Mount Tibidado (Barcelona) – the highest point of the Catalan capital. This is an amazing attraction, it is, above all, a shrine for every resident of a huge city. The highest point of the mountain is located at an altitude of 512 m – this is enough to see Barcelona in all its glory.
general information
If we talk about species attractions, Mount Tibidabo is on the list of the most visited. If Barcelona is brightly lit by the sun, photographs from observation platforms will turn out stunning without exaggeration.
Interesting fact! The phrase “tibi omnia dabo” is present in the Bible, it was uttered by the devil in an attempt to tempt Jesus Christ.
It was this religious place that was chosen for the construction of the temple, the hands of Jesus Christ, as if embracing the world. Tourists unanimously note that the view from the top admires and is remembered for a lifetime. However, the temple and picturesque landscapes are not the only attractions that travelers will see. There is an amusement park, museums, a restaurant and even a television tower. This is what we’ll talk about in the article.
Mount Tibidabo in Barcelona belongs to the Collserola mountain range, visually similar to a horseshoe. It is believed that a landmark appeared about three hundred million years ago on the border of southern Barcelona.
Good to know! The address of Mount Tibidabo is Plaça Tibidabo 3-4, Barcelona. Distance from the center – 7 km.
The mountain was already interested in the time of Ancient Rome, Barcelona was already formed at that time, therefore Dibidabo was regarded as an important strategic object. Many tribes fought for control of the region.
Temple of the Sacred Heart
Local people call the shrine differently:
- Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus;
- National Atonement Temple of Spain.
The history of the creation of the Tibidabo temple is not simple, since in the second half of the 19th century the Protestants planned to open a casino here, but at the end of the 19th century the authorities made the final decision – to erect a temple on the top, and officially transferred the land to the priest from Italy, Juan Bosco. At first they built a chapel, by the way, it has been preserved to this day, however, it looks like an extension to the main shrine.
Interesting fact! Construction work was carried out for sixty years – from 1902 to 1961.
The temple on Mount Tibidabo is an architectural and religious complex consisting of several parts:
- old chapel;
- sarcophagus – occupies the first tier;
- the temple itself – located tier above.
Free access for tourists is the first, second tiers, but the climb to the bell tower is a paid service. The only way to go upstairs and see Barcelona is by elevator.
Upon entering the temple, travelers immediately see a crucifix and bright stained glass windows, and a little higher – a three-dimensional picture of Jesus Christ. For guests there are benches, sitting on which you can admire the images of saints.
To the left is a place where you can put a candle, but here you can do it in a rather strange way – it is not the fire that lights up, but the LED. It is necessary to lower the coin into a special slot, after which the LED starts to glow and lights up for a certain time.
In the crypt of the wall, the vault is decorated with paintings that tell about the life of Christ. By the way, here you can put a traditional candle, it will burn for a long time, as it is under a glass cup.
Good to know! Ticket offices, a church souvenir shop are located in the crypt.
The front part of the Temple of the Sacred Heart on Tibidabo is decorated with the image of Christ and the faces of the 12 apostles. The statue of Christ, mounted on the highest point of the mountain, symbolizes the selfless deed of Jesus – he resisted the temptations of Satan.
The temple is active, services are held here every day, respectively, admission is free. In the temple, photo and video are allowed, but not during the service.
Amusement park
A park has been opened on Mount Tibidabo in Spain since 1899. One of the oldest park complexes in the world, as well as the oldest in Spain. You don’t need to worry about safety, the attractions are regularly upgraded.
Most popular entertainment:
- A plane in which guests fly inside as passengers, but the entertainment is noisy, so it is recommended to stock up on ear plugs
- the railway, launched in 1915, during the trip you can enjoy picturesque views;
- Talaya Tower, it was built in 1921, cabins rise to a height of 50 m;
- cypress labyrinth – it is rather not entertainment, but the opportunity to take a walk and enjoy the beautiful nature;
- roundabout with barrels – suitable only for people with a hardy vestibular apparatus;
- ghost castle – it is better to visit in the evening when the building is beautifully illuminated and takes on a mysterious and fabulous look;
- a palace with curved mirrors has been one of the most popular entertainments for over 50 years;
- House of surprises – great entertainment for children;
- roller coaster – does not need a detailed description, the only thing that needs to be said – only people with strong nerves can ride here.
Tibidabo Park receives guests in the summer months daily, in steel time – only on weekends and holidays. The schedule is better to check on the site, as the schedule often changes.
Good to know! Ticket offices close 30 minutes before the closure of the park. It is much faster, more convenient to order tickets on the Internet.
The territory of the temple and the park is huge, if you walk along the path past the observation platforms, it will lead to the site where slides and swings for children of different ages are installed.
