Tour

Sunday, 13 June 2010

Come to the core of the city, to where it all started 2000 years ago, discover the elegant and inspiring Catalan Gothic architecture, enjoy its charming corners and squares hidden away down ancient narrow streets. From the Romans to the present day, the inhabitants have left their imprint on these stones, and the story is there for the reading. And you needn’t waste time queuing at museums; your licensed guide will take you straight in.

08:00 a.m.  Meet the guide at Hotel Lobby (Grand Marina Hotel)

08:30 a.m.  Depart for Hotel Tryp Apolo and pass the following:

World Trade Center (Pey): > This interesting building shaped like a ship, is the new passenger terminal for cruise ships and includes a hotel and offices. 

Columbus Monument: > Between La Rambla and the sea beside the medieval Drassanes, which houses the Maritime Museum, the Columbus column was built to commemorate Columbus’ return from America to the city of Barcelona where he was met by the Catholic Kings.

Port: > We will show you the seafront of the Old Port, which has been converted, into a popular city port near the city centre. There are many attractions such as the Aquarium, Imax cinema, restaurants, nightclubs and shops.

El Llamàntol (lobster) (Mariscal) and the Cap de Barcelona (Head of Barcelona) (R. Liechtenstein): > The city is an open air sculpture museum.

Peix (Fish) (Frank O. Ghery): >  Made of copper, it shimmers brightly in the sun. 

The Gothic Quarter and the Rambla

08:45 a.m.  Board coaches at the Hotel Tryp Apolo and depart for the following sites:

Plaça Catalunya and the Rambla: > are right in the city centre; the Rambla is a boulevard known around the world. Pure Mediterranean in nature, it leads visitors down to the sea through a variety of contrasts: old-style shops, ultramodern cafes, landmark buildings like the Liceu Opera House, and, in the centre of the boulevard, there are, street artists, newspaper, flower, and bird stalls, etc.

Boqueria Market: > Barcelona’s most popular and exotic market, it dates back to the 12th Century when farmers started to sell fruit and vegetables in the Pla de L’Os. Later, in the 16th Century, the first flower stalls appeared. Open from 8 to 8, the market sells quality fresh produce from around the world.

Plaça Reial (Royal Square) Lamp posts: > Inspired by neoclassic French urban architecture, in the centre of the colonnaded square is the Fountain of the Three Graces and the 2 lamp posts designed by Gaudí.

Carrer Ferran: > This was one of the main commercial centres in the 19th Century. There are no street trees and the lamp posts hang from the buildings so there is nothing to block the view of the shop windows.

Plaça del Pi: > Charming square with a beautiful gothic church, Santa Maria del Pi, with a 10m diameter rose window. Notice the sgraffito (patterns) on the façades of the houses.

Carrer Petritxol: > One of the narrowest streets in the city, it is full of art galleries and cafes where you can have a “suïs” (hot chocolate topped with cream). The ceramic tiles depict historical events that have happened in this street.

Plaça Sant Jaume: > Historically, the city’s two major Roman roads, the Cardo and the Decumanus crossed here. This square is the centre of the city’s political activity with the City Hall facing the Palau de la Generalitat, the seat of the Autonomous Catalan Government. 

Plaça del Rei (King’s Square): > Right in the centre of Barcelona we find the Gothic Quarter, a medieval marvel, which includes:  the Look Out of King Martí, a rectangular tower, 5 floors high which was built for King Martí the Humane in 1555; Santa Àgata’s chapel (15th Century), built for Bertran de Riquer, and the Saló del Tinell (medieval hall) (1359-1362), built for King Pere the Ceremonious.  The hall is large (35 metres long by 17 wide and 12 high) and was used to receive ambassadors and hold banquets. It is said that the Catholic Kings, Isabel and Ferran, received Columbus here on his return from America. 

Plaça Sant Felip Neri: > One of the city’s most beautiful squares, away from the tourist circuit, it is framed by the baroque church Sant Felip Neri, and the façades of the houses of the shoe makers’ guild (now the shoe museum) and the boiler makers’ guild (now a public school). 

Cathedral: > Gothic cathedral with 3 naves, built on top of an early Christian basilica (4th Century). Started in the 13th Century and finished 6 centuries later, the Sant Iu door marks the oldest part and the façade, the newest.   Take note of the chapels and the 15th Century cloister guarded by geese.

