This was my third visit to Barcelona and I have done my fair share of sightseeing in the city, but never from a sidecar!
The only thing I’ve done that was comparable to it was a Vespa Tour in Rome. Not coincidentally both were organized by HouseTrip, a revolutionary holiday booking site featuring over 125,000 properties and growing by an astounding 1000 properties a month. Staying in a HouseTrip property helps you live like a local and even Eat Like a Local in Barcelona. Whenever I’ve stayed with HouseTrip I’ve also interacted with locals on a one-one basis or in small groups – something that doesn’t usually happen when I stay at a hotel.
My partner in crime for our unique sightseeing adventure was Michael from Time Turtle Travel pictured above. We took turns riding on the back of the motorbike and in the sidecar. I felt completely safe both in the sidecar and on the back of the bike. Our driver was cautious and emphasized safety. He also offered to make impromptu stops anytime we wanted to take a photo – which we did….a lot.
One of our first stops was to the Montjuïc, a hill overlooking Barcelona that also offered amazing views of the harbor.
Our guide helpfully pointed out landmarks and provided us with interesting stories en route.
Besides the views from Montjuïc, my favorite part of the sightseeing tour was visiting the district of El Raval.
It’s a controversial neighbourhood that’s in transition. It’s densely populated and not the quietest of neighborhoods which is what makes it so interesting. It’s teeming with life! Parts of El Raval are still rough around the edges, but its landscape is changing as galleries and up-scale boutiques are opening, attracting a different crowd. Having said that, there are some sections that you may want to avoid at night, especially as a tourist.
Of course sightseeing in Barcelona wouldn’t be complete without a pass-by of some of Antoni Gaudi’s most famous buildings like the Casa Batlló and the piece de resistance:
The Sagrada Familia! One of the most impressive buildings I’ve ever seen!
I thoroughly enjoyed sightseeing in Barcelona by sidecar! While there are certainly cheaper ways to sightsee, this is such a unique experience that I think it’s worth the money. Plus the guides are fantastic!
Know Before You Go Sightseeing in Barcelona by Sidecar:
- We did the 3 hour Must-Do tour offered by BrightSide. On their website you can see a map of the highlights we covered. The cost is €95 per person for two people or €150 if you’re going solo.
- BrightSide offers a number of different tours (see the link above). I was very intrigued by the Oh My Gaudi! tour and would love to try it the next time I’m in Barcelona.
- I highly recommend staying in a HouseTrip property in Barcelona for a local experience.
Special thanks to HouseTrip for my stay and providing me with such a unique way to see Barcelona. As always all opinions are my own.
That’s an awesome way to visit a city! Great idea. Hope you guys drove safely… I was dead scared of riding a motorbike in Thailand! Maybe Spanish are better drivers?
Zhu recently posted..Baking a Baby in Canada, or Why I Have Never Considered Going Back To France
This actually looks like a really fun way to get to see Barcelona. Most of the time when I’m in a new city, I’m driving, and I’m way too focused on roads that I don’t know to enjoy the sights. I’d love to ride around in a sidecar and just watch.
Love the picture of your guide “pointing” out the landmarks.
Steve recently posted..Travel Lessons I’m Hoping My Kids Are Learning
Wasn’t it scary to sit in a sidecar looking all the truck wheels in the eye?
Italian Notes recently posted..Florence for newbies
I don’t think so, Italian Notes. I visited Barcelona witha taxi driver…
Calogero Mira recently posted..A video from the Royal Palace in Bangkok, Thailand
This looks like a very cool trip! I love sightseeing by motorbike in SE Asia, so I really like to try it out in Europe – it’s such a fun way to get around and take in a city.
Jessica recently posted..Sunday Snapshot
@Jessica – Agreed, I really enjoyed it. Motorbiking in SE Asia also sounds fun. When I lived in Thailand I had a moped which was a great way to get around.
I would definitely like to try a sidecar tour. Looks like fun and a good way to maneuver through those busy streets. La Raval would really be interesting to explore.
Cathy Sweeney recently posted..Scary in Spain
I would so love to see Barcelona the way you did. It sounds like great fun.
Leigh recently posted..A Hike to Upper Calf Creek Falls in the Escalante Wilderness
I did one of these tours in Lisbon and it was so much fun! Glad you had such a great time.
cheryl recently posted..Instragramming … Varese Ligure, Italy.
@Cheryl – It’s definitely a unique way to see the city.