Barcelona in a Day: Private Full-Day Highlights Walking Tour

Work in progress The Sagrada Familia is a huge Christian church dedicated to the Holy Family in Barcelona. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010, and consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI himself in an elaborate ceremony - despite the fact that it is still unfinished.  Building began in the 1880s and has been carried out intermittently since, as its construction relied heavily on private donations and was also interrupted by various cultural and political events throughout the years; a couple of inconvenient world wars and the Spanish Civil War were chief among the disturbances.  Great heights The lead architect on the project was Antoni Gaudí, who combined the drama of Gothic and Byzantine architecture with the fluidity of Art Nouveau in his ambitious designs. The result is an otherworldly Basilica that looks like a hybrid of Christian cathedral and fairytale palace. The three façades, representing the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ, are peopled by extraordinary angular figures. Its eighteen lofty towers represent the Twelve Apostles, the Virgin Mary, the Four Evangelists, and, tallest of all, a central tower dedicated to Jesus Christ. Their hierarchy and symbolism emphasise elevation towards God; expressive form is married to divine function. While Gaudí wished to make an impact on the Barcelona skyline, he believed that the work of man should never supercede the work of God - so despite an impressive 172.5m, the building is just shy of the height of Montjuïc, the highest point in the municipality of Barcelona. Gaudí took his time over the building - stating that his client, God, was in no rush - and left it roughly 25% complete on his death in 1926. It is now not expected to be finished until 2026, which would total 144 years of construction. Since 2010 the nave of the church has been available for use in religious services, though visitors today will probably still see cranes and scaffolding around the outer façade of the huge Basilica. The Sagrada Familia has a remarkable story, and will only increase in grandeur over the coming years: it is truly an extraordinary sight.

Güell and Modernisme Park Güell is named after the local businessman and great patron of Catalan arts who commissioned it, Eusebi Güell. Güell wanted to create a stylish modern estate for wealthy families of Barcelona, and for its eccentric and beautiful design he hired his friend Antoni Gaudí. The location he had chosen was the best around, with gorgeous views of the sea and the Barcelona Plain, and the plans were carefully made to take full advantage of the site. The park’s design was born out of the Modernisme movement in the 1860s. This was a uniquely Catalonian aesthetic project that rejuvenated Barcelona, marrying the continental innovation of art nouveau to deep-rooted cultural foundations. Gaudí incorporated traditional Catalan mosaic techniques into the strikingly innovative style of his plans. While the departure from traditional architectural forms appears rather alien, twisting organic shapes like the turrets in the Porter’s Lodge and the palm tree gates recall the irregular lines of the natural world. The whole park is a fantastical chimera of art, nature and Gaudí’s fertile imagination. Here be dragons The Park's pinnacles and gardens are teeming with colourful detail. The remarkable Dragon Staircase is decorated with goblins, the Catalan crest, and the iconic salamander - known fondly as ‘El Drac’ - which has become the emblem of the park. This huge double stairway is flanked by two tall crenelated terraces with grottoes beneath, and leads to the Hypostyle Room. This is an amazing Greek-inspired chamber supported by 84 Doric columns; in an architectonic masterstroke, Gaudí hits the the straight lines and symmetrical precision of Greek architecture with a typically cartoonish, psychedelic slant. Atop the Hypostyle Room and partly set into the surrounding rock is the Plaça de la Natura (Nature Square), a large open plaza offering a stunning view over the city, and decorated with further beautiful mosaics. From the square an iron door leads through a portico to Güell’s old mansion, which is now a school. An abandoned housing plot has become the Austria Gardens, named for the trees donated by that country in the 1970s. Its lush greenery echoes the Park’s thoughtful incorporation into the environment: Gaudí worked around the carob and olive trees already growing on the site, and carefully chose additional species to thrive in the Mediterranean climate, also installing an ingenious irrigation system that prevents the land’s erosion. Gaudí lived for some time in his own home on the estate, and this is now the Gaudí Museum.  The Park didn’t remain private for long, and housing development was stopped in 1914. The area was initially let for public events such as Catalan sardana dancing, before quickly becoming a popular local attraction; in 1984 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This spectacular place remains an essential part of any visit to Barcelona.

