You have probably noticed them already. The many rickshaws in the city centre of Barcelona. They drive tourists from one place to another, giving tours and providing the tourists with information of the city. However, the rickshaw business is hard. Nowadays over 80% of the rickshaws you see on the streets in Barcelona is illegal and the legal cyclers are struggling. Six years ago you could find around 50 rickshaw tours in the city. Now, in 2019, there are over 1200 rickshaws ready to drive tourists around.

Aron Marcel Teixeira founder of Rickshaw Riders Barcelona is one of the most experienced rickshaw tour guides in Barcelona. He started his business six years ago. His rickshaw is more than just a bike. Wi-Fi, access to Spotify, music on the way, and power banks to recharge your devices. This “bike” has more luxury and class to it than the average flight agency that flies you from Amsterdam to Barcelona. It even has a blanket to keep you warm during the tour on cold winter days.

During our tour Aron tells me everything about tourism in Barcelona and how it is changing every year. Aron is struggling, he is one of the few riders who is providing tours legally and the government does nothings about the fact that 80% is illegal, which is very frustrating for Aron and his colleagues.

Aron has been living in Barcelona since 2011 but he visited Barcelona for the first time in 2009. “I was a professional skateboarder. I came to Barcelona because this place it the Mecca of street skateboarding.” Skateboarding was Aron’s top priority, he made a living of his hobby traveling the world to skateboard. Because of different injuries Aron stopped skateboarding. Even though skateboarding was his top priority, he studied graphic design and worked as a video editor for a few companies.

In March 2016 Rickshaw Riders Barcelona was born. “Other times back then, only 50 rickshaws in the city, having fun with the tourists.” Barcelona is an amazing city with a lot of different activities for tourists. This city will always be a nice place for a city-trip or a longer vacation however we do feel that the independency situation, even though its calm right now, is an influence on the tourists.

If I ask Aron what he likes about his job he tells me that he loves to talk and he loves to talk to the tourists. “They come from all over the world, Australia, Canada, The States, China but most of them are from Europe.” Aron likes to show them the city and to tell them about the buildings, history, architecture, food and other interesting things. Rickshaw Riders offers tourists different tours with different highlights but tourists can also decide where they want to go.

Minicards Barcelona and Rickshaw Riders have recently joined their forces. Tourists can find Minicards in the Rickshaw and use them right away.

If you want to explore Barcelona in a different and original way and see and feel the vibe of Barcelona definitely book a tour at Rickshaw Riders Barcelona. WhatsApp: 664896690 / www.rickshawriders.com

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