In addition, it helps prevent coronary heart disease, hypertension, cholesterol and diabetes.

To book a tour or rent a bike nothing simpler, contact us
Born Bike Tours Barcelona
Carrer de la Brandsa n ° 1 08003 Barcelona
50 meters from Barceloneta metro station L (4) Yellow
✉️info@bornbikebarcelona.com.
🔹www.bornbikebikebarcelona.com.
📲 (+34) 93 319 00 20

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)

Barcelona on your mobile

When we went on vacation, we have all the information on our mobile phones: tickets, maps, recommendations, schedules and addresses. We will present the applications that you can download today so as not to miss anything in Barcelona.

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Barcelona A Butxaca is a mobile application of the Barcelona Municipal Council that offers information, services on culture. And in one click, you can store in a virtual bag all favorite acts or equipment. This allows you to have a quick access to everything.

Tibidabo is an application from the Tibidabo amusement park that allows you to experience many experiences and stay up to date with all the novelties of the park. A range of activities await you in Tibidabo! Check out all shows and entertainment scheduled per day and do not miss anything!

Zoo Barcelona is an application of the Barcelona Zoo allows visitors to know their location in the GPS enclosure.

Puntos de Interés de Barcelona: it is a complete application where you can discover the city and its neighborhoods, you can visit the natural and urban areas, museums and study centers and research and locate on the map of the city.

Literapoli BCN is a game that encourages reading and knowledge of the city. In which each player must locate various geographical points of the city where the action of a book takes place. Once it is geolocated at each location and after solving a test, each player is rewarded with new information and can continue to play.

Do not miss anything about Barcelona with these applications for your mobile.

If you want to know more about the history of Barcelona, follow our social links.
Born Bike Tours Barcelona
📍Carrer de la Marquesa No. 1 08003 Barcelona
50 meters from Barceloneta metro station L (4) Yellow
✉️Info@bornbikebarcelona.com.
🔹www.bornbikebikebarcelona.com.
📲 (+34) 93 319 00 20

Tours of the Tamarita Gardens

The Tamarita gardens belonged to a two-hectare finca of the Craywinckel family, a Belgian aristocratic family that was created in Barcelona in the 18th century. And who at the beginning of the twentieth century was acquired by the entrepreneur Alfredo Mata. There, he built a house surrounded by gardens, whose conception is considered one of the first works of the architect and landscaping Nicolau M. Rubió I Tudurí, who has kept forms and provisions. original.

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The gardens are divided into two different areas, one of the most classicism and another one that benefits from the passage of the torrent of the White Fraine to offer a more spontaneous view.

The gardens are full of decorative elements that reinforce their origins of domestic gardens, small ponds with fountain jets, terracotta figures, stone glasses, marble and ceramics converted into fountains, shers ornamental.

When you visit, when you enter, you will see a small pond surrounded by climbing plants. The whole hides one of the garden pavilions which now has social use as headquarters of the neighborhood association and a service building.

In the most classic garden, you will find a parterre (official garden design) of French origin. We find boards and roses, replanted to recover the original appearance of the garden in its last rehabilitation. Then there is a space that makes plazoleta features with an oval source, the place of the four continents, a nymph with the waterfall of the Gruta fountain and the meadow that leads us to the wild part of the garden.

The Tamaite gardens are perfect if you want to visit and admire the different varieties of shapes, statues and flowers.

If you want to know more about the history of Barcelona, follow our social links.
Born Bike Tours Barcelona
📍Carrer de la Marquesa No. 1 08003 Barcelona
50 meters from Barceloneta metro station L (4) Yellow
✉️Info@bornbikebarcelona.com.
🔹www.bornbikebikebarcelona.com.
📲 (+34) 93 319 00 20

Visiting Park Güell

For those who still do not know the Park Güell, located in the foothills of the Collserola mountain range. The park was designed by the architect Antoni Gaudí, commissioned by the businessman Eusebi Güell. Built between 1900 and 1914, it was inaugurated as a public park in 1926. 

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Park Güell is a reflection of Gaudí’s artistic fullness: it belongs to his naturalistic stage, a period in which the architect perfected his personal style, through inspiration in the organic forms of nature, for which he put into practice a whole series of new structural solutions originated in his deep analysis of the ruled geometry, there you will be able to see.

