Barcelona Walking Tour: El Raval and the Gothic Quarter’s Landmarks

(429 reviews)

Barcelona audio tour: Barcelona Walking Tour: El Raval and the Gothic Quarter’s Landmarks

This is a 2.3mi walking tour

It takes an average of 90 mins to complete.

Barcelona

Spain

$11.99

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About the Tour

Barcelona is a captivating city that attracts visitors time and again. You too will be destined to return, or so the legend goes, once you’ve drunk fountain-water from Font de Canaletes or rubbed the crown jewels on Fernando Botero’s fat feline statue, El Gato de Botero. On this walking tour around the city, I’ll share its lesser-known stories as well as some of its myths, legends and folklore.

After leaving La Rambla, you’ll stroll through El Raval, once the most densely-populated urban area in all of Europe, and the city’s Red Light District. There, I’ll tell you about its connection to prostitution, and share the tale of Enriqueta Marti who was wrongly accused of being a serial killer. You’ll hear about the bread riots of 1789 and how Antoni Gaudi, the great Catalan Modernist architect, died tragically in an accident.

You’ll cross over La Rambla into Plaça Reial (the Royal Plaza) and the Gothic Quarter, where you’ll find out how the small fortified Roman village of Barcino developed into the great city that Barcelona is today. I’ll show you where the stream that provided the village with water used to run and where the tombs of the dead used to line the ancient village wall. You’ll see slightly more modern attractions too, like the gothic-looking Cathedral of Barcelona and Pont de Bisbe (the Bishops Bridge).

On this tour, you’ll have the opportunity to:

Gaze upon one of Gaudi’s most understated buildings, Palau Güell (Güell Palace)
Find out how Barcelona’s destitute mothers used to drop off unwanted babies through a hole in the wall at the House of Mercy
Step into Mercat de la Boqueria, a food market that’s been operating since the 1100s
Hear Can Culleretes Restaurant’s two origin stories and decide which one you believe
Take a shortcut through Carrer d’Avinyo, which inspired Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d'Avignon painting
Visit Meson del Cafe, where you’ll find the city’s best coffee and possibly bump into the mayor
Soak up El Peto, the kissing mural composed of 4,000 photographic images of “freedom”, donated by the public

On this 90-minute walk, you’ll stroll along narrow lanes, hidden alleys and through popular squares like Plaça de Sant Jaume, Plaça Nova and Plaça Sant Felip Neri. You’ll hear about the city’s enchanting history, see its captivating architecture and find out about its quirky urban legends. Have your cameras ready, there are countless photographic opportunities along the way.

Tour Producer

Spain Walking Tours

6 tours

The best way to see any Spanish city is on foot. It’s not just the destinations that dazzle, it’s what you see on the way. These beautiful cities have character, and a walking tour is the only way to uncover the unsung attractions between landmarks: vibrant streets, monuments, street art, ruins, shops, and the locals.

Spain’s fascinating history truly comes alive starting around 2,000 years ago when the Romans settled here. Since then, a lot has happened, and your host John will dive deep into this history so you don’t have to. His tours focus on the momentous events that shaped the cities, but also the lighter, quirky side of their stories.

John’s tours not only guide you to the most famous tourist attractions but also show you the lesser-known plazas, stunning architecture, hidden cafes, and Instagram-worthy spots. He’ll share strange histories, myths, stories of famous historical figures, and even bizarre events that once unfolded on these very streets.

We’re adding new cities all the time, and some of our most popular tours are in Barcelona, Valencia, Sitges, and Zaragoza. Whether you’re uncovering Roman ruins, medieval castles, or picturesque plazas, there’s always something new to discover.

The average tour length is around 3.5 km, so get ready for a great walk and enjoy Spain 🇪🇸

Preview Location

Location 33

Bishops Bridge (Pont de Bisbe)

OK, stop here - don't walk under it yet. This is Pont De Bisbe - or the Bishops Bridge, that little Gothic-style overpass. It’s one of Barcelona's most Instagrammed sights. There are some legends you should know about before you pass through - you’ll be pleased to know the... OK, stop here - don't walk under it yet. This is Pont De Bisbe - or the Bishops Bridge, that little Gothic-style overpass. It’s one of Barcelona's most Instagrammed sights. There are some legends you should know about before you pass through - you’ll be pleased to know they don’t involve rubbing anyone's family jewels.

