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.
The Gothic Quarter That Was Built in the Twentieth Century: audio walk in Barcelona
What looks medieval and isn't: the façade a banker paid for, the avenue the bombs opened up, a house moved stone by stone, columns rescued from a count, a bridge from 1928 and a square pieced back together. And the things that really are old.
What this walk is about
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. Everything else has a trick to it. The avenue in front of the cathedral was opened up by post-war demolitions that took advantage of the bombing of 1938; the façade everyone photographs was paid for by a banker at the end of the nineteenth century. In the Plaça del Rei, a Gothic mansion that arrived from another street and, when its foundations were dug, uncovered the Roman city; and a great medieval hall that lay hidden inside a nuns' church until 1936. On Carrer del Paradís, the columns a count wanted to carry off to his estate. Under the Bisbe Bridge, from 1928, what its critics said and the skull nobody mentioned a hundred years ago. You finish in Sant Felip Neri: the marks of one morning in 1938, the myth that covered them up, and a square assembled from houses brought in from elsewhere. None of this makes the quarter any less worth seeing: it teaches you how to look at it. The victims of 1938 are remembered with respect and without graphic detail.
- Start
- The Picasso that Picasso never touched
- Finish
- A square made from buildings brought from elsewhere
- Who it is for
- For another visit, when you want to look beyond the familiar sights. A walk for architecture and heritage lovers. A walk for anyone curious about twentieth-century history.
- 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 Picasso that Picasso never touched
- 2
What really is Roman
- 3
The avenue opened by bombs
- 4
A banker pays for a cathedral façade
- 5
The house that crossed the city
- 6
The great hall hidden in a convent church
- 7
The Roman columns that nearly left Barcelona
- 8
The bridge everyone thinks is medieval
- 9
The skull and the dagger
- 10
The house with a certificate of authenticity
- 11
The marks left by a morning in 1938
- 12
A square made from buildings brought from elsewhere
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
From the Palau de la Música to Ciutadella Park
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.
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.
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One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.