Tour Details
The best possible introduction to Gaudí and his stunning architecture. Learn about the life story and unusual techniques of one of the most influential architects while marveling at some of his most important buildings in Barcelona.
When
- Every day at 11am*
RESERVATIONS ARE ESSENTIAL (you can easily Book Your Place on this same page).
- (*) Tours not running Dec 24th, 25th & 26th and Jan 1st
Duration
2.5 hours approx. (not rushed but leisurely paced).
We take the metro twice to cover the long distances between the buildings (fare not included).
Price
Free (you decide the price)
Tour itinerary
Plaça Reial / Palau Güell / Block of Discord / Casa Batlló / Passeig de Gràcia / Eixample architecture / La Pedrera / Sagrada Familia
More details +
Wheelchair friendly tour
Reviews
FIRST RATE BARCELONA GAUDI TOUR
"Pre-booked with Runner Bean Tours for the Gaudi tour and had a great time! Ann-Marie was incredibly knowledgeable and put everybody quickly at ease. I would recommend without reservation"Read on Trip Advisor
THEIR GAUDI TOUR IS A MUST DO
"Our guide, Tati, was amazing. She is very passionate and knowledgeable about Gaudi's work and will answer questions about Barcelona"Read on Trip Advisor
GREAT WAY TO LEARN ABOUT BARCELONA
"After the Gaudi tour we visited La Sagrada Familia and La Pedrera on own. We are glad we took the tour prior, it gave us additional knowledge we wouldn't have known while we were there! "Read on Trip Advisor
EXCELLENT TIME ON THE RUNNER BEAN GAUDI BARCELONA TOUR
"Jessi's knowledge of Gaudi is phenomenal and her energies are great. A few days after the tour we went on our own to Park Guell and Palau Guell, since she got us so interested in Gaudi."Read on Trip Advisor
AMAZING!
"Learnt so much about Barcelona and Gaudi's architecture, got great tips from our tour guide Jarrod and he even took pictures of each person in the tour at major locations (Casa Batllo & Sagrada Familia)"Read on Trip Advisor
Meeting Point
Plaça Reial (by the water fountain)
How to find the guide
Our friendly guides will be waiting by the fountain in the middle of the square holding a big green umbrella and wearing a bright green vest and a name tag.
How to get to the meeting point
Nearest metro stop: Liceu (L3). Take the exit named “Sortida: Liceu” and walk down La Rambla towards the sea (the main Opera House will be on your right). After 2 minutes you will see a Kentucky Fried Chicken on your left. Take the next left into the square (Plaça Reial).
Other Free Tours in Barcelona start at the same meeting point. If you want the quality of a Runner Bean tour be sure it is a Runner Bean guide.
Tour Highlights
PLAÇA REIAL
It has been a traditional meeting place in Barcelona since it was built in the XIX century. But this is not the only reason why our tour starts here. A young Gaudí has left some illuminating work in the square. It’s also the meeting point for our Gothic Quarter Free Walking Tour.
PALAU GÜELL
The first project for Gaudí’s patron and his first masterpiece. Situated in the midst of the old city, Palau Güell shines out amongst the surrounding buildings. Find out about Gaudí’s beginnings as an architect and his unusual approach to the design of the house.
BLOCK OF DISCORD
Three architects compete for the most striking building in the block. Known as La Manzana de la Discordia (Block of Discord) by local Barcelonans, we let you decide which one is your favorite of these architectural masterpieces.
CASA BATLLÓ
It has been called “a fairytale in stone” and “the house of yawns”. Today, nobody doubts that Casa Batlló is the architect’s most magical building. From knights in shining armour to traditional festivals, all is included in Gaudí’s imagination.
EIXAMPLE ARCHITECTURE
Designed by Idelfons Cerdà in the middle of the 19th century, the Eixample was the new playground for the bourgeoisie of the time. Here you will find the modern shops and restaurants but also the great masterpieces of the Modernisme architecture.
CASA MILÀ / LA PEDRERA
Gaudí’s masterpiece. A raw sculpture carved and moulded into Passeig de Gràcia. Offensive at the time, abandoned to its destiny and recovered to its grandeur, Casa Milà was a very troubled commission that included not only fights and court cases but also a few subtle acts of vengeance by its creator.
SAGRADA FAMILIA
The unfinished temple, Gaudí’s obsession and the symbol of a city. The Sagrada Familia is like a storybook that is missing many pages. Find out about the temple’s past, present and future and hear about the architect’s tragic end. Our tour finishes here with the hope that someday you’ll see Gaudí’s dream realised.
Important Info
- Reservations for the Gaudí Free Tour are essential as, in order to maintain the quality, numbers are limited in all our tours.
- It does not include a visit to the interior of the buildings.
- Because some of the attractions are quite far apart, two short metro trips will be involved (fare not included). If you can, please bring a metro pass.
- Our Free Walking Tours are geared towards independent travelers. If you are a group of more than 6 people please contact us for more information.
