Best Gothic Quarters Tours in Barcelona

The Gothic Quarter is the original core of the Catalan capital. Its origins date back to the time of Barcino, the Roman colony built during the reign of Emperor Augustus. Medieval architecture and narrow streets make up an urban fabric that has witnessed thousands of historical events.

Among the many attractions of Barcelona, the Gothic Quarter deserves a special mention. Not in every city can you appreciate the contrast between medieval architecture and contemporary bars and stores.

Walking through the Gothic Quarter is like taking a trip back in time. Its buildings and narrow stone streets form a real labyrinth and only a local guide can reveal the secrets hidden behind every wall. There are different tours and in most cases they include the following stages:

• Plaça Nova, the heart of Roman Barcelona. This space preserves some buildings of the time - two towers and what remains of an aqueduct - as well as the Casa de l'Ardiaca, the former residence of the ecclesiastical hierarchy. A few meters further on stands the Cathedral of Santa Eulàlia. During the Christmas season, this urban space hosts a traditional Christmas market.
• Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, the gem of Catalan Gothic. It was built in the 14th century, the golden age of the Crown of Aragon. It is "The Cathedral of the Sea" described by Ildefonso Falcones.
• Plaça del Rei, a charming corner. It was the center of power in the Middle Ages and its main attraction is the Palau Reial Major, the old residence of the Catalan Counts.
• Carrer de Montcada, the main axis of the Middle Ages. Here is the Picasso Museum, an art collection in the suggestive Palau Aguilar.
• Plaça de Sant Just i Pastor and its church of the same name, the oldest in the city.

Normally, a stop at a bar is included to liven up the tour. The cost of the experience includes a pincho and a drink (beer, glass of wine or soft drink). Everything else is on your own.

• Duration: between 2 and 3 hours
• Cost: between 20 € and 30 €.

This medieval neighborhood is home to some of the best wine cellars in the city. Carrer de la Mercè - a street that runs parallel to Passeig de Colom - is a traditional destination, but not the only one. This area is a labyrinth of narrow streets that hide quality bars and restaurants.

For a gastronomic tour of Barcelona it is preferable to hire a guided tour. There are several options that go through the Gothic Quarter and stop at four or five establishments. In addition to the food, at each stop you can enjoy a beer or a glass of wine, vermouth or cava.

These experiences take place both in the afternoon-evening and at noon and will give you the opportunity to eat fish, sausages, padron peppers and the bomba, the most famous tapa in Barcelona. It is a potato croquette stuffed with meat that will conquer you with its crunchy texture on the outside and juicy inside.

• Duration: more or less 3 hours
• Cost: between 80 € and 120 €.

Are you traveling to the Catalan capital on Halloween? Then you can top off your visit with a ghost tour. Like other cities in Spain, Barcelona also hosts some lost souls and some claim that the Devil himself has walked its streets.

The tour touches various parts of the city, including the Gothic Quarter, and is perfect for discovering a different side of local history. In some cases, these experiences are inspired by "Ghosts of Barcelona", a book by journalist Sylvia Lagarda Mata. In other cases, the route is designed as a series of riddles that further enliven the route.

To solve the mysteries and continue on the route, all you need is your smartphone. You won't have to use the internet connection either, as the puzzles can also be solved offline.

• Duration: between 1 and 2 hours
• Cost: between 5 € and 10 €.

In the Middle Ages Barcelona hosted the largest and most prosperous Jewish community in Spain. In Catalonia the Jewish quarters were called "Calls" and the one in the capital was located in the heart of the Gothic quarter. Nowadays it would be framed between the streets of Banys Nous, Sant Sever, Bisbe and Call and in the surroundings of the Church of Sant Jaume.

The guide will illustrate the history of the neighborhood and its people who lived here until 1492 when the Catholic Monarchs expelled the Jews from all their possessions. Their traces survive to this day and the main one is the Main Synagogue. It stands on the foundations of a Roman building and is one of the oldest in Europe. Generally, these routes include entry to the Museu D'historia de Barcelona de El Call. It was inaugurated in 2015 in order to teach the life of the Jewish community during medieval times.

• Duration: between 1 and 2 hours
• Cost: approximately 50 €.

Barcelona is wonderful and has some charming corners. The Boqueria Market, the Tibidabo Ferris wheel or Park Güell are a magnet for cameras and yet there are "instagrammable" places in every part of the city, Gothic Quarter included.

This tour will take you to the most suggestive spots of medieval Barcelona. Below you will find a snack of the most beautiful corners:

• Carrer del Bisbe, a pedestrian alley that connects Plaça Sant Jaume and the Cathedral. Its attraction is the Pont del Bisbe, an elevated walkway reminiscent of the Bridge of Sighs in Venice. Despite its Gothic style, it was built in the twenties of the last century.
• Palau de Lloctinent, the former residence of the viceroys (at least in the initial intentions). In fact, it is known for having been the headquarters of the Inquisition in Barcelona.
• Carrer de la Pietat, where time seems to have stopped. It runs behind the Cathedral and when you look up you will see gargoyles and colorful rose windows.

At all times you will be accompanied by an expert photographer who will help you take the perfect snapshots. Please note that these tours do not take place exclusively in the Gothic Quarter, they usually also touch the Born, the Vila Olímpica and the Eixample.

• Duration: between 1 and 2 hours
• Cost: between 50 € and 60 €.

This option combines a guided tour of the neighborhood and the entrance to the museum dedicated to the painter from Malaga. In the first part, the route touches the most outstanding monuments of the district: the Gothic churches of Santa Maria del Pi and Santa Maria del Mar, Carrer Montcada and its palaces, the Cathedral and the Palau de la Música Catalana, the modernist auditorium designed by the Barcelona architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner.

In the second part you will enter the Picasso Museum, one of the best in the city.

The painter lived in Barcelona in his younger years and many works from this period are still in the city. Among the most outstanding we can name "The Divan", "Man with Beret" and "The Embrace".

• Duration: between 3 and 4 hours
• Cost: between 150 € and 200 €.

After a long walk you need to get your strength back. Luckily, this part of the city is home to countless bars and restaurants specializing in both local and foreign cuisine. To take a break I recommend the following establishments:

• Antic Teatre, a cultural center that hides one of the most suggestive terraces in the whole city (Carrer Verdaguer i Callís 12).
• Can Cullerets, a traditional restaurant between Las Ramblas and the Church of San Jaime. It is said to be the oldest in Barcelona. Beware, it opens for dinner only from Thursday to Sunday (Carrer Quintana 5).
• Arcano, an establishment specialized in market cuisine. If you travel with your partner it is a sure hit: it is housed in an old 17th century stable and has delicious desserts (Carrer dels Mercaders 10).
• La Plata, another traditional option a stone's throw from Passeig de Colom (Carrer de la Mercè 28).
• Bistrot Levante, a Mediterranean cuisine restaurant that winks at Middle Eastern gastronomy. Its recipes are tasty and healthy at the same time (Placeta de Manuel Ribé 1).