Half Day Hike – Barcelona – Tibidabo to Labyrinth of Horta

Are you looking for an excursion in Barcelona that is different than the normal tourist sites? Are you looking for an adventure that packs a lot of punch but costs little money? I have the perfect plan! For less than 10 euros, you can have an amazing time utilizing Barcelona’s inexpensive transit system and get your fill of local nature.

Barcelona is relatively small. Within 30 minutes, you can be out of the hustle and bustle of this metropolitan city. And, wow, Barcelona just gets prettier and more inspiring outside its proper grid. On the back side (going towards the interior), the Collserola Mountains surround Barcelona like a big hug. Here, you will find Tibidabo topped with a magnificent church and amusement park with sweeping 360 degree views of Barcelona and the Mediterranean Sea.

Let’s get started!

The actual nature hike will start at the top of Tibidabo and end at the Labyrinth of Horta. The hike is easy to moderate and well marked. Any one that is afraid of heights may not like this adventure as a portion of the transit is by funicular and the hike winds its way through the Collserola Mountains. The actual hike will be approximately 2 hours pending the speed of the group. It is about 80% downhill. Good walking shoes (trainers, sneakers) are needed, a bottle of water, and a snack.

You will use public transportation to and from the start of the hike. I like to use T-familiar metro cards because it can be used for multiple people and each “ride” is any means of transportation within 1 hr 15 minutes. Basically, a person can use one “trip” to Tibidabo and one “trip” from the Labyrinth back to the city center. The T-familiar costs approximately 10 euros so a roundtrip “trip” should be around 2 euros. And, up to 4 people can use the one T-familiar card for this hike. These metro cards can be purchased in any metro station and this hike is within Zone 1.

Here is how to get to the top of Tibidabo using one “trip” of a T-familiar. From Plaza Catalunya (city center) to Tibidabo will take approximately 1 hour to 1.5 hours of travel time.

From the metro station Plaza Catalunya, you will follow the Orange signs that have a sideways S squiggle.
You will look for the S1 or S2 train lines going toward Terrassa. Go ahead and board either the S1 or S2 train, which ever comes first.
***VERY IMPORTANT** Be sure to board this train on the last 2 cars because the funicular station is a short station and ONLY the last 2 cars open.
Take the S1 or S2 train toward Terrassa and exit in 5 stops at the Peu del Funicular. If you board this train and the stop for the Funicular is not lit on the map, then you are in the wrong car. You will have to move further back of the train to ensure the doors open at the station.
Exit the Peu del Funicular and walk up the stairs to board the Funicular at Vallvidrera Inferior. This is a fun train! Be sure to try and board the back side of the funicular for the best views. Ride the funicular to the very end which is called Vallvidrera Superior.
Exit the funicular and walk the stairs up to exit the station. Turn to the right and walk a short distance to the bus stop for the 111.
The 111 bus is a short bus and can only handle 20 people or so. If you are traveling in a large group, it will be important to have the group get to the stop first and quickly so all can board at once. Otherwise, it may be 20 minutes or so for the next bus.
Ride the 111 bus to the very end which drops you at the entrance of the massive church and the amusement park.

Take a look around! The views on top of Tibidabo are spectacular. The church is free to enter and part of the amusement park is free to explore so you may want to plan some time up here for photos and exploration.

To begin the hike, you will backtrack your way around the backside of the amusement park and follow the road for a short amount of time. There is dedicated sidewalk for this portion. You will leave the road (Carretera de l’Arrabassada) at Vista Rica and enter the National Reserve. See photo below and use Google Maps with satellite view to make your way through the trails.

At the end of the hike is the Labyrinth Park of Horta (Parc del Laberint d’Horta). This is a gorgeous park and a real gem of Barcelona. This is not a flat park and there are lots of stairs and a lot of uphill walking. There is a cost of 2,23 euros per adult to enter, but I think this park is FREE on Sundays. You may plan to spend about 1 hour in the park looking at the grounds and taking photos. There is a small cafe in front of the park that serves beverages, small bocadillos, and snack foods in case anyone is thirsty or hungry before or after the park. For the planners, you could pack a picnic at the beginning of the journey to enjoy at this quiet sanctuary.

Unfortunately, true lunch options around the park are limited. There are a few bar cafes within 1/2 km of the park which have reasonable food and prices but nothing unique. For the most expensive taste, a short walk to Can Cortada will provide a beautiful setting and traditional Catalan food, but expect to pay around 30 euros per person for food and drink.

To leave the park:

Just outside the park is the metro station Mundet L3 green line.

Enter the L3 metro station Mundet and take the train going toward Zona Universitaria.
Exit the train at the station Plaza Catalunya.

From start to finish, this adventure should take between 5-6 hours and a total of 7 miles (11 km), but you need to add more time and distance if a true lunch is in order. Be sure to check the weather before going as Barcelona can bring in some surprises.