Barcelona in a Day with Sagrada Familia

One of Barcelona’s best-loved attractions for good reason, colourful Park Güell encapsulates everything that makes the city so special and offers the perfect introduction to the unique architectural world of Anton Gaudí. A mysterious fantasy-world of surreal shapes and vibrant colours, Park Güell was originally intended as a residential quarter for well-to-do families in the opening years of the 20th century. Instead, Gaudí’s complex confection of undulating walls of brightly-coloured tiles, tree-shaped columns and impossible architecture became a marvellous public park boasting splendid views across Barcelona. In the company of our guide you’ll discover why Gaudí’s unique visions have become synonymous with the spirit of the Catalan capital. Our privileged access to Park Güell means we’ll get to skip the lines so we don’t have to queue to enter.

The vibrant Eixample neighbourhood is an unmissable stop on any Barcelona tour. Example was born from the city’s rapid expansion in the mid-nineteenth century, and its airy modernist abodes rich in symbolism have become a symbol of modern Barcelona. Today the quarter’s grid of tree-lined boulevards host an array of boutiques, bars and restaurants that make it one of the beating hearts of the city.

But there’s a lot more to Eixample than buzzing streetlife: the quarter is also home to some of the most iconic landmarks in Barcelona along the Paseo de Gracia, a stunning tree-lined promenade studded with historic buildings. Chief amongst these masterpieces of Catalan Modernisme are the fantastical, dreamlike constructions of Antonio Gaudí, including the Casa Milà-La Pedrera and the Casa Batlló, whose undulating facades and rippling stained glass seem drawn straight from the pages of some impossible medieval fairytale. You’ll learn the fascinating story of the eccentric modern genius and his life’s work in the company of our guide as we stroll along Barcelona’s most famous boulevard.

Gaudí will take centre-stage on the next stop on our tour, the nearby Sagrada Familia. Without doubt the most iconic landmark in the Catalan capital, this truly jaw-dropping basilica is still under construction more than 140 years after Gaudí first dreamed up plans for this world-famous temple to Catalan modernism. The edifice’s dizzying array of turrets, pinnacles and spires seems equal parts organic and manmade, and on our tour of the Sagrada Familia we’ll get a deep insight into the complex philosophy that underpinned Gaudí’s architectural vision – one where humanity, nature and Christian symbolism combined to conjure stunning architectural allegories unique in the world. Welcoming over 4 million visitors each year, the Sagrada Familia is a busy place – that’s why we make sure that we have privileged priority entrance to the basilica on all our tours.

Next stop on our itinerary will see us taking a drive up Montjuic hill – the name means Jewish hill in Catalan, and for centuries this was the home of Barcelona’s Jewish community. The picturesque Montjuic neighbourhood offers fabulous views of Barcelona and the crystalline waters of the Mediterranean beyond from its hilltop perch almost 200 metres above sea level. Dominated by the imposing bulk of Montjuic castle, sweeping Parc de Montjuic is one of the city’s most popular haunts for some R+R, and with its gurgling fountains, landscaped gardens and clifftop panoramas it’s easy to see why.

On our tour of Montjuic we’ll get the chance to visit the site of the 1929 World’s Fair in the Plaza de Espana. The grandiose Palau Nacional (National Palace) ii one of the city’s most iconic landmarks, whilst the Mies van der Rohe designed German pavilion stands as one of the crucial examples of the International Style in modern architecture – a masterpiece of steel, glass and marble. Nearby, a visit to the Olympic Ring will take us back to the 1992 Games and more masterworks of modern architecture by Arata Isozaki, Santiago Calatrava and others.

The oldest part of the city, Barcelona’s atmospheric Gothic quarter is an enchanting mix of winding alleys and beautiful squares. As our tour of Barcelona continues into this historic neighbourhood, we’ll learn how the area known as El Call was Barcelona’s medieval Jewish quarter, complete with its still-standing ancient synagogue, and unravel the tragic history that took place here. In grand Plaça Reial we’ll admire the elegant street lamps that were Gaudí’s first contributions to the city, while eerie Plaça de Sant Felip Neri still bears the scars of the Spanish Civil War. The imposing columns of the 2,000 year-old temple to Augustus speak to the earliest foundations of the city, whilst a visit to Barcelona’s cathedral with its gargoyle-studded facade and Gothic interior is one of the highlights of any trip to Barcelona.