The Old City, Gaudí, Barceloneta and Port Olímpic (7.5 h)

In the morning, go by private vehicle to visit important spots outside the city center.

1. Plaça de Catalunya

Start off at Plaça de Catalunya, the square that marks the center of the city.

2. Passeig de Gràcia

From the vehicle, see the Modernista buildings scattered along the length of Passeig de Gràcia.

- Facade of Casa Lleó i Morera, by Lluís Domènech i Montaner

This is a large stone building decorated with numerous Modernista decorative elements that make it very impressive. 

- Facade of Casa Amatller, by Josep Puig i Cadafalch

This building has a pretty facade with floral motifs and large neo-Gothic windows. You will see that the railings on the balconies and the doors are exquisitely delicate and the building has a typical ridged roof inspired by Dutch houses. It has been declared a Historical-Artistic Monument of National Interest.

- Facade of Casa Batlló, by Gaudí

This is Gaudí’s most fantastical work, popularly known as the Carnival house. It has a captivating facade and the building is rich with fascinating architectural details. The building was declared a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.

- Facade of Casa Milà, by Gaudí

This building, commonly known as La Pedrera, has a spectacular avant-garde facade dominated by curved lines reminiscent of the swell of the sea. The building was declared a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.

3. Park Güell (visit around the park)

Visit one of the most magical spots in the city, Park Güell, where Gaudí let his imagination run wild. As well as being UNESCO World Cultural Heritage, it has also been declared a Historical-Artistic Monument of National Interest.

4. Sagrada Família (visit around the interior)

Then continue the tour with a visit inside the Sagrada Família, a symbol of the city and Gaudí’s most ambitious project, considered to be unique in the world. Part of this structure has been declared World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.

5. Barceloneta neighborhood

Continue on to Barceloneta, the home to Barcelona’s fishermen in times past, which still gives off a bohemian air making it stand out from the other districts in Barcelona. It has a charming beach and is well known for its beachfront restaurants.

6. Port Olímpic (the Olympic Marina) 

The last stop on the first part of this tour is the Olympic Marina, where apart from its leisure marina, there are also large numbers of restaurants, nightclubs, live music bars, etc.

In the second half of the day, wander through the Gothic Quarter and La Ribera neighborhood (Barcelona’s old city).

7. Pla de Palau – La Ribera neighborhood

The afternoon tour begins in what was the main square of commercial Barcelona in times past. From there, enter the neighborhood of La Ribera, one of the most important districts of medieval Barcelona, where you will be able to learn about the city’s history in the maze of narrow streets. The tour will take you to Carrer Montcada, which houses the famous Museu Picasso.

8. Santa María del Mar

Wander to the basilica of Santa María del Mar, and visit the inside. The basilica was constructed in the 14th century and became the most loved and iconic church of the city. It is considered a masterpiece of Catalan Gothic architectural style.

9. Barcelona Cathedral (inside or outside) and the facade of the Episcopal Palace

The next point on the tour is the Catedral de la Sant Creu i Santa Eulàlia, an emblematic building in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, where you will have a chance to visit the interior. You will also see a number of annexed religious buildings and part of the old city walls.

10. Plaça del Rei

This is the very heart of the Gothic Quarter. The square is the location of several of the city’s most important medieval buildings: the Palau Reial Major (royal palace), the chapel of Santa Àgata, the Palau del Lloctinent (lieutenant’s palace) and Casa Clariana Padellàs (15th century), which today is home the city’s history museum.

11. Plaça Sant Jaume (City Hall and Palau de la Generalitat)

Going further into the city’s old quarter, you’ll come to Plaça Sant Jaume, a large square where the two buildings that represent the power of the city and the region face each other: the City Hall and the Palau de la Generalitat, seat of the Catalan Regional Government.

12. Part of the old Jewish Quarter

The tour then takes you through part of the old Jewish Quarter, known as “El Call”.

13. Facade of the church of Santa María del Pi

The tour continues with the church of Santa María del Pi, a 14th-century basilica with an imposing side facade. This was the seat of some of the neighborhood’s many guilds and has one of the largest rose windows in the Gothic Quarter.

14. A walk along Las Ramblas

Then wander down Las Ramblas, the emblematic boulevard that is a melting pot for all kinds of cultures and traditions.