podtour
The Gothic Quarter: Saints, Kings and the Call
You begin in front of the Cathedral with Saint Eulàlia: her geese, the stolen finger already carved in stone in 1339, and the question of whether she ever existed.
From the Palau de la Música to Ciutadella Park: audio walk in Barcelona
From the Palau de la Música to the Ciutadella cascade: one night in 1960, noble nuns and a prison, the 1888 fair that almost didn't open, statues melted down for a Virgin, and a mammoth with no company.
What this walk is about
You start on the most musical corner in the city, the Palau de la Música, and on the night a banned song ended up before a military court. In Sant Pere you meet an abbess who, according to one chronicle, escaped inside a sack of cotton, and the noble nuns whose monastery ended up as a prison. You pass through the Arc de Triomf, a gateway built for a fair rather than a war, and walk down the promenade of the 1888 Exhibition: a palace that carves its own portrait, a mayor who rescued a bankrupt fair, eight statues of which two remain, a park gate with statues by two sculptor brothers and railings that are sometimes credited to Gaudí, and a restaurant named after a comedy that never served a coffee. Inside the park: the bust of the painter who, people say, was the first woman to have a monument in Barcelona, the mammoth that was left on its own, and the cascade where a student called Gaudí once worked.
- Start
- A choir's song on a street corner
- Finish
- The student's fountain
- Who it is for
- For another visit, when you want to look beyond the familiar sights. A walk for anyone curious about Modernisme and the 1888 Exhibition and history told through scenes. You can also enjoy it as a family. (a mammoth and a park)
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
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Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
A choir's song on a street corner
- 2
The night of the Cant de la Senyera
- 3
The legendary abbess and the nun who really lived
- 4
Noble nuns, a prison and a scattered cloister
- 5
An arch for an exhibition, not a victory
- 6
A courthouse that tells its own story
- 7
The exhibition nobody wanted to pay for
- 8
Eight statues and a bronze Madonna
- 9
The railings attributed to Gaudí
- 10
The restaurant that never served a meal
- 11
The painter behind the bust
- 12
The mammoth left on its own
- 13
The student's fountain
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Barcelona, before you go
A city worth looking up for, with pavements worth watching too. Between narrow lanes, long avenues and a break by the sea, leave room in the day to sit down.
More walks nearby
The Gothic Quarter That Was Built in the Twentieth Century
You start in the Plaça Nova with a Picasso drawing his own hand never touched, and with the only two round towers left on the Roman wall: those really are old.
Santa Maria del Mar and the Born
You start under the colourful roof of Santa Caterina, the market a royal decree wanted to name after Isabella II, and that nobody ever called by that name.
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
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A little welcome gift
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
Podtour manages your launch request with your consent. You can withdraw it and exercise your rights as explained in our privacy policy. Privacy details.
One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.