If you're planning to make the most of your time in Barcelona and visit as many sights as possible, consider buying one of the discount cards. There are several, some of them really worthwhile, others not so worthwhile.

Here is a short review and comparison of discount tourist cards in Barcelona.

We always recommend buying the card online at the official website of the Barcelona Tourist Board , bcnshop.barcelonaturisme.com.

Barcelona Card - the bargain card for tourists

The main official city card, the Barcelona Card, will provide the best service for tourists.

It automatically includes all public transport in Barcelona (metro, buses, trains, trams, the Paral-lel funicular, the Vallvidrera funicular including the metro to the airport) and free admission to selected monuments and museums.

As one of the few city cards in the world, this means that admission to some sights is actually fully included in the price of the card, not just discounted. Entry to some monuments is discounted. The Sagrada Familia, for example, is not covered by the Barcelona Card.

What are the prices of the Barcelona Card?

• 72 hours - 51,30 eur Online (57 eur on site)
• 96 hours - 60,30 eur online (67 eur on site)
• 120 hours - 71,10 eur online (79 eur on site)

Where to buy and pick up a Barcelona Card?

When you buy online, you will receive a code in your email which you must use to physically pick up the card when you arrive in Barcelona.

Only buy the card on the official website bcnshop.barcelonaturisme.com.

You must physically pick up your Barcelona Card at one of the locations listed here.

Where does the Barcelona Card apply?

With the card you have access to all public transport (except for some cable cars such as the Montjuïc cable car, the Aeri del Port or the Cuca de Llum cable car).

You also have free access to the following sights and attractions:

• Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona - CCCB
• Centre Martorell d'Exposicions
• Fundació Antoni Tàpies
• Fundació Miró Barcelona (Miró Museum)
• Moco Museum
• Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona - MACBA
• Museum of National Art of Catalonia
• Picasso Museum
• El Born Centre de Cultura i Memòria
• MUHBA: El Call, History Museum of Barcelona, Via Sepulcral
• Ethnologic and World Culture Museum, Montcada and Parc de Montjuïc
• Frederic Marès Museum
• Pedralbes Monastery
• CaixaForum
• Barcelona's Botanical Gardens
• Natural Science Museum of Barcelona
• Science Museum CosmoCaixa
• Music Museum
• Chocolate Museum
• Egyptian Museum of Barcelona
• Joan Antoni Samaranch Olympic Museum

You can get discounts when you enter the following attractions, for example:

• Casa Batlló - discount 7 eur
• Casa Milá (La Pedrera) - discount 1 eur
• Casa Vicens - 20% discount
• Colonia Güell Crypt - 20% discount
• View of Torre Glories - 20 % discount
• Palau Güell - 25 % discount
• Poble Espanyol - 25 % discount
• Sant Pau Hospital - 20 % discount
• and many other museums

Detailed information can be found on this website: bcnshop.barcelonaturisme.com.

When is the card worth it?

If you travel a lot by public transport (at least 4-5 journeys a day), you need to visit at least 3-4 participating monuments per day to make the card worthwhile compared to a regular public transport ticket.

Hola Barcelona Travel Card

This card does not offer any discounts to monuments or museums, but it does offer unlimited travel within Zone 1 (all of Barcelona including the airport) on all public transport (metro, buses, trains, trams, Paral-lel cable car, Vallvidrera cable car including the metro to the airport).

As with the Barcelona Card, you can get a 10% discount when you visit the official website: holabarcelona.com/tickets/hola-bcn-barcelona-travel-card.

Price list

• 48-hour Hola Card
  • 16,29 eur Online
  • 18,10 eur in the vending machine
• 72-hour Hola Card
  • 23,67 eur online
  • 26,30 eur in a machine
• 96-hour Hola Card
  • 30,96 eur online
  • 34,40 eur in a vending machine
• 120-hour Hola Card
  • 37,89 eur online
  • 42,10 eur in a vending machine

Where to buy and collect the Hola Barcelona Card?

When you buy online, you will receive a code in your email that requires you to physically pick up the card when you arrive in Barcelona.

You can pick up the card at any ticket machine in all metro or public train stations.

If you buy your Hola Barcelona ticket online at a 10% discount, select the "Online Collection" option from the machine, enter the number under the barcode and collect your ticket.

Barcelona Pass

The Barcelona City Pass gets a lot of online publicity, but it's only good for those who want to ride tourist buses a lot and don't want to deal with buying tickets. The price of this card is not worth it at all.

It includes 24 hours of unlimited Hop-on Hop-off tourist bus rides, one ride on the cable car over the harbour and admission to only 2 sights:

• Sagrada Familia
• Park Güell.

The total cost of the Barcelona Pass is 94 eur with the option to choose to visit individual attractions over multiple days.