podtour
Gràcia: The Rebel Town and Its Shelters
You start in Plaça del Raspall, with two explanations for its name and rumba in its streets, and carry on to the chimney of a factory that burned down and the market its owner built.
Gaudí and Modernisme on Passeig de Gràcia: audio walk in Barcelona
The architects' avenue, from top to bottom: the house the city called a quarry, an owner who hated its ceilings, the Batlló and its dragon, the neighbour Gaudí refused to block out, some stone heads that ended up in Dalí's museum, and Cerdà's plan with its very first houses.
What this walk is about
You start in front of la Pedrera, which was born to ridicule: one magazine asked whether there had been an earthquake there, and another called it a quarry. Its owner never wanted Gaudí's decoration, a tenant's Rolls-Royce forced a change to the garage, and there was even a bingo hall on the main floor. You walk down past the lamp-post benches that everyone attributes to Gaudí (they aren't his), find out why the writer Víctor Balaguer gave these streets the names of the old Crown of Aragon, and reach Carrer d'Aragó, with a railway underneath. On the Block of Discord: the total remodelling of the Casa Batlló, the dragon many people see on its roof, Gaudí's gesture towards the house of the chocolate-maker Amatller, and the women of the Lleó Morera holding up the inventions of 1900, whose sisters ended up in Dalí's hands. Then, the Eixample before Modernisme: the competition one architect won and the order from Madrid that chose another, the first houses, a passage of little houses with gardens, and a Gothic church that moved stone by stone. Everything can be seen from the street; going inside is optional.
- Start
- The earthquake on Passeig de Gràcia
- Finish
- The churches that changed neighbourhoods
- Who it is for
- A walk for anyone curious about Gaudí and Modernisme and architecture and urban planning.
- 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
The earthquake on Passeig de Gràcia
- 2
The owner who pulled down the ceilings
- 3
Streetlights you can sit beneath
- 4
Streets named after kingdoms
- 5
The trains beneath your feet
- 6
A complete makeover, with a nod to the neighbour
- 7
The dragon on the roof
- 8
The chocolatier and the Block of Discord
- 9
Women of the future and Dalí's heads
- 10
The engineer sent from Madrid
- 11
A passage of little houses with gardens
- 12
The first houses and the growing city block
- 13
The churches that changed neighbourhoods
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 Raval: Legends and Dark Chronicles
You begin at the wheel where newborn babies were left; then on to the house for the poor, a convent that ended up as an iron store, and the origin of the name "barrio chino", the Chinese quarter, without a Chinese community in sight.
La Rambla, from Canaletas to the Sea
You start at Canaletas, where La Rambla was a stream bed running beside the city wall, and where Barça's titles are celebrated today.
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.
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One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.