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Viator Exclusive: Barcelona Architecture Small-Group Walking Tour
3 h
Small Group
By walk
About this activity
When you book this Viator Exclusive, you get to choose a 2.5-hour morning tour of Barcelona's old city or a 2.5-hour afternoon tour of its innovative waterfront. Alternatively, you can opt for an 7.5-hour full-day tour, combining the morning and afternoon tour, that includes a 2-hour break for lunch (own expense). All options start when you meet your expert guide, a specialist in architecture, in central Barcelona.
Morning Tour (Old City, 2.5 hours):
Meet your guide and walk to La Boqueria, Barcelona’s oldest food market. Inspect its Modernist design before delving into the charming Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter) to admire the cathedral of La Seu, medieval townhouses, and the old Jewish neighborhood. Along the way, learn all about the architectural styles you see from your knowledgeable guide.
Refresh with a drink (own expense) during a break, then visit Santa Caterina Market to view its wavy, tiled roof. Next stroll to the lower ground floor of Picasso Museum, a beautiful public gallery housed in a former medieval palace. Continue to the 14th-century Church of Santa Maria del Mar, dedicated to Barcelona’s seafarers, to marvel at its intricate Gothic stonework. Finish at the restored El Born Centre Cultural, a cast-iron marketplace built in the 1800s, to view medieval ruins discovered during its restoration. Your tour ends here, when you say goodbye to your guide.
Afternoon Tour (Coast, 2.5 hours):
Meet your guide near El Born Centre Cultural and explore the marketplace, admiring the medieval ruins unearthed during its restoration. Next, admire the elaborate foyer of Barcelona França train station before heading to Barcelona’s waterfront. View the Palau del Mar, a series of former harborside warehouses, and explore the History Museum of Catalonia to see its restored lobby and magnificent views from its roof terrace. Continue to the old fisherman's quarter of La Barceloneta and pass its marketplace and beachfront before heading for Barcelona’s new waterfront.
Hear how the area was built for the 1992 Olympics and see its contemporary buildings. Then, wander into the vibrant Port Olímpic area. Gaze at the Mapfre and Hotel Arts skyscrapers towering over the marina and admire the Golden Fish, the iconic, shimmering artwork created by sculptor Frank Gehry. Your tour then concludes at the Hotel Arts after this 3-Km walk.
Full-Day Tour (City and Coast, 7.5 hours):
If you’re keen to see both the modern and medieval sides of Barcelona, then upgrade! Book the full-day tour and enjoy the morning and afternoon tour together, with a 2-hour break for lunch (own expense). You’ll follow the same route as described for both tours; the morning tour ends at the afternoon’s start point.
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Morning Tour (Old City, 2.5 hours):
Meet your guide and walk to La Boqueria, Barcelona’s oldest food market. Inspect its Modernist design before delving into the charming Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter) to admire the cathedral of La Seu, medieval townhouses, and the old Jewish neighborhood. Along the way, learn all about the architectural styles you see from your knowledgeable guide.
Refresh with a drink (own expense) during a break, then visit Santa Caterina Market to view its wavy, tiled roof. Next stroll to the lower ground floor of Picasso Museum, a beautiful public gallery housed in a former medieval palace. Continue to the 14th-century Church of Santa Maria del Mar, dedicated to Barcelona’s seafarers, to marvel at its intricate Gothic stonework. Finish at the restored El Born Centre Cultural, a cast-iron marketplace built in the 1800s, to view medieval ruins discovered during its restoration. Your tour ends here, when you say goodbye to your guide.
Afternoon Tour (Coast, 2.5 hours):
Meet your guide near El Born Centre Cultural and explore the marketplace, admiring the medieval ruins unearthed during its restoration. Next, admire the elaborate foyer of Barcelona França train station before heading to Barcelona’s waterfront. View the Palau del Mar, a series of former harborside warehouses, and explore the History Museum of Catalonia to see its restored lobby and magnificent views from its roof terrace. Continue to the old fisherman's quarter of La Barceloneta and pass its marketplace and beachfront before heading for Barcelona’s new waterfront.
Hear how the area was built for the 1992 Olympics and see its contemporary buildings. Then, wander into the vibrant Port Olímpic area. Gaze at the Mapfre and Hotel Arts skyscrapers towering over the marina and admire the Golden Fish, the iconic, shimmering artwork created by sculptor Frank Gehry. Your tour then concludes at the Hotel Arts after this 3-Km walk.
Full-Day Tour (City and Coast, 7.5 hours):
If you’re keen to see both the modern and medieval sides of Barcelona, then upgrade! Book the full-day tour and enjoy the morning and afternoon tour together, with a 2-hour break for lunch (own expense). You’ll follow the same route as described for both tours; the morning tour ends at the afternoon’s start point.
Included
- Architecture-specialist guide
Not included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
Additional
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 2 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Please wear comfortable shoes
Features
Tourism
90%
Cultural
70%
Sport
15%
Reviews
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NO FUE LO ESPERADO.
I hesitate to give it even one star. A negative star would be more appropriate. If you want to do this tour - check who your guide will be. Otherwise it can be two hours in Barcelona you will never get back. The woman that met us for the tour was clearly not a tour guide. She did not speak much English, did not tell us anything about the subject - architecture and took us to the free exhibit to read the labels. Then she took us to the terrace of a restaurant, where the host was looking at us in surprise: imagine some random people just walking around the restaurant to enjoy the view without even a cup of coffee! We felt uncomfortable. That was in essence the tour, the rest was purposeless walking around random streets. The worst part was that we expected a tour of Barcelona's icon - Eglesia de Santa Maria del Mar, world-known gem. This architectural tour walked right by it without mentioning a word! A bit ironic...
I booked both the morning and afternoon tours. My guide was excellent! I was sore the next day, as I am not used to walking that much. I highly recommend the morning tour, with the Roman, Gothic, Medieval, and other old buildings, as the interesting sites are all nearby and worth seeing. The afternoon tour is more modern, there are fewer sites to see, they are farther apart, and I wouldn't mind having skipped that tour. Nothing wrong with the guide or the tour agency, just my preference.
My wife and I did this tour on our first day in Barcelona and while it was interesting, it simply didn't live up to the same standard as most of our other tours in Spain. If you truly are an architecture buff, then perhaps this would be a different story, but because the modern architecture lacks the rich history and artistic elements that make the architecture in the Gothic Quarter so spectacular. If we had this one to do over, we'd probably have skipped it, but I think the other gentleman in our tour group would say exactly the opposite.
It was excelent. A very good overview of changes in the port area. Not just an architecture review but also an historical review. It helped me to understand that architecture in Barcelona goes way beyond Gaudi.