Barcelona is a great city to explore by bike. Its extensive network of cycle lanes makes it easy to connect some of the city’s main landmarks, parks and neighbourhoods while discovering Barcelona at your own pace.
In this route, I’ll share the itinerary we followed ourselves, passing places such as the Sagrada Família, Arc de Triomf, Parc de la Ciutadella, Barcelona’s seafront, the Gothic Quarter and Passeig de Gràcia.
You can follow the complete route on the map and adapt it depending on how much time you have.
Barcelona cycling route map
Our Barcelona cycling route
We wanted to follow a route that felt comfortable and allowed us to use Barcelona’s cycle lanes whenever possible.
Our first stop was the Sagrada Família, the extraordinary basilica designed by Antoni Gaudí and one of Barcelona’s most iconic landmarks.
If you want to learn more about this monument, you can read our complete guide to the Sagrada Família here.
We then headed towards Passeig de Sant Joan via Carrer de Mallorca. From there, we continued along the avenue until we reached Arc de Triomf, built as the main entrance to the 1888 Barcelona Universal Exposition and notable for its distinctly civic character.
We stopped near Sant Pere to pick up something to eat before continuing towards Parc de la Ciutadella.
We then returned to Passeig de Lluís Companys, the avenue leading from Arc de Triomf, and headed into Parc de la Ciutadella, where we stopped for a picnic.
After lunch, we continued towards the beach and enjoyed cycling along Barcelona’s seafront promenade.
If you follow the promenade towards the end, you can reach the W Barcelona hotel. Instead, we decided to turn into the charming narrow streets of the Gothic Quarter and make our way to the impressive Barcelona Cathedral.
From there, we headed towards Portal de l’Àngel. We did this route on a Sunday, when it was unusually quiet. On weekdays and at busy times, however, this is a very crowded pedestrian street, so I recommend choosing an alternative route or walking your bike through particularly busy sections.
From there, we continued towards Passeig de Gràcia.
At the Block of Discord (Illa de la Discòrdia), we stopped to admire Casa Batlló, Casa Amatller and Casa Lleó Morera, three remarkable examples of Barcelona’s Modernisme architecture.
Shortly afterwards, we reached La Pedrera (Casa Milà), where we finished our cycling route and returned the bikes.
Tips for cycling in Barcelona
Barcelona has an extensive network of cycle lanes, making it possible to explore much of the city while avoiding the busiest roads. On this route, we have tried to prioritise cycle lanes whenever possible, although there are some sections where you may need to share the road or space with other vehicles and pedestrians.
Always respect traffic lights and take extra care at junctions. In popular areas such as the Gothic Quarter, the streets can be narrow and crowded with pedestrians. If it gets too busy, the easiest and safest option is to get off your bike and walk for a few minutes.
I also recommend avoiding the busiest streets and peak hours whenever possible. Cycling around Barcelona early in the morning is usually much more enjoyable, particularly in the historic centre and along the seafront.
If you want to stop to visit a monument or have something to eat, always leave your bike at a designated bicycle parking area and use a good lock. Avoid leaving your bike unattended, even for a short time.
Electric or conventional bike?
Both are good options for this route. Barcelona is not a particularly difficult city to cycle around, but there are some uphill sections and the complete itinerary covers a considerable distance.
We chose electric bikes, which made it particularly easy to enjoy the route without worrying too much about the physical effort. If you are used to cycling and prefer a conventional bike, you can also complete this route without any problem.
Would you like to discover Barcelona with an official tour guide?
This cycling route is designed so that you can explore Barcelona on your own, following the itinerary and map on this page.
If you would also like to learn more about Barcelona’s history, monuments and neighbourhoods during your trip, you can join one of my private walking tours or guided visits to Barcelona’s main landmarks with an official tour guide.
