You have probably seen it, the weird and awkward looking vehicle called the segway. Despite its clumsy look, it is really functional and quite easy to handle. It´s a good thing to learn something new everyday, and after a quick crash course you will be on your way, touring Barcelona.
The helmets are equipped with a built in radio receiver. In hifi quality you can hear your guide share interesting stories and facts about Barcelona. This spectacular city is best experienced by foot, bike or segway to ensure you don´t just take mental pictures, but really take in the unique atmosphere of the city.
The tours are usually 2-3 hours long, and the price situation is somewhere around 60-80 Euro. In that time you usually get 15 km of guided tours. The minimum age is 10 years. The tours are usually cancelled in case of rain.
Related article: Fun ways to explore Barcelona
A “failed” invention
While it never became the hit some people expected , the segway is really functional as a vehicle for city tours. Once described as the future of transport, it failed to live up to the hype and rise to world domination. The reason is that even though it is a fairly clever invention, it failed to find a proper way to fit our everyday lives.
It is a great way to move from A to B, but it usually doesn´t fit in with our normal way of moving around in the world, and was an invention more than a solution to a problem. Problems like how to take it with you in the car, where and how to charge it, and how to park it, has limited the mainstream use. The fact that it is on the opposite side of the coolness spectrum from, lets say a Harley Davidson, probably didn´t help either..
The segway has however found itself a home in the tourist industry, frequently used in the bigger cities around the world.
In Barcelona you can choose between multiple companies that provides segway tours:
I think it’s funny that you think it failed because it didn’t fit our everyday lives. It failed because they are thousands of dollars and no one can afford them. That’s why I love taking segway tours!
Thanks for your input, and that´s a valid point. But if it would fit people´s lives and the general context better, people would probably not have too much problem spending money on it. People tend to spend quite a lot on money on more unnecessary stuff, and the price situation is never isolated from the context. But always happy to amuse. Best regards.