Parc Güell it is the most visited park in the world (and the most colorful) and you absolutely must see it when visit Barcelona!
The park was designed by the famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, which is the largest representation of modernism in Catalonia. Gaudí is also thearchitect of many other Barcelona attractions including the much visited Sagrada Familia e Casa Batllo.
Don't have time to read everything? Buy your Parc Guell tickets now and set off to explore!
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Gaudí designed and directed the construction of the park from 1900 to 1914 for the wealthy businessman Eusebi Guell (which gives the park its name) for a residential park intended for 60 single-family residences on the El Carmel hill in Grace district.
The project, not yet completed, was not successful so the park became the property of the city in 1923 and today it is a good place for all ages: children, family, friends, couples and the elderly because you can get lost in the nature modeled by the artist in colonnades, arches and galleries covered with well camouflaged man-made structures.
First of all, walk along the magical paths with trees and flowers and you will feel like in the enchanted forest of Snow White and then visit its centerpiece, the covered market, a majestic forest of fluted columns whose roof forms a vast terrace overlooking the city.
Parc Güell is a playground for the mind: visual jokes, such as columns simulating palm trunks, arches with rubble growing from the ground, ceramic tile quilts.
Here what to see in Parc Güell!
- 1 - What to see in Parc Güell
- 2 - 5 Ways to Skip the Line
- Buy Tickets Online
- Purchase the guided tour in English
- Enter Park Güell for free outside opening hours
- Enter through the secret entrance (how to get there)
- Visit the free zone of the park
- 3 - Useful Info (bus and metro, when to visit the park, accessibility, restaurants, ...)
- Map of the Parc Guell
What to see at Parc Güell
Antoni Gaudí is undoubtedly the master of Catalan modernism, the branch of the Art Nouveau style in Spain, which embraces modernity while maintaining traditions. In the case of Parc Güell its eclectic designs and architecture are all heavily inspired by nature.
The park is divided into two areas: thefree access area andmonumental area (for a fee). Here are some of the things not to miss in both areas.
1. Calvary
Il Calvary the highest point of the park in the free part of it. This monument has the shape of Calvary with three crosses marking the four cardinal points. Gaudí for its construction was inspired by a prehistoric cave with fossil remains.
You can go up here to admire the extraordinary panorama of Barcelona from a different point of view. According to the project, this space was to house a chapel but Gaudí did not complete it (to tell the truth he did not build it at all).
2. The terrace Plaça de la Natura- Zona Monumentale
Absolutely the pearl of Parc Güell, it is located in the Monumental area.
From the large terrace bordered by a snake-shaped bench, called Bank of Trecandis (because created with the style of trencadìs, that is a decorative technique that combines ceramic fragments and colored glass pieces) you can enjoy an exceptional panorama of Barcelona.
Here you can sit, take pictures, take all the time it takes to appreciate it to the fullest, according to your needs.
3. "The viaduct of lovers"
This is a perfect path for soulmates who want to experience a magical moment under this exciting building. If you are a lucky person you can also relax by listening to the seductive music of some good musicians who play violin and acoustic guitar.
4. The two houses
The main entrance of Park Güell is located on the south side from which visitors can enjoy the spectacular view of the staircase with the hypostyle hall. The park wall is made of rustic stone topped with ceramic tiles and medallions bearing the name of Park Güell.
The iron gates, designed in the shape of palm leaves, are not part of the original plan, but came from Casa Vicens. On both sides there are the two houses forming the concierge (inspired by Hansel and Gretel), two fantastic and funny colored structures with mushroom-shaped roofs and domes built with traditional Catalan clay tiles covered with “trencadís”.
The one on the left was the one actually used as a concierge, with a waiting room and a telephone booth, while the one on the right was the porter's residence, hence the name Casa del Guarda, although today it is part of the Barcelona History Museum.
5. Hypostyle Hall (Doric Temple)
La hypostyle hall, also known by the name of Doric Temple, is composed of 88 columns (called "forest" of stone columns as Gaudí built them inclined to give the feeling of being among the trees) inspired by the Doric order. In Gaudí's original project, the Citadel market was to be built here.
The roof will leave you a little surprised because it is made of small domes built with the traditional clay brick technique and decorated with tile mosaic mosaics made by Josep Jujol, one of Gaudí's assistants.
6. The salamander
The staircase leading from the main entrance of the park to the hall of columns is adorned with three fountains, and the one at the top of the stairs is perhaps one of the most famous objects in the Park (and even in all of Barcelona!).
The famous salamandra o dragon (Gaudí never really said what animal it was) in the center of the staircase is also covered with small pieces of colored ceramic.
