Tour Details
- Duration
- 3 hrs
- Product Type
- Tour
- Venues
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- Barcelona Cathedral
- El Call (Medieval Jewish Quarter)
- El Born
- La Rambla
- La Boqueria
Photos & Highlights
- Trace Barcelona’s evolution by visiting famous sites from its Roman, medieval, and modern history
- A private tour for you and your party, led by an expert specializing in Spanish and Barcelonian history
Select a date
Tour Description
You’ll begin in the very heart of the Gothic Quarter: the beautiful Plaza Nova. Located in front of an old Roman city gate, you’ll start your discovery of Barcelona with a focus on Roman city planning and architecture. Next, you’ll head to the awe-inspiring main Cathedral to admire it exteriorly and use this late Gothic masterpiece as a backdrop for discussing the medieval evolution of Barcelona.
Your adventure through the enchanting cobblestoned streets will take you into El Call, the Jewish neighborhood established in the Middle Ages. Here you’ll learn about the vacillating periods of relative religious freedom and periods of intolerance that have marked Catalan and Spanish history.
Next, you’ll wander through the El Born area, characterized by narrow medieval streets that nowadays are home to many boutiques and cafes. Continuing past La Boqueria, Barcelona’s main market, you will emerge onto the city’s most famous street, known as Las Ramblas, the perfect setting to discuss the modern development of the city in the 18th and 19th centuries. You will leave the tour with a better understanding of all of Barcelona’s many layers, from a Roman outpost to a bustling medieval city, to a modern international metropolis.
This three-hour introductory tour takes you to the heart of Barcelona. Led by a local with expertise in Spanish and Barcelonian history, this tour was designed to introduce the complex and beautiful city to first-time visitors. Our walk through the Barri Gótic, or Gothic Quarter is the perfect place to uncover the many layers of Barcelona’s past.
Experts
- You want to learn about the history of Barcelona's most historic neighborhood and see sites like Plaza Nova, the old Roman city gate, La Boqueria, Las Ramblas, and more.
- If you want to explore La Boqueria more deeply, we recommend our Barcelona Food Tour
- If you’re traveling with children under the age of 12, we recommend our shorter Gothic Quarter for Kids tour, which is led by experts specially trained in educating children.
Resources
- Browse our Context Stories to learn even more about what to do during your trip to Barcelona.
Wheelchair accessibility
- The route may include narrow sidewalks and cobblestoned streets; please contact us to discuss in more detail your mobility concerns so that we can best advise. We are always happy to discuss possible adjustments for visitors with mobility concerns.
- If you have mobility concerns, please contact us to discuss the best tour option for you.
For more information about Context Tours, please visit our FAQs.
Do we enter the Boqueria Mercado on this tour?
As an introduction tour, you will not visit the interior of the market on this tour. If you'd like to enter for a more immersive market experience, we recommend the Barcelona Food Tour.
Will this tour enter the Barcelona Cathedral?
As an introduction tour, you will not visit the interior of the market on this tour. If you'd like to enter for a more immersive market experience, we recommend the Barcelona Food Tour.
Will this tour enter the Barcelona Cathedral?
The visit to the Cathedral is exterior only. Entering and visiting interiorly is possible upon request but at the guide's and clients' discretion.
What is the difference between a Small Group and a Private Tour?
Context Travel offers both Private and Small Group Tours. Private tours are booked between your party and a local expert, where you'll be given a private tour of the venue. Small Groups are similar to what you might associate with a typical "walking tour." Capped at a maximum of six per group, you'll be joined by other travelers who have purchased the same tour and tour the venue as a group.
Both offer the same Context experience — an incredibly unique, deep dive into a place or subject led by a world-class expert in their field showing you the highlights of iconic venues alongside hidden gems and surprising stories.
What is the difference between a Small Group and a Private Tour?
Context Travel offers both Private and Small Group Tours. Private tours are booked between your party and a local expert, where you'll be given a private tour of the venue. Small Groups are similar to what you might associate with a typical "walking tour." Capped at a maximum of six per group, you'll be joined by other travelers who have purchased the same tour and tour the venue as a group.
Both offer the same Context experience — an incredibly unique, deep dive into a place or subject led by a world-class expert in their field showing you the highlights of iconic venues alongside hidden gems and surprising stories.
Book with confidence — see Context's flexible cancellation policy here.
Where You'll Start
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544 Reviews
Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.
We only had time for a short visit in Barcelona and wanted an overview of the city on our first day there so we would be sure to see as much as possible. Our tour with Marco provided that! While we covered a lot of ground, Marco's relaxed and easy-going manner never made us feel rushed or overwhelmed with seeing so much in such a short time. And he was quite knowledgeable about the city, its place in history and modern culture, and the best gelato!
Lisa
Nov 19, 2024
We had a great morning with Zaida. She shared many cultural anecdotes that went beyond a standard tour.
John
Nov 12, 2024
Manfredi was just wonderful. So full of knowledge! Clearly he loves what he does as he does it so well, another wonderful context tour in the books. Looking forward to our tour tomorrow .
Diane
Nov 7, 2024