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The Dragon Staircase, when you stand in front of it you will find a staircase that is organized in three sections, the one on the right served as a refuge or waiting space and is supported by a magnificent central column of conical shape, on the other hand Halfway up the staircase is the coat of arms of Catalonia and higher up is the dragon – or salamander – covered in trencadís, which has become the most popular image in the park.

The Pórtico de la Lavander, on the east side of the Greek Theater square, there is an original iron gate that leads to where the gardens of the Casa Larrard were, the old stately farmhouse that Güell adopted as his own house and that since 1931 is a college.

The Greek Theater or Plaza de la Naturaleza: in the middle of Park Güell is the Plaza de la Naturaleza, formerly known as Greek theater, its original name responded to the fact that it was planned for holding large outdoor shows, which could be seen from the terraces that surround it.

The Hypostyle Hall formed by 86 fluted columns that are inspired by the Doric order. The outermost ones lean, in an undulating movement and openly contrary to the rules of classical composition, while reinforcing the perception of their structural function. The colonnade is crowned by a cornice on which the undulating bench is located. A pipe arranged inside collects the rainwater that leaks from the square to store it in a large underground cistern, which has as a spillway the dragon’s mouth of the staircase.

Recommendation: spend an afternoon exploring the corners of Park Güell and enjoying the nature of Barcelona

Let’s rent a bike and discover !

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

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.

Live the Barcelona’s parks

The city of Barcelona is characterized by having large parks, full of nature and very beautiful structural designs, that is why we leave you a list of five parks, where you can enjoy a bike ride through Barcelona and beautiful sunny days in winter. 

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  • Ciutadella Park 

Built at the end of the 19th century, it was the first park designed specifically as a public park, and it is a space widely used for all kinds of recreational and cultural activities. It has more than a hundred plant species, with many hundred-year-old trees and interesting sculptures. 

-The address so you can visit it is passeig de picasso 21 of the Ciutat Vella district. 

  • Guinardó Park 

The Guinardó park has three well differentiated parts: an urban, which becomes the prelude to the great space that this green area occupies, another historical one and, in the highest part, the lush forest vegetation. Its landscaped terraces and pine forests make this place one of the most refreshing and placid green spaces in the city. 

-This park is located in the district of Horta-Guinardó. 

  • Botanical Garden 

The current Botanical Garden houses the legacy of a long tradition of gardens designed with the aim of studying, maintaining and preserving plant species. A space specialized in showing the biodiversity of the flora of the Mediterranean climate. It allows locating, in the proper geographic context, dozens of species that can be found in all the gardens of the city. They are plants that have adapted perfectly to the temperate climate even though they are typical of other latitudes. 

-To visit the botanical garden you should arrive at the Sants-Montjuïc district, carrer Doctor Font i Quer, 2. 

  • Gardens of Mossèn Costa i Llobera 

It is one of the most important gardens specialized in cacti and succulents in Europe. Facing the sea, sheltered by the Montjuïc mountain that welcomes them, they are located in a privileged viewpoint and a few minutes from the city center. 

-The gardens are located at Ctra Miramar, 38. 

  • Laberint d’Horta Park 

The Laberint d’Horta park includes the oldest preserved garden in the city. Born as a neoclassical garden with a touch of Italian physiognomy, it ended up as a romantic garden. 

The d’Horta labyrinth is located in the Horta-Guinardó district, in Passeig Castanyers, 1. 

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. 

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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. 

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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.

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Come and enjoy a memorable experience!

The Barceloneta Tour

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

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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 

Tours in Spanish

Barcelona is one of the most beautiful cities to visit and learn, that’s why we tell you the four tours in Spanish that you can do with us.

  • From Gothic to Modernism 
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A perfect tour for lovers of art and architecture, get to know ancient and medieval Barcelona through its streets, secrets and legends, reaching the works of Modernism. Born Bike Tours Barcelona for history lovers. 
We will discover the most emblematic works of Modernism: Sagrada Familia, Palau de la Música, La Pedrera, Casa Batlló with Gaudí in front and their unique and genuine geometric shapes. We will pass through Born, a medieval neighborhood, with some of its landmarks such as the Basilica of Santa María del Mar, the Picasso Museum and the Born Market. 

