Barcelona half-day highlights tour

If you have only little time to discover the many faces of this multi-faceted city, we recommend this tour. You will savor all the different experiences that cosmopolitan Barcelona has to offer. The tour operator will pick you up at your accommodations and take you by private transportation on a tour of Barcelona´s most distinctive places.First, admire Barcelona’s skyline from Montjuïc Mountain. Here you will see the Mirador de l'Alcalde, a terrace that offers the most spectacular view over Barcelona´s cityscape and the Old Quarter. From this dazzling view, you will be able to sense the past and the present come together. On this same mountain, you will explore venues dating back to the 1992 Olympics such as the remodeled Olympic Stadium, from 1929 and the Palau Sant Jordi, built by Arata Isozaki. You will also witness urban planning and architecture designed for the International Exposition of 1929, such as the Plaça Espanya, inspired by St. Peter's Square in the Vatican, the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc, the Barcelona Pavilion or the National Palace.Afterwards, you’ll descend the mountain to reach the waterfront, which is situated on the Mediterranean Sea. From there we’ll drive to the brand new World Trade Center, the Gothic Drassanes and Columbus Monument near the signature promenade of Barcelona, La Rambla and ending at Port Vell (the Old Port).From the port, you’ll continue walking up Via Laietana, to the left of wich spreads the Old Town. We will stop at the grand Cathedral Square to admire the magnificent Gothic Cathedral with its Gothic Revival façade. You will also have the opportunity to peek into some beautiful hidden corners of the Roman and medieval city. You will be able to admire the remains of the Roman times, followed by the impressive Jewish Quarter and the well-conserved Gothic Quarter, known throughout the world. After visiting the Old Town, the stark contrasts of Barcelona will be displayed on the street with the most distinctive Catalan architecture, Passeig de Grácia.Here you will find some of the most striking façades of private modernist buildings, among them Antoni Gaudí´s masterpieces, like La Pedrera. Next, we arrive at the Apple of Discord, a city block which includes Gaudí’s Casa Batlló, along with the Casa Lleó - Morera and Casa Ametller.The last stop of the tour is the Eixample district, laid out by Ildefons Cerdà as an extension of the Old Town, for the orderly growth of the city. We’ll drive through the neatly arranged streets to reach an area which boasts the Hospital de Sant Pau. Afterwards, we admire Gaudí’s masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia. Even if you’ve seen photos,your first live experience in front of this huge, beautiful building will leave you speechless.