If you are planning a trip to Barcelona and want to admire Gaudí’s architecture, take sightseeing tours, and visit some of Barcelona’s top attractions, you may be able to save money and time by purchasing the Go Barcelona Pass.
The Go Barcelona Pass not only provides free admission to over 40 of the top attractions in Barcelona (e.g., Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell, Casa Batlló, Casa Milá, FC Barcelona Stadium Tour, walking tours), but it also allows you to skip the long entrance lines at several of these attractions and includes a 1-day free Hop on Hop Off Bus Tour ticket.
In most cases, the Go Barcelona Pass (see official website here) is a good value and can save you money; however, in other cases, the Go Barcelona Pass may not be a good deal for you, depending on what you plan to see in the city.
We’ll help provide all the information you need to know to decide if the Go Barcelona Pass is a good deal for you, decide on which pass to buy, and how to get the most value out of your pass.
We’ll also share our own experiences using the Go Barcelona Pass. We’ve used the pass on multiple trips to Barcelona. We’ll include an honest breakdown of our own cost-savings so you can see if this pass might work for you.
Note, the Go Barcelona Pass rebranded from the Barcelona Pass in 2020. It is now a virtual pass rather than a physical card. It’s hard to photograph a virtual pass, so we are using the old images of the original Pass in this post which we have used on a number of trips to the city.
Table of Contents:
What Is Included in the Go Barcelona Pass?
The Go Barcelona Pass includes free admission to a number of popular attractions in and around Barcelona, free 1 day use of the Hop-on Hop-Off sightseeing bus, and some additional discounts for local tours and restaurants.
The Go Barcelona Pass also comes with a free digital guidebook.
Also if you have a question not answered by the guidebook or their website, you can contact the company during business hours or send them an email. You can find out more about the Go Barcelona Pass on their official website.
Attractions Included in the Go Barcelona Pass?
There are two versions of the Go Barcelona Pass, which are the All-Inclusive pass and the Explorer pass.
These two versions cover essentially the same attractions and activities. The difference is that with the All-Inclusive pass you can visit everything within the time period the pass is valid. With the Explorer pass you can visit up to the number of attractions you choose over a 60-day period.
For most visitors to Barcelona looking to see the main sights, we feel the all-inclusive version offers better value for money. However, if you are staying in the city for longer, or only want to visit a few attractions, the Explorer pass might be better value for you. We will cover the all-inclusive pass primarily in this review.
Go Barcelona Pass holders are currently granted free admission to over 50 museums, tours, and other attractions in and around Barcelona. These include some of the most popular Barcelona attractions such as:
- Sagrada Familia
- Parc Guell
- Casa Batlló
- L’Aquarium (Barcelona Aquarium)
- Casa Milá (La Pedrera)
- Futbol Club Barcelona Stadium Tour & Museum (Camp Nou Experience)
- Barcelona Walking Tour
- Las Golondrinas Barcelona Boat Tour
- Colònia Güell (includes Gaudí’s Crypt)
- Picasso Museum
- Recinte Modernista Sant Pau
- Barcelona Zoo
- Gaudí Exhibition Centre
- Poble Espanyol
- Casa Vicens
You can check out the full up-to-date list of attractions here.
For Gaudí fans, the Go Barcelona Pass currently offers free entrance to the main Gaudí attractions in the city (see our comprehensive guide to Gaudí sites in Barcelona for a list of the over 20 sites in the city).
Fast track options are available at several attractions (including Casa Milá, L’Aquarium, and Poble Espanyol), allowing one to enter a faster entrance line designed for pass holders.
Note that while the pass ensures general admission to the covered sites, the pass may not cover admission to special exhibits, audioguides, or special events.
Also, reservations are necessary for some of the attractions, but these are clearly noted in both the free Go Barcelona Pass guidebook that comes with the passes as well as on the website.
Note that there are some attractions in Barcelona that are NOT currently included with the Go Barcelona Pass that you should take into consideration. These include the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, the Maritime Museum, Palau de la Música Catalana, and Fundació Joan Miró.
For planning resources, the Barcelona Tourism website offers tons of helpful information for visitors. If your trip is taking you further afield in Spain the Spain Tourism website offers loads of useful information and we’d also recommend considering a trip to the nearby Spanish Pyrenees region.
Transportation Options Included with the Go Barcelona Pass?
All Go Barcelona Passes come with the option to collect a free all-day 1-day ticket for the Barcelona Bus Turístic sightseeing Hop-on, Hop-off bus. There are three different bus routes available (beach route not available in winter) and the buses stop every 5 to 25 minutes at each stop.
Go Barcelona Pass SIGHTSEEING BUS TIP: Start using the bus in the morning to get the most out of your ticket. Note that there is more than one hop-on hop-off bus company in Barcelona, so look out for the Barcelona Bus Turístic logo so you get on the right buses included on your ticket.
Other Go Barcelona Pass Inclusions?
The pass includes fast-track access to several attractions (i.e., La Pedrera, Barcelona Aquarium, Barcelona FC Camp Nou, and Poble Espanyol) where you get to skip the lines although it does not allow you to skip security lines.
Types of Go Barcelona Passes?
