One of architect Gaudí’s most famous works, and one you simply must not miss when visiting Barcelona, is Park Güell, a vast park featuring rich architectural elements, which once captivated even the painter Salvador Dalí.

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This fairytale park is full of fascinating colourful sculptures, structures, walls and other features with the typically unconventional shapes characteristic of Antoni Gaudí’s style.

Thanks to its location on a steep hillside, it also offers magnificent views across the whole of Barcelona. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A picturesque park and views

When the industrialist Eusebi Güell commissioned Gaudí to design a garden city at the end of the 19th century, the plan was for a small housing estate to be built here. In the end, however, not enough buyers could be found for the plots, and after the city bought the land, the project was transformed into a park.

Park Güell is full of Gaudí’s characteristic elements, which are inspired by nature. The walkways are shaded by tree-shaped columns, whilst the undulating shapes of other structures are reminiscent of lava flows. Many of the features are decorated with colourful mosaics.

The most famous feature in the park is the salamander-like dragon guarding the main staircase, which, like many other architectural features in the park, is made up of colourful mosaics of ceramic shards and glass.

From many spots in the park, you can enjoy stunning views across the whole of Barcelona, with the sea in the background. Among the most iconic viewpoints is the central square, ‘Gran Plaça’.

You’ll find significantly fewer people and even better views on the ‘Turó de las Tres Creus’ hill, with its stone cairn featuring three crosses.

Admission and opening hours

Park Güell is divided into two parts; the smaller northern section is free to enter, but you won’t find any of Gaudí’s designs there – just a relaxation area.

The larger section, known as the “Monumental Zone”, is accessible only with a ticket.

Tickets can only be purchased online via the official website; they are not available at the gate. To manage the huge number of tourists, tickets must be purchased for a specific date and time.

During the winter, tickets are often available as late as 10 minutes before the selected time, but during peak season and at weekends, we recommend booking your ticket several days in advance. This is because visitor numbers are limited.

• Adults aged 12 and over – 18 eur
• Children aged 7–12 and seniors aged 65 and over – 13,50 eur
• Children under 7:free

Open daily from 9.30 am. Closing times vary depending on the season. During winter, last admission is at 5.00 pm, whilst in summer it is at 7.30 pm.

Official information can be found on theparkguell.barcelona website.

Location and transport

Park Güell is situated on the outskirts of Barcelona in the Gracia district, and the journey from the city centre takes around 40 minutes by public transport.

• Metro –Lessepsstation,approx.1,200 metres (20 minutes’ walk) – line L3;Vallcarcastation, approx. 1,100 metres (20 minutes’ walk) – line L3
• Bus –Park Güell stop right by the entrance – route 116, which runs from the Lesseps (L3) and Joanic (L4) metro stations

If you walk from the metro, you’ll be walking quite a way uphill, though the steepest sections with steps can also be negotiated using the parallel escalators. 

• Map of the walking route from Lesseps metro station
• Map of the walking route from Vallcarca metro station

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