La PedreraCasa Milà was commissioned by the extravagant businessman and socialite Pere Milà and his wealthy wife Roser Segimon. It is also known as ‘La Pedrera’ - an ironic reference to its undulating façade’s likeness to a stone quarry. Construction was carried out between 1906 and 1910, and was architecturally groundbreaking. The building lacks load-bearing walls, being supported instead by a system of columns, girders and vaults, and features unusual twisting wrought iron balconies on its self-supporting façade. Due to its architectural and artistic significance Casa Milà was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.A tragic weekCasa Milà was intended as a showy urban residence, with extra apartments for rent. Gaudí, a devout Catholic, also included heavy Christian symbolism in his design. He had an excerpt from the Rosary placed on a cornice of the building and planned to add a religious statue of Our Lady of the Rosary and the two archangels, Michael and Gabriel. After the Semana Tragica of 1909, which saw a week of violent anticlericalism, Milà decided that these statues should not be included - perhaps fearing that such religious imagery could lead to the house being attacked as a convent or church. This left Gaudí on the verge of quitting the whole project, but he was persuaded to continue work by a priest. Even on completion, the building was not without controversy. Many local homeowners became angry with Milà and stopped greeting him in the street, arguing that his odd construction would lower the land values in the area. Roser Segimon also reportedly complained that there were no straight walls against which to place her Steinway piano - Gaudí responded that she should take up the violin instead.Twists and turnsAfter Gaudí's death in 1926, Roser Segimon got rid of most of the furniture that he had designed for the house and covered over elements of his designs with new Louis XVI style decorations. She sold off the building six years after the death of her husband in 1940, and it eventually fell into disrepair. A vigorous project of restoration was carried out in the late 1980s, during which some of Gaudí’s hidden original designs were uncovered, and the building was reopened to the public in 1990. The house is formed of two buildings joined around a pair of courtyards, allowing light into all nine floors; unusually, the building’s exterior shape is reflected in its interior. The spirals and angular shapes of the chimneys, fans and skylights on the roof, while they are decorative, all also serve important architectural purposes. The interior décor features painted walls with colourful mythological scenes and sea motifs on the floors, and the attic has a stunning Catalan vault ceiling. Casa Milà is one of the crowning achievements of Gaudi’s Modernist project. A wonderfully realised vision of his Naturalist and geometrical interests, his hand is in every detail, from the structure and façade to its furniture and accessories, resulting in a remarkably liveable work of art.

House of Bones Casa Batlló was commissioned by Josep Batlló i Casanovas, a wealthy textile industrialist who greatly admired Gaudí’s vision in Park Güell. Unlike Casa Milà, it is a redesign of a preexisting building rather than an original construction; but like all of Gaudí’s work, Casa Batlló is stunningly innovative in its design and displays the dreamlike quality that makes him stand out as the foremost artist of Catalan Modernism. Never happy to settle for a conventional look, Gaudí had the building’s original external walls reworked to give an undulating façade. This frontage was then decorated with sparkling polychrome glass, as well as Gaudí’s trademark Catalan ceramic mosaic tiles. The magic reaches right up to the iridescent roof, which resembles the scaled back of a dragon and changes hue in the light depending on the angle it is viewed from. Even the cast-iron balcony railings are fantastical, resembling a gallery of dramatic masks. The vivid design and play of light and colour combine to give the building an overall impression of brightness and joy - although the local name for the building is Casa dels Ossos (House of Bones), in reference to its skeletal, organic qualities. Light entertainment The building’s interior has something of a submarine feel, and is a stunning display of Gaudí’s mastery of natural light. The house contains an incredible variety of stained glass throughout, modulating the building’s colours according to the viewer’s position. A huge skylight sits atop a central well; the well is decorated in Byzantine cut tiles that are darker blue towards the top and lighter towards the bottom, creating the illusion of even distribution of light, and its windows also progressively shrink as you climb higher.  In 2002, as part of the celebration of the International Year of Gaudí, the newly renovated house was opened to the public. It was made a UNESCO World Heritage site soon after in 2005. Visitors to Casa Batlló today can still admire its gorgeous and surprisingly ergonomic design, with new details to discover in almost every room. It is a marvel of form and function, and another jewel in the crown of the Catalan capital.