There are several theories on the symbolism of the salamander. Someone leads her back to python of the mythological temple of Delphi, someone else thinks it represents the crocodile which appears in the coat of arms of the French city of Nîmes, where Güell grew up, some say is the Dragon of St. George, but the most likely hypothesis is precisely that it is the alchemical salamander, which symbolizes fire.
What is certain is that the salamander was placed there to protect the park!
7. The porch of the laundry room
This portico along with others they provide covered paths and support for the roads above. The arcades were all designed to connect the houses within the housing estate which was ultimately never built.
8. The Casa di Gaudí museum
The house with the pinnacle in the free zone is the famous Gaudí House Museum, where the artist moved and lived for 20 years from 1906 until the end of 1926.
Currently, the Casa di Gaudí Museum presents an exhibition that aims to introduce visitors to the most intimate aspects of the artist's life, recreating some of the most private rooms in the house and exhibiting the architect's furniture and personal objects.
Beware that the Gaudí House Museum is not owned by the park so you have to buy a separate ticket!
Parc Güell: What to know and 5 ways to skip the line
Are you ready to return to the fantasy world of childhood?
Parc Güell ha 2 different areas: the monumental area, which requires the purchase of a ticket, and the free access area which is open to all visitors at no cost.
When I lived in Barcelona, the entrance to Park Güell was also free for the monumental area, but due to the excessive influx of tourists, since 2013 you have to pay for a ticket.
This has created long queues at the ticket office but not only. THE tickets sell out quickly and it's good to buy them first. Furthermore, queuing at the ticket office does not guarantee that you will be able to enter immediately after obtaining the ticket, in fact you will be assigned the first available time slot which could be several hours later.
In short, if you've already read this blog a bit, you know that I hate queuing. Wasting precious time standing in line when there are clever alternatives to skip it never seems like a good idea, especially since time on vacation is never enough.
Here then, you will find 5 ways to skip the queue and the various useful links to buy tickets online (and in the case of Park Güell, save too).
SOLUTION 1: Buy tickets online
As always, I recommend buying tickets online. In the case of Parc Güell try to buy them for the early hours of the morning: in addition to finding few people, the light for your photographs will be the best.
Furthermore, by booking online you will not only save time but also money, because the online ticket costs 1 euro less than the one at the ticket office!
If you go to the ticket office then in addition to spending more you also risk not entering or having to wait for hours because the park sells limited quantities of tickets per time slot and only allows 400 visitors every 30 minutes.
400 seem a lot, but trustworthy, in the case of Parc Güell they are not at all. In short, the first available time slot could be a few hours after your arrival.
Again, why wait if you can buy them for less in advance and be sure to get in and out?
You can buy the ticket online in two ways:
- From the official website of Parc Güell (the site is in English, Catalan, Spanish and French)
- From partner Tiqets which instead. The cost of the online ticket is the same (10 € + 2 commission) and also in this case you skip the line. The ticket is 100% mobile, so you simply don't have to print anything show it from your phone.
Whether you book from the Park website or from Tiqets you will need to indicate the date and time you wish to visit. You will have to enter the park at the time chosen and indicated on the ticket (30 minutes tolerance).
Price: € 10
SOLUTION 2: Take a guided tour
Parc Güell is not just beautiful. Inside it, scattered almost everywhere, there are symbols that “speak to us” that we often ignore or whose meaning at first glance is not understood.
This is because it is rumored that Gaudí, in addition to being a great philosopher and scholar, also had links with esotericism andsecret organization of freemasonry.
For example, there are various elements such as the philosopher's stone, symbol of alchemy, clearly visible at the entrance on the steps, or the anniversary of the number 5, the Masonic number par excellence, which feed these theories.
Take part in one guided tour it's a great choice. It makes you skip the line, but not only:
the guide explains to you all the hidden and significant secrets of the details and it is highly recommended to take it (as elsewhere for Gaudí's architecture).
The duration of the tour is approximately 1,5 hours.
☞ Here you can buy the guided tour of PARC GUELL
This tour also has the Skip the Line option, so you just need to arrive a few minutes early. The meeting place is in Larrard street 41 di fronte al Gaudí Experience.
Price: 26 Euro
SOLUTION 3: Enter Park Güell for free outside the opening hours
ATTENTION UPDATE 2021
Entrance to the monumental area before and after the times indicated above is reserved for Barcelona residents only. It is no longer possible to enter for free outside these hours.
Here is a little trick to enter the paid part of the park for free. Go before 7,45 am, when the guards are not there to check the ticket and the barriers have not yet been put in place!
Or during the night hours, even here you can enter for free and take wonderful photos (but it's a bit dark)!
In reality you are not deceiving anyone in this way and I am not recommending anything not allowed, this information is on the website, you are allowed to do this.
Early risers (but also night owls) enter for free!
