Barcelona TTibidabo

To reach Tibidabo by metro, take FCG L7 to Av. Tibidabo, then collect the Tramvia Blau (€4.10 round-trip) to Pl. Doctor Andreu, where the Tibidabo Funicular awaits to take you to the amusement park (runs every 15min. until park closes; €4 roundtrip, refundable with park admission). Or, take the T2 bus which runs from Pl. Catalunya to the Parc d’Attracions every 30min. until the park closes (€2.60 each way).

The name Tibidabo comes from a verse in the Latin Bible where the devil takes Christ to a pinnacle overlooking the many kingdoms of the world and says: Haec omnia tibi dabo si cadens adoraveris me (All of this I will give to you if you fall down and worship me). “All of this,” in this case, is a gloriously high view of Barcelona spilling into the seemingly endless aquamarine Mediterranean. Besides the view, Tibidabo also offers a popular amusement park dating back to the turn of the century and a church, El Sagrat Cor (which ought to prevent any devil worship that might be spontaneously induced by the awesome vista).

Other points of interest on the way up the mountain include the colorful La Rotonda in Pl. JFK and the majestic Casa Roviralta (Av. Tibidabo, 31), two impressive Modernista works by Adolf Ruiz i Casamitjana and Joan Rubió, respectively. Just down the hill from the amusement park is the silver-domed Observatori Fabra, built in 1904 and still functioning today. Piercing the skyline next to El Sagrat Cor is the Torre de Collserola communications tower, built to satisfy the increased technological demands brought on by the 1992 Olympics.

TParc D’Atraccions. The assortment of amusement park rides and attractions offered here are each made infinitely more charming and romantic by its location high above Barcelona and its fin-de-siècle origins. The amusement park first opened in 1908, and several of the rides date back to the 1920s, including the iconic Avión, a red propeller plane that circles above the park, and the Atalaya, a crane-like structure with two rotating arms that reach a height of 550m. The lower levels of the park host the more thrilling rides, including the rollercoaster, log flume, and swinging ship, and are only accessible with a full entrance ticket. Entrance to the Camí del Cel (the top level of the park) is free for those who simply care to stroll, enjoy the views, pretend you’re in a Woody Allen movie, and munch on cotton candy. Individual tickets (€2) can be purchased only for the Camí del Cel rides, which include the Atalaya, Avión, ferris wheel, and Museu d’Automats. (Pl. Tibidabo, 3-4. ☎932 11 79 42; www.tibdabo.es. Park open July-Aug. noon-9pm; Camí del Cel open M-Th 11am-8pm, W-Su 11am-9pm. Off-season hours irregular, but generally park open Sa-Su noon-4pm; Camí del Cel open daily noon-4pm. Check website for more detailed schedules. Most attractions wheelchair-accessible. €25 for full entrance and unlimited rides, 60+ and under 1.1m tall €9, disabled visitors €5; unlimited Camí del Cel rides €11.)

El Sagrat Cor. This neo-Gothic Church of the Sacred Heart overlooks the city from the top of Tibidabo. Several additions made after St. John Bosco founded the church in 1886 result in an eclectic pastiche of architectural styles. The church boasts three terraces, each offering a more dizzying view than the last, and a look-out point at its peak (564m) with the greatest view of them all. Stairway to the first terrace is free; to reach the upper levels you have to take the elevator. (Pl. Tibidabo. ☎934 17 56 86; www.templotibdabo.org. Lower stairs and church open 10am-8pm. Elevator to the top open daily 10am-2pm and 3-7pm; €2. Wheelchair-accessible at the lower levels.)

Torre Del Collserola. Barcelona’s sparkling, futuristic communications tower, soaring 560m above sea level, hardly blends in with the area’s architecture and remains a point of contention among locals. Built to transmit TV and radio signals for the 1992 Olympics, the tower now has an external glass elevator that takes visitors to the 10th floor, offering spectacular views of the city the whole way up. (Crta. de Vallvidrera, a short walk from the Parc d’Atraccions. ☎934 06 93 54. Open July-Sept. 15 W-Su 11am-2pm and 3:30-8pm. Irregular hours during off-season, but generally open Sa-Su 11am-2pm and 3:30-6pm. Closed Jan.-Feb. Check online for detailed schedule. €5, students €3.50, seniors and ages 4-14 €3.)

Parc De Collserola. Created as part of Barcelona’s 1976 General Metropolitan Plan, the Parc de Collserola encompasses acres of greenery easily accessible from the city center. People come here to hike, bike, ride ponies, and drive on designated routes through the forest. Before exploring the park, stop at the extremely useful Centre d’Informació. The center has rotating exhibitions about the park and its wildlife, and the helpful staff sells numerous guides and maps in addition to providing free pamphlets. Most are available only in Catalan, and none are offered in English, but for those who plan on exploring the park extensively, it may still be worth it to invest in a more detailed Serra de Collserola map (€10), which shows all the trails spanning the park, and marks points of interest such as picnic areas, vistas, archeological remains, fountains, and historical buildings. It also comes with a guide outlining a range of trails and bike-paths, with descriptions in Catalan of some of the sights along the way. The center also has bathrooms, a snack bar, a public telephone, and a brief informational video about the park, available on request.

Parc de Collserola is full of enough natural and man-made sights to pack a long afternoon escape from the city. Most hiking and biking routes offer good views of the city and surrounding hills, especially the Passeig Mirador de las Aigues, an 11km route accessible from the Information Center. There are also more than 50 notable archaeological finds and ruins inside the park. The park has been shaped by civilization since at least the sixth century BC, as the remains of the Penya del Oro demonstrate. The area is also dotted with small churches and a chapel; the Santa Creu d’Olorda dates back to the 12th century. Walk across the viaduct in Can Ribes, or enjoy a rest in the shady Font d’en Ribas, a colorful Modernista fountain built around a spring in 1909. The water from the spring was said to have medicinal properties. Castellciur, a castle built in the 14th century over 12th-century remains, serves as a particularly good lookout point. Interesting remains from the last two centuries include the turreted Sanatori Antituberculós . Nicknamed “El Castell,” it was intended as a tuberculosis hospital on Tibidabo but was never completed, and is now in an advanced state of ruin. Also worth noting are the remains of Dr. Salvador Andreu’s Arrabassada Casino. Opened in 1911 with a proud exterior staircase reminiscent of that of the Paris Opera, the building was closed down by municipal authorities in 1912, and, like El Castell, has thoroughly deteriorated. (Take the FGC train to Baixador de Vallvidrera and follow the steps above the exit for 10min. Info center at C. Carretera de l’Església, 92. ☎932 80 35 52; www.parccollserola.net. Open daily 9:30am-3pm.)