  • Beach tour 
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At Born Bike Tours Barcelona we suggest that you enjoy maritime Barcelona. Live with us a cultural and pleasure experience discovering the history, evolution and transformation of the port, the lively beaches and the essence of some of the most emblematic neighborhoods. Barcelona is a city that faces the sea! 
We will visit various places such as the Olympic Port, built for the 1992 Olympic Games, dominated by its two towers and the immense golden fish (Frank Gehry) and we will pedal through the different beaches of the city to the Universal Forum of Cultures. On the way back, we will visit the Poblenou neighborhood, the industrial center of the city at the end of the 19th century, where the present and the industrial past coexist with the modernity of the 22 @ technological district. We will continue through the Olympic Village, shelter of the Olympic athletes, finishing the route in the Parc de la Ciutadella. 

  • Walk through Montjuic 
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We will enjoy the Magic Mountain in a relaxing tour suitable for all audiences. Go ahead and discover the history, the present and the past of the port, the 1929 Exhibition, its palaces, its Magic Fountain and the Olympic Ring. 
It 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. During the Tour we will make various stops to listen, contemplate and enjoy each point and where you can take your photographs and your memories of the Tour. 

  • Tapas tours 
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And finally and with an appetite, we offer a different route, with good taste and very good taste so that you can enjoy a selection of tapas. Designed for those who enjoy food wherever they travel. You will know the history of the typical dishes and you will live a very tasty experience, in which you and your palate will enjoy ! 

If you want to know more about our tours in Spanish 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 

The Cathedral of Barcelona

Cycling through the streets of the Gothic Quarter, we come across the current Barcelona Cathedral, it is Gothic in style, but it was built on the foundations of an early Christian basilica and a later Romanesque Cathedral. The works began on May 1, 1298 and lasted a century and a half. 

It was temporarily finished in 1417 with a simple wall, and it was not until the late 19th and early 20th centuries that the façade that we can see today was built. 

image of the Cathedral of Barcelona

On the occasion of the Universal Exhibition of Barcelona (1888), the works were resumed thanks to Manuel Girona i Agrafel and his sons, who were the promoters of said reforms, where the competition for the construction of the façade was called in 1882, establishing as a stylistic criterion to follow the Gothic. It was awarded to Josep Oriol Mestres, titular architect of the cathedral since 1855, who was inspired by the plans made in 1408 by Carles Galtés de Ruan. 

image of the cathedral of Barcelona

Sí quieres saber más sobre la catedral de Barcelona, pregunta por nuestros tours y te contaremos todo lo que sabemos de ella.
📍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

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.

A bicycle, a companion

We cheer you to take out that stored bicycle and rediscover the city on wheels, with its more than 200km of bicycle lanes to safely enjoy your ride.

Barcelona is an incredible city for cycling, walking the streets of Barceloneta, getting closer to the Parc de la Ciutadella, walking the wide streets of the Eixample such as Paseo de Gracia or visiting the neighborhoods and meeting friends.

That is why in Born Bike Tours Barcelona we carry out bicycle repairs so that you can enjoy a summer full of adventure, do sports or simply visit Barcelona.

We do review and maintenance so you can go for a walk without worries

Wash and grease so your bike is always ready

We repair punctures and also perform wheel centering

SURPRISE!

Because we are very anxious we give you a preview of our next blog post and we show you some of the routes you can do by bicycle.

From the Barcelona coast to Badalona.

It is a route of approximately ten kilometers, where you can see the entire seafront of the city, very easy to navigate since the entire itinerary is flat and you can surely enjoy incredible views. Starting near the Colón monument, passing by the Wy Hotel through the Forum area where you will find the “Diagonal Mar” shopping center and we will continue passing through the coastline until we reach Badalona.

It is an ideal route to do in the afternoon and end up enjoying the colors of the sunset next to the Mediterranean.

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. 

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!

Summer has settled down in Barcelona and here you have some tips to live together with it

June 28th, 2018

Some weeks ago, the temperature increased significantly in Barcelona and, in addition, the sweltering. This, sometimes, make us feel lazy, but, keep calm, the experience has given us some tips to fight against this laziness and riding again our bicycle.

