Many tourists devote one, maximum three days to Barcelona, ​​then to rush to the beaches of the Costa Brava or Maresme. Meanwhile, the capital of Catalonia is full of attractions. These are the medieval Gothic quarter, the Ramblas boulevards, the Güell park, the Sagrada Familia, the cathedral of the martyr of Eulalia and the residential buildings created by the architectural genius Antonio Gaudi. And how many museums in the city! A week is not enough to get around them all. Therefore, many tourists often delete Mount Tibidabo from the list of attractions that they plan to see in Barcelona. But in vain. It is worth going up not only because it is the highest point in the city. There are several interesting places in Barcelona. But how to overcome a rather steep climb and ascend to a height of five hundred meters above sea level? On foot, and even in the summer heat, this will be very difficult. In this article we will tell you how to get to Mount Tibidabo in Barcelona and what to see there.
Where did this name come from
The name of the hill, with a height from the bottom to the top of less than five hundred meters, reflects the vanity of the inhabitants of the capital of Barcelona. Many of them seriously believe that the passage mentioned in the New Testament about the temptation of Christ by the devil refers to Tibidabo. And although the evangelist Matthew says that Satan ascended Jesus to a “very high mountain” in order to show him all the kingdoms of the world, the Barcelona people are sure that the views from their hill open no worse. In the Gospel, the devil said to the Lord: “I will give all this to you ...” This phrase in the Latin translation sounds like “Tibi omnia dabo si ...” So Mount Tibidabo got its name. Indeed, from the hill you can see the shrine of Montserrat, and in clear weather - the Pyrenees. And of course, on the other hand there is an excellent panorama of Barcelona and the blue expanse of the Mediterranean Sea. Tibidabo is part of the highest peak (512 meters above sea level) of the low, but picturesque mountain range of Colserola. The hill is located in the western part of Barcelona.
Some reasons to visit Mount Tibidabo
There is another hill in the city, Montjuic. Its tourists are more likely to visit, since its peak is crowned by an old military fort. Montjuic is low, located on the coast, its slopes are covered with a shady park. But Mount Tibidabo (Spain, Barcelona) is not inferior to its rival in the concentration of attractions. Here are five main reasons why you should overcome a height of 512 meters and climb to the top. Firstly, these are wonderful views. From the observation deck you can see the Pyrenees and Montserrat in the north. On the next hill of Pico de la Vilana, there is a tall (288 meters!) TV tower Torre de Collserola - a peculiar landmark of Barcelona, ​​which is visible from Tibidabo in all its glory. The slopes of the mountain, as in Montjuic, are covered by a beautiful shady park with exotic southern plants, which will become a resting place for tired travelers. The main attraction of Tibidabo is the neo-Gothic temple, to which we will pay more attention here. And finally, if you come to Barcelona with children, then you definitely need to visit the highest point of the city, since there is also a huge amusement park on the top of the hill.
Mount Tibidabo and the Temple of the Sacred Heart
From almost anywhere in Barcelona you can see the statue of Christ the Savior, which crowns the dome of the church of Sagrado Corazon. Those tourists who have visited Paris note an amazing resemblance to the Sacre Coeur church in Montmartre. Besides the common name (“Sacred Heart”), both cathedrals were also erected in the same neo-Gothic style of the Byzantine-Roman basilica. Even if you think that everything built after the end of the 19th century is an uninteresting remake, you should still visit the Sagrado Corazon temple. At least in order to rise even higher. An elevator shaft has been laid in the wall of the church. For two and a half euros you will find yourself on the observation deck of the dome. Want even higher? A narrow spiral staircase leads to the very feet of Christ the Savior, who spread his arms on the dome, as if about to embrace "all the kingdoms of the world." Walking up to the observation deck, bypassing the elevator, is impossible. Any believer can, if desired, light a candle in the church (two euros). But, given that the temple on Mount Tibidabo is very modern, and this lamp will be electric.
Park, fun and outdoor walks
The beauty of the plantations covering the hillsides is much superior to those that grow on Montjuic. And it is not in vain that the park has a second name - “Romantic Gardens”. Barcelonaers love to walk here. The park can be called a botanical garden, because it also houses a whole hectare of the Amazonian jungle with their fauna - snakes and poisonous frogs. But in order to see the rain forest and much more, you need to pay for the entrance to the CosmoKaisha - the best museum of natural history in Europe. But it's really worth a visit. The museum of mechanical toys will appeal not only to children, but also to adults.