Right behind the site there is a clearing equipped for picnics – tables (some of them are set in a sunny place, and some in the shade), chairs made of tree stumps. For the convenience of holidaymakers there are left-luggage offices for personal items. Of course, at the height of the tourist season, there are many people here, so it is better to come in the off-season.
Advice! Want to see the mock-ups of the most interesting places of the park and funicular? Take a look at the mechanical toy museum.
One of the most interesting exhibits of the park is an airplane that is almost 100 years old. Flights on it are available even if the park is not working. On the tablet you will read an interesting fact – in August 1928 an analogue of an airplane made a flight from Barcelona to Madrid. The attraction is very noisy, because the plane rises into the air by means of a propeller, and stops when the propeller starts to rotate in the opposite direction.
- Daily attractions are available only in the summer, and the rest of the year you can get here only on weekends, holidays.
- The work schedule of the park is constantly changing, therefore it is recommended to check it on the website: www.tibidabo.cat.
- Check the cost of tickets on the site of attractions: www.tibidabo.cat/ca/planifica-la-teva-visita/entrades-i-abonaments.
- Ticket offices open and close 30 minutes before the start and end of the park.
- Buy tickets online – get a discount.
- Free parking is available near the park.
- When the park does not work, tourists can ride a roller coaster, in an airplane and visit the observation tower.
Lookouts
There are four sites on Mount Tibidabo and in the Temple of the Sacred Heart. Two of them are located next to a religious attraction, the third – at the top, you can only get here by elevator, the fourth – works on a TV tower. Also on Tibidabo there is a cafe, from the windows of which there is no less picturesque view of Barcelona.
Visiting this viewing platform (almost 290 m high) is paid. At first glance, the tower does not fit into the general landscape of the area, but most tourists note that its design is original and even futuristic.
The observation deck is located at an altitude of 135 m (10th floor), it is a ring gallery with a wonderful view of the city. The elevator rises at low speed, it takes about 3 minutes to get to the road. During the lift, the passengers of the elevator lay their ears as during a flight in an airplane.
Next to the telescopes are photographs of objects that can be seen while looking at Barcelona. It is noteworthy that the television tower is part of the World Federation of high-rise towers.
Good to know! The schedule of the observation deck is best clarified on the official website, the cost of visiting is 5.6 €.
CosmoCaixa Science Museum
An amazing place dedicated to almost everything in the world – robots, ancient people, space, space and light, sound, bowels of the Earth. In each room, guests can conduct experiments on their own, which is especially pleasing to children.
The museum’s halls and expositions are dedicated to certain topics, in addition, you can visit the planetarium, the rain forest, where the landscape of the Amazonian jungle with exotic flora and fauna is recreated. Of particular interest is the hall of matter and the hall dedicated to the emergence of humanity. And in the most terrible hall you can see how hairy spiders and snakes are born.
Ticket price 6 €. For visiting the planetarium and some of the halls you need to pay an extra 6 €. Admission is free for children under 16 years old.
How to get there
We pass from theory to practical aspects – how to get to Tibidabo from Barcelona. There are many ways to do this. The capital of Catalonia is divided into several transport zones, Tibidabo is located in the first, respectively, for a trip on a train you will need a T-10 card. Be sure to take warm clothes, the top is cool. In the summer months, sweaters are enough, in the spring and autumn – a thin hat, a jacket, possibly gloves. But drinks, food can not be taken, since Tibidabo is a tourist attraction, respectively, there are many cafes and restaurants. There are also many free toilets.
How to get to Mount Tibidabo from Barcelona and get the most out of it? We are telling. This is not the cheapest route, but you will take a ride on an old blue tram. The T-10 card applies to him. The cost of the cable car depends on whether you bought a ticket to the park – if not, the cost will be more.
The old tram is followed by the metro (L7 line), and you can also use the tourist bus. In Barcelona tourist public transport runs between two carriers:
- Barcelona TuristicBus – blue transport;
- CityTour Barcelona – green.
Do not want to overpay? Instead of the Blue Tram, wait for bus 196, its route duplicates the tram route.
The total fare is € 5.50 tram and € 7.70 funicular (if there is no ticket to the park), € 4.10 (if there is a ticket to the park).
The road from the tram to the funicular is easy to walk on foot, only a quarter of an hour.
Important! As of January 2019, the Blue Tram has been removed for reconstruction.
If you are interested in how to get to Tibidabo Mountain inexpensively, this method is for you. The train leaves from Plaça Catalunya, follow to Peu del Funicular, here you can take the cable car (you need an elevator to the stop or you can walk up the stairs). Boarding is allowed only until the middle of the funicular train, as leaving the last cars is inconvenient.
The final stop of the funicular is a bus stop. The frequency of the bus 111 is every 30 minutes. Outwardly, it is a small transport, somewhat reminiscent of Bogdany.