Inga Zinga
15:52 09 Dec 23
I had a tour Gothic quarter with Lisa. I would call it an alternative and sensitive point of view. Lisa's stories let... me understand what is it Catalunya and the spirit of the locals.read more
Bryan Higgs
15:29 08 Dec 23
We were unsure what to do when Runner Beans Tours says "Pay at the end what you think it's worth." But Albert was very... knowledgeable about everything we saw, and from a Catalan perspective. He spoke excellent English, and was a historian, which meant he could tell us a lot more than most. We paid willingly at the end. We still didn't know how much was appropriate, but we think we were generous enough.I would recommend this tour, and tour guide, to anyone.read more
K. K.
14:55 03 Dec 23
We had a wonderful private tour to Montserrat and Girona with our guide Diana and driver Hugo. Gorka helped us plan... the trip to fit into our schedule. I highly recommend Runner Bean tours.read more
Tim Badham
06:47 27 Nov 23
Miguel was a brilliant guide. Really engaging, fun and knowledgeable. Couldn’t ask for a better introduction to the... area. Would just be good to have bit more guidance on how much is appropriate to pay. Definitely well worthwhile.read more
Yvonne Chai
12:19 26 Nov 23
Miguel, our tour guide was awesome! One of the best tour we have over the past week.
Alex Higginson
09:27 24 Nov 23
We had an amazing private tour with Alberto! He had a large knowledge of the Gothic Quater with fabulous historical... facts. Highly recommend!read more
karim iskarous
13:04 22 Nov 23
Extremely enjoyable.2.5 hours of emersion into Gaudi's amazing architecture with a background on historical catalunya... at that time.Our guide Lisa was amazing. She's knowledgeable, humorous and she made that tour worth while. I never thought a tour about buildings would be that much fun.read more
Karli Edholm
18:14 20 Nov 23
We had a wonderful tour with Miguel today! We was very knowledgeable and kept our whole family entertained all day... long. We learned so much and got so much more out of every site we visited than we ever could have on our own. Highly recommend this great tour and tour guide!read more
Joan Sabino
14:11 20 Nov 23
This is my third time doing this tour. Every time I bring a new group of friends to experience the wonderful... hospitality of your tour guides. Miguel was a wonderful host and I learned more than I had in the past. Thanks, Miguel, for your wonderful narration and for showing my friends a beautiful part of Barcelona.read more
Janet Lannon
12:46 19 Nov 23
Miguel was excellent. Very expressive, provided great details and overviews of Gaudi buildings. Highly recommend
Cindy Grabow
15:59 17 Nov 23
Lisa was amazing! She knew so many details about Gaudi, his life, his work that you would think she had lived in... Barcelona during the time that he was actively building. I'd do this tour again in a heartbeat. A must do for anyone visiting Barcelona!read more
Simon Tam
21:47 16 Nov 23
Our guide was Albert. He is very good. He is knowledgeable and explains things very clearly with a lot of insights. We... enjoyed the tour very much.read more
Amanda Westerling
18:04 16 Nov 23
This is an excellent walking tour. Our guide took us through the highlights of the gothic quarter in Barcelona and... really took the time to give us a feel for the culture and history of the area. She kept us all engaged throughout the tour. I left with a much better understanding of Barcelona and how the city has evolved over time. I highly recommend it!read more
Steffin Chris
13:22 16 Nov 23
Super fun & detailed Gaudi Tour with our guide Albert. Thankful for historical details of each place Gaudi made. His... life, belief, and strong faith was very much expressed in our tour. Thank you for thusread more
Michele Kenton
15:13 06 Nov 23
Katharyn our guide was very knowledgeable and helpful. The Gaudi tour was informative and enjoyable. The tour was well... run and manageable. We’ll do another!read more
Iryna Myronova
08:24 03 Nov 23
The tour is as incredible as Goudy's works. It puts his masterpieces onto the citywide landscape and historical... context, which deepens the impression and understanding. I highly advise you to go on the Gothic City tour before this one as well. Special thanks to our tour guide Lisa.read more
Mary
13:08 01 Nov 23
Great tour from Katherine today on the Gaudi tour. Highly recommended it to discover details about Gaudi and his... fabulous building. Tip: don't forget your met card, although Katherine kindly sorted us all out today and kept the tour moving. 😀read more
Lucy Hartley
16:14 31 Oct 23
We had a great time on our tour. Shira was very knowledgeable, kind and entertaining! We saw so much of Barcelona that... we would not have discovered without her and we are very grateful. Now that we have done your Gothic quarter tour, we will definitely be booking the Gaudi tour for our next visit. Highly recommend as a way of exploring a new city!read more
Scott Harris
17:08 30 Oct 23
We took 3 tours with this company while in Barcelona - the Dark Past tour, the Gaudi tour & the Gothic Quarter tour. ... All were excellent. The tour guided were all friendly, personable, knowledgeable, passionate about there subjects. Each tour added to the quality of our stay. I highly recommend this company and will look to use them again when we return to Barcelona in the future.read more
Meiya Chang
12:39 30 Oct 23
Miguel is a fantastic tour guide. We accidentally booked “the original Gothic Barcelona walking tour” that no longer... operates, but he kindly took us on as there were open spots as the company we booked incorrectly guided us to this tour. The tour was easy to follow as Miguel gave very detailed descriptions of the history behind the buildings we see and the quirky nature of Catalonia culture.read more
Han Tran
12:35 30 Oct 23
Miguel was engaging and so knowledgeable. We had such a great time and would book with him again!
