General Information

Park Güell is one of the most beautiful and special public parks in Barcelona and one of Antoni Gaudi‘s most famous works. It is composed by gardens and architectonic elements, covering 15 hectares on a hillside overlooking the city. Park Güell was inspired by the Temple of Apollo (Delphi, Greece) and is considered to be a central icon of modernist architecture in Barcelona (alongside Sagrada Familia and Casa Batlló, also Gaudi’s creations).

The main goal of the project, built by Gaudi for his patron Eusebi Güell, was to serve as a housing complex for the upper class, which stands on a hill overlooking the city of Barcelona. The park was built between the years 1900 -1914, and was declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1984. Due to the distance of the Park from the city center the upper class were not interested in it and the venture failed. The park remained abandoned until purchased by the city of Barcelona. In 1963 it was reopened to the public as a municipal park (the park used to be entrance-free until a few years ago, currently only a part of the park requires an entrance fee).

Park Güell is one of the main attractions for tourists in Barcelona.  the park contains one of Barcelona’s trademarks – the lizard-dragon, which welcomes the visitors at the entrance (some claim that it is the same dragon that Saint Jordi eliminated. Park Güell offer its visitors a lovely walk around one of the most unique parks in Barcelona (and Europe) as well as watching street performances and enjoying the great view of the city.

Tips and Recommendations for Visiting Park Güell

• The site is mostly recommended to the ones who are highly interested in architecture and complex creatures of nature.
• Visiting the park in an early hour has some advantages – the park is not full of visitors, so you can discover the park more easily and have the possibility to take pictures of the place. Moreover, the temperature around 1 PM starts to be miserably hot in Barcelona. Thus, it is also recommended to visit the park in a low-season period when the city is less crowded and the heat is not a factor.
• There is a special program for schools, called “Park Güell and schools” program, which gives the chance to the European Union member schools to visit the monumental zone. Visit the official website for more information.
• People with disabilities may have difficulties with visiting the place due to the architectural features of the park. There are three parking spaces for people with disabilities. In case of having any special requirements, you can contact the Visitor Service on the following e-mail: parkguell@bsmsa.cat. Additionally, please note that people with disabilities and their accompanying are entitled to a discount (for additional information – Accessibility in Park Güell and Accessibility in Barcelona).
• It is recommended to avoid the (very) expensive restaurant of Park Güell. You can take a bus or a metro back to the city center and try one of the many restaurant Barcelona has to offer. You can also enjoy a picnic in the park if the weather allows it (for additional information – Restaurants in Barcelona and Weather in Barcelona).

Tips for Entering Park Güell:

• Visitors can find three different entrances to the Monumental Zone: one on Carrer de Larrard (the main entrance), the second on Carretera Del Carmen no. 9, where there is parking place for tourist coaches, and the third entrance is the Passatge de Sant Joseph de la Muntanya, which can be reached using the escalators.
• The purchased tickets do not include the entrance fee to the Gaudí House Museum, it is possible to purchase a combined ticket for both Sagrada Familia and Gaudi Museum, but you can only do so if you buy the ticket in advance at Sagrada Familia. It does not work the other way around, so you should plan it ahead.
• If you want to purchase tickets prior to your visit, you may do so on the official website up to three months ahead of the visit, choosing the time and date. You should arrive on time in order not to lose your scheduled entrance time (for additional information – Park Güell Tickets).
• Park Güell has two parts to visit: The Monumental Zone which requires an entrance fee, and the free zone which is open to all visitors and is free of charge. The Monumental zone offers a free-access Wi-Fi connection (for additional information – Barcelona for Free).
• It is highly recommended to follow a route in order to visit all the points of interest in the park. You can choose between three routes: Sant Joseph de la Muntanya, Carrer d’Olot or Placa de la Natura. Anyhow, all three routes allow you to visit the main points. 

Tips for Discounts in Park Güell:

• For families who arrive to Park Güell – children under 6 years are free of charge, children in the ages of 7-12 are entitled for a discount (for additional information – Kids and Families in Park Güell and Kids and Families in Barcelona).

• Visitors in this landmark who owns the iVenture discounts card are entitled to a discount in the entrance fee (for additional information – iVenture Card – What is included?).

Tips for Transportation to Park Güell:

• If you are traveling to the park by metro, be prepared to an approximately 20 minutes’ walk up the hill, therefore the recommended transportation to the park is by bus, there is a bus station (line 24 and 92) in front of the main entrance.  You may also reach the park with the Hop-On Hop-Off tour bus. Make sure you take the Blue route and get off at Park Güell stop.
• If you plan to come with your car, it is best to be prepared and make a reservation for parking in advance, but we do not recommend coming with a car to the park (for additional information – Car Rental in Barcelona and Car Rental in Spain).

• Nearby there is a station of the Hop-on Hop-off bus blue line (for additional information – Hop-on Hop-off Bus Map).

Tips for Attractions near Park Güell:

• The city of Barcelona is being well-known of its famous attractions, so by visiting Park Güell you may schedule your tour to visit other places as well, for instance the Church of La Sagrada Familia and the Saint Pau Hospital, which is the most beautiful medical complex in the world.

• It is highly recommended to visit Gaudí Experience which is located close by.

Tips for Guide in Park Güell:

• A guide is available in seven different languages, which will help you to discover efficiently the famous monument. 
• It is recommended to download the free app (Park Güell, Official Guide to the Monumental Zone) to your smartphones or tablets, which will provide some useful information, routes and interesting photos, available in seven languages.

Tips for Hotels in Park Güell:

• This area is very recommended for those looking for a cheap accommodation, and also for those arriving the city with a car, since a lot of the hotels in this area has a parking lot. It also includes some good accommodation apartments for families, just keep in mind the distance from the city center. Recommended hotels in this area – Hotel BestPrice Gracia, Aparthotel Silver, Exe Mitre and Pol & Grace Hotel. (for additional information – Hotels near Park Güell and Hotels in Barcelona).

Recommended Blogs and Articles About Park Güell:

• Park Güell: The Most Creative Park in the World? at Monkeys and Mountains
• Know Before You Go: The Essentials for Visiting Park Güell at Palou Suits Blog