Lucy & Michael here, we hope our expert tips, advice and experience to make planning your next escape to Barcelona that little bit easier. Enjoy!
If you’re tired of looking up to admire the stunning architecture and beautiful buildings along the streets of Barcelona, why not travel to a higher altitude and look down on them instead? Mount Tibidabo is Barcelona’s tallest mountain and at 512m offers truly breathtaking views of the city.
Climb aboard the funicular to the top of the mountain, where you will find a panoramic platform showcasing the very best views of the city. Explore Spain’s oldest and most unique amusement park with over 30 rides and attractions, spanning across 6 levels. Standing proudly overlooking the rest of Tibidabo’s attractions is Templo Expiatorio del Sagrado Cor or Temple of the Sacred Heart.
Mount Tibidabo is definitely up there with our favourite places to visit in Barcelona. There is so much to experience on Tibidabo, we’d definitely recommend taking at least half a day to explore and for those visiting the amusement park, a full day. Keep reading for everything you need to know about Mount Tibidabo.
Getting To Mount Tibidabo
By Public Transport
For those staying in central Barcelona, the easiest option is the Tibibus which is a direct shuttle service to the amusement park at the top of Tibidabo. Travel via the Tibibus is 3€ but please note the T2A service only runs when the amusement park is open.
Tibibus T2A Plaça de Catalunya > Tibidabo amusement park
*Please note the T2A service is not currently in operation
Alternatively, catch the L7 Metro Brown line from Plaça de Catalunya to Avingunda Tibadabo for 2,40€. Once you reach Avingunda Tibadabo, there are 3 options to reach the funicular station:
Your first option is to take a 15 minute walk to Plaça Doctor Andreu. If you’re feeling fit and looking for the cheapest option, this one is for you. However, we must say that this is an uphill walk and speaking from experience, not the best idea during the height of summer when temperatures peak.
For those looking for a more comfortable journey, The Tramvia Blau (blue tram) offers a wonderfully unique experience. The tramline has been in operation since 1901 and will carry passengers to Plaça Doctor Andreu for 5,50€.
*Please note that the Blue Tram is currently closed for refurbishment. See below for alternative transport
Alternatively, bus 196 takes exactly the same route as the tram and will cost 2,40€ for a single ticket.
The funicular railway takes guests from the halfway point up the mountain (Plaça Doctor Andreu), straight to the top where you can easily access all of Tibadabo’s main attractions such as the amusement park, panoramic viewing platform and the Temple of the Sacred Heart.
We recommend you purchase a ticket that includes either access to the panoramic area rides and/or the amusement park. These can be purchased either online or at the funicular station ticket office on the day (prices can be found further down in this article). For those only wishing to ride the funicular and access the free panoramic viewing platform, prices are as follows:
- Adults: 12€
- Child: 6€
- Senior: 3,40€
- Children under 4: free
Another way we have reached Tibidabo is via the Hop on Hop off City Sightseeing bus. The blue bus route starts from Plaça de Catalunya and stop 7 (Tramvia Blau) will allow you access to the funicular railway via the 3 options above (walk, blue tram or bus 196). These buses are not the cheapest mode of transport, and obviously not a direct route. However, with a bit of pre-planning, they can be well utilised and will get you to all of Barcelona’s main attractions. The City Sightseeing buses are a great way to explore the city if you’re only here for the day or if it’s your first time visiting.
Visit City Sightseeing for more information on routes & prices.
Parking Options/By Car
Travelling by car is the easiest way to reach Tibadabo if staying outside of the city. This option probably won’t be relevant to most visitors staying in Barcelona itself, as we wouldn’t recommend hiring a car unless you plan to travel further afield.
There are two main car parks for access to Tibidabo. B:SM Sant Genís car park costs 4,20€ per day. This car park can be found at Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron, 138-176 – just in front of the Vall d’Hebron Hospital complex. A shuttle bus (T2B) will take you from the upper level of the car park to the funicular station. The shuttle bus is free for all amusement park customers and operates during park opening times.
Alternatively, Tibidabo amusement park has 500 spaces where you can park for 13€ per day. We recommend booking your parking space in advance as numbers are limited and they do get booked up.
