A visit to the Porter’s Lodge and Park Güell

There’s nothing better than a walk to recover from the inevitable excesses of the Christmas season and the Barcelona History Museum (MUHBA) has arranged an interesting stroll around one of Barcelona’s most iconic sites: Antoni Gaudí’s Park Güell, and the Casa del Guarda, which is located in the park and was also designed by Gaudí. This guided tour will begin early in the morning, at 9am on 7 January, and will last for a couple of hours. It's free, but you must sign up in advance and places are limited. You can do so by calling 93 256 21 22, or by email at reservasmuhba@eicub.net.

The Porter’s Lodge, which is known as the Casa del Guarda, is one of the most modest of Gaudí’s designs, and was to be the residence of the estate’s concierge. Dating from the beginning of the 20th century, the city’s history museum runs it as a space in which visitors can learn more about Gaudí, Park Güell and moderniste Barcelona, paying special attention to the initiatives of the businessman Eusebi Güell. The park is one of the largest architectural ensembles in southern Europe, with a surface area of ​​over 17 hectares, and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Gaudí's unique artistic vision is ever-present, from its undulating benches to its trencadís (pieces of ceramics or glass put together to form a mosaic of colours). The elevated position of the park means that, apart from the architect's work, it also offers magnificent panoramic views of the city.

Additional information is available (in Catalan) at the following link.