Barcelona Walking Tours
Discovering the city step by step…
By Duncan Rhodes 
Discover the stories, legends and secrets of the Catalan capital in the company of an expert guide. We reveal some of the best guided, private and free walking tours available to travellers.
You can’t see the whole of Barcelona on a walking tour – major sights like Camp Nou, Gaudi’s Park Guell and the Olympic Ring on Montjuic are scattered in different corners of the city – but there’s an undeniable allure to exploring the Catalan capital on foot.
Apart from practical considerations (cheap, environmentally friendly, no traffic jams!), when you select the stroll option you get to feel a genuine communion with the city streets, that’s simply not possible on an open-top bus for example.
Exploring the hidden corners of the Old Town
The slow pace of a pedestrian tour enables you to really take in the minute details that unfold on every alleyway: and, as well as having plenty of time to take in the history, legends and stories that your guide recounts, your retinas will be treated to a kaleidoscope of everyday sights (some quite bizarre!), whilst your nose will sample the tangy flavours of everything from seafood at La Boqueria market to the occasional whiff of marijuana smoked by Barcelona’s resident perro flautas (literally ‘dog-flutes’, or ‘hippies’).
Private, Small Group or ‘Free’ Tour?
Visitors coming to Barcelona are spoiled for choice when it comes to walks on offer: depending on your needs you might want to consider taking a private walking tour. This usually means the guide is willing to cater the tour to your tastes, plus of course you get the guide to yourself, which is great if you want to ask a lot of questions and have a more interactive experience.
The more common option however is to join a small group excursion offered by one of the established tour companies in town. This obviously has the benefit of being more economical, but still with the intimacy and manoeuvrability of a smaller group.
If you are on a really tight budget there are even free walking tours you can join! Ok, they are not really free, in as much as you are expected to tip your guide €10-20 per person…. but the final amount is left to your discretion. While such tours usually are decent in quality, do bear in mind that you will likely be part of a very large group.
Aside from considering the pros and cons of private, small group or ‘free’ tours, travellers should keep their eyes peeled for companies offering walks with specific themes – which might include Gaudi, Picasso, tapas, photography or even craft beer!
As with all things in life you normally get what you pay for, and we suggest you look out for professional licensed guides who know their artists from the Ebro, and who can tell you everything from the history of Barcelona’s guilds to the impact of the 1992 Olympic Games on the city.
We’ve rounded up some of our favourite options below, all available in the English language…
The 5 Best Barcelona Walking Tours
Right, time to slip on your most comfortable pair of clogs and step this way…
1. Gaudi Tour (with Tickets to Casa Batllo)
There’s really no better way to understand Barcelona than through the prism of Gaudi’s architecture, and who better than to accompany you on this journey of discovery than one of Context Travel‘s expert guides. Over 80% of their guides have an MA or PHD in related fields, so if you want a really in-depth and scholarly look at the city (no urban legends posing as facts!), then take a look at their offer. Their number 1 tour includes tickets to Casa Batllo, arguably Gaudi’s most eye-catching mansion. Best of all its location on the so-called Block of Discord enables curious travellers to examine all three of Barcelona’s greatest architects of the Catalan Renaissance on one city block, as well as another of Gaudi’s greats (the Casa Mila) across the road. Runs daily at 9:30am and costs 191 USD per person (tickets included), max. 8 people. Also available as a private tour.
2. Sagrada Familia & Hospital Sant Pau Tour
Another fantastic small group walking tour by Context Travel, this 3 hour experience takes you to Barcelona’s number 1, unmissable attraction, La Sagrada Familia, as well as the stunning Modernista masterpiece that is Hospital Sant Pau. If ever you needed a guide when exploring a building its in the Sagrada Familia, where every square inch of the exterior and interior is packed with symbolism and hidden meanings. Meanwhile, you will get a more holistic overview of Barcelona’s architecture at Hospital Sant Pau, which was designed by Domenech i Montaner, the father of the Catalan Renaissance and Gaudi’s teacher and peer. The activity runs most days at 10am, but best to book in advance as the tour includes tickets to both venues, which the organisers need to reserve. Also available as a private tour.
3. Gothic Quarter Walking Tour (2 hrs)
Run by the official Barcelona Tourism board no less, this tour gets you in several places other tours can’t reach! Such as the Salo Tinell, the usually ticketed grand Gothic hall where Queen Isabel received Christopher Colombus after his trip to the Americas, a pivotal moment in world history. You’ll also visit the Gothic Cathedral and its cloister of 13 geese, and see parts of the Roman remains of this ancient city. As you would expect from the tourist board, the guides are extremely knowledgeable. Runs every day at 10am, and great value at just €25 per person. You can check the reviews and book on Get Your Guide, which offers free cancellation if you have to change your plans.
4. Ghosts & Legends Tour (Evenings)
If you want to explore the city, but dry historical facts aren’t really your thing, then lean into the legends, ghost stories and rich swashbuckling tales of Barcelona on this entertaining evening tour. The narrow back streets of the El Gotico are the perfect place to learn about the darker side of the city, and the tour starts and ends at a traveller’s pub, giving a social aspect to the activity. Just 1.5 hours long, and starting at 7:30pm, by 9pm you will be enjoying a beer! Available on Get Your Guide.
5. Free Walking Tours
Opinions vary on the free walking tours phenomenon and whether they are good for the travel industry, as guides are not licensed and are ’employed’ on a tipping basis only, while the free nature of the tours can attract crowds that make the city less liveable for locals. For travellers they represent a pretty great deal however, as one can sign up for a tour and pay what they feel is fair at the end of the experience. The guides survive on their wits, and so expect an engaging personality, while the quality of the information is higher than you might expect. The best platform to book a free tour is probably Guru Walks, as they agglomerate the many operators under one website.
More Walking Tour Companies
Walking Planets
A specialist in on-the-ground exploration, Walking Planets was set up to introduce tourists to some of Barcelona’s less-visited districts, such as the fascinating and ever-so-slightly-sleazy El Raval. Hippies and hipsters share this vibrant zone with immigrants from Asia and East Europe, and if you’re looking for something a little different hop onto Planet Raval! Walking Planets also offer atypical tours of El Born, El Gotic and more…
www.walkingplanets.com
Other Types of Tours
If your legs are aching simply when reading this, then check our article on all Barcelona tours where comfortable coaches and cars will get you to all the sights. Whilst more athletic travellers can read up on the best bike tours in Barcelona (where electric bikes are also an option in some cases).
Foodie’s should definitely check out our article on gourmet experiences, whilst winos should visit our page on wine tasting in and around the city.