Artistic Barcelona

Barcelona, the capital of Catalan Art Nouveau, has always drawn on famous artists and architects to leave their mark on this multi-faceted city. Perhaps no artist did so as distinctly as the famous architect, Antonio Gaudi. Living in Barcelona during its modernista (art nouveau) period, he graced the city with a majority of his extraordinary and beautiful buildings. Setting out from your city center starting point on this Barcelona Catalan Art Nouveau tour, you will see the Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece. The church, built by donations and private funds, was started in 1882 and is projected to be finished around 2025. After a brief description by your guide, you will have a brief amount of free time for photos of the exterior. An interior visit is not included, as wait times to enter can be extreme.

You will then visit Parc Guell, a large garden park in which Gaudi strove to achieve the perfect integration of architectural elements in nature. Sitting on a hillside, the construction takes in the geography in a series of steps and plazas. UNESCO has declared Parc Guell an artistic monument and a human heritage site. Although there is not time to see the entire park, the most important sites are seen.

Finally, you will see two of his most emblematic works: Casa Mila, also known as "La Pedrera", and Casa Batllo, as you drive along the fashionable Passeig de Gracia.

For guests wishing to continue their Barcelona art immersion, the Picasso Museum is located near the end of the tour, which displays works by the famous painter from his blue and pink periods. You can choose to see the museum on your own after your tour. Admission to the museum and any additional transportation would be the guest's responsibility.

Please Note: Your tour departs from and returns to the Placa Catalunya area. The placa is the city center and the place where the old city (Gothic Quarter and Raval) and the 19th century-built Eixample meet. Some of the city's most important streets and avenues meet in Placa Catalunya: Passeig de Gracia, La Rambla, Portal de la Angel and Ronda Universitat.