The Ultimate Guide to Park Güell – Tickets, Arts & Architecture

Located on the southern slope of Mount Carmelo, in the district of Gracia, you will find a magical and colourful masterpiece, Park Güell (or Parc Güell in Catalonian).

1. Architectural Introduction to Park Güell

Around the 1900’s the politician and industrialist Eusebi Güell, known as the main patron of Antoni Gaudí, had the idea to create an innovative and cutting-edge new housing development in this area. Güell park was conceived by Güell and Gaudí to ensure incomparable high-standing houses, with individuality, vibrant creativity and all the technological advances of the time. Could you imagine that?

À l'époque, qui voulait vivre si loin du centre, dans une zone mal desservie ?

Living in one of the large and impressive new buildings of the Eixample was the place to be! Especially at the Paseo de Gracia, which is full of shops, showcases, cafes …

The dream did not come true. Only two houses were sold, and one of them is the current Gaudí House Museum, where the architect lived between 1906 and 1925 and the other is the house Trias, owned by the lawyer Martí Trias i Domènech, a friend of Güell and Gaudí, which was designed by the architect Juli Batllevell in 1905.

However, as the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining and the park was immediately a centre of attraction! Park Guell was a reflection of Gaudí’s artistic fullness, its uniqueness was everywhere and everyone wanted to see that.

Tourists, travellers, artists… all kinds of visitors wanted to experience this magical atmosphere. It became a meeting point for associations, parties and a centre for events and celebrations. A UNESCO world heritage site and the new city’s hotspot!

In 1918, after the death of Güell, the park was sold to the Barcelona City Council to make it public and in 1969 it was considered a National Historic-Artistic Monument. In 1984 UNESCO included it within the World Heritage Site “Works of Antoni Gaudí “.

Êtes-vous prêt à vous promener dans ce parc de 17 hectares et à découvrir ses trésors ?

2. What to See in Park Guell?

Antoni Gaudí used to create perfect integration between architecture and nature and this park is a perfect example of it. You will find two different areas in the park, the monumental area and the free zone.

La zone monumentale

L'entrée

The main access is located on the street Carrer d´Olot, where the park is hemmed by a wall made of brick and local stone, to preserve the natural image of the landscape. You can also see ceramic medallions with the name of the park on them.

Once visitors enter you will start going up and up. It feels like going from the ground to the sky, to reach paradise. Gaudí loved metaphors, most the architects do … At the entrance, you will find two buildings framing the area. They seem to be there to welcome you into this fantasy world Gaudí wanted to present to us.

Aujourd'hui, ils servent de boutique de souvenirs et de services de conciergerie.

The Monumental Staircase

This is the first element you will see when you enter and probably the most characteristic image of the park. The staircase has two symmetrical sides and in the central space, between both sections, there are three fountains and sculptures.

In the first fountain, you can find a circle that symbolizes the world, along with a compass symbolizing the architect’s work. In the second one, there are the shield of Catalonia and a snake. Is it due to the symbolism of medicine? Or maybe it has a religious sense …

Plenty of theories, just choose one! And finally, in the third fountain, the great icon of the park: a colourful salamander that poses facing the access and the city. This creation, which seems to be almost like a dragon, is subject to mythological comparisons. It is believed to represent the element of fire. Metaphors and symbolism everywhere!

Il est amusant de constater que parfois, lorsqu'un réservoir souterrain ne peut plus accumuler d'eau, le surplus est expulsé par la gueule de ce dragon vers l'extérieur. Pas de feu, mais de l'eau. Heureusement !

La salle hypostyle

The staircase ends in the Hypostyle Hall, which was built between 1907 and 1909 to be the market that supplies the new urbanization. Due to the commercial failure, the Hall changed its function and now it serves as a place to rest and enjoy concerts.

Le plan combine un rectangle et un triangle avec 86 colonnes au total. Une sorte de forêt artificielle, un temple dorique de rêve dans l'ombre où tout se calme.

The seventeen outer columns are slightly inclined and all of them are octagonal, mimicking the shape of stalagmites. Again, nature and architecture merged. Its height is between six and seven meters, and they have a diameter of 1.20m.

La fonction des colonnes n'est pas seulement structurelle puisque c'est par elles que l'eau s'écoule de la place et est acheminée vers le réservoir souterrain. Fonctionnalité et beauté, quoi d'autre ?