All the Go Barcelona Passes cover the same attractions. There are Adult passes (anyone 13 years or age or older) and Child passes (children age 4 to 12). Children under age 4 get free entrance to most attractions in Barcelona and ride for free on public transit with an adult with a valid Travelcard.
The main decision you have to make is whether you want the pass that includes all the attractions, or if you want a pass that has a fixed number of attractions. We have only used the former, as we like to visit a lot of attractions, but if there are specific attractions you want to visit, you might find the flex pass offers better value.
If you choose the all-inclusive pass, you then have to decide how long you want the pass to be valid for. Currently the Go Barcelona Pass is valid for 2, 3, 4 and 5 days.
Passes are activated after your first usage and must be used on consecutive days. So if you purchase a 3-day pass with your first visit to an attraction on June 10th, it will be valid from June 10th through June 12th.
Previously, the Barcelona Pass had the option to add a travel card, however as of 2020 this is no longer offered. To be honest, this didn’t save any money as it was the same price as buying the transport card separately.
If you are planning to use public transportation a lot in Barcelona, using a transport ticket will probably save you money versus buying single ticket journeys. In addition to the Hola! BCN Travelcard, there is also the T-10 card which is another transport ticket which gives you a total of 10 journeys on the metro, tram and buses in the city center.
I would recommend choosing a transport pass if you plan to use public transit more than 3 times in Barcelona. If you plan to take 3 or fewer journeys, you probably are better off just buying single tickets.
Cost of the Go Barcelona Pass
You should check the website for the latest prices, but as of July 2024 here are the Go Barcelona Pass prices for the all-inclusive version of the pass that we are reviewing.
Adults (anyone 13 years of age or older):
- €169 for a 2 day pass
- €204 for a 3 day pass
- €234 for a 4 day pass
- €254 for a 5 day pass
Children (any child age 4 to 12 years of age):
- €109 for a 2 day pass
- €134 for a 3 day pass
- €154 for a 4 day pass
- €178 for a 5 day pass
How do I Decide if the Go Barcelona Pass Will Save Me Money?
First, you should make a list of all the attractions you want to visit during your time in Barcelona and specifically note the ones that are included on the Go Barcelona Pass. Try to come up with a realistic list based on the amount of time you’ll be in Barcelona as you don’t want to spend your entire trip going from attraction to attraction.
Next, check the entrance fee cost for each online or using a recent guidebook. Add up the costs to come up with a total. Note the example below.
Example: Let’s say from the Go Barcelona Pass sites I want to take a Sagrada Familia guided tour (€65), a Park Guell Guided Tour (€35), Visit Casa Batllo (€35), visit Casa Mila (La Pedrera €28), take a Hop on Hop off tour for one day (€33), take a boat cruise (€10.5), take a Picasso walking tour with museum entry (€42) visit Camp Nou (€28), visit and do a Tapas Tasting tour (€25). The grand total of cost for all these activities would be €301.5.
Next, you’ll need to decide how many days it will likely take you to visit all the attractions you want to visit. Remember it can be easy to be too ambitious and think you’ll take in two museums, an aquarium, a bike tour, and a boat tour in one day, but that will simply leave you exhausted and overwhelmed. Try to be realistic.
Example: I want to do the first day of travel using the Hop-on Hop-off bus and want to use it to visit the Sagrada Familia and Park Guell, and then visit the Barcelona FC Camp Nou Experience in the afternoon. On my second day I want to visit Casa Batlló and Casa Milá then do an afternoon Tapas Tasting tour. On my third day I want to walk along La Rambla and do the Picasso tour & museum in the morning/early afternoon and then do a late afternoon Las Golondrinas Barcelona Boat Tour and relax at the beach before heading to airport for my flight that evening. This means I would need 3 days.
Now, compare the price of the needed Pass (3 days) with your entrance fee total. Current prices (as of July 2024) for adults are €204 for a 3 day pass.
Typically, you’ll find that you’ll save money if you plan to visit more than four or five attractions with the pass and the longer the pass duration, the better the cost savings. However, it depends on which attractions you want to visit so use the tips above to figure out if it is worth it for you.
Example: OK, so it would cost me €301.5 as an adult to do all the activities on my list and I think I need 3 full days.
If I visit all the listed attractions in the 3-day period, I’ll have a cost savings of €97.5 and it should also keep me from waiting in ticket lines at a couple of the attractions.
It also provides me with the sightseeing bus that I can use to get around. I could likely easily fit in even more sights if I wanted to and save even more.
How to Buy the Go Barcelona Pass?
The Go Barcelona Pass can currently ONLY be purchased online. After purchasing it, it will be available in the Go City smartphone app, and also as a voucher that you can print out for scanning.
We recommend having a printed copy as a backup even if you plan to use the mobile app, just in case something happens to your smartphone.
Tips on Getting the Most Out of Your Go Barcelona Pass
- Plan ahead before coming to Barcelona. Do a little research and figure out which attractions are included with the Pass and which ones you plan to visit so you can make an informed choice of whether or not the pass makes sense for you or not. Use the information and example above. These 3-day and 2 day suggested Barcelona itineraries may also be useful.
