1 - Gothic Quarter Walking Tour with Churros | Small Group Tour

Highlights

• Enjoy a stroll through history-filled Medieval streets in a small 6 person group

• Savor Spain’s most famous sweet treat of freshly made churros dipped in hot chocolate

• Immerse yourself in the history of this quarter’s ancient façades with your expert guide

• Gain an understanding of the origins of Barcelona on this expertly led 2 hour tour

• Marvel at the architectural wonders left by the Romans that we still enjoy today

Summary

LivTours’ Gothic Quarter Walking Tour with Churros | Small Group Tour will take you through the winding labyrinth of streets and hidden squares steeped in history from Roman ruins to Medieval buildings all with a thousand stories to tell. Started by the Romans over 2,000 years ago, this quarter is also home to Barcelona’s former Jewish quarter, one of the largest in Europe, and has always been the religious and governmental epicenter of daily life for the inhabitants of Barcelona. Get your cameras ready to explore the picturesque streets as your expert guide will bring this must see neighborhood alive with their lively and informative walking tour of this district. During your tour, ending your tour savoring the local pastry of churros dipped in rich hot chocolate. Come experience old Barcelona with its rich history on this exclusive small group tour!

Description

Your LivTours’ Gothic Quarter Walking Tour with Churros | Small Group Tour starts in the heart of this district with the 12th Century Cathedral of Barcelona as the backdrop. This area, known as the Gothic Quarter, is one of three neighborhoods in the city’s Old Town, referred to locally as the Ciutat Vella. A stroll through this neighborhood is like walking through a pop up history book!

Along with your small group of six, you will start off your tour by admiring a mural designed by the city’s adopted artist, Pablo Picasso. Created in the 1960s, these three enormous murals are unique depictions of typical traditions of this region. From there you and your small group will set off to explore the charming, narrow streets and hidden squares while your expert guide shares colorful stories of the district’s history as you are transported back in time along its cobblestone streets.

One of your next stops is the heart of Barcelona’s former Jewish Quarter and home to one of Europe’s oldest synagogues, nowadays a museum where you will learn about the history of this thriving, tight-knit community for 700 years before the Papal Inquisition of 1391. Navigating the tangled web of history rich streets in the company of your local guide allows you to see all the highlights easily; allowing you to make the most of your time in Barcelona.

Just a stone’s throw away is the charming Plaza Sant Felip Neri, a hidden gem of calm in the bustling quarter, where you will hear the story of how a medieval Baroque-style church survived the bombings of the Spanish Civil War. The war has helped shape Spain’s current style of government and constitution which was only written in the 1970s.

Next your local guide will lead you through the streets to Plaza Sant Jaume, the heart of the city and state government whose majestic buildings flank this open square. Once the heart of the Roman settlement, Barcino, which later became known as Barcelona. Just around the corner is the Temple of Augustus, built during the time of the Ancient Roman Emperor of the same name. Stretching 30 feet into the air, these columns are as old as the city itself and were part of the Roman Forum.

Before enjoying the delicious treat of churros and chocolate with your guide, you will explore the city’s amazing Gothic architecture of the city’s cathedral with its soaring arched ceiling and colorful stained glass windows. Before leaving, you will have a chance to experience an oasis of green calm in the cloister courtyard, host to 13 white geese in honor of Barcelona’s former patron saint, Saint Eulalia before stopping at Plaza del Rei, the square dedicated to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel and where they met Christopher Columbus after the first of his three voyages to the New World under the Spanish flag.