Mount Tibidabo Amusement Park
Opening Times
The amusement park is open on the following days:
- March – May: weekends, public holidays and from 5th – 10th of April
- June: weekends, public holidays and from 23rd of June, Wednesday – Sunday
- July and August: Wednesday – Sunday and bank holidays
- September – November: weekends and bank holidays, 1st of September and 13th of October
- December: weekends and 6th – 8th, 22nd, 27th – 29th of December
- January: 2nd – 5th of January
Selected rides open from 11am, with all rides open at 12pm
- The funicular station ticket office opens at 10am
- Plaça Tibidabo ticket office (main entrance of the Park) opens at 10:30 am
- The top car park opens at 10am
The panoramic viewing area is open on the following:
- February: weekends
- March – December: daily (except 25th – 26th of December)
- January: 2nd – 5th of January
Ticket Prices
Amusement park
For those who wish to go all out and make a day of it, we’d recommend this option. Especially great for those travelling with children. Prices are as follows:
- Entrance ticket + Funicular (120cm+) 35€
- Entrance ticket + Funicular (90-120 cm) 14€
Panoramic Area + 5 Classic Attractions
If you’re limited with time and only have half a day or less to experience Tibidabo, we would recommend this ticket option, which includes access to the four classic amusement rides and a museum within the panoramic area. For anyone visiting on a budget, rest assured you won’t be missing out massively by not paying for full access to the amusement park. This ticket option still allows for a great day out for all the family whilst still including a taste of the fun at the fair. Prices are:
- Panoramic area rides day pass + Funicular 19€
- Panoramic area rides day pass + Funicular (90-120 cm) 10,50€
For those with younger children like us, under 90cm are free in both the amusement park and the panoramic area. Remember children under 4 travel on the funicular free of charge, making it a pretty reasonable day out for what you get to experience. A senior (60+) entrance ticket which includes access to all attractions and funicular costs 10,50€.
The panoramic area is free to access and would only require a funicular ticket if you plan to travel this way. Check out the ‘Getting to Mount Tibidabo’ section for pricing. We have to say that climbing aboard some of those classic rides in the panoramic area is all part of the experience, so we would encourage you to do so if you are able. If you do not wish to purchase a ticket that allows access to all of the panoramic area rides, individual tickets can be purchased for 3€ and allow for a single ride on the following attractions:
- Avió – Propellor plane ride
- Talaia – Vertical balcony
- Giradabo – Ferris wheel
- Carrusel – Carousel
- Museu d’autòmats – Museum
Top tip: The Talaia (vertical balcony) offers an amazing viewpoint over both the city and mountain attractions and a great photo opportunity, for those who are brave enough!
Rides & Attractions
Tibidabo Amusement Park offers an experience like no other; with more than 30 attractions all overlooking the beautiful city of Barcelona. The park is spread across six levels, with access via stairs and lifts. This setup is really unique and gives the park a pretty other-worldly feel- a fairground up high in the sky is like something we’d imagine up as children!
Your ticket to the amusement park will grant unlimited access to all of the rides, live shows and various activities such as the 4D cinema, Lego play area, Hall of Mirrors and much more. There’s something for everyone within the park. Considering little ones under 90cm are free to enter, there is so much for them to join in with. A top tip would be to pack children’s swimming costumes (or a spare change of clothes) so they can have a splash about and in the interactive water fountains – a great way to cool down on those hot summer days.
For older children (or big kids at heart like us) we’d recommend the Crash Cars, Diavolo chair swing and Krüeger Hotel. If you’re after an adrenaline rush, try the Muntanya Russa rollercoaster – there’s something quite special about flying through the trees at 500m above sea level!
Check out the full list of rides and attractions on the official Tibidabo Park website.
Mount Tibidabo Church
The Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor or Temple of the Sacred Heart stands proudly on Mount Tibidabo, overlooking the mountain’s other attractions. The construction of the Catholic temple began in 1901 and was finished in 1961. The impressive neo-gothic architecture is topped with a bronze statue of the Sacred Heart (Jesus Christ) and is a true spectacle to be admired, regardless of religious viewpoint or faith.
All are welcome inside, and we recommend you go and appreciate a quiet moment to yourself if nothing else. Just a few things to consider if you plan on entering the temple:
- Appropriate clothing must be worn (eg. no short skirts and shorts, hats and sunglasses should be removed)
- No food or drink inside
- Taking photos is fine but no flash photography
Whilst there, we would definitely encourage visitors to take the lift to the top of the temple, as at 575m above sea level, you are guaranteed to get some amazing views over Barcelona and this is a great photo opportunity. Those not keen on heights may want to give this a miss though!
Other Things To Do On Mount Tibidabo
Torre de Collserola/ Radio Tower
The El Mirador public viewing platform within the Torre de Collserola offers some of the most striking views of the city. This radio tower was designed for the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 and stands at an impressive 288m high. The 360º viewing platform (El Mirador) sits 135m up in the air and allows guests to gaze right over the city and surrounding areas, including beautiful Montserrat (weather depending). A glass-enclosed lift takes guests to the 10th floor, during the 2.5 minute ascent.
The El Mirador public viewing platform is operated by the Tibidabo Amusement Park and is open weekends 12pm – 2pm from March to December.
There is a small (70-space) car park outside Torre de Collserola, but the tower is also easily reached via the funicular and tickets can be purchased via the tower’s ticket office. Prices are as follows:
- General ticket: 5,60€
- Senior: 3,10€
- Under 3 yrs: free
*Please note, this attraction is temporarily closed. For up-to-date information check the official Tibado website.
