The Barcelona in a Nutshell Tour starts with an orientation tour of the city. In Barcelona, history and traditions go hand in hand with emerging fashion and new trends in cuisine, culture and art.
Tour begins in the historic centre, visiting places such as Via Laietana, a lively street that is lined with a wide range of bars, restaurants and cafes. You will stop at the Gothic Quarter or Bari Gotic for a walking tour. This is the oldest part of Barcelona and is a labyrinth of narrow streets. Pass the Plaça Sant Jaume which contains the grand Town Hall. The walking tour concludes at the Barcelona Cathedral and its cloister.
The tour continues past the The Passeig de Colom a monument to Christopher Columbus. You will then drive along the Avinguida Meridiana where you will see many of Antoni Gaudi’s works – providing a real taster for the afternoon!
Drive to the Montjuich Mountain, the mountain and its 18th-century castle offers a panoramic view of the city and the port and on to the Olympic Village. You will take a guided tour of the Barcelona Olympic stadium (Estadi Olimpic), venue for the 1992 Olympics.
Finally, we will visit El Poble Espanyol (the Spanish Village), which was built for the 1929 International Exhibition in Barcelona. Its aim was to show visitors a representative sample of Spanish architecture. At this point in the tour of Barcelona, you have the option of lunch. If you select the lunch option you will get an opportunity to taste the famous Catalan Cava - Spanish champagne and a renowned Barcelona specialty. You will have time at leisure in the Spanish Village. And what better way to end the visit than with an aerial view of Barcelona from the cable car, which brings us from the mountain to the sea shore in 5 minutes.
Your afternoon’s Barcelona sightseeing will focus on artistic Barcelona, in particular the works of Antonio Gaudi.
You will start your Barcelona tour by travelling along the Paseo de Gracia. This is one of Barcelona’s most elegant avenues and one of the best architectural walks in the city. Two of the highlights are Casa Milà, (also known as La Pedera), an apartment complex by Antonio Gaudi which is a fine example of Modernism. Here you will also see Gaudi’s famous and colourful Casa Batlló. Casa Batlló is one of three buildings which makes up Barcelona’s so called “Block of Discord” – the name is given due to the fact that the block contains three apartment complexes, all with such unique designs that they clash with each other.
Continuing your Barcelona tour you will reach Güell Park. This beautiful public park was created by Gaudi and declared a Heritage Site by UNESCO. Guell Park contains amazing stone structures, stunning tiling and fascinating buildings and offers wonderful views over Barcelona. You will have around 30 minutes at leisure to explore the park.
Your next stop is the Sagrada Familia or Holy Family Cathedral. One of the must-see Barcelona attractions the cathedral, designed by Antonio Gaudi, it is an amazing piece of architecture that remains unfinished even after 100 years. Marvel at the expressionist artwork of the cathedral and its Nativity Façade where the theme of Christ’s birth and childhood is depicted. You will have around 30 minute to explore the grounds and take photographs, entrance to the Sagrada Familia is not included.
Leaving the Sagrada Familia you will pass Barcelona’s Monumental Bull Ring an exotic and impressive structure. The last stop of your Barcelona sightseeing tour is the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Mar. This enormous block of a church resides in the part of the gothic area that turns into El Born, and is one of the most impressive religious buildings not only in Barcelona but all of Spain.
This is the end of the tour, nearby is the Picasso Museum. A very popular option is to stay in the area and visit the museum (entrance fee not included in the tour price), otherwise you can re-board the coach and you will be taken back to the starting point.