Barcelona Pass: Comparison of City Passes to Save Money

If you are planning to visit Barcelona soon, you will surely want to discover a multitude of things. And rightly so, as the Catalan capital is certainly not lacking in attractions! Check out the various city pass options for Barcelona, to help you choose the tourist ticket that will be most interesting for you based on your preferences, to best prepare for your trip How it works, included activities, prices... You'll learn all about the best Barcelona Passes!

Comparison of Different City Passes for Barcelona

Before diving into the details of each pass's features and to help you make sense of it all, below is a summary of each tourist card for Barcelona along with their prices

Barcelona Pass: the Barcelona Explorer Pass

The Barcelona Explorer Pass from Go City is a tourist ticket aimed at everyone visiting the city who wants to make some discoveries during their stay. Its concept is very simple: with it, you can choose a predetermined number of visits from a list of nearly fifty sites, including some must-see attractions in Barcelona.

Depending on the formula, you will have the choice of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 attractions to explore at your own pace, since the pass is valid for 2 months (60 days) from its first use.

The Barcelona Explorer Pass is a 100% digital ticket that you can order online and receive within moments. At the time of purchase, you will only need to choose the number of activities without specifying which ones interest you.

You can take your time later to make a precise choice and organize your visits as you wish.

Attractions Included in the Barcelona Explorer Pass

Some of these attractions require a reservation; all details are provided in the email received upon purchase. This email also contains a very practical digital guide with plenty of information about the activities and visits offered.

Guided tour of the Sagrada Familia
Guided tour of Parc Güell
MOCO Museum
Picasso Museum
Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA)
European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM)
Barcelona Ancient Egypt Museum
Combined entry to the Big Fun Museum and the Museum of Illusions
Barcelona Aquarium
Barcelona Zoo
Casa Batlló
Casa Vicens
Pedrera (Casa Milà)
Catalunya in Miniature
Mirador Torre Glòries
Barcelona Cable Car
Gourmet tour of La Barceloneta
Walking tour of the Montjuïc neighborhood
Visit the markets of Barcelona (Las Ramblas, La Boquería...)
Gothic Quarter tour with tapas tasting
Architecture-themed city tour
Immersive tour of Camp Nou
Boat trip Las Golondrinas
Access to the 24-hour Hop-On Hop-Off bus
...

Price of the Barcelona Explorer Pass

My Opinion on the Barcelona Explorer Pass

The Barcelona Explorer Pass is a very interesting option, especially for those who enjoy organizing and personalizing a trip. By taking the time to look through the activity list, you'll be sure to pay only for attractions that genuinely interest you, allowing you to save significantly. The fact that the pass is valid for 60 days and offers a wide range of activities provides interesting freedom, and being 100% digital means you don't need to pick up a physical card on-site, which saves even more time

The Barcelona All Inclusive Pass

The Barcelona All Inclusive Pass, also offered by Go City, is a very comprehensive offer aimed at travelers who truly want to make maximum discoveries. This time, the number of attractions is no longer limited, and you can freely choose as many activities and visits as you want during the validity period of this pass, which is between 2 to 5 days. The list includes approximately 45 different attractions, many of which are undoubtedly some of the most popular in the city.

The Barcelona All Inclusive Pass is a digital ticket that does not need to be exchanged for a physical card. After ordering online, you will receive this ticket in your email within minutes, and you can then use it on your smartphone or print the QR Code provided.

It is valid for two years from the date of purchase, and the usage duration (2 to 5 days) only starts counting from the first visit. However, each validity day ends at midnight, so it is more advantageous to use this pass for the first time in the morning to make the most of the first day.

Attractions Included in the Barcelona All Inclusive Pass

A very comprehensive digital guide, which includes a wealth of information on all the attractions accessible with this formula, is also included in the email you will receive after purchasing this City Pass.

