Park Güell is one of Barcelona’s top treasures and a must-do when visiting the city. This intimate private tour will lead you through the park’s different areas while learning about its fascinating history. Rosa, one of our local guides, says, ‘Park Güell is a feast of colours and thousands of details where shapes, columns and walls don’t follow standard patterns – Gaudí didn’t like straight lines. Seeing his work in a natural setting makes his creations even more special.’
Strolling through the park is like walking into Gaudí’s mind. Originally commissioned by Count Eusebi Güell to be a housing estate, the project fell through and Gaudí decided to finish it himself. It took 14 years to build the park. You’ll enter through a gateway flanked by Hansel and Gretel-style gingerbread houses, leading to a double staircase. It’s a real feast for the eyes, lined with chessboard walls and with palms and Doric columns sitting at the top. Walk up the stairs to meet the famous resident ‘el drac’ – a kaleidoscopic mosaicked creature that’s part of a water fountain.
Nature Square is at the heart of the park, with its meandering tiled balcony offering views of Barcelona and the Med beyond. Amble along the path fringed by palm trees and admire the twisting stone structures of the viaducts. See the house where Gaudí lived until his death – the sweet pink building that’s now a museum. Rosa says, ‘Gaudí has seven UNESCO World Sites in the city of Barcelona and Park Güell is one of his most popular ones. It’s a mesmerising fairytale park.’