Le banc carré et le banc ondulé

On top of the Hypostyle Hall you will find the Square, with a beautiful view of the city and the Mediterranean sea. It was built between 1907 and 1913 and it has 3000 square meters. A wavy bench made out of trencadís, which consists of using small pieces of recycled ceramics, is the main attraction of the square. It was designed by Josep Maria Jujol, one of Gaudi’s closest disciples.

S'y asseoir pour se reposer, lire un peu ou déjeuner par une journée ensoleillée avec une vue panoramique sur Barcelone est l'une des choses à faire absolument dans cette ville. On dirait que le corps d'un serpent de 110 mètres de long embrasse la place.

It is also a great photo-point! So don’t miss one of the most beautiful corners of Barcelona and show off with nice pics!

Le Calvaire

Situé dans la partie la plus haute de la montagne, le Calvaire est l'allusion la plus directe au christianisme de tout le parc.

Il s'agit d'un monument en pierre qui comporte trois croix (peut-être une allégorie de la crucifixion de Jésus). Il a un plan circulaire avec deux escaliers et, au sommet, la meilleure vue de la ville ! C'est ce que vous voulez voir.

Le musée de la maison Gaudi

The house was designed by Francesc Berenguer, one of his disciples, between 1904-1906 and Gaudí lived there from 1906 until 1925. Nowadays the house is used as a museum and there is a wide collection of works by Antoni Gaudí and some of his collaborators, distributed over three floors.

In the basement, there is a room dedicated to the sculptor Carles Mani. On the 1st floor, you will see the furniture designed by Gaudí for Casa Batlló and Casa Calvet. On the 2nd floor Gaudí’s office and bedroom plus the furniture and the hydraulic tile floor of Casa Milà. Pieces from Eusebi Güell, Josep Maria Jujol, Francesc Berenguer and Aleix Clapé are also exhibited.

L'entrée au musée n'est pas incluse dans le prix du billet normal pour le parc Guell, vous devrez donc l'acheter séparément. Vous pouvez l'acheter sur place ou en ligne via le site officiel. Le musée est ouvert tous les jours de 10h00 à 18h00.

The Free Zone

This area is more like a wild garden where you can lose yourself walking through several paths. It is fun to visit it and discover hidden viewpoints of the city. Apart from the spectacular views of Barcelona, ​​you will be able to appreciate the architecture through the viaducts Gaudí designed here. The Calvario and Gaudí’s House are in this part of the park.

3. Visite guidée

Do you really want to know all the details and discover more about Gaudí? Then a guided tour is a wonderful way to discover the park and learn about modernism, architecture, the trencadís technique, Gaudí’s approach to nature and all the unique symbolic messages in the park.

The visit will be made with a small group and with a knowledgeable guide. The guided tour lasts about 1 hour and 30 minutes, but you can stay in the park as long as you wish. Enjoy and don’t miss anything. Your visit will be unforgettable!

4. Visiter le parc Guell par ses propres moyens

If you prefer to visit the park on your own, it will be best to buy the tickets online. The maximum hourly visitor admittance is 400 people. After waiting to get your ticket, it is possible to be assigned a time slot to enter in a few hours. That is not fun! Don´t let the crowds decide and plan your own time.

Pour s'y rendre depuis le centre-ville, il faut compter environ 45 minutes et pour profiter des zones monumentales et gratuites, environ 2 heures.

The opening times change depending on the season, so check our FAQs below and decide what is best for you. Avoiding peak hours can be a plus if you are keen on taking the best pictures. Early morning or evening are good options. Sunsets are amazing from the wavy bench!

5. How and Where to Buy Tickets for Park Guell?

You can buy the Park Guell Tickets at the park itself but, it can be Hell on Earth. Park Guell is one of the most famous attractions and visited, so it’s going to be busy the whole year-round. You will have to wait for sure, so play it smart and get your Park Guell tickets online. So the only thing to worry about will be bringing your sunglasses and your best comfy outfit.

Recevez-les par e-mail, SMS ou dans notre application et montrez-les sur votre smartphone (pas besoin d'imprimer), c'est facile ! Vous serez prêt à entrer et à découvrir ce parc de rêve sans file d'attente.

Be sure you are on time. Tickets purchased in advance will allow you to enter the park for 30 minutes after the time you reserved. Time is money, don´t waste it and let’s have fun!

6. FAQ

Where is Park Güell? 

Park Güell is located at Carrer D’Olot, 08024 Barcelona, Spain. The main entrance is located in Carrer de Larrard. There are other two entrances in Carretera del Carmel and Passatge de Sant Josep de la Muntanya.

