Did you know that the Romans placed tombs on the access roads to the city? Or that the Plaza del Rei was where the nobles were executed in the medieval ages?
Would you like to walk Paseo de Gracia Avenue and discover the most beautiful Catalan Art Nouveau buildings and Gaudi’s houses?
If you like history and soaking up the atmosphere of Barcelona by walking this is your tour. We propose an exciting private walking tour of the old town and Paseo de Gracia to discover the origins of Barcelona and the most extravagant Modernist buildings. You have the option to include the guided visit in one of Gaudi’s houses; either Casa Batllo or Casa Milà/La Pedrera or Both. Or you might just want to see them from the outside.
We will start this private walking tour by discovering the Gothic Quarter; the city’s historic centre where the Romans founded the colony “Iulia Augusta Faventia Paterna Barcino between 15- and 10 years BC.
On the first part of our journey, through Barcelona’s old town, we will enter buildings that can only be accessed with a Licensed Tour Guide
We will discover the splendour of medieval Barcelona, and we will enter buildings in the old town that can only be accessed with a Licensed Tour Guide such as the Roman Cistern, The Temple of Augustus, El Palau del LLoctinent (The Viceroy’s Palace) and el Palau Reial Major (The Royal Place) which was the former residence of the kings of the Crown of Aragon. We will enter the Salo del Tinell or the Throne Hall to appreciate what Catalan Gothic civil architecture is like. In the chapel of Santa Àgata (the Royal Chapel), we will admire the altarpiece of the “Epiphany”, a masterpiece by the artist Jaume Huguet. Moreover, we will learn about the trials of the Holy Inquisition.
We will enter the Jewish Quarter or Call, which housed the largest Jewish community in Barcelona. We will talk about the epidemics that transformed our city, and we will see the traces of the Spanish Civil War.
Afterwards, we will walk to the district “La Eixample” the new expansion of the town built at the end of the 19th century when the medieval walls were demolished in 1954.
We will stroll along Paseo de Gracia Avenue, a majestic boulevard that was a showcase for Barcelona’s bourgeoisie at the turn of the 19th century. We will see Barcelona’s finest modernist buildings.
Paseo de Gracia was the place moneyed bourgeois families chose to live. They had a kind of competition to show who had the most beautiful building. They constructed imposing buildings that continue to delight everyone who passes by. These jewels of Catalonia’s home-grown art nouveau, modernisme, were created by architects of the calibre of Antoni Gaudí (La Pedrera and the Casa Batlló), Josep Puig i Cadafalch (Casa Amatller), and Lluís Domènech i Muntaner (Casa Lleó Morera), to name just three.
On the pavement we can see the organic paving stones designed by Gaudí, and along the boulevard are the streetlamps by Pere Falqués, with their white-mosaic benches. The architectural jewels stand side by side with some of Barcelona’s most prestigious shops. The avenue Paseo de Garcia is a veritable open-air museum.
In an entertaining way and with a social focus we will discover the history of Barcelona and its urban growth from the 1st century B.C. to nowadays.
Roman Walls.
The Roman Cistern.
The Cathedral (outside) To visit The Cathedral inside is optional.
The Jewish Quarter or Call.
Plaça de Sant Jaume (Roman forum).
El Palau del LLoctinent (The Viceroy’s palace).
The Royal Palace (El Palau Reial Major).
Avenue Paseo de Gracia:
Manzana de la Discordia ( Bloc of Discord).
Casa Milà/ La Pedrera by Antoni Gaudí.
You have the option to include the guided visit in one of Gaudi’s houses; either Casa Batllo or Casa Milà/La Pedrera or Both.
– Visit The Viceroy’s Palace (Palau del Lloctinent), The Royal Palace (Palau Reial Major), the Roman Cistern and the Temple of Augustus. Access to these monuments is authorized only when accompanied by a Licensed Tour Guide.
Note: The Royal Palace and the Temple of Augustus are closed on Mondays. Nevertheless, we can cover other sites, such as Las Ramblas or Santa Maria del Mar.
– Guiding services by a Licensed Local tour guide.
– Pre-booked entry tickets.
– Skip-the-line guaranteed at all sites.
-Cost of pre-purchased tickets to sites.
-This is a walking tour, but you have the option to take a taxi from the Gothic Quarter to the street Paseo de Gracia.
Yes!
Note: The Viceroy’s Palace, The Royal Palace, the Roman Cistern and the Temple of Augustus are closed on Mondays. Nevertheless, we can cover other sites, such as Las Ramblas or Santa Maria del Mar Church.
Yes, we have access to a special platform to buy skip-the-line tickets.
The building of the Architects’ Association of Catalonia (COAC) (Col·legi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya) Plaça Nova 5 (Barcelona 08002).
Yes. The tour takes place rain or shine. Your tour guide will try to find alternatives during the tour to make it more pleasant. Be prepared to discover Barcelona in the rain or on a sunny day.
In a 4-hour tour, there is no lunch stop, so as to make the most of your excursion. You might want to book an extra hour if you wish to have a break to have lunch.
Of course! We tailor the tour to your needs. We can take as many breaks as necessary and take a taxi to visit the Gaudi’s houses. Please inform us in advance so we can design the itinerary.
Absolutely! We love children! Our storytellers will adapt the information to the children.
