Review: Tibidabo

Tell me: What’s this place all about?
Hear the words “fairground on a hill,” and your instinct likely jumps to, “Um, really?” And while Tibidabo mountain is a fairground, it's also so much more. You’ll first notice it from the city center: high on a summit, the silhouette of a majestic temple makes you wonder, “What is that building?” quickly followed by, “How do I go?” Officially called the Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor (or Sacred Heart church, easier on the tongue), its roof is topped with an enormous bronze statue of Jesus that you can take an elevator to. Mind-blown (and a little breeze-blown), you suddenly see the charm of the amusement park next to it—like its retro-styled attractions, such as a Ferris wheel with color-pop seating pods, built for the views as much as the screams.

Wow. How did you feel being there?
Wowed by the spectacle of the church and the city skyline spread out, puddle-like, below.

Who comes here?
Mountain bikers love the dusty, winding route up, but access doesn’t have to involve mudguards. All entry tickets include a ride on the Tibidabo funicular railway (Cuca de Llum) to get you to and from Plaça Doctor Andreu. 

Did it meet expectations?
It’s great fun. The most iconic rides are the Avió plane that flies you, bird-like, around the site, or Talaia, a metal arm that goes 1,800 feet above sea level. Being at that height for a few minutes was once thought to have medical healing powers.

Got it. So, then, what, or who, do you think it’s best for?
Adults love the views; kids love the rides. Finish with a gin and tonic on the terrace of Mirablau Bar, near where the blue tram stops. The edge seats rule.