Few artists have epitomised a time and a place quite like Antoni Gaudí.
Born at a time of rapid and accelerating change, this quiet, rheumatic young boy from rural Catalonia was to grow up to become one of the most innovative minds in architecture. Nowhere is his influence more keenly felt than the region’s capital, which boasts some of the master’s most iconic and groundbreaking works. Join us to find out what made Gaudí such a unique figure in the history of modern arts and how he helped to shape the city we live in today.
With our e-bikes fully charged and ready to go, we’ll wind our way through the medieval alleyways of El Born and discover not only why this district has played such a key role in the formation of the modern Catalan identity but also how a young Gaudí contributed the neighbourhood’s modern face. We’ll then ramble through the fin-de-siècle charm of the Parc de la Ciutadella (Park of the Citadel) to see how Gaudí and his contemporaries got involved in Spain’s very first World’s Fair. Heading through the Port Olímpic (Olympic Port), you’ll get to see the impressive legacy of the ‘92 games before drifting along the shores of the Mediterranean and up the Rambla of Poblenou.
From there, we’ll head through the city’s Eixample neighbourhood to arrive at Gaudí’s magnum opus, La Sagrada Família, where your guide will reveal some of this iconic building’s many secrets and give you some time to explore at your leisure. Our penultimate stop will be the controversial Casa Milà (better known to locals as La Pedrera) whose influence stretches beyond the Mediterranean all the way to Hollywood.
To round it off, we will finish up at La Manzana de la Discòrdia ( the Apple of Discord ) – The block of houses with boasts more modernist masterpieces than any other in the city. Here you will see how Barcelona’s well-to-do competed for the most spectacular façade and discover why Gaudi’s most famous house, La Casa Batlló holds such a special place in the heart of every Catalan.