- The Go Barcelona Pass is going to be of the most value for those coming for longer stays as the longer the Pass duration, the greater the potential value. So a 3-day pass will likely lead to greater cost savings than a 2-day pass. Similarly, the value multiplies by the number of travelers in your group so even if each person only saves €20, that is a savings of €80 for a family of 4!
- There are often special discounted offers on Go Barcelona Passes advertised on the official website. If you have some time before your visit, you may want to see if you can catch one of these promotions as they often have time-limited deals online for 5% to 15% off passes. Even more savings for you!
- The Passes are valid for 24 months after purchase so you can purchase them up to two years before you plan to activate them. As the price of the pass goes up most years this can be a good way to lock in savings for a future trip.
- Prioritize attractions you want to visit with high entry fees if your pass does not cover your full trip to Barcelona. Use your Barcelona Pass to get you into those places you want to visit that are more costly (and have skip the line access) such as the Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló, Casa Milá, the FC Barcelona Stadium Tour, and L’Aquarium to get the most value of your pass. If you don’t have time to visit lower cost places with your pass, then you can always visit them at your own expense later in your trip.
- When planning your time in Barcelona, be sure to consider attractions you want to visit that are not covered by the Go Barcelona Pass, such as the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya and Barcelona Cathedral (free entry). Don’t forget to factor in things like wandering around the Gothic Quarter, lying on the beach, shopping, and visiting some of the city’s parks. Plan your days so that you can maximize your Go Barcelona Pass days and visit the rest of the attractions on your list on other days that do not take away from getting the most out of your Pass. Unfortunately, Barcelona does not have many free museums or attractions, but be sure to note any free days for places you want to visit as several Barcelona museums offer free admission days once a week or once a month (generally on Sundays).
- Note for Antoni Gaudí lovers, this pass covers 7 of the city’s many Gaudí sites (Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, Casa Batlló, Casa Milá, Colònia Güell, Casa Vicens, Gaudí Experiència 4D). If you purchase a 2 day Go Barcelona Pass and only visit the Gaudí sites and use the HOHO sightseeing bus ticket, you’ll save money. However, you’ll save even more money if you visit any additional attractions or take any of the tours included on the Pass.
- Be sure to download the free Go Barcelona Pass Guidebook (as well as the metro map and sightseeing bus routes) before your trip. This includes valuable information about all the covered attractions, including instructions on how to make reservations for tours and attractions if necessary.
- Try to start using your Go Barcelona Pass on the morning of the first day you want to start using it so you can get the most of it! Remember that once you first use the pass, the time begins and it is only valid for the next XX consecutive days. So if you have a 3 day pass and start using it on Monday (whether it is 8am or 8pm), it will be good for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday only.
- If you plan to use the Barcelona Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing bus, all you have to do is scan your pass to board at any of the 45 stops.
- For some of the attractions you do need to book ahead. These currently include attractions like the Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, as well as the walking tours and bike tours where you should email ahead to reserve a spot at least 24 hours in advance. Not all the tours run every day, you’ll want to plan these in advance. You can check what is available in advance of your ticket purchase by downloading the free guidebook. I would organize any tours you want to take as soon you know when you plan to visit to ensure you get a spot on your desired date.
- Most of the attractions in Barcelona are centrally located but a few are not. To maximize your time, try to group together attractions that are near each other or are well connected by public transit lines to get the most of your time. The Go Barcelona Pass app provides a quick reference map and lists the nearest public transit stops or train stops to help you with planning.
- Children under 4 travel for free on the transport network if accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket or Travelcard.
- If you plan to visit Colònia Güell, note that it is located outside of Barcelona and requires taking a local Ferrocarriles de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) train or driving to reach it. If you have the Travelcard, travel to and from Colonia Güell is included via railway. If not, you can just buy the ticket separately. The stop is called Colonia Güell and can be reach via FGC train lines S4, S8 and S33 and is a 20-25 minute ride from central Barcelona.
- Many of the attractions are open daily (especially in summer) but some can close or change hours without much notice. It is always a good idea to check their website or call ahead before setting out.
- Be sure to allow enough time to visit the attractions you are most interested in exploring. You can only visit each attraction once with your Go Barcelona Pass. So be sure you have enough time to visit a place before going inside. For instance, you cannot spend 30 minutes in a museum and then come back tomorrow (unless you want to pay full entrance price), as you only get one free entry per Go Barcelona Pass.
- Check ahead in the Guidebook or on the Go Barcelona Pass website to see which attractions you plan to visit provide Skip the Line access to pass holders. If you get to one of these attractions and are not sure if you are in the correct line for pass holders, ask a security guard or museum personnel so you can be sure to save time. Note that the Pass does not allow you to fast-track security lines.
- Note that the Pass may not offer as much savings for those who are eligible for concessions (e.g., seniors, students, young children) as they may get reduced entrance fees at some attractions and some sites grant free admission to younger children. So if you are traveling with those who qualify for reduced entry fees, check out the prices before buying a Go Barcelona Pass.
- Don’t try to see all the included attractions in one visit! Some people get their Go Barcelona Passes and go down the list visiting as many as they can squeeze into their trip. We certainly know the feeling of wanting to see everything, but if you do this, you are going to be exhausted. Barcelona has so much to offer that is not on the Go Barcelona Pass list and you’ll want to take time to slow down and soak up the city whether it is lingering over a plate of pintxos or tapas, sitting in a city park, searching for Barcelona’s street art, lying on the beach, watching the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc at night, going to the opera, or dancing the night away at club. Hopefully you’ll be back again in the future to catch those attractions you miss, but don’t go through Barcelona as if it is one big checklist of famous attractions.
