Some 50,000 people use the healthy, two-wheeled form of transport for getting around the city. By cycling, you avoid traffic jams, get fit and save money. This is precisely why the Ajuntament has recently launched a new form of public transport called Bicing. The cycling system aims to promote the use of bicycles as a greener alternative to cars. Bicycle theft can be a problem though, and some people prefer to buy second-hand bikes over new ones, as they don’t draw as much as attention.

On a professional sporting level, Spain is one of the leading cycling nations. Six of the top ten Tour de France 2007 finalists were Spanish, as was the winner, Alberto Contador. La Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (The Cycling Tour of Catalunya, www.voltacatalunya.cat), first started in 1911, and is the third oldest in the world, after the Tour de France and El Giro de Italia. ‘La Volta’ takes place every year around the end of May, followed by the national tour, Vuelta a Espana, in September. For information on cycling clubs, competitions and upcoming tours, the Federació Catalana de Ciclisme (www.ciclisme.cat) is a useful organization, and it also runs a number of one-day courses and competitions. The Centre Excursionista de Catalunya (www.cec.cat, 93 315 23 11) also organises regular cycling excursions.