Photo by Alex Blajan

The breeze from the beach and the calm shade in the parks

If you are going to move around Barcelona in the morning, maybe it’s better if you don’t go through the sunny spot of the Eixample. There are some shades, but the accumulated hot weather, especially from the motorized vehicles, are going to make you feel tired. Going to the beach or to some of the great parks in Barcelona will be a better option. With the breeze or the fresh air that comes from the plants, you are going to feel much better. Go to the Sagrada Familiar or to the great modernist works of Passeig de Gràcia in the afternoon, when the sun has gone down a little.

Take cover in a tapas bar or restaurant

The worst hours of the heat are at midday, so, at this hour, you should look for a bar or restaurant -especially if you are at the beach- where you could find refuge from the worst sun rays and taste some of the delicious food from the gastronomy of Barcelona.

You shouldn’t stop hydrating yourself

A continuous hydration, especially if we are moving around by bicycle, is essential in order to avoid sickness. Always take a bottle of water with you and put a little bit of lemon inside it. It will make you feel great!

In addition, you will always find an ice-cream parlor and you will be able to refresh yourself with your favorite flavor.

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 😉

The Easter Week, some perfect days to pedal through the streets of Barcelona

March 27th, 2018

Photo by Mari Carmen Díaz

This Easter Week say goodbye to the umbrella and prepare yourself for a tour through the activities in Barcelona with your bicycle. Here are some suggestions.

Park and garden tour

Barcelona is a beautiful city because of its beaches, its architecture, but, also because of its parks and gardens distributed through different points of the city. One of our favorite parks is the Parc de la Ciutadella. By bicycle or walking, this lovely and immense park, in the center of the city, is one of the most passed through parks.

But, if you feel more courageous, you can go to the Laribal’s Gardens by bicycle, in the district of Sants-Montjuïc, away from the center, but with incredible views.

And, in order to close the triangle, in the other extreme of Barcelona, we have the Horta’s Labyrinth, the oldest park of Barcelona.

One of beaches, please.

Pedaling through the Passeig Maritim, you will enjoy the tranquility of these days at the beach. Although you could think that this is a perfect destination for summer, these days the beach is also beautiful and very, very calm. So, it is one of the best moments to enjoy its breeze.

Gastronomic tour.

From the beach to the center is a nice pedaling experience by bicycle, without hills and full of bars and restaurants where you can rest, refresh yourself and eat some tapas –the typical Spanish appetizers-. But, if we are talking about eating during these days, above all, you shouldn’t miss the famous Easter “mona” cake. Although it is supposed that it has to be a present for our godsons and goddaughters, these cakes are delicious and this is a dessert that we should enjoy.

Haven’t you you decided yet? Come to Born Bike Barcelona Tours, we are going to help you 😉

When the warmth weather of summer arrives in Barcelona the best you can do is a tour through its beaches by bicycle

July 11th, 2017

Barcelona is a city with a Mediterranean weather, which means that its temperatures are not extreme, on the contrary, are perfect for moving around pedaling. Even so, during summer, the best we can do is ride the bike close to its beaches, just in cas the warm weather gets too hot and we need a swim.

During summer, in Barcelona, the temperatures can exceed 30ºC. For this reason, our tip is to keep yourselves hydrated at every moment and to look for fresh places. And, which is the best way of refreshing ourselves than with the fresh water of the beaches?

The different beaches of Barcelona are perfectly connected, and to ride from one to another by bicycle is very easy and safe. With a tour through the beaches you will be able to enjoy the sea breeze and stop to cool yourselves off whenever you want, because you will be able to park your bike easily.

In addition, this zone is full of bars and restaurants, where you can stop for drinking a beer -remember that a bicycle is also a means of transport, so it is better to drink in a moderate and responsible way- with its corresponding tapa -Spanish appetizers-. For making the best choice, let yourself be guided through the different aromas.

Without a doubt, for us, this is the best way to enjoy the summer holidays.

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!

What should you eat if you are visiting Barcelona? The most popular gastronomy

May 16th, 2017

Photo by Javier Lastras

Barcelona gathers the most traditional food of the Catalan cuisine. The major part of the bars of Barcelona have menu which combines sea and mountain foods perfectly.

In order to get familiar with a city, its people and its culture, getting close to the bars and restaurants which offer us the popular gastronomy of the place is essential.

Barcelona is not different in this aspect, and all its tapas (Spanish appetizers) and menus are characterized by their perfect mixture of sea and mountain. So, in this case, bars, restaurants and markets are an obligatory visit.

