You’ve probably heard that visiting Parc Guell in Barcelona is one of the top things to do in the city. As someone who has visited Barcelona and Parc Guell many times, I agree with this completely. However, as a large and busy tourist attraction, Parc Guell is one of those places that benefits from some planning before your visit, so you can make the most of your time in the park.
I recently visited Parc Güell for the fourth time, and I have now visited it in the autumn, spring and summer. I’ve visited the park with both children and adults, with limited time and with unlimited time. Based on those four visits to Parc Guell I’ve written the guide below, which I hope will help other first-time visitors have a hassle-free, fun and exciting visit to one of Gaudi’s undeniable masterpieces.
How to Get Tickets to Parc Guell
As with all the main tourist attractions in Barcelona, it’s always smartest to buy your tickets directly from the attraction. It’s often possible to book next-day tickets for the park, but during high season I’d recommend booking at least a week in advance.
There are two official avenues to buy tickets to Parc Guell: the official website and the official app. These should always be your first choice when buying tickets (and no, I don’t make any money recommending them!).
You can find the official Parc Guell ticketing website here. You can choose between a regular park visit, a guided tour, or a park visit that includes entrance to the Gaudi House Museum (more on that below).
You can also buy tickets directly in the official app (Apple Store / Google Play). To confirm you’re using the correct app, make sure it was created by Ajuntament de Barcelona, which is the Barcelona city council.
Whether you use the website or the app, you will need to know the date and time of your visit, as well as the number of visitors. I booked via the website, and after making the payment online I received an email with my PDF ticket attached. You can print a paper copy or show it on your phone at the gate.
If the official tickets channels are sold out, you may be able to find a ticket through a third-party provider, like Viator or GetYourGuide.
Which Parc Guell Entrance is Best?
Parc Guell has three entrances for ticket-holders:
- Carretera del Carmel – The west entrance offers the easiest access to the monumental zone, especially for anyone with limited mobility.
- Carrer d’Olot – The “main” entrance is at the bottom of the famous stairwell with its mosaic lizard sculpture. From here, you can walk up the stairs and be in the very middle of the park.
- Passatge de Sant Josep de la Muntanya – The east entrance is connected to two nearby metro stations by occasionally-functional outdoor escalators. 😉
My preferred entrance is the Carmel entrance, and it’s the one I’ve used on my last two visits (once arriving by coach, and once arriving by public bus). From here, it’s a picturesque walk along the tree-lined viaducts to the monumental zone with panoramic views of Barcelona.
How to Get to Parc Guell
In my opinion, the easiest way to get to Parc Guell is to take Bus #24 in the direction “El Carmel”. This public bus runs from Placa Catalunya up Passeig de Gracia and then to the Carmel entrance of the Parc Guell. You can buy a ticket directly on board by tapping your phone or credit card, or you can use a transit pass or ticket that you bought for your trip.
You can reduce your travel time by taking the metro as far as Lesseps, and then connecting to Bus #24 there. However, you can only do this on one ticket if you’re using a pass like the ten-ticket T-Casual or the monthly T-Usual; if you’re tapping to pay then you’d have to tap twice.
If you come to Parc Guell from areas like the Gothic Quarter or El Born by Uber or taxi, the fare would likely be about €15.
Things to See in Parc Guell
With almost twenty hectares of park space and seven kilometers of walking trails, Parc Guell is full of interesting sights to see. If you enter the park from my preferred entrance, these are some of the main sights you’ll see, in the order you’re likely to encounter them.
The Park Viaducts
Parc Güell is organized along three main walking routes: the upper, middle and lower viaducts. Each served both as a mode of transportation and as a way to capture and distribute rainwater to hydrate the greenery throughout the park. The width of these pathways was large enough to accommodate horse-drawn carriages (as was the main mode of transportation at the time), while narrower walking paths created shortcuts and strolling routes for pedestrians.
Casa Trias
In my opinion, this is the most photogenic building in Parc Güell. One of three residential homes built inside park, it’s the only one that still remains a private family residence today. You can’t go inside, but it’s worth visiting to see the bright white facade set against the vivid blue sky.
Nature Square & The Mosaic Benches
Also known as the Greek Theatre, this large open space is probably one of the two most famous landmarks inside Parc Güell. Gaudi had intended it to serve as a performance venue, where shows could be watched from the terraces above. Instead, it became one of the most famous panoramic viewpoints in Barcelona, offering guests views of the park gates, the city and the sea.
Gaudi House Museum
Serving as a show home for potential buyers, this house best exemplified Eusebi Güell’s vision for the Parc Güell development. It wasn’t designed by Gaudi, but rather by his close associate Francesc d’Assis Berenguer i Mestres (who also designed the nearby Mercat de Llibertat).
This house was first bought by Gaudi’s father, and then Gaudi himself moved in for a period of nearly twenty years. In the 1960s the home was converted into the Gaudi House Museum and now houses an exhibit about Gaudi, with a focus on his identify outside of being an architect.
If you want to visit the Gaudi House Museum you should bundle your museum entrance in with your Parc Güell ticket to guarantee admission. It’s (theoretically) possible to buy a museum ticket separately on-site during your visit, but they often sell out.
The Hypostyle Hall
While most of the columns throughout Parc Guell look as though they were hand-carved from the local stone, the columns here at the Hypostyle Hall stand out for their more formal and classical appearance. The ceiling features mosaics by Josep Maria Jujol (who also also worked with Gaudi on Casa Mila and Casa Battlo).