Our Experience Using the Go Barcelona Pass & Our Cost Savings
Laurence and I often use city passes and museum passes in cities to save money and time and although we had visited Barcelona before, we hadn’t been to a number of the attractions offered by the Go Barcelona Pass. We also wanted to revisit a couple of places that have fairly high entry fees (e.g., Casa Batlló and Casa Milá).
When we first used the Go Barcelona Pass, it had only just launched and was actually just called the Barcelona Pass (it rebranded to the Go Barcelona Pass in 2020). At this time it only included 20 attractions, and was missing things like the Sagrada Familia and Park Guell, which have since been added.
We purchased two 2 Day Barcelona Passes online before our trip and then picked them up at the Redemption Centre Desk. It is located within a larger cultural and tourism center just off of La Rambla within central Barcelona and within a short walk from where we were staying.
We had no problem picking up our passes or the sightseeing bus tickets, and the free Barcelona Pass guidebook, which we found very useful in deciding what attractions we wanted to see and when. You’ll also want to get a leaflet for the sightseeing bus that includes a list of the routes and stops. When we bought the Barcelona Pass it had the option to add a travel component, however we didn’t choose this option as we had purchased a T-10 ticket when we arrived. The travel card component is no longer offered since the rebranding in 2020.
We were in Barcelona for 4 days total and so we used our Barcelona Pass for two of those days. During our 2-day Barcelona Pass period, we ended up visiting 8 attractions covered by the Pass and also used the Hop-on Hop-off bus! This sounds like a lot and it is as we tend to try to cram a lot in as our trips are almost always part work, part pleasure and this trip was not different. So we got up each morning and often visited sites until 5:00 or 6:00 each evening. However, we didn’t do quick in-and-out visits and did the full tours at almost all the sites we chose to visit.
While we spent a lot of time in some of the attractions we visited (Museu d’Història de Catalunya), we spent much less time at several of the other attractions either because we’d already visited them before (Casa Milá) or they are smaller sites. It was nice also to have the option of a lot of tours with the Barcelona Pass and we used the Hop-on Hop-Off sightseeing bus on one day as well as did both a boat cruise and a walking tour of the Old Town.
Our two days was a nice mix of Gaudí sites (Casa Batlló, Casa Milá and Gaudí Exhibition Centre), museums, tours, and even a food tasting (Jamón Experience).
Two of the attractions we visited (Casa Milá and the Barcelona FC Camp Nou Experience) allowed Pass holders to skip the lines with the Fast Track Entry privilege.
However, we visited in January during fairly quiet times for both of these attractions where there were no long lines so this didn’t help save us too much time. But I imagine at busier times of the year and day this would have been very useful at both of these sites. Barcelona is a very busy city, especially in the summer, and lines can be long at all the popular tourist attractions.
As far as cost-savings, here is how things worked out for us. Note prices are based on 2017 entry prices and pass costs:
**Note the Museu d’Història de Catalunya and Jamón Experience (since closed) are no longer included on the Go Barcelona Pass.
So as you can see we ended up with a savings of €50.50 each for a total of €101.00. This is definitely a considerable cost savings for two days of sightseeing! Even if we had visited fewer sites or visited the same number with a 3-day Barcelona Pass, we would have still saved money.
We would highly recommend that all visitors to Barcelona consider purchasing the Go Barcelona Pass. As of 2024, it covers the majority of attractions that visitors will likely want to visit in the city including the Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell, Casa Mila and Casa Batllo, as well as many more.
If several of these attractions are on your list and you plan to spend more than 1 day in Barcelona, it can save you a lot of money.
For the average first time visitor who plans to spend more than 1 day sightseeing and wants to visit at least 5 of the attractions on this list, it will probably end up being a good value.
However, the Go Barcelona Pass is not a good fit for all visitors, and travelers on a tight budget or those primarily interested in visiting attractions not covered by the Pass will likely not find much benefit.
Check it out and see if the Go Barcelona Pass is a good fit for your next trip to Barcelona.
We hope this information is helpful to anyone planning a trip to Barcelona. Feel free to leave us any questions you have about the Go Barcelona Pass below and we are happy to try to answer them! Have you used the Go Barcelona Pass? We’d love to hear from others who have also used the passes.
Greg Post author
Hi Jess, thanks for your amazing articles! I did have a question regarding the all-inclusive Pass vs. the explorer pass (Go Barcelona Pass). I understand that once you “use” the all-inclusive pass, your time period begins – [Try to start using your Go Barcelona Pass on the morning of the first day you want to start using it so you can get the most of it! Remember that once you first use the pass, the time begins and it is only valid for the next XX consecutive days]. This pass looks to be better for us; however, I see from the guidebook that we need to book in advance for some tours, and that we will need to enter a code when we book. I take it that code for booking is from the Go Barcelona Pass, and my question is, if I bought the pass today and reserved a tour for 1 week from now, would that consitute “using” my pass and thus starting the 3 day use period before I ever get to Barcelona? If this is the case, I would go with the explorer pass. Thanks so much!!! Greg
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Greg,
So, booking the tours or tickets in advance does NOT activate the Go Barcelona Pass (any version), the pass becomes activated only after it is first scanned/used at an included attraction. And you are encouraged to make reservations for the places that require or recommend them as far in advance as you know the dates/times you want to visit. So for both passes, you would want to reserve those attractions in advance. For most you just need to give them your info and the pass number (when you visit you’ll need to bring a photo ID and your pass – either digital or printed out).
