Barcelona Helicopter Flights

Have you been to Gaudi's city several times and you think you know it all? Is this your first time on the shores of the Mediterranean? In both cases, a helicopter ride is a worthwhile experience.

Flying over the statue of Columbus, the Olympic port and the Sagrada Familia is one of the things to see and do in Barcelona.

This is the simplest, cheapest and easiest option to do. However, this does not mean that it is not worth doing. Normally, these tours start at the coastline of the city.

In fact, the heliport is located near the port. If you don't know how to get there, I recommend you to read the post that explains how to get around Barcelona.

Although it may not seem long, 6 minutes are enough to get a different perspective. The gyrocopter flies north along the coast, flying over the Barceloneta neighborhood and the Olympic Port where the iconic Mapfre Tower and Hotel Arts stand. When it reaches the height of Diagonal and the Besòs river, the helicopter starts its way back.

• Price: between 70 € and 80 €.
• Duration: 6 minutes flight
• Company:

The second option takes twice as long and is usually done only during the weekend. The initial route is the same: after leaving the heliport you will follow the coastline to the city limits.

At the Forum, the pilot turns west to fly over the Eixample and then back to the port. During the flight you will see the following points:

• World Trade Center business park and Maremagnum shopping center.
• Columbus statue and the Las Ramblas axis
• The Barcelonetaneighborhood
• The Port Olímpic area built for the 1992 Olympic Games. From above the twin skyscrapers and Frank Gehry's "Peix", a golden sculpture on the promenade.
• Parc del Fórum, a very large area that brings together spaces and facilities. Here there is a large photovoltaic panel, a bathing area, a huge square where events are held and the Forum Building that houses the Museum of Natural Sciences.
• Agbar Tower, the city's most emblematic skyscraper.
• Sagrada Familia, one of Gaudi's finest works in Barcelona. Its silhouette is even more impressive from the heights.
• Camp Nou, the home of the blaugrana. If you want to enter the Barça stadium, I recommend you to read the post about the Camp Nou Experience.
• Olympic Ring, another area that saw the light for the 1992 Olympic Games. It brings together the Lluís Companys Stadium, the iconic Calatrava Tower, the Palau Sant Jordi event venue and other buildings.

Since you'll be staying in the air longer, you'll appreciate the Eixample grid. This neighborhood was conceived by Ildefons Cerdà; the engineer designed a grid of octagonal blocks whose buildings could enjoy natural light. It was a great urban transformation that allowed the development of the city. From above you can appreciate its magnitude.

• Price: between 120 € and 150 €.
• Duration: 12 minutes flight

This combo pack can be a good idea if you are visiting the city with friends and you feel like doing something different. It is an alternative option to the tourist buses in Barcelona that allows you to tour the city in comfort. Due to size issues, the cars can not go into the old town but the tour does not suffer from this factor.

As usual, the tour takes place aboard a Hummer Limousine, a vehicle with an elongated chassis that can carry 9 passengers. Inside there is plenty of room: you just have to sit down and enjoy the ride with a few sips of champagne or other beverage. Each limousine has a Hi-Fi system and, in some cases, a light show.

After the ride you will be able to see Barcelona from another point of view, this time from the air. The chauffeur will take you to the heliport located a short distance from the port. Once you take off, the route follows the same path as the previous point: the coastline, the Eixample and the mountain of Montjuïc. Sometimes you can opt for the shorter route.

• Price: approximately 500 €.
• Duration: 12 minutes flight + 1 hour in limousine

This last option will take you to the most famous massif in Catalonia. It is a classic day trip from Barcelona, especially on weekends.

Locals and tourists alike come here to see the evocative rock formations and the Monastery of Santa Maria de Montserrat, which houses the famous Virgin of the Moreneta.

With a helicopter ride you will not see the splendid interiors of the church, but you will be able to delight yourself with the extraordinary panorama of this natural site. Year after year, the mountains of Montserrat have been shaped by the combined action of wind and rain; the result is a landscape of sculpted rocks immersed in a Mediterranean scrubland of holm oaks, oaks and pines.

Before reaching Montserrat, the gyroplane flies over the main buildings and points of interest of the Catalan capital: the coastline, Torre Agbar, Sagrada Familia, Tibidabo mountain, Camp Nou, etc.

As usual, if you visit Barcelona in summer you can choose between the morning or afternoon shift.

• Price: around 350 €.
• Duration: between 35 and 50 minutes

Yes, you have nothing to worry about. First of all, Spain applies very strict aerial regulations. The flight over the big cities of our country is very controlled. Secondly, the pilots are experienced and the helicopters are of recent manufacture.

As a plus, before flying any route, the pilot gives a briefing on the rules of gyroplane flight and some safety issues.

Yes, usually the maximum weight allowed is between 100 kg and 200 kg. Please note that, generally, the total weight of all passengers should not exceed 240 kg or 250 kg.

This is for safety reasons, operating above the maximum weight limit adversely affects the performance of the helicopter.

Of course they do! If they are not afraid of heights, flying over the city becomes a real feat that the little ones usually love. As usual, if the baby is under one year old, he/she can sit on mom or dad's lap.

Generally, after the age of 2, you will have to pay for their seat and the ticket price is usually the same as that of an adult.

If you are interested in other children's activities, I recommend you to read the post with the 10 things to do in Barcelona with kids.

Sorry, this option is not usually available. The overwhelming majority of helicopter rides are in gyroplanes with 6 seats: two passengers in the front and four in the back.

Before takeoff, the pilot will arrange each member of the group according to their weight. It is important to keep the helicopter balanced. In any case, I recommend that you tell the pilot your preferences. If possible, he will be happy to comply with your wishes.

It is useless to deny it, both at takeoff and during flight, the noise is consistent. Modern gyroplanes are much quieter than their ancestors and yet the spinning of the blades is anything but silent.

Don't worry, before taking off in flight you will be given a headset that has a double function: to reduce noise pollution and to transmit the pilot's communications.

In case of heavy rains, wind gusts or any other unexpected natural phenomena, the helicopter ride will be cancelled.

At this point you will have two options: accept an alternative date or a refund. Every day, the pilots consult the weather forecast to ensure a safe flight.

Before boarding the gyroplane it is necessary to identify yourself. To take a tour you must bring the following documents:

• DNI (or equivalent document in the case of non-Spanish citizens).
• NIE (accompanied by the national identity card)
• Passport (if applicable)