Day trip to Girona, Figueres and Dalí Museum
Game of Thrones Tour of Girona
Day excursion to Andorra and France
Day trip to a vineyard and winery

Price of the Barcelona All Inclusive Pass

My Opinion on the Barcelona All Inclusive Pass

For those who really want to make the most of their trip to Barcelona, the All Inclusive Pass is, in my opinion, the best deal. It allows you to save up to 50% in the best case. Although it's quite unlikely to achieve such savings, as you would really need to multiply visits without losing a moment, this option is still very appealing for those looking for a practical, comprehensive tourist ticket that saves time and money.

Getting your money's worth from the 2-day pass is quite possible, although it will require back-to-back visits. From the 3-day option, profitability becomes nearly assured, and you will also save time thanks to skip-the-line access, not to mention the convenience of only needing to purchase one ticket

Barcelona Pass: Barcelona Digital Pass

This city pass offered by the independent ticketing service Tiqets focuses only on a select few landmark activities in Barcelona.

It is a fully digital pass that offers skip-the-line access to two of the city's most popular sites, as well as a ticket for the tourist bus, an audioguide app, and a discount voucher

Its operation is simple; you just need to choose the date of your visits at the time of ordering, and you will receive the tickets by email in just a few minutes.

Attractions Included in the Barcelona Digital Pass

In addition to access to these two sites, this pass includes a 24-hour ticket for the Hop-On Hop-Off Barcelona bus, which follows a tourist route and stops at many of the city's points of interest. If this bus ticket doesn't interest you, you can instead choose an entry for Casa Milà or Casa Batlló, two iconic Gaudí buildings located in the city center. You will also receive a discount voucher of 10% to use for purchasing another ticket on Tiqets

Finally, the Barcelona Digital Pass also comes with a mobile app that includes an audio guide for the city and a wealth of information that could be useful during your stay.

The Sagrada Familia, Gaudí's masterpiece, with a skip-the-line ticket that allows you to start your visit quickly, access to the museum located inside the basilica, and an audio guide so you won't miss any discovery.
Parc Güell, another flagship creation of Gaudí, the famous mosaic garden in the Gràcia neighborhood of Barcelona. You will also benefit from an audio guide to explore this 15-hectare park, which holds many treasures and secrets.

Price of the Barcelona Digital Pass

My Opinion on the Barcelona Digital Pass

At first glance, the Barcelona Digital Pass may seem quite attractive, but in reality, it doesn't warrant much attention. Apart from grouping these visits into a single 100% digital ticket, it is not particularly interesting as it is offered at too high a price, coupled with a lack of flexibility. Purchasing tickets individually would be more economical. Whatever your desire for discovery during your stay, it would therefore be better to turn to another Barcelona Pass option.

Barcelona Pass: The Barcelona Card

The Barcelona Card is a City Pass offered by the tourism office of the Catalan capital, allowing access to over 25 museums, cultural sites, and other attractions in the city.

The operation of this tourist pass is quite classic, as it is a card that will be valid for either 3, 4, or 5 days.

Time is the main limitation, as all the proposed sites can be visited once each. The Barcelona Card also allows unlimited use of public transportation and comes with discounts for visiting other sites

Unlike most other options, this is not a fully digital pass. The Barcelona Card can be purchased online, but you will receive a confirmation voucher that is not sent by email. You will then need to visit one of the tourism office locations to exchange it. These well-located places can be found at terminals 1 and 2 of the Barcelona airport, as well as near the Sagrada Família and on Plaça de Catalunya.

Attractions Included in the Barcelona Card

In addition to all these attractions, you'll also benefit from numerous discounts on other museums, cultural attractions, and guided tours. Moreover, for most of these sites, this tourist ticket allows for skip-the-line access. The major advantage of this Barcelona pass is also its unlimited access to Barcelona's public transportation (buses, subways, and trams), excluding night buses and airport buses.