Ірина Миронова
18:53 29 Oct 23
Highly recommend! The tour offers a perfect balance of sightseeing, history and culture, fun facts, and myth-busters.
sally wall
20:38 28 Oct 23
Our guide was very knowledgeable and gave an interesting tour. She was able and very willing to answer additional... questions, giving a thorough explanation of the history.read more
Christina Johnson
20:18 28 Oct 23
I really enjoyed my Runner Bean Gaudi walking tour. We got to see a lot of Gaudi's works all in one go, which was my... goal with picking this tour. (There are so many, I wasn't sure which to choose or how to see them in an efficient way!) I feel like I got a good understanding of who Gaudi was as a person and learned a lot about his works as well. The tour itself was well organized -- it was a nice mix of stopping to look and learn about each building/work, walking, and taking the subway for farther away destinations. Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable, even when we asked questions outside of what she was originally planning to explain. Would definitely recommend!read more
Tina Hobbs
18:00 27 Oct 23
Shira was an outstanding guide. She was so familiar with the historic aspects of Barcelona and the sites that we... visited. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour!! And at the end she gave us excellent referrals for places to go for lunch. We would highly recommend her and Runnerbean Tours!read more
Jim Van Kovics
19:06 26 Oct 23
Highly recommended. Miguel was a great guide. Very informative, recommend you book the Sagrada Familia visit back to... back with this tour.read more
Saif Andani
16:32 23 Oct 23
The tour was a great way to explore the old town in a short time frame. Our tour guide, Miguel, was super intriguing... and made the tour interactive. Would absolutely recommend!!read more
Camila Salviano
15:21 23 Oct 23
The tour was all we could have asked for, the tour guide was great and kind. We were able to learn so much without... being boring. I was so sad when the tour was over. The tour is very complete and easy to follow. If you visit Barcelona this is a MUST DO!read more
Red Bob
15:02 22 Oct 23
Great way to see the city via both tours - Goudi and Gothic Quarter.Tour guides Anne-Marie and Miguel both great... characters and know their subject. Thank you.read more
Dori Hoffman-Latter
12:08 19 Oct 23
Lisa was an amazing guide. Her enthusiasm and knowledge made the tour memorable
Tiffany Chen
20:45 15 Oct 23
Well structured, informative and interactive. Good for first time visitor with limited time.
Mary Steinbrecher
11:48 13 Oct 23
The Gothic Quarter Tour in Barcelona was fabulous. Our tour guide, Shira, made it very intriguing and educational at... the same time. I would highly recommend this experience!read more
SandraR Stewart
09:31 13 Oct 23
My family joined Albert for his passionate descriptions of Gaudi! We enjoyed his explanations and appreciated the care... he took in leading our group through the metro to the different sites. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience and recommend it!read more
Silvia Torres
07:09 13 Oct 23
Our group of 16 people did two tours with Runner Beans during our weekend in Barcelona, everyone was happy with them.... Our guide Dani did a fantastic job, he is knowledgeable, easy-going and entertaining. We enjoyed the tours a lot and will definitely recommend them to friends.read more
Flavia Blanco
19:56 12 Oct 23
Amazing tour and tour guide. Miguel our tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. He made our whole experience... very welcoming.read more
Lisa Chieffo
14:03 12 Oct 23
Very knowledgeable and friendly guide (Shira) who answered all of our (many) questions. Highly recommended!
Lawrence Wilson
08:24 12 Oct 23
Amazing tour of Barcelona and well worth it to appreciate the area you're walking around. The Tour guide had great... knowledge of the buildings and their history.read more
Orna S
17:02 10 Oct 23
Miguel was great. Very informative and a great way to see this area. I really recommend the tour!
Gloria Fernandes
11:11 09 Oct 23
Went on the Gothic quarter tour with our wonderful tour guide Lisa. It was absolutely excellent. Lisa had a way of... revealing the history of Barcelona as though it was a fairy tale - very engaging and informative. This tour is perfect for those who are interested in history and culture. She shared with us the cultural backdrop that we would have never known as a casual tourist. She had a way of captivating our interest. 10/10 recommend!read more
Debi Sementelli
06:21 07 Oct 23
Loved the Gaudí tour with Albert! He was very engaging and shared so many details about Gaudí during the walk.This... really gave meaning to what you were seeing. He lso shared photos that were very helpful.He spoke English beautifully and made sure to speak loudly enough so that we didn't miss anything. I have a hearing issue so this was especially important for me. Another older man had a slight problem walking (hip replacement) and he took that into account when setting the pace. Highly recommend this company and Albert!read more
Ray B
07:15 05 Oct 23
Miguel was a great guide. Knowledgeable, friendly and kept a good pace. Just the right amount of everything!
