How to take the stress out of booking tours in Barcelona

Barcelona has been on my travel list for a long time. I am a complete history nerd and I am not ashamed to say it. I have travelled to Spain and Catalonia a few times. Falling in love with an area in and around Anisa in Catalonia I knew I needed to head to what would be their capital city Barcelona.

I have dreamed about travelling to Barcelona for a few years and I really couldn't decide when would be the right time to go. well, the pandemic really put the boot in my travel plans for a few years. I found a gap in my schedule in December. I was looking at the best city breaks that I could also go to a Christmas market. Equally being from the Highlands of Scotland I am very used to snow and minus temperatures at this time of year. So I wanted something a little different. I wanted a little bit of sun because this year, it has been very cold and wet. I needed a change of scenery.

Something you should know about me I love planning holidays and city breaks. I know some people find it boring and hate it but I love it. At first, I looked at booking London. I nearly had a heart attack at the cost of everything. The hotel alone was looking in the hundreds. I had initially looked at Barcelona for my Hen do but unfortunately, it didn't work out. I wish it had as there are so many amazing things to do just check out this hen-do guide to Barcelona. It would have been the perfect place to go. If it is firmly on the list for one of my friend's hen dos now.

I found an incredible deal for a 4-star hotel in Barcelona with breakfast and flights for around £250 each. It was a no-brainer. with temperatures around the 20 mark, this was the perfect time to head to Barcelona.

Next up it was time to get planning our itinerary and what we all really wanted to do.

I found this incredible company Activity gift which kindly gifted me a gift card to try out their incredible service.

What is an activity gift card?

The world's first experience day gift card which gives back to the planet with every booking.
With your Activitygift, you can choose from over 50,000 activities in over 680 cities in 160+ countries across the globe. Simply redeem your gift card code at the checkout to book your next activity. You’ll find a variety of options from adventure and attractions to concert tickets and cultural tours.

For every Activitygift booked, a tree is planted through their partnership with Eden Reforestation Project supporting a greener environment in places that need it most, which in turn lowers extreme poverty by preventing villages from flooding, purifying water sources, and providing nutrition to the soil for farming.

What I choose to do

Guided tour of Sagrada Familia and park Güell

First of I need to take a minute to completely geek out. I have and probably will never again in my whole life seen a building so beautiful as the Sagrada Familia. I was actually overwhelmed by its majesty and beauty but let's talk about the tour.

Booking was so easy to do. You do it all online and you get a confirmation email with all the details you will need. simple and easy I like it.

For our tour, we met our incredible guide Issac outside the pub Kurz & Gut. Which is down one of the little streets running parallel to the Sagrada Familia. Here we had a little introduction from Iassc and everyone on our little group. There were 10 of us in total, this was the English-speaking tour.

What Activity gift says about the tour

The guided tour at Sagrada Familia. Enjoy a unique experience at this UNESCO World Heritage Site, and get a better understanding of the building's history and architectural details with the help of a professional guide. Admire the outside of this famous basilica before heading inside and gasping at the way light passes through the stained-glass windows. Your helpful guide will explain the life and career of Antoni Gaudí, the genius architect behind the building, and share the history of the basilica's construction. Ending this stage of the tour, you will have some free time inside the Sagrada Familia

Quick fun facts about the Sagrada Família

It is a one-of-a-kind temple for Christian worship
Designed by the master architect and designer Antoni Gaudi
It has been in construction for 140 years
The completion date is 2026 to coincide with Antoni Gaudi 100 year anniversary of his death.
It will be 172.5 metres high when completed. Which was intentional by Gaudi to be slightly smaller than the neighbouring mountain.
You can attend a church service on a Sunday to pray for free

We have gathered I am a history geek and I love anywhere I can learn new things.

The knowledge and information and details that Issac gave us were incredible. This man talked for 2 hours about the magnificence of this wonderful building. Do you know what I could have listened to him for another two hours. The building is crammed-packed with interesting features. I am not going to go into everything you need to do the tour yourself for that. If you book one thing in Barcelona book this tour with Issac's through activity gift.

Even if you are not into the history or religious side of this building. To just stand in this place is a dream. The way the stained glass windows make the building's colours change dance and sparkle is mesmerising.

Now we were here in December the lowest light of the year and look at the photos the light is enchanting. I have never seen any building have this before. It was built and designed with natural light and the colours being of paramount importance and when you are inside this is clear. This is a church or cathedral with a level of magic Walt Disney would be jealous of.

Interesting fact George Lucas is said to have visited and taken inspiration from the carving above to create his stormtroopers.

At the end of this tour, you have free time to wander about the building and admire everything by yourself.

Now you have to make your own way to the park Güell. This was super easy we just jumped in a taxi for 8 euros. Worth the money rather than trying to work out the bus or subway.

Park Güell

Facts

Commissioned by Eusebi Güell who wanted to create a stylish park for Barcelona aristocracy
Park Guell is a municipal garden
Designed by Antoni Gaudi the mastermind behind the Sagrada Familia
There is a school within the park
Locals have free access to the park between 7AM to 10PM
Is UNESCO heritage site
The park is spread across 19 hectares
The world's most amazing Gaudi mosaic works

After arriving by taxi we met Issac outside the entrance. This was another really small group of 10 for the English-speaking tour.

This is a beautiful place to walk around Gaudi had some imagination and creativity. Everywhere you turn is something new to look at. From shortbread-looking houses to pink mansion buildings to intricately carved statures to roads and even the seating has been designed to be special.

This was one of those tours where you have to be there to believe it. The imagination in these buildings and statues is in equal measure amazing and insane. Insane in the best and most wonderful electric way.

I sneaked a photo of the man the myth the legend that is Issac. He will probably never see this but honestly my favourite all-time tour guide. Just a wonderfully knowledgeable and fun guy.

This is the most famous sculpture in the park the dragon and the snake which I think looks more like a panther? The intricate mosaic work in this park is beautifully overwhelming.

This tour took around 1 hour 30 minutes with free time at the end to enjoy the park.

My thoughts on the tour

If I was to only book one tour in Barcelona this would hands down be the one I booked. This was cram packed with information and you get to see two of the top attractions in the city in one day. Plus I would recommend Activity gift not only are you getting the tour but you are giving back too with their partnership with Eden Reforestation Project.

I hope you enjoyed this post and I have lots more travel posts planned so stay tuned for them.

MissLJBeauty