You cannot only eat the “pa amb tomàquet” (tomato rubbed on bread). In spite of being one of the best inventions of our gastronomy, you shouldn’t miss combining it with some cold meat (fuet, llonganissa, cheese, ham…) or with fried squid or with some “seitons” (anchovies) in vinegar.

When you choose the menu, you should be guided by the seasonal food. During winter, you will be grateful for a good stew, a Catalan “escudella” or a fricassee. At the beginning of spring it should be some “calçots” with romesco sauce. During summer the “coca catalana” (Catalan tart) or the “escalivada” with cheese will help you renew energy. For autumn, a soupy rice with mushrooms. And the jack of all trades during the whole year is the Catalan sausage with beans.

Obviously, to base the typical Catalan gastronomy only on these dishes is miscalculate the Catalan food, but a list with all the typical Catalan dishes won’t fit into only one blog post. So, you should get a good gastronomic guide which will help you not to miss any of the delicious morsels that Barcelona offers.

Bike tours through the popular fiestas in Barcelona

March 14th, 2017

From the 16th to the 26th of March, the fiesta of Sant Josep Oriol will be celebrated in the center of Barcelona. Catalan tradition and culture.

Photo by Chris Lawton

This week, the streets around the Basílica de Santa Maria del Pi are preparing themselves to celebrate the famous Father’s Day, a fiesta which is going to be concentrated between the 18th and the 23rd of March.

Giants, grallers, cercavida, popular music and a lot of activities offer the opportunity of enjoying this great fiesta of the Barri del Pi in Barcelona as an authentic local. Couples, young and elderly people, families… everybody can find the most suitable activity and enjoy them with everybody.

Again, remember that the streets of the center, in addition to be closed to the motor vehicles, are narrow streets due to their historic structure. So, the best means of transport for these days is the bicycle, with which you will be able to move around with complete freedom, going to places very fast and avoiding yourselves the parking problems.

Enjoy the fiestas of Sant Josep Oriol with the people from Barcelona!

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.

The end of August is arriving, but not the end of vacation on bicycle

August 30th, 2016

Photo by Alex Blăjan

With the ending of August we also say goodbye to the summer, but we shouldn’t forget that September is a perfect month for planning long weekends on bicycle. At least in Barcelona.

More pleasant temperatures

If in August the most recommended routes were the ones around the beach so that we could have a necessary swim, in September the degrees decrease so that we can get lost on our bicycle in any place.

Looking for routes on the weekends, be this in order to increase our culture or to the mountain to disconnect from the hustle and bustle, it’s the best way to get rid of the post vacation depression.

Less is more

Sadly, fewer people in the more touristic cities will allow you to move around easier and with much more economical prices. Something inevitable also has its positive part that we should take advantage of.

Take advantage of the increase in energy that we get travelling during vacation in order to continue enjoying different places during different weekend escapades.

4 reasons for visiting Barcelona on bicycle this summer

July 05th, 2016

If you are someone of last minute planning and you don’t know where do you want to go these holidays, here you have 4 good reasons for coming to Barcelona and enjoying it by bicycle.

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Mediterranean city

Weather, gastronomy, tradition… Barcelona doesn’t let determinants to chance. Whatever makes you travel, here you have a lot of everything. If you don’t want to ride your bicycle under the rain or under extreme weather conditions, this is your city. If you want an unlimited number of restaurants and bars where you can go to fill up on energy with a good price and a good taste, this is your city. If you want to get to know something different every time you go through a street, this is your city.

Sea and mountain

You can go through beaches and port by bicycle, but if you keep yourself pedaling you can go to the mountain. Everything in a day, from the Parc del Fòrum to Montjuïc and if it is not enough, you can lose yourself in Collserola. Every one of the views are amazing.

Almost 200km of bike lane

In order to make your visit as comfortable as possible, you can access practically every corner in the city easily. In order not to miss anything at street level, because, according to our philosophy, this is the best way to get to know a place from within.

Events, concerts and parties, almost every day

If your holidays don’t coincide with one of the neighborhood celebrations, you can enjoy, in a live way, the culture of the city in many other centers, theaters, museums and bars. Barcelona always has a good plan.

On bicycle through the Parc de la Ciutadella of Barcelona

One of our favourites places where we will find all the facilities for circulating on bicycle.