Amusement park
There are two possibilities to ascend higher than the observation deck on Mount Tibidabo: the temple (or rather, its dome) and the Ferris wheel. The latter, by the way, has served the Barcelonaers faithfully for more than a hundred and ten years. For a long time, Luna Park was the only electrified entertainment town in all of Spain. But this Ferris wheel is very reliable and safe, to match the carousel of the same age. The amusement park also has newer rides such as a roller coaster. There is also a room of fear famous throughout Europe. In the amusement park, its role is played by a whole “abandoned” Kruger Terror hotel. Children alone are not allowed there. You can go in and try to get out of the green maze yourself.
Mount Tibidabo: how to get there
This hill is seven kilometers from the center of Barcelona . Do not overcome this distance on foot. Especially if you set aside two or three days for a visit to Barcelona. Tibidabo lies away from other attractions of the city, and it is unlikely that you will be able to wander there “along the road”. You can quickly climb the hill by taxi. But it will not be so interesting. After all, the path to Tibidabo is already a kind of interesting adventure. The top of the hill is the end point of a long road on two types of urban transport: the funicular (1,130 meters long) and the Blue Tram (1276 m). If you were in Barcelona on a weekend or during the holidays, you have the opportunity to get to the top of the mountain directly from the city center, from Plaça Catalunya, on the special Tibibas bus.
The method is "simple but expensive"
If you have not booked a hotel close to the top of Mount Tibidabo, you need to think about how to get there using public transport. A taxi ride will cost at least fifteen euros one way. At the current rate, this is approximately 850 rubles. If you rented a car in Barcelona, ​​it is worthwhile to budget 4.20 euros for paid parking for the amusement park in the budget for visiting Tibidabo. This price also includes a bus that will deliver drivers and passengers from the parking lot to the gates of the amusement park. You can’t call cheap a trip to Tibibas. These are very comfortable, modern buses equipped with air conditioning. Cars depart from Plaça Catalunya. The landmark of the stop is the branch of the Bank Caja Madrid. A ticket (€ 2.95 one way) is purchased from the driver. The disadvantage of this type of movement is a large interval between buses. The first car leaves at 10:15, and the last, to the city - from the moment the amusement park closes.
The method is “expensive, but interesting”: metro + tram + funicular
Mount Tibidabo in Barcelona is also popular with tourists because the path to it is already a kind of fascinating tour. The funicular and the blue tram were commissioned in 1901 and 1911, respectively. And since then the appearance of these vehicles has not changed. Therefore, the pictures promise to come out colorful. But let's get it in order.
You should be aware that in Barcelona there are two types of metro: regular and the so-called light. We need the latter to get to the bottom tram stop. The light metro is lines L 6.7 and 8. At their stations, it’s not the familiar “M” sign that appears, but the “R” on an orange background. The light metro is called Ferrocarrils (FGC). We need its seventh branch. It is marked in brown on the subway map. We reach the final stop of Avinguda dei Tibidabo. This station is deep, but for some reason there is no escalator in it. Therefore, if you are not sure of the strength of your legs, use the elevator.
Tram Blau
So the attractive trips for tourists on a wonderful form of transport begin! When you get to the surface of the earth, you will immediately see a blue tram stop. It is impossible not to notice her, especially when an old blue car stands on it, waiting for passengers. A conductor in a colorful uniform only adds charm to this type of transport. The usual single tickets (day tickets and T10 booklet) here, like the funicular, do not work. Travel to Tram Blau costs four euros, or a little more than 200 rubles, one way (children under 7 years old - free of charge). You can, of course, walk this kilometer and 200 meters on foot, along the rails. But Mount Tibidabo has rather steep slopes, and the path can really bore you. Therefore, to save money and at the same time not get tired, you can use the usual city bus number 196. Standard tickets are valid in it.
Cable car to the mountain
Both the blue tram and the bus take their passengers to the square to them. Dr. Andreu. And from there already goes the old Funicular del Tibidabo. When presenting a ticket to the Amusement Park, travel on this, more than a century-old mode of transport will cost 4.1 euros. Everyone else will have to fork out at 7.7 Đ„. Mount Tibidabo is accessible to very budget tourists. But you need to go on the other side. The route is like that. The S1 or S2 electric train will take you to the Peu del Funicular station. Then with a new funicular you will ascend to the stop of Valvidrera Superior. There, take bus number 111, which will take you to the top of the mountain. Since the new funicular has a regular ticket valid for 90 minutes, you will spend only one euro on the whole trip.