Park Güell opening hours

Soyez à l'heure. Vous ne pourrez entrer que 30 minutes après l'heure à laquelle vous avez réservé. La dernière admission a lieu une heure avant la fermeture.

• From 1/01/2020 until 14/02/2020: 08:30 h – 18:00 h
• From 15/02/2020 until 28/03/2020: 08:30 h – 18:00 h
• From 29/03/2020 until 26/04/2020: 08:00 h – 19:30 h
• From 27/04/2020 until 23/08/2020: 07:30 h – 20:30 h
• From 24/08/2020 until 24/10/2020: 08:00 h – 19:30 h
• From 25/10/2020 until 31/12/2020: 08:30 h – 17:30 h

What’s the best time to visit Park Güell?

Si vous voulez éviter les foules, le mieux est d'y aller tôt le matin, vers 9 heures. Vous aurez tout le temps de profiter du parc et de prendre de belles photos. Vous pouvez avoir terminé à l'heure du déjeuner, alors allez dans le quartier de Gracia et prenez des tapas dans un bar à tapas typique, comme le font les locaux.

Another option is to go a few hours before the closing time and skip the peak hours. In summer, it is nicer to avoid noon and afternoon hours, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm approximately, when most visitors are wandering the Park.

The sun here is very intense in summer so take care or you will end up sweating and red like a gamba!

How to get to Park Güell?

Par navette

With your ticket, you have free access to the GÜELL BUS, a shuttle that will take you directly and in just 15 minutes from the Alfons X metro station (L4) to Park Güell. 

En métro, ligne verte (L3), arrêts Lesseps ou Vallcarca

• From Lesseps station (L3), it’s a 20-minute walk. You can arrive taking the Avinguda del Santuari de Sant Josep de la Muntanya, which is equipped with escalators.
• From the Vallcarca stop (L3), it takes about 20 minutes to arrive by foot as well, using the escalators of the Baixada de la Glòria and then accessing the Avinguda del Santuari de Sant Josep de la Muntanya.

En bus, lignes H6, 32, 24, 92

• La ligne de bus 24 a un arrêt à l'entrée du parc, près des grilles.
• La ligne 92 est également proche, à quelques minutes de marche.
• Avec H6 et 32, il faut descendre à Travessera de Dalt et monter par Sant Josep de la Muntanya en faisant le même parcours que si l'on descendait à la station de métro Lesseps.

Taxi

Le taxi est pratique mais cher. Depuis le centre, comptez environ 15 euros par trajet. Un arrêt de taxi se trouve devant l'entrée principale.

Bus Turistic

Avec la Bus touristique, you must get off on the blue route at the Park Güell stop and with the Visite de la ville de Barcelone, on the East line, also at the Park Güell stop.

Accessibilité pour les personnes handicapées et les personnes à mobilité réduite

People with reduced mobility may have difficulty moving through Park Güell, due to its architectural features, with irregular stairs and roads. There is a specific route adapted to people with mobility difficulties.

Si vous avez des besoins particuliers, contactez le service des visiteurs par courriel à l'adresse parkguell@bsmsa.cat.

Combien de temps faut-il pour visiter le parc Guell ?

Il vous faudra 30 à 45 minutes pour vous y rendre et vous devez arriver 30 minutes à l'avance, au cas où.

Ensuite, pour la zone monumentale, vous aurez besoin d'une heure environ et d'une autre pour la zone libre. Au total, 3 ou 4 heures minimum.

What are the rules when visiting the Park Güell?

You can only enter 30 minutes after the reserved time slot, if you are late you are not allowed to enter. Keep the entrance ticket with you during the visit.

If you leave the paying zone it won’t be possible to enter again, so be sure when you want to leave.

How much do the tickets to Park Güell cost?

Ticket prices for skip the line admission to the Monumental Zone of Park Güell 2020:

• Adults: 10€ per person
• Children from 7 to 12 years: 7€
• Enfants de moins de 6 ans : gratuit
• Seniors 65 years and over: 7€ 
• Disabled + companion: 7€

Vous avez d'autres questions ? N'hésitez pas à nous en faire part !

Nous espérons que cet article vous a apporté des informations précieuses. Acquérir des connaissances sur la ville dans laquelle vous voyagez vous permettra de profiter pleinement de vos expériences. 

La connaissance est un atout pour votre prochaine aventure à Barcelone. Plus vous connaîtrez les circuits proposés, plus vous serez en mesure d'adapter votre voyage à vos attentes et de créer des souvenirs inoubliables. 

Now it is your turn! We love feedback so don’t be shy. Please leave comments and questions below!

[simple-author-box]