Free tour

Barcelona Renaissance: a free tour of Modernism and Gaudí

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Barcelona

Duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes

Languages:

Guru: Luca

PRO

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Registered on 25 August 2021

To guru (verb) = dispeller of darkness, bringer of knowledge, meaning, light What a great year; I have introduced my city to about 2800 walkers from all over the world. Now it is time to recharge and find new challenges. Traveling is the key 🔑 See you all in 2025! ______________________________________ This is a one man band, every single walk is run by me. No surprises, no cheating, no umbrellas. I have a degree in history and english literature. English has been my main working language for 25 years. I have lived and run tours for more than 20 years in Italy, London, Berlin and Barcelona. The Berlin Wall, the six wives of Henry VIII, Michelangelo and Gaudi have no secrets for me. I have also traveled extensively throughout Spain and the world so I am bringing a unique perspective of this wonderful planet and this enchanting city. And last but not the least I do also have a healthy addiction to books that feeds a truly compelling and passionate storytelling ** profile pic: sunrise at Angkor Wat, Cambodia 🇰🇭

Free booking and cancellation

Pay-what-you-wish tour, no set price, booking and cancellation are free

Tour description

The end of the XIX and the beginning of the XX century is an extremely significant period for the city of Barcelona. An unparalleled economic growth, feed by huge profits made in the Spanish colonies of America, is changing the “Condal” city landscape.
An early industrial revolution places Barcelona at the helm of Spanish economy. A new “romantic” cultural movement called Renaixença inspired by the Catalan traditions, history and language, produces a huge artistic output that would have its pivotal expression in the work of three genial architects: Louís Domènec i Montaner, Josep Puig i Cadafalch and Antoni Gaudí.

The tour will be divided in two parts: in the first hour, we will be visiting the Passeig the Gracia, the most luxurious and sophisticated street in the catalan Capital. We will learn about life in the city at the turn of the last century and will unravel all the secrets of the most amazing houses of the so called block of the discord.
Then, after a short metro ride, we will marvel at one of the most amazing work of art ever produced, the majestic and breathtaking “basilica de la Sagrada Familia”.
This outstanding (but still unfinished) masterpiece is a bible in stone, a song of eternal prise sculptured in the rock.
Groundbreaking in its design and rich of hidden symbolism, it offers to million visitors every year a unique spiritual and emotional experience.

This Modernism tour is essential to better appreciate those artistic works and also to have a better understanding of what is Barcelona and Catalonia today.

NB: In order to reach the Sagrada Familia, we will be taking a quick Metro journey. Make sure you have a ticket or let us know whether you need one at the start of the tour.

Itinerary:

Plaça Catalunya
The Eixample
The panots of Barcelona. The street tiles.
Modernism and Renaixença
Passeig de Gracia
Casa Antoni Rocamona
Las Farolas bancos del Paseo de Gracia
The legend of the bat
El National
Boutique Rolex, former Bar Torino
Casa Maladriga
La Manzana della Discordia
Casa Lele Moreira
Casa Amatller
Casa Battlò
Casa Millà “La Pedrera”
Casa Ramon Casas
La Sagrada Familia

Highlights

What will we see on this tour?

Meeting point:

Pl. de Catalunya, 4, 08002 Barcelona, Spain

At the Sculpture The Goddess (La deesa) Pl. de Catalunya, 4, 08002 Barcelona. Across the street from Primark.

How much does this tour cost?

Free tours don't have a set price, instead, each person gives the guru at the end the amount they consider appropriate (amounts usually range from €10 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).