Barcelona Tour: Explore El Born's Hidden Gems

Discover Barcelona’s hidden gems with our intimate El Born tour. Experience authentic local culture, stunning architecture, and delicious treats. Book your sustainable adventure now.

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Arc de Triomf - Barcelona’s Arc de Triomf, a stunning landmark constructed in 1888. We start the tour with a view of this monument, which serves as the introduction to our journey. It’s an ideal spot for the first photos.

  • Monasterio de Sant Pere de les Puel.les - An ancient monastery built in 945 AD. Our first stop in the Born district is this church, which helps us understand the significance of religion in Medieval Barcelona.

  • Palace of Catalan Music - A UNESCO-listed modernist musical palace. This is a must-see to appreciate the exotic architecture of Barcelona’s Modernism in the old town.

  • Mercat Santa Caterina - A local market where we can sample some tapas, enjoy drinks, and also use the restroom.

  • Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar - The most important basilica in the old town, offering a wonderful story of Barcelona’s perseverance and faith. We will pause here to listen to its story and take some pictures.

  • El Fossar de les Moreres - A significant monument commemorating the city where, on September 11, 1714, the most tragic defeat in its history occurred.

  • El Born Centre de Cultura i Memoria - An old market now converted into a museum where you can still see the medieval city of Barcelona. This is an exemplary place to understand the old city and the defeat of 1714.

  • Cascada Monumental - We conclude at the Parc de la Ciutadella, an old fortress built after the War of Succession, later transformed into a park that became the heart of the Universal Exposition of 1888.

What's Included
  • List of restaurant recommendations
  • Tourist guide
  • Photographs and images to better understand the tour
What's Not Included
  • Snacks
  • Bottled water
  • Tips
Additional Information

Barcelona is one of the most visited cities on the planet. This popularity means it is hard to escape overcrowded and super touristy areas. This tour is for travellers who want to experience the beauty of the old medieval town while also having an authentic local experience. We will explore El Born, one of the most visually stunning neighbourhoods. What makes this tour special is the intimacy of walking quieter, peaceful, and atmospheric streets with less tourists, less microphones, less souvenir shops. We prioritize sustainable tourism - protecting the integrity of Barcelona and avoiding a ‘Disneyland’ feel. As a team of professional guides we will inspire in you a love for Barcelona while seeing some breathtaking buildings and sharing the historical emotional rollercoaster. Along the way we will visit a local cafe for the best coffee in Barcelona, we will visit a local non-touristy market where you can get delicious and cheap tapas, and a local bakery for some award-winning sweets.

Location
Arco de Triunfo de Barcelona
Passeig de Lluís Companys
We will meet next to the Arc de Triomphe monument, which is connected to the metro L1 (Arc de Triomphe stop). On the day of the visit, 5 minutes before it starts, the host will be next to the monument with a green umbrella in hand.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(16 Ratings)
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Vegui2018
Jun 29, 2021
Highly recommend them. They dwlivered what they promise. And transmit the love for Barcelona - Excellent service. Very professional and experts on Barcelona history, architecture. Provide you with tips and recommendations to enjoy Barcelona. I enjoy the tour with Paulo, and I learned a lot.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lwesemann
Aug 8, 2020
Great tour! - I had a great tour of El Born with Paulo - he is friendly and animated with great knowledge of Barcelona and Catalonia. He showed us some hidden gems of architecture, food and history - including the best croissant in Barcelona!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jaxlax
Mar 4, 2020
So nice is used them thrice! - I started my visit with the nighttime tour of the Barrio Gótico. That was magical and fun. Paulo's enthusiasm and vast knowledge made it special. The small group size made it feel very personal. I had such a nice time that I signed up for the Born tour the next day. I was not disappointed. Paulo also lead this tour with the same quality and energy. I learned so much about the city! Finally I sought out the bike tour. This covered more ground and areas that one wouldn't see on a typical Barcelona walking or bike tour. It rang of local authenticity and a willingness by the company to make it something special. The information was enlightening, the stops were delicious (pay your own way). It didn't hurt that the bikes are wooden and turned heads. Other tourists wanted to be photographed with them. It was an amusing treat. The bike tour is a good length. Barcelona is relatively flat. A person of average physical condition should be able to handle this tour. The city has dedicated bike lanes and respectful drivers.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jaxlax
Mar 4, 2020
A magical tour with delicious stops - I lived in Barcelona but barely visited this part of town as it was not considered a worthwhile tourist attraction. Times have changed and Green Tours through Paulo shows you exactly how far the city has come along. He is the perfect guide as he is enthusiastic and attentive. He makes the history come alive, fun and easy to understand. Since it's not on the beaten path, one feels a little like a local getting a taste (literally) of what the city really has to offer. The self-paid refreshment stops are a deliciously integral part of the tour. I had so much fun, I ended up doing three of their four tour offerings!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marcoso5007im
Mar 2, 2020
Awesome markets tour in Barcelona - We have been with Alessio, definitely the guide to choose in Barcelona! I strongly recommend this tour to taste the authentic flavor of the Barcelona local food without falling in touristic traps. Immersed in the history and the movement of the city we have visited the city center and the four markets. Alessio surprised us for his competence and his passion and tour us through the authentic Barcelona, ​​from hidden history pearls, to anecdotes about food! Thank you again for this awesome tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Annysta
Feb 25, 2020
Fun and educational - Had really great time on this tour, it was education and also lots of fun!! Paulo made us travel in the past and see Barcelona history like in a movie, really exceptional, recommend it to all my friends going to Barcelona !!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Elod164
Feb 20, 2020
Fantastic!! - The tour with Paulo was my favorite activity while in Barcelona! We went all around and he explained lots of things about history and current traditions, making it fun and interesting. Highly recommend!
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Jbs74
Feb 4, 2020
El Born walking tour - A most enjoyable and informative tour with our guide Paolo inside and around El Born. With plenty of interesting and historical facts which help piece together the creation of this beautiful city. Entertaining anecdotes and true insider knowledge. Absolutely would recommend this tour. Thank you very much, Paolo
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bradm2249
Jan 16, 2020
Fantastic Experience with Tour Guide Paulo - This walking tour provides a full understanding of Barcelona's El Born neighborhood, weaving through the narrow streets of Old City. After being in Barcelona a few days, and seeing all the other main sights, I wanted something more in-depth. This tour gave me a fresh perspective on the city. Tour Guide Paulo is extremely knowledgeable. He engaged us with stories of the past (from thousands of years ago!) all the way through the current Barcelona and the happenings of the city today. Paulo knows his history and enthusiastically presented it to us - even using his umbrella as a "sword" to act out one of the battles! You could learn about Barcelona's history from a Google search, but that's boring... I recommend this tour to anyone who wants to experience Barcelona's rich history up close!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lpalantone
Dec 2, 2019
Wonderful small group tour! - I really enjoyed this tour with Alessio of El Born. He told us many fun facts about the history, culture, and architecture in Barcelona, and we stopped at interesting places along the way (including a few with delicious small bites). I very much liked that it was a small group tour, making it more interactive and fun.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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