We recommend visiting the Cathedral between 8 am and 12 am and 5 pm and 7 pm on a working day, if no celebration prevents it.

The vision and genius of the famous architect, Antoni Gaudí, home to nearly all his buildings, a privileged place in the annals of the history of art. Be guided around his buildings and learn of the double-edged genius, aesthetic and technical, of his extraordinary imagination. Enter his world of fantasy and geometry. Don’t leave Barcelona without truly understanding some of his more exceptional works.

Passeig de Gràcia: > One of the main boulevards of the city, this is the street for luxury and design shops. There are several modernist buildings, the most exceptional being: 

Casa Batlló, façade: > This colourful jewel of Antoni Gaudí’s is not only original, it is beautiful; the originality and creativity of form has earned it the nicknames “the house of bones” or “dragon house”.

La Pedrera (the Quarry), façade: > This residential building was built by Gaudí for the Milà family and finished in 1911. Its sculptured form has made it a reference piece and it has been declared World Heritage by UNESCO. In the attic there is an exhibition called Espai Gaudí which has models and technical explanations of his buildings.  One apartment has been restored and fully furnished in its original style, an example of how the well-to-do lived at the beginning of the 20th century. The roof terrace with its famous chimney stacks can also be visited.

Sagrada Familia (exterior): > Unfinished temple of the genius architect Antoni Gaudí, who dedicated the latter part of his life to this work, synthesis of his overall conception of architecture. The richness of detail and its significance need explaining in order to appreciate this fascinating and extraordinary building in full.

Olympic Port Stop: > Hotel Arts (Bruce Graham) > One of the tallest buildings in the city, it has 44 floors. Centre de Meteorology (Álvaro de Siza) > Abraham Centre (Benedetti), shaped like a fish.

13:00    Buffet Lunch at Olympic Port

Montjuic Hill 
Jutting up 600ft above the harbour, Montjuïc has outstanding views over the city and port. Twice remodelled, first for the International Exposition in 1929 and later for the Olympic Games in 1992 this mountain-park has many exceptional sites to visit: the CULTURAL highlights include the finest collection of Romanesque art in Europe housed in the National Museum of Art of Catalonia (MNAC), the art gallery and cultural centre Caixaforum, housed in a Modernist textile factory, Miess Van der Rohe’s German Pavillion as well as the Spanish Village, the Greek Theatre and many other museums; the SPORTS attractions are found at the Olympic Ring with the Olympic Stadium, Sant Jordi Sports Pavillion and the Picornell swimming pools. All this is set among thematic parks and gardens, including the Botanic Gardens, and crowned by Montjuic Castle at the very top.

The National Museum of Art of Catalonia (MNAC): > Built as the Spanish pavilion in the Exhibition, it now houses 1000 years of Catalan art including one of the most important collections of Romanesque painting in the world. The gothic collection is also exceptional, and recently the modern art collection has been moved here. The oval room is spectacular.   

The German Pavilion (Miess Van der Rohe): > Reconstruction of the original by the last director of the Bauhaus. After the 1929 Exhibition it was dismantled and sent to Berlin. It is the Mecca of all architects visiting Barcelona and a fine example of avant-garde architecture.

Picornell Swimming Pools: > Remodelled for the Olympic Games, they are open well into the night in the summer. 

Stadium: > Nerve centre of the 1992 Olympic Games and where the games were opened, it is now the home ground of the other football team of the city, Espanyol.

Sant Jordi Sports Pavilion: > built by the Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, the Olympic gymnastic trials were held here, we will walk through the square from where we’ll see:

Mirador de l’Alcalde (the Mayor’s Lookout): > This balcony over the Mediterranean has a monument dedicated to the Sardana, a typical Catalan dance.  

Miró Foundation: > This interesting building was designed by the architect Josep Lluis Sert, a friend of Miró’s.   Opened in 1975, it has a permanent collection of Miro’s art in its many different facets as well as temporary contemporary exhibitions.

Spanish Village guided tour: > Built for the 1929 Exhibition, you can see replicas of streets, squares, monuments and buildings from around the country and get to know some of the traditional crafts.

05:00 p.m. Arrive back to Hotels

HOW TO BOOK A TOUR
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PAYMENT

• Shortly after booking your tour, an invoice will be emailed to the email address you provided during the registration process
• Payment should be made no later than 31st May 2010.
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