Parlament-de-CatalunyaTwo weeks ago we promised you an article dedicate to the amazing Parc de la Ciutadella of Barcelona, and BornBike keeps its promises. Although we have talked about this and other parks of the city, we want to dedicate a special mail, because Parc de la Ciutadella is one of the perfect places to visit, to enjoy, to rest and especially to circulate on our bicycle.

Its very situation makes it special, because it take up all the central space of the triangle made up by the Estació de França (a train station), the Arc de Triomf (a monument) and the Olympic Port, places that you cannot stop to visit if you are in this zone.

Even though over the years of its history it had a dark age, due to the fact that in the 18th century it was the Fortress of the Ciutadella which was built by Felip V in order to dominate the city after the War of Succession, on the occasion of the Universal Exposition in 1888 it was rebuilt by the architect Josep Fontserè i Mestre. The result was this great park visited by millions of people every year.

It’s important get to know this and a lot of other details about its history because when we ride the bike through its sinuous earthen pathways, we will find pieces as unique as: the Monumental Waterfall; the Music Kiosk; the Mammoth; the Lake (where we can take a small boat); the Ciutadella Church; the General Prim Statue; the Lath House and the Greenhouse; the Lady with the Umbrella;  the Martorell Museum of Geology;  the Castle of the Three Dragons; or also the very Parliament of Catalonia, with the Desconsol (Distress) Statue just in front of that. If we don’t know its history we cannot enjoy these jewels which make this park unique enough.

So, save a morning of your stay in Barcelona and start riding through the paths of Ciutadella, stopping at every one of the marked places and having had a ride around all the  park, look for a calm hideout at the picnic zone to rest and eat some appetizers. Without any doubt, it will be one of the best mornings that you can enjoy in Barcelona and in the evening, when the temperature becomes more pleasant, you can go to refresh yourself at the beach. It is so close, and even more so on bike.

born bike tours - Barcelona - Ciutadella

From Gothic to Modernism, all the faces of the historic Barcelona in a tour

Which could be a better way to discover the history of Barcelona than through its art and its architecture?

Basílica Santa Maria del Mar fotography, by Paul M.R. Maeyaert

Basílica Santa Maria del Mar fotography, by Paul M.R. Maeyaert

Barcino was the first name of this city in its founding during the Roman Age. In the medieval period, it became an important capital and some of the Romanesque works were reconstructed to give way to the Gothic ones. Nowadays you can get to discover a lot of these creations, such as the Born Market or the church of Santa Maria del Mar, by taking a ride through the streets of the city.

But the centuries of Barcelona history bring us many more works of art, such as the modernist ones, which were born from one of the most important artistic movements in the capital and in Catalonia. In this city we will find, in a perfect state, works such as the Palau de la Música, The Pedrera, the Casa Batlló or, popularly known for its continuous construction, the Sagrada Família.

We can get to know almost the whole of these architectonic works during a morning on bike. The narrow streets of the Born sector, one of the most important parts of the district of Ciutat Vella, are full of secrets which you have to discover if you want to get to know this Gothic part of the city. In the sector of the Eixample, a really important commercial centre, we will experience the change with great wide streets where we will find the famous modernist works.

Take advantage of your trip and experience the history of Barcelona closer by pedalling through its streets.

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

Experience Barcelona through a gastronomic tour

One of the best ways to learn about the culture of a place is tasting its more traditional products.

Taking a walk through city streets, we can learn about its history, its art and its architecture; we can observe some details of the daily life of the people who live in the place; and we can take nice mementos in the form of a photographic postcard, but if we really want to enjoy the city exploring it, it is basic to enjoy its gastronomy.

There are dishes which cannot taste the same in any other parts of the world. Barcelona is characterized (in addition to many other things) by its port zone, so it’s basic to save some time for sitting on one of its terraces to taste its fresh fish and shellfish appetizers.

Although, as a big city of the Mediterranean, the traditional and the new tastes are combined in appetizers and tidbits elaborated in bars and restaurants. We will find them as we pass through the streets of Ciutat Vella. There we can taste food from the most traditional Catalan cuisine tidbits, to the most experimental fusions.

tapas-tour-bornbike

Without these appetizers, the experience in Barcelona would be incomplete. So, now that you know this, take the bicycle, go around the city pedalling in order to stimulate your appetite and go to taste part of the culture!

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.