Gaudi & Modern Barcelona

In Barcelona, we concentrate on two main walking tours

the Gothic Tour and the Modern city Gaudi Tour.

It’s best to do both of these tours over the course of two days. We recommend joining us shortly after arrival, as they give a great introductory overview of the city. They will leave you understanding Barcelona and its people better, allowing you to fully absorb and appreciate its winding streets and very unusual architecture during the rest of your time here. These are both private tours, with just you and the guide. Most times, our guides, who are mostly Irish, can meet you at your apartment/hotel. For prices please email us [email protected]

get a feeling for the city

Most visitors to Barcelona stay in or around the Gothic Quarter. And for good reason! This is the heart of old, historic Barcelona. A walk through the Gothic Quarter will take you from the very founding of the city, through tumultuous centuries of history, changes and local customs. History is literally written in the walls here, and the stories of Barcelona’s development range from tragic to shocking, from funny to downright weird! As you meander through its narrow streets and hidden squares, you will begin to build a much deeper understanding of what Barcelona is and how its people think. It’s a great first tour, as it gives an overview of Barcelona from its pumping, medieval heart and builds out from there. It’s a small quarter but packed to the brim with history, culture, legends and stories.

history, food and fun

Our guide can meet you in the Gothic Quarter (or at a prearranged meeting point) and take you on a 2.5-3 hour walking tour through the old city, explaining its history and customs along the way. Food and festivals are a big part of Spanish culture and your guide will recommend restaurants and cafes throughout your walk, explaining about local cuisine and customs and keeping you updated on any festivals or local festivities that might be worth checking out while you’re in the city. The idea is to get a solid overview of the city, through its stories, history, customs…and a bit of fun!

what to expect

Here is a taste of some of the places we visit on the Gothic Quarter Tour

– Plaça del Rei

– Roman columns

– Courtyard of the Royal Palace

– Barcelona Cathedral

– The Roman walls / Picasso frieze

– Casa de l’Ardiaca (Barcelona’s Municipal Archive)

– Plaça Sang Felip Neri

– El Call (Jewish Quarter) – limited to small groups

– Plaça del Pi (and church of Sant Maria del Pi)

– Plaça Reial

– Plaça George Orwell

– Calle Avinyo (where Picasso went to university)

– Plaça Sant Jaume (political centre of the city)

– El Born

– Church of Sant Maria del Mar

– Fossar de les Moreres (The siege of 1714 and the fight for independence)

– Calle de les Dames

– The Born Cultural Centre (ruins of the battle of 1714)

Catalan modernisme

Modernisme/Gaudí tour route.

For an artistic movement that only lasted 30 years, Catalan Modernism has had one hell of an impact! This tour explains the strange buildings that are the colourful face of modern Barcelona. All that broken ceramic tile, forged iron, the unusual façades..where does it all come from and why was it put up? This tour explains what was happening in the city to allow for this burst of creative expression and colour. It takes you from the city up into the new part, so you can physically walk the changes yourself. On the way, you will see the gorgeous Palau de la Musica, learn how to “read” a modernist building and drop by the bar where Picasso had his first ever exhibition. You will walk up Passeig de Gracia and discover who Antoni Gaudí was, and how he fitted into this artistic movement. You will see the most famous Modernist buildings of Barcelona and end your walk at the Sagrada Familia, the crowning glory of Barcelona. Your guide will explain Gaudí’s strange and wondrous masterpiece in full detail, again teaching you how to read it, so that you can really understand and appreciate fully what you’re looking at. Please note, this tour explains the Sagrada Familia from the outside only, as you need a bit of physical distance to be able to make out the detail of the façades properly. If you would like to go into the church after the tour, we advise booking your entrance in advance to coordinate with the end of the tour (we can help arrange this for you). Your guide can then accompany you to the entrance and leave you at the door.