View of Barcelona - Tibidabo Mountain

Tibidabo Mountain is the tallest mountain in the Serra de Collserola, which is the mountain range between river Besòs and Llobregat, with a height of 512 metres, located in the northwest of Barcelona. Its name is derived from the Latin Vulgate Bible which means “I will give to you.” The name is a result of the incident whereby the devil said the phrase to Jesus, as they looked down from an incredibly high mountain upon all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them.

You can get there by metro and take the brown line L7 from PlacaCatalunyaat the centre of the town to AvenidaTibidabo. From there, change to the historic TramviaBlau to Plaça Dr Andreu from where the Tibidabo funicular leaves. While on the tram, you will have the opportunity to see Barcelona's most affluent residential area. The journey lasts around 7 minutes and you get off half way up the mountain. Alternatively, you could use the Barcelona Bus Turistic, which stops next to the splendid La Rotonda building at AvenidaTibidabo. Another tip is that for your way up to Tibidabo, you can also use the Vallvidrera Funicular. From PlacaCatalunya take S1 or S2 to Peudel Funicular, change to Vallvidrera Funicular and afterwards continue on Bus 111. During the ride, you can enjoy the scenery for a far cheaper price than other alternatives to go up the mountain, since you just need one normal metro ticket!

Tramvia Blau schedule

From 02/01 to 11/04: Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays from 10 am until 6pm
From 12/04 to 21/04: daily from 10am to 7:30pm
From 22/04 to 22/06: Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays from 10 am until 7:30pm
From 23/06 to 11/09: daily from 10am to 7:30pm
From 12/09 to 19/10: Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays from 10am until 7:30pm
From 20/10 to 31/12: Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays from 10am to 6pm

Ticket prices and more info available at http://www.tmb.cat/en/tramvia-blau

Bus Turistic tickets can be bought online. For more info, go to http://www.barcelonabusturistic.cat/en/informacio

If you’re in the mood for some exercise, there’s a twisty path leading up to the top through the very posh residential area. It is pretty steep, so proper hiking gear is essential. Both methods of getting there allow you to enjoy some beautiful scenery. However, hiking down the mountain after dark is not recommended. This is because at night, the path is not very well lit and wild boars are pretty common in Spain. Unless you’re an experienced hiker, you should opt to take the transport provided. There are helpful signs on the path, but it is wise to get a map and of course, sunscreen! Half way up, there are cafes available. At the very top of the mountain, there is a church, an amusement park, and hotels.

Residential area in Tibidabo

The church is called Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor which means the Church of the Sacred Heart. It can be seen from every part of the city. Its architecture is a combination of modernista and neogothic. As soon as you step off the funicular station, you are greeted by picturesque stained windows and beautiful stone work of its entrance. Admission into the church is free, but for a small fee of €2, you can take the elevator up to the first viewing platform. From the platform, you are free to walk about and explore the place, or if you’d like, there’s a spiral staircase leading you even higher up the church for an even more breath-taking view! Opening hours are from 7a.m. to 10p.m., but the funicular stations closes earlier.

Sagrat Cor exterior

Sagrat Cor interior

Funicular schedule

More info available at http://www.mydestination.com/barcelona/usefulinfo/6183546/funicular-railway-to-tibidabo-mountain#

Tibidabo offers you distinctive rides and a fantastic view of Barcelona. Getting there is already part of the fun: metro + tram + funicular and you get to the park as well as the beautiful gothic cathedral! Amazing.

The Tibidabo amusement park, Parc d'atracciones del Tibidabo, was built in 1889, and consists of many typical rides you can find in an amusement park. Although old, the rides are pretty well maintained and there are new rides available as well. It is quite the experience to compare the designs of the rides from back in the day with the ones with have today. For ticket pricing and more info, do visit http://www.tibidabo.cat/en/homepage.

There are also rides outside the gates of the park such as the Ferris Wheel and the famous plane ride in the Sky Walk area. These 2 rides can be paid individually. The privileged position of the restaurants and cafes that are available give them an excuse to be rather costly. If possible, bring a picnic as there are areas available within the Tibidabo Sky Walk to eat your own food with some great views from the top.

Ferris Wheel

Latest Rides
It is best to leave a full day free to visit Tibidabo Mountain. Trust me, it is worth your time. If you miss the last funicular to get down, have no fear. There are plenty of well rated hotels within the mountain. The view of both the sunrise and the sunset are simply breath-taking. You have got to see it for yourself! At night, the lights at Tibidabo Mountain are quite a sight as well. Needless to say, so is the view of the lights of the entire Barcelona city from the mountain. Depending on the seasons, the mountain could be chilly. Hence, be sure to check out the temperature and prepare yourself before going up there. If you were to be short on time and couldn’t visit all the main attractions of Barcelona, going up the mountain could be a satisfying compensation as you would be able to catch a glimpse of every part of the beautiful city.