So if the all-inclusive Go Barcelona Pass is a better value and allows you to visit more places, then I would go with that one. But if you are only planning to visit places on the Explorer version, then I’d book that one. With either pass, I’d book those places in advance that you want to visit that recommend or require passes once you know which pass you will be using.
Some of the tours have limited spaces so it is definitely a good idea to book those in advance as they often book out in advance.
Hope that helps, and just let us know if you have further questions about the Go Barcelona Pass or in general about planning your trip to Barcelona!
Best,
Jessica
GREGORY GROSSMAN Post author
Jessica, thankl you for the swift and detailed answer! Love your Independent Travel Cats!
Best,
Greg
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
You’re very welcome and wishing you a wonderful time in Spain!
Best,
Jessica
TT Post author
Hello there! I just finished reading your article about using and buying the Barcelona Pass, and I wanted to drop you a comment to express my appreciation for the valuable insights you provided. Your article is a comprehensive guide that helps travelers understand whether the Barcelona Pass is worth it for their visit.
I really appreciate how you broke down the different components of the Barcelona Pass and explained how each one works. Your detailed analysis of the attractions, transportation, and skip-the-line benefits offered by the pass gives readers a clear understanding of what they can expect and how it can enhance their experience.
Your honest assessment of the pros and cons of the Barcelona Pass is incredibly helpful. By discussing factors such as the cost, the number of attractions visited, and the flexibility of the pass, you provide readers with the necessary information to make an informed decision based on their individual travel style and preferences.
I also found your tips and suggestions for maximizing the value of the Barcelona Pass very insightful. From prioritizing popular attractions with long queues to planning a well-paced itinerary, your advice ensures that readers can make the most of their pass and save both time and money.
Moreover, your inclusion of alternative options for visiting Barcelona’s attractions and utilizing public transportation is great for those who prefer a more independent and flexible approach to exploring the city.
Thank you for your thorough analysis and honest evaluation of the Barcelona Pass. Your article is a valuable resource for travelers considering this option, providing them with the necessary information to determine whether it aligns with their travel goals and budget. Keep up the fantastic work, and I’m looking forward to reading more of your insightful travel tips and recommendations!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi TT,
Thanks very much, and glad you found our Barcelona Pass tips helpful! If you have any questions about the Barcelona Pass or in planning your trip to Barcelona, just let us know!
Best,
Jessica
Peter M Pomerantz Post author
Is there only one company that sells a Barcelona Pass that gives you access to sites and the HOHO bus or are there several companies selling similar passes? If several companies, how do you recommend choosing between them? Also if we plan to be in Barcelona for 6 full days is it good to get the 3 day pass at the front end of the trip, then leave the remaining days for more leisurely activities like the beach, shopping, and wandering around?
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Peter,
So the specific Go Barcelona Pass (formerly the Barcelona Pass) is made and sold by the GoCity group. However, there are a several different companies selling various Barcelona city passes, including one by the city’s tourism board. All are different and have different inclusions. The Barcelona Pass is the most comprehensive but another pass might be a better deal depending on your specific interests. Some have a HOHO bus included, some do not.
Here is an article that compares some of the most most popular Barcelona city passes and discount cards.
So I would start with making a list of all the attractions you want to visit and then divide it by paid and free ones. Then think about how many days you would need to see all the paid attractions and that should help you decide which pass would make the most sense for you. With 6 days and if you are visiting several paid attractions, you’ll most likely save money with a pass.
The pass that is best for you will depend on where you specifically want to visit and over how many days.
Yes, so I would guess you would want a pass for 3-4 days and then I would use the other two days to do free activities like parks, beaches, walks, free museums, etc., shopping, entertainment, etc. That way you can group together the big paid attractions and use your pass on your first days.
Hope that helps, and feel free to ask us more questions as you plan your trip. Wishing you a great trip to Barcelona.
Best,
Jessica
Eva Post author
I agree, for the average first time visіtor who plans to spend more than 1 day sіghtseeing and wants to visіt a few attractions on the card, the Barcelona Pass sounds like a really amazing deal. It is a good fit for us.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Eva, Great, glad you found this helpful and let us know if you have any questions about the Barcelona Pass. Just be sure to purchase it before you leave as you cannot buy it in Barcelona. Wishing you a great trip! Best, Jessica
Richard Post author
I am a keen recreational hiker. For the weekend, I plan to spend 1 day at Montserrat. Which weekend day do you recommend for Montserrat?
The other day, I am open but I am not a big fan of church/museum/zoo tours. Walking &/o biking tours will be interesting. Any recommendation for the other day?
