Bicycles
Exploring Barcelona on wheels, whether by bike or on skates, is a good way to see the city and to save on transport. Bicycle lanes run along most major arteries.
Barcelona By Bike. Gather at the meeting point next to the main entrance of the Barcelona Casino for a three-hour guided bike tour (€24 with a complimentary drink en route) of the Old City, Gaudí architecture, and the port. Calle Marina s/n, Port Olímpic, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08005. 671/307325; www.barcelonabybike.com.
Bike Tours Barcelona. This company offers a three-hour bike tour (in English) for €25, with a drink included. Just look for the guide with a bike and a blue flag at the northeast corner of the Casa de la Ciutat in Plaça Sant Jaume, outside the Tourist Information Office. Tours depart at 11 am daily; there is an additional tour at 4:30 pm Friday–Monday, April 1–September 15. The company will also organize private guided tours through the Barri Gòtic, parks, the Port Olímpic and Barceloneta, the Ruta Moderniste, and other itineraries on request. Touring on your own? The company also rents bikes by the hour or the day, at its shop in Carrer Esparteria. Carrer Esparteria 3, Barri Gòtic, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08003. 932/682105; biketoursbarcelona.com.
Fat Tire Bike Tours. Four-hour guided city tours with this company start in Plaça Sant Jaume daily at 11 am and 4 pm (from mid-October to mid-April, morning tours only), covering—with a lunch break—the usual suspects: the Barri Gòtic, Sagrada Família, Ciutadella Park, the port, and Barceloneta. Reservations can be made on the website. Calle Marlet 4, Barri Gòtic, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08002. 933/429275; www.fattirebiketours.com. €28.
Steel Donkey Bike Tours. Groups up to eight people can take four-hour "alternative" bike tours with this outfit on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings, meeting at the shop on Calle Ample at 10 am. The tours (€35 per person, including bike and helmet rentals) are quirky, offering sights and experiences a bit off the beaten path from the standard itineraries. Call for reservations. Carrer de Cervantes 5, Barri Gòtic, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08002. 657/286854; www.steeldonkeybiketours.com.