Fabra Observatory
Built in 1901, the Fabra observatory is the only one of its type in Spain and is one of the oldest functioning observatories worldwide. The observatory is run by the Royal Academy for Science and Arts and to this day continues its research within the areas of meteorology, seismology and astronomy.
Guided tours are on offer to visitors of the 413m high observatory, including a very special ‘dinner under the stars’ tour, which runs between June and October. Guests can dine under the stars on the observatory’s viewing deck, followed by a guided tour of the observatory and a look through the telescope. This is not something we’ve tried yet, but it’s definitely one for the bucket list and sounds like a must for anyone looking for a romantic once in a lifetime kind of experience!
Prices for this tour vary depending on menu choice. Check prices and book your tour here.
Places To Eat & Drink
Visitors are welcome to bring their own food and drink up the mountain and within the amusement park area. For those who wish to purchase something to eat or drink, there are a number of restaurants, bars and kiosks spread across the park. Guests without access to the whole amusement park will find various food options on Level 6 and the panoramic area.
The largest restaurant here is La Masia Del Tibidabo, situated in Plaça Tibidabo in front of the main entrance. This restaurant serves a range of salads, tapas and sandwiches and has both indoor dining and tables on the terrace. We have to mention that the restaurant has pretty poor reviews and having eaten here ourselves, we can second these. However, we can see that the menu seems to have been updated slightly since our last visit, so you may want to take a chance, if only for the air conditioning and free wifi.
There are various food stalls surrounding the panoramic platform selling churros, popcorn, frozen yoghurts and more. Those with a sweet tooth can visit the patisserie for a tasty dessert.
For a quick bite we recommend La Terrasse de L’Aéroport, under the Avió aeroplane ride. Here you’ll find a variety of snacks such as sandwiches, hummus, focaccia bread etc. A slightly more varied menu than the usual theme park fast food and options suitable for vegetarians which is a big plus for us.
Within the amusement park you will find a number of kiosks selling fast food options such as nachos, chips, hotdogs and sandwiches. If you’re after something more substantial head to Bar de L’estacio for a burger (including veggie), chicken, chips and salads. Alternatively, grab a tasty pizza at La Taverna del Castell Telepizza.
For something a bit more up-market, check out the restaurants and bars within the Gran Hotel La Florida (more info below). The terrace of this luxury five-star hotel makes the perfect spot to watch the sunset over the city and is open to non-resident guests.
Gran Hotel La Florida
The Gran Hotel La Florida is a five-star, luxury hotel situated on Mount Tibidabo. The hotel is equipped with all those five-star features you’d expect from stunning interiors, immaculate terraces, an infinity pool, spa and fitness centre and opulent suites. If you are lucky enough to spend a night or two in La Florida, don’t be surprised if you bump into any FC Barcelona players- who are believed to be regulars at the hotel.
There are four eateries within the hotel. Guests can dine in the TB Bar which offers a buffet breakfast overlooking the city skyline or sit back and relax in the Lobby Bar, complete with waterfall and fountain feature. The formal Bistro 1925 Restaurant offers guests a careful selection of Catalan-inspired cuisine. Finally, Les Terrasses Bar & Lounge offers unique views of Barcelona and is the perfect place to grab a cocktail and watch the sunset, whilst enjoying live music during the summer months. Even if you’re not a guest staying at the hotel, we recommend you check out the terrace for the best views of Barcelona after dark.
Prices start from around 190€ for a standard mountain view room, depending on the time of year, with May- November seeming to be the cheapest time to visit, as this is when you should expect to encounter large wedding parties during your stay.
To check for the latest room prices and book a room then we advise going onto the official Gran Hotel La Florida website.
Mount Tibidabo FAQs
A trip to Mount Tibidabo is a must for anybody visiting Barcelona. The spectacular views of the city and beyond, quirky transportation and range of attractions on the mountain make for a great day out.
Visitors can marvel at the impressive Temple at the Sacred Heart, enjoy the fun and thrills in one of the oldest amusement parks in the world and appreciate some of the best photo opportunities in the city.
We would recommend visitors allow at least half a day to see Mount Tibidabo. This would enable enough time to get to and from the mountain and appreciate the fantastic views from the top.
For those who are looking to explore Tibidabo further, or spend time in the amusement park or other attractions, we would encourage you to spend the entire day there. Getting there early can help you to beat the crowds and those staying until evening can enjoy watching the sunset over the city.
Aside from featuring in that iconic ‘backpacking’ story (Friends fans will know what we’re talking about), Mount Tibidabo is known for its spectacular views of Barcelona city and a range of attractions; including an impressive neo-Gothic temple and Spain’s oldest amusement park.
