Cycling UK Forum

Hi

I'm off to Barcelona on a non-cycling holiday, but my girlfriend is allowing me to hire a bike for a day (i will push for 2). Can anybody recommend some good places to ride in or near the city?

Thanks

Yes - a few years ago I arrived with my bike at Barcelona airport. Had no real plan other than to cycle round Catalunya. Arrived late afternoon and cycled from the airport into Barcelana cuty centre. A truly horrendous experience wwhich I would hope never to repeat. Caught a train the next morning up to Torello. I admit I have never researched cycle routes in Barcelona itself, but I can't emphasise enough how dangerous I found it (I've cycled in numerous countries abroad and Barcelona was the worst city I've come across). Hope other people can give you a more positive report. My suggestion is to take a local train out of the city. Plenty of alternatives. I found the Spanish trains amazingly cheap and cycle friendly.

Okay I may scrap that idea

Train to Girona, then you have quite a few options for nice rides straight from the town (Lance, etc used it as a training base). It's well worth a visit anyway, with a nice relaxed atmosphere and lots to see and do, probably quite busy at this time of year though.

Barcelona itself is terrible to cycle around. However, the countryside around Barcelona is superb! Trains are cheap and fast. Girona and around, Sant Celoni and Monseny, Monastrell de Monserrat, Vilafranca and into the wine growing region of the Penedes.... lots to go at! That said, Barcelona is a superb city and it's hot at this time of year. I'd probably elect to stay and chill in the city - there's heaps to see and lots of bars/cafes to while away a lazy summer's day - and take my running shoes to keep up the exercise with an early morning run along the beach. Enjoy!

I was there last summer, it seems its much improved to cycle around: theres lots of paris style bike lanes, and car speed was kept down by every light being red phased.

Went on a nice ride all along the beach boulevard, and theres a good off road bike lane in on each side of The Avenue Diagonal which you can use to navigate easily. I kept off the busiest streets but compared to London it was much less stressful to cycle around.

However, to get to the centre the roads linking the suburbs to the centre were horrible to cycle on.

Best ride nearby was following the road going up to Montserrat from the west, utterly spectacular.

So barcelona bad, near barcelona good. Noted.

Will hire bikes for one or two excursions. Thanks chaps