Junior Jones
20:48 03 Oct 23
Less of a tour and more of a ramble with a friend. Engaging, warm, funny and knowledgeable who can slip in a few Star... Wars references. An absolute must for visiting Barcelona.read more
Geoff Kimber
10:59 03 Oct 23
This was a superb tour! Lisa is so knowledgeable about Gaudi and his work. She is very engaging and enthusiastic on the... subject. Excellent!read more
Udai Panicker
13:35 02 Oct 23
If you are new to Barcelona, do this tour first before you get on the Hop On Hop Off Bus tours. Lisa is an amazing... guide and will give you a fun history lesson while taking you through the very interesting streets of (old) Barcelona.read more
Mandee Young
16:26 01 Oct 23
While in Barcelona, I took both the Gaudi and Gothic Quarter tours. Both were very informative, interesting and... well-paced. While I have come to prefer local native tour guides, the two long-time transplants who were our guides were very knowledgable and had a clear passion for Barcelona.read more
Andrew Conforti
14:24 30 Sep 23
Runner Bean Tours was so fantastic! We booked a kids and family tour of the Gothic Quarter and we had Kathryn all to... ourselves in October. The games and story telling kept our kids entertained the entire tour, and mom and dad learned a ton too!read more
Monica Sharf
05:41 28 Sep 23
Albert our guide was amazing. Extraordinarily informative and energetic. It was a wonderful tour. Highly recommend... it and him.read more
christine lee
07:34 27 Sep 23
Our tour was thoughtful and very well researched by Lisa. We learned a lot about the Gothic Quarter- a history we could... never have known about Barcelona with out her insights and love of Catalan culture. Runner Bean Tours is a great introduction to this fabulous city. Our group highly recommends!read more
Tigran Aleksanyan
19:05 26 Sep 23
Very knowledgeable guide and interesting tour. Very much recommended!
Katie R
08:46 26 Sep 23
The guide was great but content was not very in-depth for the Dark Past Night tour. Like she said at the beginning,... it’s not a sightseeing tour but informative. Wish I would have known that before.read more
Sandy Roberts
07:54 24 Sep 23
Tati was a brilliant guide. So knowledgeable and very entertaining. Her enthusiasm for her city was wonderful. She was... so approachable about the best places to eat, drink and visit. I highly recommend this tour.read more
Cathy Seynhaeve
20:33 21 Sep 23
Very fun, educational tour through Barcelona. Lisa really charmed us with her Catalan facts.
Marie Bergbauer
19:38 21 Sep 23
Extremely interesting and very informative. Lisa was a terrific guide!
Michael D'Addario
17:38 17 Sep 23
My wife and I did the 1/2 day Barcelona tour with lunch. Anna was a fantastic guide! She was knowledgeable,... interesting and had very good energy. The restaurant she chose for lunch was excellent. I highly recommend this company and Anna.read more
Tami Cumings
23:30 16 Sep 23
We booked the private tour of LaSagrada and Barcelona and it was amazing. Our tour guide knew so many details about... Gaudi and the basilica. We thoroughly enjoyed it!read more
Bonnie Doan
18:52 16 Sep 23
Lisa did an amazing job- very knowledgeable and great spirit telling history of Spain and Catalon!
Svetlana Furman
08:50 16 Sep 23
Very well organized company, they communicated well in advance, and then sent timely reminders. The tour itself was... well timed, we saw all we wanted to see, no problems or delays, the guide, Ann-Mary, suggested stops, and breaks, that were appreciated. All in all we are very satisfied with the tour and the company. I think it is very suitable for families and mixed abilities groups. One suggestion, although the guide was very nice, friendly and we felt very comfortable with her, some of us were expecting a little more knowledge and more in depth explanation and conversation.read more
Julia Pearce
21:09 15 Sep 23
The Tour was very interesting and enjoyable. Lisa was fantastic in her knowledge and presentation. There is so much to... see in the Gothic area, it is difficult to cover it all plus the history in 2.5 hours but it is definitely worth a try.read more
Nicola Edwards
12:59 13 Sep 23
Thanks to Jarrod…the “Aussie”!!We thoroughly enjoyed the tour, it wouldn’t have been anywhere near the same experience... if we had found the buildings ourselves, your knowledge and input was invaluable! Fantastic experience.read more
Bob Mangrum
14:54 12 Sep 23
Our guide, Miguel, was very knowledgeable and made the tour a fun, interactive experience. Most of us gave him 20... Euros and considering the information imparted for a 2+ hour walking tour, I think that's very reasonable (particularly when you compare prices to other tours).read more
Charlie Metcalfe
12:27 12 Sep 23
Interesting and enjoyable! Albert was very knowledgeable and the well-planned flow of the tour added to the experience
sanja
11:24 12 Sep 23
Fantastic tour ! Our guide knew a lot of things and he was very enthusiastic about everything. I now know so much more... and o appreciate the time of 2,5 hours walking trough the gothic streets. A lot of history is here and it is interesting 🫶🏻read more
Dani Stock
06:18 12 Sep 23
Really enjoyed our guided tour of Barcelona's Gothic Quarter! Shira was a fun and knowledgeable guide. Two hours well... spent.read more
Chris Novak
21:27 07 Sep 23
We throughly enjoyed the bari Gothic tour. Shira was wonderfully knowledgeable about all aspects of the history and... architecture of the area. She paced the tour so it never felt overwhelming or too slow. We would highly recommend the tour, our tour guide, Shira, and the company.read more
Shay Saranga
17:31 07 Sep 23
A great tour in the Gothic Quarter with Shira - a great guide that made all the difference. Highly recommended!