Sanctuary in the centreOccupying the area between La Rambla, Via Laietana, the Seafront and the Ronda de Sant Pere, the Barri Gòtic is the heart of the old city of Barcelona. Many of the buildings in this area date from the Middle Ages, and some even go back as far as the rule of the Roman Empire: the ruins of the Temple of Augustus are on view, and the remains of a Roman wall can still be seen dotted around the district. What makes the district particularly special is that it is almost entirely pedestrianised. Only service vehicles like ambulances and taxis are allowed in this historic area, so you can leave the noisy traffic of the modern city behind. Gothic geeseWithin the quarter you will find many of Barcelona’s oldest and most intriguing churches. A highlight is the 14th century Catalan-Gothic Santa Maria del Pi, which boasts beautiful high pointed Gothic arches as well as the flying buttresses so notable in this style of architecture. Also worth a visit is the stunning Cathedral of St. Eulalia, which features an incredible range of gargoyles and a rather special cloister, the Font de les Oques, in which thirteen white geese are kept. In addition to churches, the Gothic Quarter holds some beautiful city squares: the Plaça Sant Jaume is the administrative centre of the whole of the Catalan area, and is home to the Palace of the Generalitat de Catalunya and City Hall. And the lack of cars doesn’t mean the district is completely quiet: the nearby Plaça Reial is a favourite spot for tourists, with superb restaurants and buzzing nightclubs.

Humble beginningsLa Rambla (or Las Ramblas) is the major artery of Barcelona. It is the most popular street in the city among both tourists and locals, and buzzes with atmosphere day and night. Beloved Spanish poet Federico García Lorca once called it ‘the only street in the world which I wish would never end.’ La Rambla makes for a pleasant walk; it is lined with lush plane trees from its starting point at Plaça de Catalunya in the city centre all the way to the Christopher Columbus monument on the seafront. It borders two of the city’s most historic neighbourhoods, the Gothic Quarter to the east and El Raval near the port. The pathway which La Rambla follows was originally a sewerage bed designed to take drainage and rainwater down from the Collserola hills, and also formed a barrier between the old walled city and the smaller settlements in El Raval. In the late 14th and early 15th centuries the old city expanded to incorporate La Rambla and El Raval into its borders, and by 1440 the stream was diverted to run outside the new city walls, leaving the track free for development. Soon it had become the thriving centre of city life with markets and festivals being held here, as well as the site of a number of religious institutions. The first trees were planted in 1703. Barcelona old and newThe pattern of the modern La Rambla’s rippled paving stones hints at the street’s origins as a rainwater channel. Stroll down La Rambla today and you will see plenty of cafés, restaurants and bars where you can sip Sangria into the late hours, as well as numerous clothes shops and kiosks selling trinkets and souvenirs; on Rambla de Sant Josep there is a lovely flower market. There are also dozens of artists and street performers (many of them human statues) plying their trade. It should be noted that the southern end of La Rambla is its seedier side, and becomes something of a red light district at night. Notable buildings include the austere Bethlehem church, which is the only remnant of the prominent Jesuit College which existed here during the Renaissance; Barcelona’s prestigious opera house the Gran Teatre del Liceu and the ancient Teatre Principal are also both located on La Rambla. It is home too to various museums, like the Centre d’Art Santa Mònica for contemporary art and the Palau de la Virreina, a striking Baroque palace which hosts short-term art shows and public events. Despite its more garish tourist attractions, the beautiful and vibrant La Rambla has endured as a cultural centre in Barcelona. Look out for the huge 1971 circular mosaic by Joan Mirò near the Liceu, and the Font de Canaletes, a 19th century fountain designed around a Victorian lamppost: according to tradition, whoever drinks from the fountain will return to the city.

Square built for the 1929 International Exposition

A trendy neighbourhood with interesting bars, restaurants and stylish boutiques.

Montjüic is an emblematic hill in Barcelona, Spain