This tour is also available as
a Private Tour.
They say Barcelona was founded by either mythological Hercules or Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca, father of Hannibal, one of the greatest military commanders of all times. So much the legends, the truth is that the city was a political center of the Catalan region for at least 2000 years since the Romans built their city there. Walking around the Barri Gotic, the Gothic Quarter you still see old walls and the grid of streets typical for Roman cities. An excellent harbour and a beautiful setting made Barcelona develop fast. The Old Town bears traces of all the powers that ruled it through the ages: the Romans, the Visigoths, the Moors and the Aragones. The concept of the city changed at the turn of the 19th and 20th century when Barcelona went through rapid urban development, architectural remodeling and became a center of a fascinating architectural style called Catalan modernism known around the world because of the works of the ingenious Antoni Gaudi. Standing against Francisco Franco Barcelona was devastated and severely punished. It was here, living opposite Franco, that George Orwell wrote his memoirs “Homage to Catalonia.” The development of the city was accelerated by the organization of the 1992 Summer Olympics (the Barcelona effect!). Today it is one of the most popular cities in the world combining rich history, culture, amazing works of artists like Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró and all the joys of the Mediterranean coast.
Walk with us through the labyrinth of small, winding streets and tranquil plazas of the Barcelona Old Town to discover its fascinating history, culture, dining and drinking scene. Take a chance to see the residence of Aragonese kings, seat of the Catalan government, ancient churches and palaces as well as one of the oldest synagogues in Europe. The Old Town went through some substantial restoration works in the late 19th and early 20th century and from a humble district changed into a major tourist destination. Hence, next to original Roman and medieval structures you will see some modern and neo-Gothic ones, like the beautiful Bishop’s Bridge or the facade of Barcelona Cathedral. All forming a unique and charming mix waiting there to be admired!
During this 2 hour free walking tour we will see and discover:
This tour is organized in cooperation with our local partner, Barkeno Tours!
Thank you for choosing Walkative & Barkeno Tours! If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Santiago was a great tour guide with a lot of interesting facts and a fine humour.
Great info about the history. It’s a shame we didn’t get much info about places to eat/ drink and must sees in this beautiful city. Our tour guide was visible annoyed at members in our group for taking too long and it really ruined the vibe of the tour. The head pieces were a great idea but all we constantly heard about was how if we lose one he pays and he did head counts every 2 seconds. Felt like we were on a school trip and not adults. Jarrod knew a lot about the history which was great
Our tour guide, Daniel, was super engaging and funny. It made the experience a lot better.
Really great tour, Daniel our guide was just perfect. Funny and super friendly, he showed us really nicely around and actually learned quite a few things about the old city through the tour. Definitely recommend it
James was an excellent guide: he showed us special parts of Riga related to Latvia’s 20th century (dark) history, but also lightened the mood with personal anecdotes. Interesting points on history politics and recent changes in Latvian society. Would definitely go again!
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