This space was originally intended to serve as a marketplace for community residents, who would have been able to shop for local fruits, vegetables, breads, meats and cheeses from the vendors who would have set up here.
(In case you were wondering, the word “hypostyle” comes from the Ancient Greek hupostulos, which translates to “under pillars”.)
The Dragon Stairway
Is it a dragon? Is it a salamander? Only Gaudi knows! Today, the mosaic creature in the center of the grand stairwell in the center of Parc Güell is an iconic symbol of Barcelona. In front of him, the emblem of Catalonia makes an appearance, along with some mysterious goblin figurines.
The Porter’s Lodge
Considered to mark the main entrance of Parc Güell, these two houses were used by the park’s original porter. One side was used as a residence, while the other was his working quarters where he could receive incoming visitors and call residents to inform them that they had a guest.
The guard’s former house is now a museum, featuring a small collection of displays about Parc Güell. Admission is included in your park ticket, and its worth the short queue for the views of the park from the upper-floor windows.
Most guests will leave the park here, through the front gates. However, there is still more to explore the southwest corner of the park.
The Austria Gardens
In 1977, Austria donated a collection of trees to Parc Güell, allowing them to transform this space from a municipal nursery to a lush green garden. Recent updates to this part of the park have focused on growing aromatic flowers and plants, making this a particularly perfumed place to stroll.
The Laundry Room Portico
There’s only one human figure in all of Parc Güell, and you’ll find her here in the Laundry Room Portico (also known as the Washerwoman’s Portico… it kind of feels like everything here has two names!). The undulating columns act as a retaining wall, and atop one you’ll notice a figurine of a woman doing the washing.
The Palm Promenade
If you entered the park at the Carmel entrance you’ve probably walked down part of this palm tree-lined pathway already. It crosses the park from west to east, and will take you towards the last stop on your Parc Guell itinerary.
Look up into the palm trees that line the promenade and you’re likely to spot some colorful green monk parakeets. These birds were first brought to Spain from South America and kept as pets, but in the 1970s some escaped and wild parakeet population exploded. Today, it is estimated that there are more than 6,000 of these birds living in the city’s parks and trees.
The Hill of the Three Crosses
The highest spot in the park had originally been set aside for a chapel for park residents. However, when the residential project failed, they cancelled the construction of a chapel and built this small monument instead. If it’s a clear day you should be able to see the bullet-shaped Torre Glòries, Sagrada Familia, Montjuic mountain and the Mediterranean Sea.
Toilets Inside Park Guell
There are toilets located throughout Parc Guell. Try to avoid using the ones in front of the porter’s lodge, as they are the busiest and the wait for the women’s washroom can easily exceed 30+ minutes in high season. The least-busy toilets are the ones that blend naturally into the park landscape, like the one shown above, so keep your eyes peeled as you’re walking around.
Food and Drink Inside Parc Guell
There are no restaurants, cafes or kiosks selling food inside Parc Guell. The only food and drink you’ll find are a handful of water fountains where you can fill your bottle or take a sip from the tap.
If you want to pack a little snack for your visit to Parc Guell, some options include:
- The Honest Greens at Carrer Gran de Gracia #30 has superfood cookies, energy balls and bars. It’s less than one block away from a Bus #24 stop.
- There is a Buenas Migas at Passeig de Gràcia #120 serves up focaccia by the slice. They typically have a few varieties available for take-away, including some topped with cheese, vegetables and/or ham. Again, you’re just a block from a #24 bus stop.
- There are two Pans & Company sandwich shops near Plaza de Catalunya. Most of their sandwiches contain chicken or ham, but they have at least one vegan option on the menu and a couple of vegetarian sandwiches. You can grab some food and then hop on the #24 bus to the park.
Eating inside the monumental area is not permitted, so you’ll need to take your picnic into one of the forested areas. There are three dedicated picnic areas inside the park, all of which have drinking water fountains.
Bonus Tips for Visiting Parc Güell
Here are a few other things to keep in mind about visiting Parc Guell in Barcelona:
- If it’s your first time visiting the park, I would suggest planning to stay inside the park for about two hours. Add another thirty minutes if you want to spend more time walking in the forested areas.
- Wear comfortable walking shoes that are suitable for uneven terrain, sloped surfaces and slippery paths (in case of rain and/or power-washing).
- The official app recommends a route for visitors with limited mobility, however some parts of the park are only accessible via stairs or steep dirt pathways. Consult the official website for full information about park accessibility before buying a ticket.
- Most pickpockets aren’t spending €18 to enter the park itself, but Bus #24 and the streets around the entrances and exits can see occasional pickpockets. Consider using an anti-theft purse when you’re at the main tourist attractions in Barcelona.
- If you want to get photos of the staircase or mosaic benches with few people, book the first tickets of the day and head to those spots.
- Since paper maps aren’t provided, consider downloading the official app (linked above) or booking a guided tour.
- Once you exit the park, you can’t re-enter. Make sure to bring what you need with you.
- Don’t worry too much about seeing everything or walking the “right” way – consider a visit to Parc Guell your opportunity to get lost in Gaudi’s vision. 💕
Before you go to Barcelona, you should read these related guides:
⭐ Should You Visit Gaudi’s Palau Guell?
♥️ The Best Areas to Stay in Barcelona (Especially for Solo Female Travelers)
1️⃣ How to Spend One Day in Barcelona, Spain
🏰 How to Take a Day Trip from Barcelona to Girona
🐉 How to Take a Day Trip to Tarragona from Barcelona
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