If you fancy a bit of fun in Barcelona, then head to Tibidabo Amusement Park, situated on the mountain of the same name, which is over 500 metres high. It is here that you’ll be treated to one of the most beautiful views of the whole of Barcelona.

One of the main landmarks at the summit of Tibidabo is the beautiful neo-Gothic Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

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Sagrado Corazón Basilica

An unmissable landmark on Tibidabo Hill is the neo-Gothic Catholic church of Sagrat Cor (Sacred Heart of Jesus). Construction of the church, designed by architect Enrico Sagnier, lasted from 1902 until 1961.

This monumental church is divided into a lower section with a crypt reminiscent of the Romanesque style, though the entrance portal is richly decorated.

The main part of the church is Neo-Gothic, featuring a large bronze statue of Jesus Christ at the top of the tower, 60 metres high.

A phenomenal view

From the terrace above the crypt and in front of the main entrance to the cathedral, there are absolutely stunning views of Barcelona and the surrounding countryside.

However, an even more fascinating view can be enjoyed from the cathedral’s galleries, which are accessed via a combination of a lift and stairs.

You can even climb the stairs all the way to the very top of the cathedral, beneath the bronze statue of Christ, where there is a small platform for 12 people offering 360° views.

Admission and opening hours

The cathedral, with its crypt and main terrace accessible free of charge, is open every day from 9.00 am to 8.00 pm.

Entry to both the cathedral and the crypt is free.

The lift to the higher viewing platforms operates daily between 11:00 and 18:00, and the entrance fee is payable 5 eur at the ticket machine in front of the lift. Payment can be made in cash or by card.

Tibidabo Amusement Park

One of the main attractions of the complex is the famous Tibidabo Amusement Park, with a history dating back to 1901.

The park boasts around25 attractionswinding their way across the summit of Tibidabo and skilfully utilising the hill’s terrain.

You can enjoyroller coasters, carousels, aerial swings and many other attractions. All the attractions are original and over 100 years old, but they are, of course, serviced and inspected annually to ensure they are safe.

The park is divided into two sections:

• Panoramic Park – the upper section with the oldest attractions (the Ferris wheel, the red aeroplane and others)
• Amusement Park – the larger part of the park with attractions such as roller coasters and large carousels

Although the description of the park may sound impressive, given its limited space, Tibidibao Amusement Park is one of the smaller ones, and you’ll usually only spend a maximum of 2–3 hours there.

Ticket prices and opening hours

It is open daily during the summer (March–September) from 11:00 to 21:00, although the main attractions are usually only open at weekends.

The Panoramic Park is usually open every day from March to October.

You can find the current opening hours on the official website:tibidabo.cat/schedules.

Admission:

• Adults: admission to all attractions + a return ticket for the Cuca de Llum cable car – 35 eur
• Adults: access to attractions in the Panoramic section only (entry to the viewing points, for example, is free) + a return ticket on the cable car – 19 eur
• Children under 120 cm for all attractions + return ticket for the cable car – 14 eur
• Children under 120 cm: attractions in the Panoramic section only + return cable car ticket – 10,50 eur
• Entry to Panoramic Park without attractions (viewing platforms and restaurants) –free
• Official website:tibidabo.cat/rates

How to get to Tibidabo

Tibidabo Mountain is situated on the western outskirts of Barcelona and is easily accessible by public transport. There are several transport options.

Metro + bus + Cuca de Llum cable car

This is the most popular and quickest way to reach the summit, as it takes you on a ride on the famous Cuca de Llum funicular railway, one of Tibidabo’s attractions.

In total, this journey will take you around 40–45 minutes.

1. In the city centre at Pl. Catalunya, take the L7 metro line to the terminus at Av. Tibidabo
2. From there (Pl. Kennedy stop), continue by bus number 196 or the special Tibibus T2C bus (included in the funicular ticket price) to the funicular’s lower station (Pl. Doctor Andreu).
3. The Cuca de Llum cable car will take you up to Tibidabo in about 10 minutes (services run every 15 minutes)

Standard Barcelona public transport tickets are valid on the metro and bus route 196 (see the ‘Transport’ section for more details).

Tickets for the Cuca de Llum rack railway are valid with your amusement park ticket. If you only wish to visit the viewpoint or the church and do not want to visit the amusement park, you can buy separate tickets for the rack railway for 12 eur (return).

A special Tibibus T2B bus also runs to the lower station of the funicular from Vall d’Hebron metro station.

You can find detailed information on the websitetibidabo.cat/how-to-get-here

Train + Vallvidrera cable car + minibus 111

This is the cheapest way to get to Tibidabo, and you can make the entire journey using standard public transport tickets without any additional charges.

1. Take the S1 or S2 regional train from the city centre (e.g. Plaça de Catalunya) to Peu de Funicular station
2. Take the Vallvidrera funicular up (it runs every 10–15 minutes)
3. From there, take the 111 minibus all the way to Tibidabo (runs every 20–30 minutes)

From the top station of the Vallvidrera funicular, you can also walk to Tibidabo past the Torre de Collserola transmission tower (a walk of about 30 minutes).

Especially in the evening, on the way down from Tibidabo, the number 111 buses tend to be full, and walking down the road may be quicker; what’s more, there are beautiful views of Barcelona from here.

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