Underneath the bridge there’s a skull and dagger - don’t look at it. I’m about to offer you a choice between 2 legends about the skull. Number 1 - anyone who looks directly at the skull as they pass under the bridge will be cursed with bad luck. And legend 2 - you have to work a bit harder but for a better result… anyone that walks backward under the bridge with their back to the skull - not looking at it, while making a wish will have their wish granted, so blessed with good luck.

How badly do you want a picture of that skull? The choice is yours. Good luck without a picture… or bad luck with a wicked Instagram shot?

Over to you. Now you can walk under.

Do you feel different?

Stop here on the other side of the bridge. It's on the back of the Government building we saw earlier, so the President of Catalonia can pass through safely to his official residence, so it's not for a Bishop at all, they lied to us. It’s also not as old as it looks, it was added to these buildings in 1929… so it’s fake gothic and was relentlessly mocked when it was first built.

Believe it or not, most of the gothic quarter architecture was added in the 18 and 1900s but the Gothic Era was about 700 years earlier - so it’s the Neo-Gothic quarter.

The architect of this bridge had a cunning plan to tear down the entire gothic quarter and rebuild it in fake gothic style (pitching his own designs of course). He was pretty pissed at being refused and mocked, so he added the cursed skull, some believe is a real skull - and Legend 3 was born.

If that dagger is removed from the skull - all Barcelona will crumble. It’s the lynchpin of the entire city. So please, for all our safety, do not pull out that dagger.

Let's move on. Now that you’re under, keep walking away from the bridge until the very first lane on the left. Read More

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Major Landmarks

La Rambla
Font de Canaletes
Barcelona's Baby Drop-off
El Raval
Mercat de la Boqueria
Plaça de Sant Agustí
Old Hospital de la Santa Creu
El Gat de Botero
Palau Güell
Plaça Reial
Restaurant Can Culleretes
Carrer d'Avinyó
Saint James's Square
Mesón del Cafè 1909
Gothic Quarter
El Pont del Bisbe
Sant Felip Neri Square
Cathedral of Barcelona
Plaça Nova
The World Comes To Life With Each Kiss
Plaça de la Vila de Madrid

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Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
La Rambla, 133, Ciutat Vella, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
Total distance

4km
Final location
La Rambla, 97, Ciutat Vella, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
Distance back to start location

90.97m

Directions to Starting Point

The tour begins in front of Font de Canaletes, La Rambla, 133, 08002 Barcelona.

We'll meet at the top of the street, near Plaça de Catalunya (Catalonia Plaza). You can get there by the Red Line L1 or Green Line L3 on the metro, the station is Plaça de Catalunya and there's an exit directly onto La Rambla. Our meeting place is Font de Canaletes - a fountain disguised as a streetlamp. It's very close to the exit of the Metro station.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

We are walking past hundreds of restaurants and bars on La Rambla, Plaça Reial, The Gothic Quarter, and El Raval. You'll always be a short stop away from a place to sit down and grab a bite to eat, or a drink.

We'll also be stopping at Can Culleretes Restaurant along the route (open 1pm - 3:30pm daily and again 8pm - 10:30pm on select nights of the week). We'll also swing by the best coffee in Barcelona at Meson del Cafe (9:30am - 8pm, later on weekends).

Best time of day

From dawn to dusk... but is also an interesting evening walk. You're always in the city center or tourist hotspots, so it remains well-lit at night. It's nearly always busy, but when the locals go to work and knock off, it becomes noticeably busier, so the best time in my opinion is between 11am - 4pm.

Precautions

This is a safe area, you'll never be in danger, but your belongings might be. There are pickpockets that target tourists, and this is a peak tourist area.

There are plenty of shops along the route, but it's still a good idea to bring a bottle of water and perhaps a snack for some energy.

During summer, wear a cap and suncream. It's a 3.7km walk, so comfortable shoes are needed.

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