Rachel Moore
19:57 03 Sep 23
Had a tour of Gaudi buildings with Jarrad that was good fun and very informative.
Donatella Di Candia
19:16 03 Sep 23
We went on the Gothic Quarter tour with Tati yesterday. Our guide was fantastic: prepared, engaging, funny and nice. I... highly recommend the experience.read more
Sohaib Haddad
17:41 03 Sep 23
The tour guide (Miguel, I am sorry if I am butchering your name hh) was wonderful, very enthusiastic and welcoming , I... learned a lot about barcelonna history, I recommend the tourread more
Annette Mitchell
17:17 03 Sep 23
Our tour guide, Miguel, was awesome. We did a tour if the Gothic area of Barcelona. He was incredibly knowledgeable and... pretty entertaining also. Highly recommend Runner Bean tours.read more
Trevor Chauvin-DeCaro
20:11 28 Aug 23
This tour was wonderful. I learned so much and we saw so much of Gaudi's iconic designs. This was a really great way to... see the city, ride the metro, and learn some history. I highly recommend pairing this with a visit to the Sagrada Familia, it gives you the perfect context for a visit. The stories told on the tour are fascinating and the tour guides are through.read more
Josipa Parić
18:33 14 Aug 23
Our Tour Guide was Tatiana (Tati) and she explained and shown us the most beautiful parts of Gothic Barcelona in such a... way that it felt as if we were part of it many Century's ago. You could feel the love that she has for this city and it's history. She showed us parts of Barcelona that you don't usually get to see as "just a Tourist". I highly recommend for everyone who truly wants to get to know Barcelona to take part in this.Thank you once again Tati for the wonderful experience!Much love from Croatia 🤗read more
Natalie Kirkpatrick
12:22 02 Aug 23
We had a small group of 11 who done the Gothic Quarter tour led by Tati. The tour lasted around 3 hours although it... didn't feel it, we could have walked and listened all day. Tati was incredibly knowledgeable, passionate and kept the tour interesting. I would recommend this tour.read more
Kevin Houlihan
14:53 31 Jul 23
We did the Gothic Tour one day and the Gaudi tour the next.We had Jarrod as our Gaudi Guide. He was great! Super... personality and he was conscious of telling us the fun tidbits so that we learn a few things but without going crazy with the facts. He also took the time to chat with us and gave us some great advice about the area. He even had a list of restaurants he personally recommends to tourists so they have a good experience. We definitely recommend this tour.We had Shira for the Gothic tour. She was fantastic. Very personable and gave us a lot of great info while winding us through the narrow streets.read more
Shelley
15:46 29 Jul 23
Absolutely wonderful tour and would highly recommend to anyone. Our guide Tatty told us so much about not only Gaudi... (that’s the tour we took) but also the history of Barcelona and other architecture there, as well as practical tips when it came to the subway. She was incredibly knowledgeable and took a good amount of time for pictures etc… we never felt rushed and had a wonderful tour. Would definitely use again for a different tour.read more
James Millar
18:46 09 Jul 23
Lisa’s tour of the Gothic quarter was really informative with plenty of history and cultural insights! The kids learnt... a lot and so did I. An absolute pleasure.read more
K T
02:38 22 Jun 23
Arrived in Barcelona and hit the ground running. We joined Miguel on the Gothic Quarter Tour and found it to be very... informative. It’s a great welcome to the city and really helps with orientation. Miguel’s passion and enthusiasm is evident in every detail shared. We really appreciated the local tips for beaches, coffee and dining spots.read more
Kristi Wilson
14:01 12 Jun 23
This tour was great and very informative. Our leader, Tatiana, was born and raised in Barcelona and was delightful. I'm... very glad we de idea to use Runner Bean. There is a 2.50 Euro booking fee per person but then donations at end as you feel appropriate. Very fair and worth it!!read more
Neil P
10:26 29 May 23
Great tour, Alberto shared the history of old and new Barcelona, Gaudi’s amazing life works as an architect and artisan... orchestrator. He was friendly and extremely informative, and accommodating to all in the varied party. Alberto entertained us while keeping us safe on the walking/metro tour. Thankyou, Albertoread more
Alpha Alex
13:01 06 May 23
Our tour guide Albert had such enthusiasm and knowledge of everything he was telling us it was impossible not to get... immersed in the history of the city getting to know not only the culture and history of the gothic sector and the surrounding area we gained an understanding of the identity of the city. If you are considering this tour I implore you to do so I can only imagine I will do so again when I return to the city with others so they can experience this tour as well.read more
Peter Korn-Morris
14:10 12 Feb 23
Lisa the tour host was very lovely and made us all feel at home. She was extremely knowledgeable about not only Gaudi... but also the city in general. She speaks good Catalan and Spanish and we felt very safe with her. The tour was just the right length and was interesting and worthwhile. I would definitely recommend Runner Bean tours and in fact we are planning to do the Gothic tour on Tuesday. 😀read more
A Google User
14:10 12 Feb 23
Lisa the tour host was very lovely and made us all feel at home. She was extremely knowledgeable about not only Gaudi... but also the city in general. She speaks good Catalan and Spanish and we felt very safe with her. The tour was just the right length and was interesting and worthwhile. I would definitely recommend Runner Bean tours and in fact we are planning to do the Gothic tour on Tuesday. 😀read more