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Richard,
Montserrat can be a busy place, especially in the summer on a weekend, as it is a popular day trip from Barcelona. On Sundays, there are more masses and church events, so if you are not as interested in the monastery or religious masses, then I’d maybe suggest Saturday. If you are planning to hike all day and just need transport and tickets, this Montserrat pass may be of interest as it includes transport to and from Barcelona via metro, use of the rack railway at Montserrat, unlimited use of the funiculars, admission to the exhibition, and a meal.
If you are not interesting in visiting many attractions, I would probably not get any of the Barcelona passes as you are unlikely to save money unless you visit at least 3 or more attractions. The Barcelona Pass does offer a boat cruise, walking tour, and biking tour so that’d probably be the only one that might be a good fit based on your interest. If you do that, just be sure to book the included walking and biking tours at least 48 hours in advance to be sure you get on them for the date you want.
There are loads of walking and biking tours you can do in Barcelona. Some focus on history/culture, the Gothic Quarter (we’ve done one here and enjoyed it), street art, modernisme, food and wine (a good way to taste local foods and drinks if new to Barcelona), etc. There are also boat rides, sailing, and kayaking tours that might be of interest.
Here are a few that might be of interest, this walking food tour in the Gothic & El Born areas, this street art tour (by bike or on foot), and this interesting half-day or full-day experience that includes three different activities (e.g., ebike tour, helicopter ride, and boat ride).
In terms of places to wander, the Gothic Quarter is of course interesting, Monjuic is hilly, scenic, and nice for walking (in terms of attractions perhaps Poble Espanyol may be of interest as its an open air architecture & cultural museum of sorts with lots of places to eat, and if you are looking to get away from people (July will be very crowded in central Barcelona) you might consider exploring a neighborhood like Sant Andreu. The beach of course is also a popular and free option in the summer.
Hope this helps and wishing you a great trip to Barcelona.
Best,
Jessica
merab Post author
hi, thanks a lot, very interesting article, please ansver if I can use barcelona travel card and travel for free (no payment) on such routs es barcelona- montserat and barcelona-figueres dali musium?
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Merab,
So the Barcelona Pass + Travel option would not allow you to travel for free to Montserrat or the Dali Museum. The FCG and region trains that are included with the Barcelona Pass only cover Zone 1 which includes all the central Barcelona sites plus the airport and Colònia Güell for example but Zone 1 does not cover Montserrat and certainly not Figueres which is further away in the province of Girona.
You can get close to Montserrat using the free travel pass but then you would need take local buses to reach the rack railway/funicular (Cremallera de Montserrat) to reach Montserrat but you would have to pay for the local bus and for the funicular. Or you can book round-trip transport and use of furniculars such as this set of tickets. Another option is to book a bus tour from Barcelona that will drop you off at the top of Montserrat and you will not need to use the funicular.
For Figueres you will need to purchase separate train tickets, and it is about a 15 minute walk from the Figueres train station to the Dali museum. Or you can book a day tour that includes direct transport such as this one.
Hope that helps,
Jessica
Merab Post author
Ok clear, ones more thanks a lot
Richard Post author
I will be visiting Barcelona for work June 7-11 but will have the June 9-10 weekend for R&R. I plan to spend one weekend day trip to Montserrat. What cards should I buy for both transportation & sightseeing?
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Richard, It really depends on what you are most interested in doing. Here is an article that compares the most popular Barcelona passes. Both the Barcelona Card and the Barcelona Pass (with transport option) include both sightseeing and transportation. The Barcelona Pass is better if you want free entry to a lot of popular sites.
If you are interested in visiting Sagrada Familia and/or Park Guell, you will want to book your tickets in advance (I’d recommend at least 3 days in advance or sooner) as tickets often sell out. Tickets can be booked online for both. If you are really interested in Sagrada Familia, I’d recommend considering a guided tours that includes the towers as well such as this tour.
Hope this helps!
Jessica
Sebastian Post author
Wow, what a great article you put together. I’m leaving 9/25/17 for work but going to bring my camera gear. I’m hoping to have 3 days free to roam around. Great tips on locations to see. I’ve been working on timelapses and I feel that these tours may not be for me. Taking a timelapse I need to sit there for 1-2 hours. I also want to try to do hyperlapses for the first time. I believe the 10 trips might just be what I need because I see myself staying hours to get my shot. Any suggestions of locations for a timelapse?
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Sebastian, Sounds like you have a great work holiday there with 3 free days to explore Barcelona. The Barcelona Pass can help you save money if you plan to visit some of the included attractions and Gaudí sites, but it depends on how much you want to see. Sounds like your primary interest in is taking photos, particularly timelapses so I’d plan out your time to see if you’d save money or not depending on how long you plan to spend at each attraction.
Now for photo locations in Barcelona, here is our guide to top photography locations in Barcelona. For timelapses where you need some movement, we’d specifically recommend Park Güell, Las Ramblas, Mercado de la Boqueria, the beach area, and Monjuic/Magic Fountain. You might also find some spots in the Gothic Quarter as well. That should give you plenty of locations for a short visit!
Happy travels,
Jessica
Wayne Post author
Hi Great review very detailed information, I’m thinking of getting a couple of Barcelona Passes when I take my girlfriend in November. As it’s November I was just wondering if anybody knew if all the attractions listed on the pass will be open? Also could you tell me how many of these are in walking distance as I’m considering whether to add the travel pass as well we are staying close to the Gothic Quarter, also do you know how many of the attractions require booking in advance.