A small digital guide is also provided with the Barcelona Card, and on-site when retrieving your physical card, you will receive a booklet containing a city map and numerous pieces of information about a large number of attractions.

Picasso Museum
National Art Museum of Catalonia
Moco Museum - Museum of Contemporary Art
Antoni Tàpies Foundation
Joan Miró Foundation
Barcelona Contemporary Culture Center (CCCB)
Barcelona Music Museum
Chocolate Museum
Olympic and Sports Museum Juan Antonio Samaranch
Frederic Marès Museum
Design Museum
Archaeological and Ethnology Museums
Barcelona Natural Science Museum
Barcelona Egyptian Museum
CosmoCaixa Science Museum
CaixaForum
Barcelona Botanical Garden
Montjuïc Castle
El Born Cultural and Memorial Center
Pedralbes Monastery
...

Price of the Barcelona Card

My Opinion on the Barcelona Card

The advantage of the Barcelona Card is that it's not very difficult to determine whether this tourist pass is worth it or not. Do you enjoy museums and plan to explore as many as possible during your stay? Then you can easily take advantage of this card's benefits to save time and money, while making all your travels convenient through Barcelona's public transport system.

However, if you are also interested in other major attractions in the city, it is likely that other more comprehensive options, such as the Barcelona All Inclusive, would be more appealing for you

Barcelona Pass: The Barcelona Card Express

The Barcelona Card Express is not strictly a Barcelona City Pass, as it does not offer access to a selection of attractions.

Its concept is somewhat different, as it primarily serves as a transport card, but it is definitely aimed at tourists, as it also includes many discounts for a nice variety of activities and establishments (museums, shops, restaurants...) This is typically the type of tourist card I would recommend if you are visiting Barcelona in 3 days for example!

Very accessible, this option is valid for two days and costs 27 € per person (the pass is free for children under 4 years old). The ticket is purchased online, but you will need to collect your card on-site at one of the tourist information centers located at the airport terminals or in downtown, close to major attractions.

Attractions Included in the Barcelona Card Express

When you pick up your Barcelona Card Express at one of the tourist offices, you will also receive a city map and metro network information

5% discount on the Camp Nou visit
15% discount on the sailing cruise with Skyline BCN
20% discount on Cirque du Soleil ☀️, Joan Miró Foundation, Contemporary Art Museum, Barcelona Wax Museum, or the National Art Museum of Catalonia
30% discount on the Egyptian Museum, Music Museum, Chocolate Museum , and the Catalan Modernism Museum
50% discount on the Barcelona Botanical Garden

My Opinion on the Barcelona Pass: Barcelona Card Express

The Barcelona Card Express is a unique option that may be a good choice for people making a short visit to the city and needing to travel between the city airport. If this is your case and you also want to make real savings on many visits, the best choice might be to couple this card with a city pass that does not include public transportation

What is the best Barcelona Pass?

The best city pass for Barcelona is simply the one that best matches your desires, as these options really cater to different types of travelers. Apart from the Barcelona Digital Pass, which seems to me to be really uninteresting, all the other options have particular attractions that will appeal to different profiles The Explorer Pass will be an excellent choice for those who mostly want to discover specific sites, while the All Inclusive Pass and the Barcelona Card cater more to those who want to multiply their discoveries, enjoy maximum freedom, and make spontaneous decisions about visiting one site or another. The Barcelona Express Card, primarily focused on public transport, is ideal for tourists who need to use the subway, bus, or tram regularly. It can also be the perfect complement to the Barcelona Explorer Pass or the Barcelona All Inclusive Pass, especially for travelers needing to make a transfer from the airport.

That's all for this guide to Barcelona passes! I hope I have helped you in your decision, but if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask us in the comments Moreover, if you are unsure about when to go to Barcelona, I also have dedicated guides for each season, with examples like Barcelona in June or Barcelona in December if you're interested And if you're still looking for accommodation where to stay in Barcelona, feel free to read my other dedicated article!