Barcelona Revisited (Sep 14, 2025)

This is the second time we've been to Barcelona.  The first was in the summer of 2017 when we took a trip to Spain after Jason's senior year in high school when we spent a few days here.  So Fe and I aren't going in blind.  We'll see some things again, of course, but we hope to find time for sights we didn't have time for or rushed through earlier.

First thing first--we bought two Barcelona three-day transit cards.  It was 52 EUR (62 USD) altogether, but it will be worth it.  We used it heavily on our first excursion to Tibidabo, the highest hill outside the city.  Fe discovered this hidden gem and I'm glad she did, it was a lot of fun with plenty of things to see and do.

Tibidabo is about 12 km (7.5 mi) from our hostel and we took a subway, regional rail, a funicular, and lastly a bus to the top--all using those cards.

View from the funicular

We entered the Tibidabo Amusement Park first--the free area.  This park was opened in 1905 and is one of the oldest amusement parks still operating in the world.  Walt Disney visited the park in 1957 and it influenced the designs of his own parks.

Merry-go-round

Fe and the Tibidabo sign (Sagrat Cor church in the background).

The Avió, the park's most iconic ride.  

View of Barcelona from the lookout point.

Another view

Torre de Collserola, a TV and radio communications tower built in 1991.

Tibidabo Water Tower

Also at the top of the hill, next to the park, is the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church.  Construction of the church lasted from 1902 to 1961.

View of the front

Church altar

Another mosaic inside

Fe and I outside the front

Later that evening we visited the Sagrada Familia at night.

Close up of the entrance

The church (with scaffolding).

Went to a nearby McDonald's afterwards.  This is a pistachio McFlurry.  Can't get that in Pennsylvania.

Subway art: "The Roundabout of Transports," a 1966 mosaic by Antoni Cumella in the Diagonal metro station.

Subway Art: Mural in Universitat Station by Mari Ito.

I'll end on a travel tip so that if you come here, you won't make the same mistake I did.  I bought two bottles of water from a vending machine in the park, but I should have bought them at the souvenir stand outside the second level of the church.  I'd have saved 1.40 EUR (1.66 USD).  Lesson learned, ha ha.