Natasha Soares
05:35 01 Nov 22
Extremely Professional and well conducted Tour . Our Guide Alberto was extremely knowledgeable and insightful. Even... though I was with a child of 10 years of age he engaged with her and kept her engrossed and attentive to all the information about Gaudi. We really enjoyed the tour with him and did not know how quickly the 2.5 hrs passed. We are looking forward to the next tour with Runner Bean today the Gothic Quarters . Definitely when in Barcelona this is the company to look up .read more
Evelyn H
19:22 27 Sep 22
Had a great time with Miguel for the Gothic quarter tour. Interesting stories and at the end recommendations around the... city. We had a wonderful time!read more
Maria Sultana
12:29 22 Sep 22
We just finished a tour of the Gothic old part of the city with Jarrod and what a great way to get to know the city.... Jarrod was super nice and knowledgeable, kept great pace and made sure to find spots for us to sit and keep in the shade. He was also very generous with recommendations of places to see,eat and how to get around. Two and a half hours flew by quickly and we got to see so many interesting spots. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking to explore Barcelona. 🙂read more
Markus Hayden
17:59 08 Sep 22
I did both of the free walking tours on two consecutive days. Both are very interesting and you learn a lot.... Personally, I liked the Gothic Tour with Ann-Marie even a bit more.What is important to know? Well: first of all, you should be able to understand English 😉 furthermore, you should wear sunscreen (as everywhere in Barcelona) and you should wear comfortable shoes, since you will both walk and stand a lot.read more
Dejan Rizvan
17:52 04 Sep 22
I was always little skeptical about organized waking tours. But Jarrod changed my mind completely. Excellent tour of... Gothic Square with a lot of city history facts and some legends that you don’t expect. We highly recommend this tour and Jarrod especially. See you next time.read more
Paulina Mikuła
20:50 19 Jul 22
We were lucky enough to have Lisa as our guide for the Gothic Quarter tour! An excellent option when seeking an... enthusiastic and passionate tour guide who enables you to learn so much about the history of this beautiful part of the city.Highly enjoyable, educational and insightful! Couldn’t recommend enough!read more
R K
11:41 14 Jul 22
Thank you Miguel! Brilliant tour, good humour, easy to understand and follow. Good history info, Miguel had great... advice for the rest of our stay. I would recommend doing this on the first day of your trip. We did the Gothic quarter tourread more
Christopher Walsh
23:32 16 Jun 22
Touring the "old quarter" with Albert was the highlight of my Barcelona visit. It truly felt as if I were reconnecting... with a friend strolling through his hometown. Albert brought generations of knowledge and an historians perspective to a most informative presentation. Thank you for making that happen. Christopher Walshread more
Meghan Magee
23:18 16 Jun 22
We did the Gothic Quarter tour with Miguel, and it was the perfect way to spend our first day in Barcelona. Miguel was... so personable, informative, and told great stories. He led an amazing tour!read more
Alexandra Pode
18:16 09 Jun 22
We joined the family guided tour through the Gothic Quarters with our 10 yr old. Lisa is a fantastic guide, excellent... storytelling that was captivating for all ages and with a big heart for Barcelona and Catalunya which helps both big and small appreciate the history, heritage and beauty of the place. We took the tour on our first day which served as a great introduction for the next days. We also came back to some of the places we discovered on the way in the tour for eating and shopping. Lisa - warm regards from our family and thank you for hosting us!read more
Katie Pennick
11:52 07 Jun 22
A simply perfect start to our trip. I recommend wholeheartedly!Jarrod our tour guide was absolutely fantastic! His... enthusiasm and love for the city was infectious and he did a marvellous job of talking us through the history and culture of Barcelona. He was full of practical tips and advice and went out of his way to accommodate us.I use a wheelchair - the tour was wheelchair accessible (we stopped for a break half way through and there is a starbucks that has an accessible toilet!)read more
Rita Murray
20:13 01 Jun 22
Albert was our tour guide. He was attentive, very knowledgeable and provided an entertaining walk through Barcelona. He... was happy to respond to questions and provided many historical details throughout the tour. I’d highly recommend his tour. However, I think tourists need to understand that this tour is just over 2 hours long.We enjoyed Albert’s passion for history. We ourselves enjoyed it. But others may have found it a bit long.Thanks Albertread more
Shay Gilad
12:44 31 May 22
We had a wonderful Gothic Quarter tour with Miguel! He was full of knowledge about the sites as well as places to visit... and eat at in the city. Miguel was friendly, chatty, and very helpful. We would highly recommend this walking tour. The pace was excellent and we were able to go to all the beautiful sites 😊read more
Marisol Mosquera
09:45 25 May 22
Great tours! The guides are friendly, fun and knowledgeable. You can see how much they enjoy doing these tours. I did... two tours: The Gothic Quarter and Dark Past Night walking tours. Loved them both.read more
Andrea Hill
20:10 21 May 22
