The mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, and other city government representatives accompanied a group of 24 TibiClub members at the opening of Tibidabo’s star attraction this season
Merlí lifts visitors 500 metres above sea level so they can enjoy some of the best views of Barcelona before experiencing free fall
This year, in addition to this major new ride, Parc d’Atraccions del Tibidabo also has other new attractions, cementing its place as a leisure area that has something for visitors of all ages
From today, Tibidabo has a new star attraction. On Saturday, the Park opened the Merlí Drop Tower, this season’s eagerly awaited new ride, which is sure to become one of Tibidabo’s star attractions. A group of 24 TibiClub members accompanied Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni and other city government representatives as they became the first people to be raised 500 metres above sea level and enjoy the best views of Barcelona for a few seconds, before experiencing free fall.
Merlí is 52 metres tall, and its design is inspired by a magic wand. During its ascent, the ride stops and turns, giving visitors a 360º view of Barcelona, before finishing its climb and then entering free fall.
Merlí is Tibidabo’s main new attraction this 2024 season, during which the park hopes to exceed 700,000 visitors and 22,500 Tibiclub member households.
Mayor Jaume Collboni stated that he was “absolutely thrilled” and that the new attraction’s views and free fall were truly impressive. He also noted that this is a new feature in a 125-year-old park, a leading family leisure venue that “strives to create new attractions for all families” and for everyone who is staying in Barcelona during the summer. “We’re working to keep offering new attractions”, he said.
The highlight of a year of new attractions
The opening of Merlí is one of Tibidabo’s major accomplishments in 2024. By mid-July, nearly 300,000 people had already visited the amusement park, a figure which is similar to 2023.
In addition to the new drop tower, Tibidabo is also presenting many other new features, aimed at all types of audiences. The amusement park kicked off its 2023 season by opening Espai 666, a new horror experience where visitors have the chance to meet the best-known characters from Hotel 666 and take photos with them.
The educational projects for children include Lego Education’s new CreaTibi, in collaboration with Abacus Educació, which promotes careers in science among children.
The Park has also introduced new features for its summer season. In addition to new shows, such as the puppet show ‘Marionetes amb Samfaina’ at the Marionetarium, and the screening of new 4D films at the Dididado cinema, the Laser Show will also be back this August. This is a night-time experience that closes out Tibidabo’s summer nights, combining lights, colours and music, with Barcelona as a backdrop.
Tibidabo has also improved the visitor experience with the upcoming opening of two new food hubs, located at the Panoramic Area, under the Avió, and next to Espai 666.
More than an amusement park
In addition to its offer of leisure activities, Tibidabo is also striving to become more than an amusement park, with projects that strengthen its commitment to sustainability, good causes and education.
In terms of the environment, the Glow Worm, now the main form of transport for reaching the top of Tibidabo, with a total of over 900,000 journeys a year, has become a leading international example of sustainable collective mobility. Furthermore, in 2023 the park was awarded the Biosphere Certificate, which recognises its commitment to fostering a responsible, sustainable tourism model that cares for the environment and the social return on its activities.
It contributes to good causes through various projects, including its initiatives with Unicef to support children’s rights around the world and its twenty-some annual awareness-raising events in collaboration with organisations such as Aprenem Autisme, Educo and Fanoc, among others.
As for its educational programme, Tibidabo’s annual schedule includes key events, such as Fisidabo, held in collaboration with the UPC, to promote scientific and technical careers at all educational levels. It has also recently announced a partnership with the Sant Pau Research Institute to promote research with a gender perspective and raises awareness about the important role of women in science.