Thanks
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Wayne, Thanks, glad the Barcelona Pass review was helpful.
To answer your first question, yes all of the sites should be open in November; however, some have shorter seasonal hours in the winter compared to the summer. Some of the attractions and museums also close one day a week so be sure to check the dates for when you want to visit before you head out to make sure they are open for that day. You can check out the full up-to-date list of attractions here.
Many of the most popular sites in Barcelona are walkable from the Gothic Quarter, some exceptions are the Gaudi Exhibition, Futbol Club Barcelona Stadium Tour & Museum, and Parc Güell (not included on Barcelona Pass). Poble Espanyol and some of the other sites over in that area (Magic Fountain, Miró Museum) are also a pretty far walk (~ 40 minutes from Gothic Quarter). However, all the above can be reached by the hop-on, hop-off bus which is included for free for 1 day with your Barcelona Pass so you can try to use that instead of public transit. The bus does not go to Colònia Güell which is just outside the city and you can reach it by taking a train (included in transport card or you can buy individual ticket at station). However if you are only in the city for a day or two I’d probably skip Colònia Güell and focus on the more central sites. So I think that if you are planning to take a lot of public transit, the travelcard can make things simpler but if you only see yourself using it only a few times, you are better off just buying individual tickets as you need them or getting a T-10 card.
Only a couple of sites included on the Barcelona Pass, which include the walking tours and the FC Barcelona Camp Nou experience, require prior booking and this is explained in the guidebook and information that comes with the Barcelona Pass about how to do this in advance. They generally require 24 to 48 hours notice. Also, if you plan to visit Parc Güell or the Sagrada Familia (not included in the Barcelona Pass), I would also recommend booking those tickets online in advance as they can sell out.
Hope this helps and wishing you and your girlfriend a lovely trip to Barcelona!
Jessica
Wayne Post author
Thanks for the reply very helpful!!!!
Hillary & Craig Post author
Hello, great info! Do you know if you can pick up the ticket for the hop on/off bus at the redemption center for the following day, or does it have to be used the same day it is picked up?
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Hillary & Craig, So glad you found our review of the Barcelona Pass helpful! Yes, as you noted you do have to pick up the bus vouchers from the Redemption Center (even if you have the passes mailed to you), but you can redeem them later in your trip. We used them a couple of days after we picked up the passes from the Redemption Center. You can pick up a brochure for the buses that provides all the info on the bus stops, routes, and times at the center as well. Enjoy your trip to Barcelona! Best, Jessica
Hillary & Craig Post author
Thanks, Jessica! That was extremely helpful. If you don’t mind we do have one more question. Do you know if you receive the code to book the tour of Camp Nou via email, if booking online, even if you opt to pick up the tickets when you arrive in Barcelona? Thanks again! We are very much looking forward to our trip!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Hillary & Craig, I believe that the instructions will be included in the Barcelona Pass purchase confirmation email and the guidebook, and I know these have changed since we had the pass last year. We had the people in the Redemption Desk help us book the Camp Nou vouchers for us while in the office, but you should be able to book the Camp Nou experience in advance of your visit.
You can pre-book your visit to Camp Nou after you have received your email confirmation of your Barcelona Pass purchase. First, you need to purchase the Barcelona Pass online, and then shortly after you should receive a Pass purchase confirmation email that you’ll need to pick up your Pass in Barcelona. Then, once you know what date and time you want to visit Camp Nou, you can email the Barcelona Pass folks (info@barcelonapass.com) with your confirmation details and the date and time you want to visit Camp Nou. They will then generate the tickets for you (typically within 24 hours) and email them back to you. You can then print them out and bring them with you for your trip to Barcelona. Best, Jessica
Amy Post author
Wow, this is exactly what I have been searching for as I couldn’t find very much information on the Barcelona Pass. Now I know for sure I’d save about 35 euros on our trip with these passes. Thanks for taking the time to write out these helpful tips, Amy
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Amy, Glad this was helpful and hope you enjoy your time in Barcelona. Happy travels, Jessica
Guru Karanam Post author
Thank you for sharing these great tips and they are really helpful.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
You’re very welcome, hope it helped you make your decision in whether to buy the Barcelona Pass or not. Enjoy your trip to Barcelona! ~ Jessica
Suze Post author
There’s a chance that I might be visiting Barcelona again very soon but I’ll only have a day in the city so I will save the pass for a longer trip. Thanks for the extremely detailed review, it’s very helpful
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Suze, Yes, I think you would definitely need at least 2 days in the city to get value out of the Barcelona (unless you were primarily interested in skip the line access at the busier sites). Jessica
Seana Turner Post author
We took a tour and saw a lot, but not all, of the items on your list. I love your blog because you guys really give the nuts and bolts details that people need to make decisions. It is difficult to figure things like this out when you are a visitor (sometimes, even if you are a local!) Loved Barcelona — my plan is to go back and see more.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Seana, Glad you had such a good experience in Barcelona – I’ve been twice (and Laurence 3 or 4 times at least) and there is many things left we’d like to do and it is always fun to revisit places as well 😉 Best, Jessica
Agness Post author
