podtour
Gaudí and Modernisme on Passeig de Gràcia
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.
Gràcia: The Rebel Town and Its Shelters: audio walk in Barcelona
The town that was Catalonia's second city: rumba and a chimney with no factory, the bell that rang in 1870 and its legend, the archive that was lost, the architect with no qualification, a festa major that, tradition has it, began at a farmhouse, squares that change their names with every regime, shelters dug by the neighbours, and the square where Rodoreda's novel begins.
What this walk is about
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. In Plaça de la Vila, three stops: the civic tower whose bell rang the alarm against conscription in 1870 (what's fact and what's legend), the archive that begins that year because the earlier papers were lost, and the architect, a friend of Gaudí's, who never qualified and signed with someone else's name. In Plaça del Sol, the festa major that, tradition has it, began at a farmhouse, and the August nights when the Nova Cançó filled the square. Then, Gràcia at war: a shelter that was meant to become public baths and ended up under a car park, a square named after a queen that ended up celebrating her fall, the neighbourhood assemblies held in a cinema, and a square once called Ferrer i Guàrdia. You finish in Plaça del Diamant: the jeweller who named the streets after precious stones, the dance where Rodoreda sets the start of her novel, and the shelter the neighbours dug by night, twelve metres down. Bombing and deaths are told without sensationalism.
- Start
- The square with two stories about its name
- Finish
- The neighbourhood that dug by night
- Who it is for
- A walk for anyone curious about neighbourhoods with a life of their own and Civil War and memory.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
The square with two stories about its name
- 2
The steam-powered factory that burned
- 3
The factory owner's market
- 4
The bell that wouldn't fall silent
- 5
The fire that erased twenty years
- 6
The architect without a degree
- 7
The festival that began at a farmhouse
- 8
The shelter meant to become public baths
- 9
From the Queen to the Revolution
- 10
The assemblies in a cinema
- 11
The viceroy and the borrowed pickaxes
- 12
The jeweller and La Colometa
- 13
The neighbourhood that dug by night
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
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.