Incredible experience in Barcelona! We were traveling with our 5 year old daughter and it is hard to find activities... that would keep the whole family engaged. This tour did just that. We learned so much about the city and our daughter had a blast making new friends and completing activities. Highly recommend and wish every city offered this type of family activity. Ann-Marie was a wonderful tour guide and so great with the kids. By far our best day in Barcelona!read more
Janette Pena
17:38 19 May 22
We had an amazing time during the Gothic tour with Albert! He was extremely knowledgeable and kept the tour... interesting! There is not a ton of walking involved and my grandma and I had a great time! Would definitely recommend.read more
Michele Gordon
21:15 15 May 22
We spent a delightful afternoon with Jarrod in the Gothic Quarter on a small group tour. We enjoyed the descriptions,... history, commentary & pace. Jarrod is very knowledgeable about BCN & very approachable. We would highly recommend the tour. Also, Jarrod gave us some great restaurant recommendations. Thank you!read more
Ben Duvall
16:55 11 May 22
We had a wonderful tour of the Gothic Quarter led by Ann-Marie. She was very knowledgeable and engaging. This tour was... ideal way to start our first visit to Barcelona. I can't recommend this tour enough.read more
Natalie B
14:43 12 Apr 22
Lisa was spectacular. She was very knowledgeable, kind and she went at a great pace. She gave us so much information... that helped us understand the history of Catalonia but she went further to help us connect to the culture of Catalonia today. Lisa took the time to answer questions and gave us great tips to make the most of our trip. She also has great recommendations for restaurants, places to see and how to get around. The tour was great and Lisa was really terrific.read more
Lorraine Ogilby
16:24 31 Mar 22
We took a 2 1/2 hour walking tour of the Gothic quarter with Anne-Marie from Runner Bean tours. She was incredibly... knowledgeable and obviously passionate about both the city where she lives and the history! Full of information and details about every site we visited and we heard so much that’s not included in any other trip. Very interactive with the group and put every single person at ease. She was an absolute mine of local information and recommendations at the end - which we personally used for meals and other sites to visit. These guys work on a donation system and be prepared to give them every euro that you feel they are worth. We took two of their tours and they were the highlight of our trip to Barcelona!!read more
W L
08:57 30 Mar 22
I showed up on an earlier day for my city tour and Lisa was nice enough to let me join anyway. Her presentation was... both enlightening and fun. She had personal stories and on the spot observations to share which made it feel fresh. Her diction was very easy to understand and she was pleasant to listen to. Believe me I have been on some tours where the guides had annoying pet phrases like 'alright?' 'um' etc.. that can be tiresome to listen to for 2.5 hours. Lisa took personal interest in her guests and made the effort to talk to us individually whenever possible. Her food suggestions were great. I highly recommend going on her tour!read more
Helena Loremikan
23:40 22 Feb 22
I went on both the Gothic quarter tour and the Gaudi tour and both of them were brilliant. Miguel was a brilliant guide... and is so funny yet so informative. My friends and I enjoyed our tour so much we came back the very next day. I would highly recommend booking a walking tour with them you would not regret it at all!read more
Sue Pupo
18:21 03 Dec 21
We had a very informative, well researched and extremely interesting tour with Miguel today of Runner Bean Tours. He... pointed out interesting facts we would never discovered on our own, not to mention little known facts. It was highly informative. Do yourself a favor, and sign up for one of the tours. We have been on two now, and we’ll worth the time! You will enjoy Miguel, a very personable person and a great guide. He will make you fall in love with Barcelona.read more
Nick Williams
15:54 18 Aug 21
I did the Gaudí walking tour. We saw Palau Güell, Casa Batlló, Casa Milà/La Pedrera and Sagrada Família. There are more... Gaudi things to see but this is an excellent introduction to Gaudí.Miguel was the guide and he was brilliant. I also did the official Sagrada Família tour and the things Miguel told us were far more interesting than the official tour!!!I highly recommend this tour and I’m sure the other tours they offer are just as good!!!read more
Maria Fonseca
21:04 31 Dec 20
Was a pleasant experience to have Lisa as tour guide.Full of details her explanation and very focus on what she was... saying.A touch of british humour was very much appreciated ;)Thank youread more
Brigitte Gneissl
12:47 09 Dec 20
I booked the group tour for the Gothic quarter but obviously due to the current circumstances I was the only one on the... tour. Hence, my fantastic tour guide Lisa gave me a private tour and it was super interesting. I really learned a lot and it's a great way of discovering Barcelona. Highly recommended for anyone who comes to BCN! It's so important to also learn about the history and culture. A fantastic tour. Greetings to Lisa.read more
Satyajeet Sarang
15:56 17 Oct 20
We did the Gothic Quarter tour with Miguel. We were lucky that the other party on the tour had cancelled so we had a... private tour!! Miguel was extremely knowledgable and gave us lot of detail and information on each place and also bits and pieces of the in-between that tied the places together into a whole story!Miguel spent a good amount of time with us and also gave us good local tips for food, shops and such.We would highly recommend Runner Bean Tours!!read more
