At a height of 512 metres, Tibidabo is the highest peak in the Sierra de Collserola range and affords spectacular views of the city as well as being home to a number of interesting buildings and cultural and recreational facilities for the whole family. Although Tibidabo is the highest and best known peak in the range, Collserola also contains interesting hilltops such as Puig d’Olorda and Sant Pere Mártir, among others. This area, whose Mediterranean flora make it a favourite place for city residents to get in touch with nature at weekends, also offers a number of walking trails that are easily accessible from Barcelona. The ‘Tranvía Blau’, a tram line operating since 1901, runs up Av. del Tibidabo to the funicular railway terminal that takes visitors up the mountain.
Architectural remains in diverse styles, gardens, Romanesque churches, aquaducts and reservoirs such as Can Borrell, are some of the attractions offered by this extensive park, in which visitors can even find Medieval castles such as the one known as El Papiol. Lovers of contemporary architecture should walk through an area in the park called Vallvidrera, one of the city’s elite residential districts, where you can find examples of both modern style design and traces of the city’s moderniste heritage.
The 8,000 square metres that make up the Collserola range can be covered on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. The trail known as the Passeig de les Aigües is one of the most popular, since it allows both walkers and cyclists to complete a 18km route (with a height difference of 50m).
The routes available in the area run from gentle 15 minute strolls to more demanding 4 hour walks over difficult terrain and details can be found on the park website at www.parccollserola.com. Here you can also find information on guided tours and the many organised activities that take place in this area.
This building by the prestigious architect Norman Foster was completed in 1992 and is currently used to carry the signal of 100% of the TV channels and 95% of the radio stations that broadcast in Barcelona and the metropolitan area. With a height of 288 metres, it is the city’s tallest building and affords excellent views of the Barcelona skyline. Located on the tenth floor of the tower and open every day from March to December, the public viewing deck is accessible by bus and funicular railway (get off at Vallvidrera superior station and then take bus number 211). + info: www.torredecollserola.com.
Though work on the church, which crowns the peak of Tibidabo, was begun by the moderniste architect Enric Sagnier i Villavecchia in 1992, it was finally finished after his death by his son, Josep Maria Sagnier i Vidal, in 1967. It has a viewpoint offering spectacular view of Barcelona.
This was one of the first amusement parks to be built in Spain. Its most famous attractions are the big wheel, the airplane and Hotel Kruger, while the newest include DIDIDADO (a cinema seating 70 people showing films in 4D) and a spectacular roller coaster ride.
Barcelona’s science museum, housed in what was once a home for blind people designed by Josep Domènech i Estapà, is another of the interesting buildings to be found on the hillside of Tibidabo, together with La Rotonda by Adolf Ruiz i Casamitjana, Casa Roviralta (known as “Frare Blanc”), Casa Casacuberta and Casa Fornells by Joan Rubió, Casa Muntadas by Joan Puig i Cadafalch and Casa Arnús (by Enric Sagnier i Villavecchia.
 |
GO MAG All the musical news monthly: independent pop-rock, electronic, fashion, cinema and books. |
|
Guía del Ocio BCN The guide that puts all the entertainment in Barcelona in the palm of your hand. |