If you go on a T-10 card, the entire road will cost you only 2,20 € – that is how much a bus ticket costs, and the metro and funicular are not paid.
The T-10 travel card applies to all city transport – bus, funicular, train, subway. The cost of the document is 10.20 €, on it you can make ten trips in zone 1. At the same time, one trip:
- should not exceed 1 hour 15 minutes;
- involves three transplants;
- use of no more than 4 modes of transport.
The card can be transferred to other people, the maximum number of users is 10.
In addition to the T-10 card, it is possible to make a trip on a one-time ticket. Buy it in subway machines, cost 2,20 €.
A bus runs from Plaza Catalunya directly to the amusement park. The repetition period is about 20 minutes. Tickets cost 3 €. Payment by T-10 card is not valid, you need to buy a ticket from the driver.
Important! The bus runs when the park is open. The first flight at 10-00, the last – half an hour before the closure of the attraction.
The flight runs from the Vall d’Hebron metro (line L5 is blue, line L3 is green). If you buy a ticket to the park at a bus stop at the ticket office, travel in tibibas is not paid, otherwise the cost is 4.20 € for one day. The route schedule is from 11-00, and the last flight leaves 30 minutes before the sightseeing closes. The interval is about half an hour.
Advice! The most comfortable and easiest way to visit an amusement park is to join an excursion. In this case, representatives of the excursion company will take care of the road.
The most courageous tourists make the way to the top of Mount Tibidabo on foot, the climb will seem tedious, but the descent down is convenient, completely uncomplicated. The route from the temple to the Guell Park, located on top, takes about 40 minutes. Several hiking trails have been prepared for tourists, so you can choose the most attractive.
Immediately after the amusement park, you can turn into the aisle and then go down the narrow path to reach the wide road. After that, between the apartment buildings, walk along the alleys and exit onto Carrer de Josep Maria Sert, it is half a kilometer from the bottom stop of the funicular.
Since there are several parking lots on the mountain, you can get here by car. At the same time, you can choose a parking lot that is different from the temple and the park. The amusement park has its own parking.
Advice! Choose and rent a car in advance, especially in high season, when personal transport is in demand. Car rental in the Catalan capital costs from 14 € per day.
All prices on the page are for October 2019.
Interesting Facts
- In the Bible there is a mention that on Tibidabo Satan tempted Jesus with power over the whole world.
- In the Collserola massif, Mount Tibidabo is the highest. From the top of the mountain you can see Barcelona, see the main city artery – Diagonal street.
- A huge number of parrots live on the mountain; they were brought here from Argentina.
- The amusement park is the oldest not only in Barcelona, but also in Spain.
- Local racers, bikers prefer to test their nerves for strength on the l’Arrabassada, which is adjacent to the mountain.
- Residents of the Catalan capital claim that only in Tibidabo you can try the most delicious barbecue and a special kind of onions – calots.
- At the top of Woody Allen Mountain, he shot wonderful landscape views for Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
Practical recommendations for tourists who want to conquer Mount Tibidabo on their own.
- First of all, remember that Mount Tibidabo is one of the most popular and visited tourist places. If possible, it is better to plan a trip on a weekday, if this is not possible, try to come to the mountain among the first.
- Do not expect too much from the rides from a technical point of view, as they were built, first of all, taking into account the peculiarities of the landscape.
- Be prepared that in the off-season, when there are few tourists, the old tram and funicular do not run, so plan a taxi ride or climbing on foot.
- The observation deck of the temple was built near the statue of Jesus Christ, a spiral staircase leads to it. If you are afraid of heights, it is better to abandon the rise.
- Plan to visit the mountain and all its attractions all day.
- What else to visit on Mount Tibidabo: a stone cylinder-shaped water tower built in the Renaissance; Komokaysha Museum, located at the foot of the mountain; The house of mirrors, where you can see the illusion of exit, and with the help of special gloves, guests literally feel for the way to the exit; Fabra Observatory is one of the oldest in the world, here you can see the stars, observe the planets and even visit the tour, but for this you need to sign up for a group on the site.
- Remember that some rides let children in not by age, but by height.
- There is an information desk at the foot of the hill, here you can get the necessary information.
- The park also offers bike hire.
- In the summer, from 13-00 to 16-00 it is better to abandon the trip to the mountain due to the intense heat.
Of course, it will not be amiss to repeat the call – to visit Tibidabo (Barcelona). Moreover, it’s not difficult to get here, but you will definitely want to spend more than one day looking at all the corners and sights of the mountain, because here is one of the most beautiful temples in Barcelona, museums, a botanical garden, an amusement park. There may be many for one mountain, however, this is precisely what attracts tourists, causing a desire to return to Barcelona.
How to get to Tibidabo for 1 euro:
