SHORE EXCURSIONS

Drive along the elegant Passeig de Gracia with its wrought-iron street lamps and fine array of Modernist buildings, including Gaudi’s Casa Mila, with its arches and spiral chimneys. It is known locally as “the stone quarry,” because of its wavy facade of rough stone. Originally designed as an apartment building, it now houses a cultural center. Stop for a photo of Gaudi’s controversial and towering masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia (The Holy Family) Church. Begun in 1883, it is still unfinished. A panoramic drive takes you through the memorial Arch of Triumph and Ciutadella Park, home to State of Catalona’s parliament, museums and a monumental fountain designed by a student of Gaudi. You’ll also enjoy spectacular views of the harbor and the Olympic Stadium from the top of Montjuic. Last but not least, stroll at your leisure the narrow streets and handsome squares of the old Quarter, lined with medieval buildings contemporary shops, bohemian artist workshops and cool bars and restaurants.

Capture the moment by taking the perfect selfie photo in Barcelona ! Instantly share your experience with family & friends on your favorite social media site as some of the stops might include wi-fi. Your accompanying guide will help you choose the spot to take the best selfie photo including composition, posing, lighting etc. Capture the spirit of this incredible destination.

Your tour begins with a scenic drive to the Sagrada Familia Park. You will have designated selfie stops at:

• La Sagrada Familia
• Paseo de Gracia – Gaudi´s Houses
• Triumphal arch

Experience Barcelona’s diverse architectural heritage. After a short panoramic drive, walk up to the Sagrada Familia and get acquainted with Antoni Gaudi, Barcelona’s celebrity architect – his unmistakable style with its organic shapes, twisted iron sculptures and colored tiles is hard to miss. The Sagrada Familia, which you will admire from the outside, was begun in 1883, and it remains unfinished to this day. Drive along the elegant Passeig de Gracia with its wrought-iron street lamps and fine array of Modernist buildings, including Gaudi’s Casa Batllo, with a mosaic façade and undulating roof. You’ll wander through the Spanish Village, where you’ll find full-scale replicas of the most characteristic buildings from all over Spain, as well as craft workshops, exhibitions of contemporary art and shops offering quality souvenirs. There will be free time in the old Quarter Quarter to explore, shop or have lunch on your own while strolling its narrow streets and handsome squares, lined with medieval buildings contemporary shops, bohemian artist workshops and cool bars and restaurants .

Begin your tour with the view from the top, as you head to Montjuic hill for a panoramic view of Barcelona. Drive along the elegant Passeig de Gracia with its wrought-iron street lamps and fine array of Modernist buildings, including Gaudi’s Casa Batllo, with a mosaic façade and undulating roof. View his controversial and towering masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia (The Holy Family) Church.

It is about an hour’s drive to Montserrat, an unusual multi-peak mountain topped by pinnacles that look like fingers reaching for the sky and offering stunning views of Catalunya. According to legend, villagers discovered a statue of the Madonna in a grotto a millennia ago. As a result, it became a pilgrimage site, and still draws many of the faithful to venerate the image, which now resides in a grand basilica.

Over the centuries the image has darkened by the smoke of millions of candles and she has come to be known as the Black Virgin. You’ll visit the basilica, and have free time to shop and have lunch on your own.

Enjoy an enlightening panoramic drive around Barcelona as a prelude to a hands-on cooking class, after which you will dine on the paella that you have prepared. You will see some of Barcelona’s most iconic architecture, including two UNESCO World Heritage sites that famed Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí designed. One is his La Sagrada Familia, a masterpiece church begun more 130 years ago that is still unfinished. The other is Gaudi’s imaginative Casa Batllo, a whimsical residence with undulated balconies and a façade covered with mosaics inspired by nature. Upon reaching the Paella Club, you will be treated to an immersive culinary experience during which you will learn the foundations of Spanish cuisine and how to make authentic paella. Your host chef will show you exactly how to prepare the dish and different versions of it at your workstation. The cooking class will culminate by dining on the paellas, perhaps the most well-known dish in Spain.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• See Barcelona’s architectural treasures, including two UNESCO World Heritage sites. • Learn to prepare authentic paella in a hands-on cooking class at the Paella Club. • Dine on the paella and the different versions of it that you just made in class.

HELPFUL HINTS:
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing. • Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Drive along the elegant Passeig de Gracia, one of Barcelona’s most important shopping and business districts, lined with wrought-iron street lamps and some of the city’s most celebrated Modernist architecture. Both the Passeig and the Rambla radiate out from the enormous Catalunya Square, considered to be the heart of the city. Stop to admire Gaudi’s controversial and towering masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia (The Holy Family) Church. Begun in 1883, it is still unfinished.

For the grand finale you’ll head to the Spanish Village, where you’ll find full-scale replicas of the most representative buildings and squares from all over Spain. At the Tablao de Carmen in the Andalusian Quarter you’ll be entertained by a lively flamenco show. This very expressive Spanish dance form features guitars, song, dance, and much rhythmic foot stomping and hand clapping.

Experience Barcelona’s diverse architectural heritage. You’ll become well acquainted with Antoni Gaudi, Barcelona’s celebrity architect – his unmistakable style with its organic shapes, twisted iron sculptures and colored tiles is hard to miss. Begun in 1883, it remains unfinished to this day. Enjoy an inside visit at his towering masterpiece, la Sagrada Family (The Holy Family). Drive along the elegant Passeig de Gracia with its wrought-iron street lamps and fine array of Modernist buildings, including Gaudi’s Casa Batllo, with a mosaic façade and undulating roof. You´ll wander through the “Poble Espanyol”, an open-air architectural museum, which was built for the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition. It consists of 117 full-scale buildings, which are replicas of the most characteristic buildings from all over Spain. It also contains restaurants, artisan workshops and shops offering quality souvenirs. There will be free time in the Old Quarter to explore, shop or have lunch on your own while strolling its narrow streets and handsome squares, lined with medieval buildings contemporary shops, bohemian artist workshops and cool bars and restaurants.

