There are two double decker hop-on-hop-off bus tours in Barcelona. There are several different websites where you can buy tickets, but they all purchase from Barcelona City Tour or Barcelona Bus Turistic. The companies have similar routes, but go in different directions. I had to do a lot of sifting through information to figure out which route worked best for our travel. We were limited in our time of just one day, so it was challenging to make the time work for our schedule.
So here’s my advice…. If you are going to be in Barcelona for a few days and you have flexibility to hop on and hop off at your leisure, then the bus is worth the time and cost. It will take a full day with all the stops, but you could probably see sites on both routes. The hop-on-hop-off buses give the options to see a lot of sites around the city while only getting off at the ones you want. But with the buses only going in one-direction routes, you may double up on sites or have to walk to get to somewhere else you want to go. The hop-on-hop-off buses gives you the city highlights, so if you have another day or two, you can take more time going directly to the places you want to see.
Keep in mind that some sites require time-specific advanced tickets, so if that is the case, it may be challenging to get the timing right with the buses. You may need to start off by going directly to that location first, or plan accordingly to be at the location early and wait for your time slot.
Also, the bus routes may change depending on the season, so be sure to find the most current routes. But even still, the routes may change depending on events happening in the city, so there may be changes on the day you arrive. This happened to us, which caused confusion and frustration as we had to change our plans to make our timed tickets at Sagrada Familia (Basilica de la Sagrada Familia). So be flexible, if you do a hop-on-hop-off bus.
If you are pressed for time and only have time to see limited sites, I would suggest either using public transportation, renting bikes or scooters, or taking ride shares/taxis to get around. Barcelona is BIG, so walking will take up too much time and you won’t see much. There is plenty to see, so it’s worth getting to sites you want to see, then walking around to enjoy the neighborhoods, architecture, and food.
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR CRUISE PASSENGERS: The cruise port IS NOT near the World Trade Center location for hop-on-hop-off buses. It’s at least a 30-minute walk away, depending on the cruise ship. Your cruise may offer a complimentary shuttle service or they may charge for a shuttle service. Taxis are not easily available at the cruise port locations, although you can direct them back to the port, if you are coming from town.
Other things to know about the hop-on-hop-off bus tours in Barcelona. The top level is open air, but they have retractable covers in case there is rain. The tickets are non-refundable due to weather, so be prepared. The buses have a programmed audio guide along the route with basic information, and they provide headphones to use on the tour. City Tour Barcelona has an app with live movement of the buses, which is helpful. Barcelona Bus Turistic says its more focused on tourist stops, but both companies stop at most of the known sites.
Traveling Tribe 