The Barcelona Pass seems like an amazing card for Barcelona. Thanks for giving me an amazing idea!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Agness, Yes, the Barcelona Pass can be amazing 😉 But it of course depends on what you plan to see and do in Barcelona and how much time you have in the city. If you are heading to Barcelona, feel free to ask us questions as you start planning your trip. Happy travel, Jessica
Rob+Ann Post author
We didn’the use the Barcelona Pass on our first visit, but also (mostly) visited sites not in their list. We did use the Paris Pass, and it was helpful enough that we’d pretty much decided to get the Barcelona Pass next time. Your fact finding just sealed the deal!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Rob & Ann, The Barcelona Pass is actually quite new (less than a year old) so most likely it was not around during your trip, but you may have seen the Barcelona Card (another good sightseeing card in the city that focuses more on discounts than free entries). I think the Barcelona Pass may make a lot of sense for your next visit if several of the attractions included are on your sightseeing list! Best, Jessica
Anda Post author
Great information, Jessica. We’ve used the Barcelona Pass on a couple of occasions and it worked all right for us. The hop-on-hop-off bus is not always included with a city pass, so I loved that about the Barcelona Pass.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Anda, Glad you had a good experience with the Barcelona Pass – not many travelers have used it yet as it is fairly new. I think those who are going to use the HOHO sightseeing bus definitely get more value out of the pass. Best, Jessica
Rhonda Albom Post author
Excellent information on the Barcelona pass. This is really helpful to determine if the pass is a good value. I like that the pass includes a 1 day Hop On/Hop Off bus ticket. That should make getting to some of the venues much easier.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Rhonda, Thanks, and yes the sightseeing bus goes to or near almost all the attractions (the only exception I think is Colonia Guell as it is located outside the city – the Travelcard works to get there though if you purchase it). The Gaudí Experiència (as well as those visiting Park Guell) does require a bit of an uphill walk from the bus stop (whether regular public bus or sightseeing bus). Best, Jessica
Laryssa Gobets Post author
wow lots of info. It’s always good to save money. I have a friend that is going to Barcelona I’ll tell him about this maybe he can save some money also. I’ve always wondered if these save money and now I’m pretty sure. Thanks again.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Laryssa, It is definitely good to save money when you can, especially when it may also save you time. These types of passes can definitely save travelers money, but they are not always a great fit for everyone and each pass is different so we try to help give readers the information they need to decide for themselves. The Barcelona Pass doesn’t cover some of the top attractions such as Sagrada Familia but it does cover a lot of popular attractions that a lot of people want to visit in Barcelona. Those with just one day in the city probably would not get much value out of it, but those with 2-5 days in the city may find it saves them quite of money depending on where they plan to go. Best, Jessica
James P Post author
Hi Jessica & Laurence, Wow, this is a great and detailed review of the Barcelona Pass and gives all the pros, cons, & tricks. Very timely for us actually as this may be useful to us. My wife and I are planning a return trip to Barcelona next fall (we live in New York) and I am wondering if this pass was around on our last visit back in 2013? We used some sort of pass then in Barcelona but not sure of the name and was wondering if there are more than one as you indicate this one is fairly new? Thanks so much, James
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi James, So glad you found our Barcelona Pass review useful and glad it is timely in helping you plan your trip to Barcelona. You should be able to use the examples above to help you decide if it will save you money or not once you have a list of attractions you know you want to see while in the city. Since it is not your first time, it should be a bit easier since you probably have a better idea of the things you’d like to see.
Now, there are indeed other passes in Barcelona. You would not have used the Barcelona Pass in 2013 as I think it only launched in 2016 so it is still new (and hopefully will continue to get better as new attractions and features are added). Now, my guess is that you used the Barcelona Card then as it is probably the most common tourist pass in the city and it offers free public transport, offers free entry to a number of museums, and discounted entry to a number of attractions, restaurants, tours, etc. There is also the art-focused Articket Barcelona Museum Pass which offers free entry to 6 of the city’s art museums. The Barcelona Card is also a great card and one to consider – the Articket one is best only for those planning to visit art museums as it doesn’t provide any transport or other attractions. Just writing this out makes me think I need to write another post explaining the differences between these 3 passes…I guess that will be my next post!
Hope this helps and feel free to ask if you have any further questions about the Barcelona Pass or general Barcelona travel questions!
~Jessica
Anisa Post author
It’s funny when I went to Barcelona last time I did the sites not on the pass – Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, and Museo Picasso, so I am thinking this would be a good idea for my next trip because there really is so much to see.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Anisa, Yes, although I think the Barcelona Pass is generally geared to first time visitors to Barcelona, it is great for a second (or third) time visitors as well. Many people only get to few paid attractions on their first visit, probably the most common being Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, and maybe Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC)- so this pass doesn’t overlap with any of those places. We had both been to Barcelona before but there were several attractions offered on the Pass we hadn’t visited and wanted to visit and we also were interested in the walking tour and boat cruise. We also revisited a couple of places (Casa Batlló and Casa Milá) that we would not have paid again to do so because the entrance fees are pretty high. So it was actually very useful to us and saved us money. We have now visited all the places offered by the Pass, haha 😉 Jessica