Barcelona Card or Hola Barcelona: the difference is museums
Both include exactly the same transport, airport included. The Barcelona Card adds 23 free museums and costs 27,16 € more over three days. The whole decision fits in one question: are you going into museums?
| Hola Barcelona 72 h | Barcelona Card 72 h | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 25,94 € | 53,10 € |
| Unlimited transport | Yes | Yes |
| Airport metro | Yes | Yes |
| Free museums | No | 23 |
| Attraction discounts | No | Over 70 |
| Aerobus | No | No |
How many museums it takes
The gap is 27,16 €. Across the included museums whose individual price we can verify, average admission is around 11,18 €. In other words: about 3 visits covers the difference, and everything after that is profit.
Two visits in three days is an ordinary pace if the MNAC, the Picasso or the Miró Foundation appeal to you. If your plan is Gaudí and the beach, you will probably not set foot in any of them — and then you are paying 27,16 € for nothing.
What the Barcelona Card does not include, which surprises people.
Sagrada Família, Casa Batlló, Park Güell and La Pedrera are not free with the Barcelona Card. Those are the four visits most people want and none is included. What it covers is municipal museums: MNAC, Picasso, MACBA, CosmoCaixa, Miró and the rest. If you came for Gaudí, look at Go City instead.
The Essential trap
There is a Barcelona Card Essential from 29,00 € that gives the museums without the transport. It looks like the clever option if you already have a travel card, but do the arithmetic: Essential (29,00 €) plus Hola Barcelona (25,94 €) comes to 54,94 €, more than the full Barcelona Card at 53,10 €. Buying "the cheap version" and adding transport costs more than buying the expensive one.
Decide with your own trip
Which ticket works out cheapest?
Official prices, updated 22 October 2026. We tell you what to buy — and when no pass is worth it.
See the Barcelona Card · €35.10
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Barcelona Card and the Hola Barcelona Travel Card?
The Hola Barcelona is transport only. The Barcelona Card is the same transport plus free entry to 23 museums. Over 72 hours the price gap is 27,16 €.
Which is cheaper?
The Hola Barcelona, always: 25,94 € against 53,10 € over 72 hours. The question is not which is cheaper but whether you will make at least 3 museum visits, which is where the Barcelona Card recovers the difference.
Do both include the airport?
Yes, both cover the airport metro. Neither includes the Aerobus.
Is there a Barcelona Card without transport?
Yes, the Barcelona Card Essential, from 29,00 € for 72 hours. It gives the museums but not the transport. Careful though: adding a Hola Barcelona to it costs more than the full Barcelona Card.
Is Sagrada Família included in the Barcelona Card?
No. Neither is Casa Batlló, Park Güell or La Pedrera. Those are the four visits most people want and none of them is included.
Checked 22 October 2026. Sources: Turisme de Barcelona (prices and included museums)