When planning a trip, most people usually budget depending on the cost of the plane tickets and accommodation, but very few think about the many other costs of travelling, for example attraction entry costs, local transportation, eating out, or even buying souvenirs. Of course there are many ways to save, and you can start by taking a look at what previous travellers in Barcelona advise on the subject as well as this article on saving tips while travelling to Barcelona.
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Of course, one appealing way to save is through a discount card. Each card offers its own set of exclusive discounts and depending whether you use them to your full potential or not, you may end up losing out. So, which one of the two biggest discount cards then, is the one that you should choose? That depends.
BarcelonaCard
This tourist card offers discounts and sometimes even free admission across a wide range of services, which include transportation, museums, restaurants, shops, and various places of entertainment. The price depends on the number of days that you plan on using it . The options include a card for 2, 3, 4, or 5 days, priced at €33.50, €42.30, €50.40, and €55.80 respectively.
What Does it Include?
- Transport: Including metro, bus, trains (including the train to the airport) and trams. In comparison, a single trip on a T-10 ticket will cost around €1. There also discounts on the city cable car, Rocafort Shopping Village Express Coach, and renting bicycles and scooters.
- 17 free museums. Discounts in another 24 which range from 5% to 40%.
- Discounts ranging from 10% up to 30% on city tours.
- Discounts from 20% on various leisure centres, points of interest, and theme parks.For example 30% off at Aqua Urban Spa and fre entry to the Circuit of Catalonia.
- Discounts from 20% on various Opera and Flamenco shows and two nightlife locales.
- Discounts from 15% on shopping at 3 stores and 10% off at Roca Village.
- Discounts from 15% at 14 restaurants.
- Map of the city
You can consult the offers in more detail at the BarcelonaCard website.
So Does it Save You Money?
If you make a plan before hand to tackle most of the places on offer then yes, you'll be saving money in the end as there are lots of museums and places of interest on offer, and it's handy if you're going to be using public transport a lot. It's not so great with regards to restaurants and shops, as the selection is more limited. The general conclusion though is that if you plan ahead and you were going to visit most of the places on offer anyway, definitely go for it.
ArtTicket
ArtTicket Barcelona offers entry to 6 museums for €30 and is valid for 3 months. The museums included are the CCCB, Antoni Tàpies Foundation, Joan Miró Foundation, MACBA, National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC) and Picasso Museum.
So Does it Save You Money?
These are the biggest name museums in the city and most people visit at least 3 during their visit. Calculating the price of all the standard entries, you can save up to €26. You'll need to visit at least 3 to see some value in buying the ticket though, for example visit MNAC, Picasso Museum, and the Joan Miró Foundation and you'll save €4. If that's something you were planning anyway, it's worth the purchase, even if it's only €4 saving per person.
- The Best: You have up to 3 months to visit the most popular museums in Barcelona, so there is hardly any planning necessary.
- The Worst: A limited selection of museums on offer and all of a very similar theme. Apart from MNAC, the rest mainly focus on modern art, so it's only relevant to people who like this style.
Excursions in Barcelona
To make the most of Barcelona and fill your trip with unforgettable experiences and emotions, we offer you the excursions through the Catalan capital organized by our friends - the GetYourGuide team. Choose your excursion and fall in love with Barcelona:
Conclusion
Before you buy either card, keep in mind the following:
- What to you really want to see? If the places aren't on the lists, then it won't save you money...
- How much time do you have? If you have little time then maybe you won't be able to visit all of the places.
- How much would it cost you without a discount? If it doesn't cost much without a discount anyway, a 40% discount doesn't mean much. But if you're visiting particularly expensive locations then yes, by all means get one.
What about you? Do you know of any other discount cards on offer? Which ones do you recommend for saving in Barcelona? Leave you comments, opinions, and experiences.