Below you will find the opening hours of the park in the 2021:
- 1 from January to February 12 2021: opens at 9.30 with last admission at 17.30
- 13 from February to March 27 2021: opens at 9.30 with last admission at 18
- From 28 March to 30 October 2021: opens at 9.30 with last admission at 19.30
- 31 from October to December 31 2021: opens at 9.30 with last admission at 17.30
Outside these hours theaccess to the Monumental Area is free, but be aware that at night visibility cannot be guaranteed due to the lack of artificial lighting.
SOLUTION 4: Enter through the secret entrance
Parc Güell is off Carrer d'Olot in Barcelona and has three entrances: one up Carrer de Larrard (main entrance), one a Carretera del Carmel n ° 23, where there is also parking for tour buses, and a third on Passatge di Sant Josep de la Muntanya, which can be reached by taking the escalators (secret entrance).
Well, it's not really a real secret entrance but many tourists are unaware of it and queue at the main entrance so it is generally much less crowded.
How to reach us:
If you take the bus lines H6, D40 and 92, you will arrive near the main entrance, on Carrer de Larrard.
To get to the Passatge de Sant Joseph de la Muntanya instead it is better to take the green line metro and get off at the stops of Lesseps o Vallcarca: the "secret" entrance is just a few minutes' walk away.
On the other hand, those arriving by tourist buses or private coaches will enter the Carretera del Carmelo from the entrance because there is parking.
SOLUTION 5: Take a walk in the free zone of the park
Part of the park is currently open to the public free of charge.
While it's obviously not that spectacular, it's the only option available if you haven't bought your ticket online, you get there and the tickets are sold out (and you don't have time to wait for the next free time slot).
In my humble opinion it doesn't make much sense to go to Parc Güell without visiting the monumental area, better to spend your time for example in the Barceloneta district, or somewhere else in town.
NOTE: tickets to visit the monumental area they do not include the Gaudí house museum.
PRO tip: after the visit, walk for about 15 minutes to reach the magnificent (and free) viewpoint called The Bunker which are located at the top of the Guinardó park. The climb is steep, better take a taxi.
Not many people know this yet and the views are breathtaking!
Parc Güell: useful tips, information at a glance
How long does it take to visit Parc Güell? Typically 1,5 hours or 2 hours is sufficient.
There are some restaurants in Güell to eat at? No, there are some tables. But there are restaurants in the Gracia neighborhood.
There is audio guide available? Not from the official website, but you can buy them with the Skip-the-line ticket from Tiqets with audio guide option.
You have to book? It is not mandatory, but it would be better to buy tickets online first.
How much is the cost of entry? The ticket costs 10 euros
How to get there from Catalunya square? Take bus 24 right from the bus stop in Plaça Catalunya.
How to get to Parc Güell from the Sagrada Familia? From the Carrer Marina entrance walk along the road for 10 minutes to the intersection with Sant Antoni and Maria Claret, there take bus 92 that will leave you at the entrance to the Park. In total it takes about 40 minutes.
How to get there from Camp Nou? Take bus 24 from Passeig de Gracia to the Diagonal blue metro stop. From here take the metro to Badal. It takes about 50 minutes.
Maybe you might like: Useful tips for visiting the Camp Nou
Parc Güell for the disabled? People with reduced mobility may find it difficult to move around the park due to its architectural features, with irregular stairs and paths. However, there is a specific path adapted to people with mobility difficulties. For any need, contact the Visitor Service at parkguell@bsmsa.cat
And with the children's stroller? There are no particular difficulties.
Where to park? There is no parking for private cars in the park. There are parking spaces for taxis and buses. For private cars i 3 nearest parking spaces are the following:
- BSM Torrent de l'Olla, is located in Carrer del Torrent de l'Olla 221 about 900 meters from the park
- NN Esteve Terrades, Carrer Esteve Terradas 21 at about 1300 meters
- Legality, Carrer de la Legalitat 60 a 1200 meters from the park
When to visit, better in the morning or afternoon? Better in the morning, as soon as possible, the light for photographs is better and generally there are fewer people
What neighborhood is it in? In the district of Gracia.
I can visit it if it rains? Yes, certainly and probably you will not find neither queues nor too many people. A good choice would also be to visit the Gaudí House Museum. In any case, bring an umbrella, suitable shoes and in any case you can take shelter under the beautiful arcades.
Dogs can enter? Yes, dogs can enter!
There are hotels? Not inside the park, but there are some close as for example the Catalonia Parc Güell.
Map of the Parc Guell
To finish below you will find one Parc Guell map.
Alternatively you can see the official map from the park's website, with 3 distinct recommended itineraries (red, lilac and blue).
You can follow the recommended routes to visit them all the points of interest indicated in the Park. The recommended routes allow you to visit all points, whatever the entry point used to enter Park Güell.
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