Lisa Gill
11:17 14 Oct 20
We had a fantastic tour led by Lisa and due to COVID it was just the three of us. We've been to Barcelona many times... and so it was wonderful to learn more about the history of the city and the buildings we love so much. Lisa was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommended!read more
rhonda caplan
03:03 13 Oct 20
We were so impressed with our tour. It was fun, and extremely informative. They go by donation and they are worth every... penny .My friend and I have been on tours in a lot of cities and this tour ranked amongst our favorite. We were encouraged to ask questions, and if I ever have an opportunity I would take as many tours from them as they offer. Thank you 😊 💙read more
Aoife Leddy
13:56 12 Oct 20
We had a very short time in Barcelona so to make the most of the time we had, we decided to do a walking tour. I'm so... glad we chose Runner Bean Tours. We did the Antoni Gaudí tour with Lisa and thoroughly enjoyed it. Even our children were engaged throughout thanks to Lisa's gift for storytelling and bringing you on a journey with her tour. Given the current climate in Spain with few foreign tourists visiting, we were in a unique position to enjoy an almost private tour in a very quiet city...an experience we will probably never have the opportunity to have ever again. We enjoyed the Gaudí tour so much that we booked the Gothic tour the very next day and were lucky enough to have Lisa as a guide once more. Again, a wonderful tour delivered in an engaging and really entertaining way. Lisa's knowledge of the history of Barcelona shines through and her passion for this wonderful city is absolutely contagious. Highly recommended for the whole family ♥️👌read more
Sophie Nadal
13:46 08 Sep 20
I really appreciated the visit with Ali, who payed attention to us, asking if we add any questions regularly. She loved... introducing the city to us and we can feel it, it was a real pleasure. I recommend it !read more
Elizabeth Skelton
14:14 03 Sep 20
We had an awesome time on the Barcelona gothic quarter tour with Miguel! Miguel was an amazing guide. He was full of... interesting information, and his passion and love for the city and his job made the tour extra enjoyable. He also gave us lots of recommendations for places to eat and drink in the city, and even helped us mark them on google maps. He also took some great pictures for us. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend runner bean tours. Thank you Miguel for giving us such an insightful experience!read more
Katie Mckitting
17:06 01 Sep 20
We have done a lot of walking tours all over the world and this was by far our favourite. Miguel was very knowledgeable... and funny and made this an enjoyable experience. It is clear that Miguel loves what he does and made sure that we had fun too. There were only 2 others on the tour with us and he made sure we were safe and distanced and everyone wore their masks to make sure we all felt safe and comfortable. I 100% recommend doing this tour - especially if with Miguel if possible! Gracias for a lovely few hours in Barca!! 🙂read more
FAQs
How does the free tour system work?
This is the title given to tours that work on a donation basis (at the end you can give the guide what you felt the tour was worth). In our small company we are confident enough to let you decide the value of the tour. You can not get a fairer system and this ensures that our guides give their best service every tour.
Do I need to make a reservation for the free tours?
Reservations are essential as for quality purposes, numbers are limited in all our tours.
If you are a large group of 7 or more you will need to book a private tour.
What if I arrive late to the meeting point?
We can only hold reservations until the starting time so it is very important to arrive before then. Occasionally a tour might be full and late arrivals won’t be able to join in. This also includes customers with a reservation as their space will have been given away to the people on the waiting list.
Do we visit the interior of the monuments?
No. This is an introduction to Gaudí's life and architecture. We see the outside of the buildings and you can choose which one to visit later in your own time. Your guide can help you with opening times and recommendations.
If you are interested in visiting the interior of the buildings with a guide, we do offer private tours.
Is there a lot of walking involved?
Not really. As long as you can do a short stroll around a city you are ready to walk a Runner Bean tour.
Because some of the attractions are quite far apart, two short metro trips will be involved (fare not included). If you can, please bring a metro pass.
Is the tour wheelchair accessible?
Yes. Please let your guide know at the beginning of the tour so he/she can show you the lifts at the two metro stations.
What should I bring?
During the summer it can get very hot so don't forget your sunglasses, sun-tan lotion and a bottle of water. Although the temperatures in Barcelona are mild for most of the year, in winter it can be cold so dress accordingly.
What if it rains?
Our Walking Tours run in all kinds of weather. In the case of heavy rain the tour will run as usual so please bring suitable rain gear.
Can I leave before the tour ends?
That is not a problem but please let your guide know so he/she doesn't wait for you at the next stop.
Do we stop for a break?
We generally stop for a quick toilet break (5 minutes or so). The tour is not too long so we think that a food or drink stop is not necessary and you can decide where you would like to go afterwards. Your guide will be more than happy to help you with recommendations.
