Barcelona Highlights City Tour and Montserrat Excursion

Highlights

• Gaze up at the neo-Gothic architecture of the Barcelona Cathedral
• Visit the Gothic Quarter, formerly the center of the old city
• Pass by the Barcelona Olympic Stadium, built in 1927 and renovated in 1989
• Admire the interesting architecture in the city
• Sail through the air in one of the Montjuic cable cars

Description

We will meet at the Julià Travel office, located at Estació del Nord at 09:00hrs.

In the first part of the visit, we will enjoy a walking tour through El Born and the Gothic Quarter. We will have the opportunity to stroll along one of the most important streets of Barcelona and visit places such as the Arc de Triomf, the Cathedral of Barcelona or the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar. You will marvel at the multitude of details on the façades of the buildings you will come across along the route.

We will walk through the narrow streets of the old part of the city and discover its hidden secrets. At the end of the walking tour, we will board an air-conditioned bus for a panoramic tour of Barcelona.

We will do different stops on Montjuic, which was the Olympic Area in 1992. At the first stop, we will access the Montjuic Cable Car, from where we will have breathtaking views of Barcelona. We will pass by Montjuic Castle, from where we will be able to take a trip to the past and discover part of the history of the city. We will make a last stop in Montjuic, in this case at the MNAC viewpoint, from where we will have a different perspective of Barcelona.

It’s time to return to the office, but first, we will pass though Paseo de Gracia, one of the most important streets in Barcelona, and where two of Antoni Gaudí’s most important works are located: La Pedrera & La Casa Batlló.

Check in back again at our office in Estació del Nord before the starting time of the afternoon activity. Meet your guide and come aboard an air-conditioned coach to Montserrat.

After a 1h drive on the highway, board the cogwheel train up the mountain and enjoy the amazing views. Admire the Mountain’s peculiar morphology, which comes from the Catalan words Mont (mountain) and Serrat (serrated). World-famous for its rocky geography, Montserrat beautiful scenery was declared National Park in 1987 to protect its natural and cultural wealth.

Follow your local guide through the site and learn about the history and architectural style of the Monastery. A community of 80 monks currently lives and follow the rule of Saint Benedict in Montserrat. Fall in love with the Gothic and Renaissance details of the basilica and sanctuary. Learn about the legend of the miraculous apparition of the Madonna and Child in the cave of Santa Cova. To this day, their woodcarving is kept in the Church of the monastery, which you will be able to visit. The figure is popularly known as La Moreneta (The Black Madonna) as a result of a varnish reaction.

Besides the main area, there are a great number of small churches and trails you can follow. You will be given free time to taste the finest liquors, shop for locally produced treats or visit the audio-visual exhibition once our guided tour finishes.