Make the most of your time in Barcelona by visiting the top-rated attractions without worrying about how to get to them or the cost. Your Attraction Pass includes transportation and the entrance fees to the most popular destinations. Start your journey by taking a Walking Tour around Barcelona´s highlights to learn more about the city and experience the day-to-day first-hand. Discover Plaça Catalunya on your own, a large plaza embossed with sculptures and monumental buildings, continue exploring and choose to enter Casa Batlló or Casa Amatller, the façade of both building are beautiful with many hidden details inside! Visit other attractions such as the Casa Vicens Gaudí and Poble Espanyol that shows all of Spain's architectural history in one open air museum. The pass also entitles you to skip the line at the Sagrada Familia, so you won’t waste any time. You can spend about eight hours, exploring the destinations by the hand of your escort, and at the end you can explore on your own or board the double-decker to get panoramic views of the city.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Use the Attraction Pass to see Barcelona’s best attractions at no additional cost.
• Ride a double decker bus around town, stopping at the attractions included in our curated path.
• Stay as long as your escort suggested at each attraction to enhance your understanding of it.
• Return to the cruise ship with your group.

It is about an hour’s and a half drive to Montserrat, an unusual multi-peak mountain topped by pinnacles that look like fingers reaching for the sky offering stunning views of Catalunya. According to legend, villagers discovered a statue of the Madonna in a grotto a millennia ago. And as a result, it became a pilgrimage site, and still draws many of the faithful to venerate the image, which now resides in a grand basilica. Over the centuries the image has darkened by the smoke of millions of candles and she has come to be known as the Black Virgin. The Benedictine community, now numbering some 80 monks, has served the shrine for almost a thousand years. They are dedicated to a life of prayer, work and welcoming pilgrims. You’ll visit the sanctuary, and will have free time to explore on your own, visit the grotto, or take photos of the surrounding landscape. There are souvenir shops available, as well as food outlets.

OVERVIEW

See Barcelona’s most striking landmarks while soaring high above in a thrilling 6-minute helicopter ride, high above the city in a helicopter and enjoy a close-up look at the Gothic Quarter on an enlightening walk. The thrills will begin in earnest as you take off from the heliport and fly over many of the city’s most distinctive attractions. You can expect to look down on modern icons such as the seafront World Trade Center, the bullet-shaped skyscraper Tower Agbar and the Maremagnum shopping center. You will also fly over coastal Barcelona, especially its most picturesque beaches and Port Olimpic, home to hundreds of boats and mega-yachts. Your ground-level exploration of the atmospheric Gothic Quarter will be just as revealing. The ancient Romans laid out many of its labyrinthine streets, where you will find architectural gems such as the 14th-century La Seu cathedral and leafy plazas such as King’s Square, another 14th-century treasure. Along the way, the guide will describe the most significant points of interest.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Fly high over Barcelona in a helicopter for the ultimate bird’s-eye view of the city.
• Enjoy an aerial view of modern high-rises and naturally beautiful beaches.
• Walk through the Gothic Quarter with a guide that will describe the highlights.
• See a collection of medieval buildings such as La Seu cathedral.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Ride through Barcelona for two hours in an eco-friendly tuk tuk for a unique introductory look at the city before exploring further on your own. Your four-passenger tuk tuk is an oversized golf cart of sorts that is electric-powered, emission-free and an ideal form of transportation because it offers such an unusual perspective of Barcelona. All that is required of you is to sit back and enjoy the sights as the driver describes them in fascinating detail. You will drive past iconic landmarks like the Sagrada Familia church, Casa Batlló – two UNESCO World Heritage sites by legendary architect Antoni Gaudí – and the atmospheric Gothic Quarter. From atop Montjuic hill, you will enjoy a sweeping panorama of Barcelona all the way to the sea. Time will also be allotted for you to wander about Barcelona on your own, which allows you to see the attractions at your own pace.

HIGHLIGHTS

• See Barcelona’s landmarks while riding through town in an electric, emission-free tuk tuk.
• Enjoy a unique perspective of the city from the open-air golf cart-like tuk tuk.
• Behold UNESCO World Heritage sites designed by revered architect Antoni Gaudí and much more.
• Walk about Barcelona on your own following the introductory tuk tuk tour.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Ride an electric bike on an inspiring tour of Barcelona with a special focus on the Catalan Modernist architecture that Antoni Gaudí designed. Traveling by e-bike couldn’t be easier because its battery-powered, whisper-quiet motor makes pedaling a breeze, allowing you to go farther with less effort. You will experience that firsthand by following the guide around Barcelona caravan-style. Although you will see an array of landmarks, most of them will be icons by the revered architect Gaudí. His most recognizable building is the Sagrada Familia church, which was started in 1882 and is slated to be completed in 2026, the centenary of the architect’s death. You will also likely pause at the highly sculptural Casa Milà – the last residence that Gaudí designed – and at Casa Batlló, a house known for its organic curves that mirror the sinuous shapes in plants and animals. During free time that follows, you can explore the area around the iconic Arc de Triomf.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Zip around Barcelona on an electric bike that enhances your pedaling power.
• Pause at particularly memorable attractions, especially ones designed by Antoni Gaudí.
• See icons such as the Sagrada Familia church, considered to be Gaudi’s masterpiece.
• Spend free time exploring the area around the Arc de Triomf on your own.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.