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 Raval: Legends and Dark Chronicles: audio walk in Barcelona
The Raval beyond the old city wall: foundlings, the poor, lepers, women locked away and surgeons with their marble table, plus three of the neighbourhood's legends, each told with whatever truth it holds.
What this walk is about
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. On Carrer del Carme, the surgeons' marble table and the house of a merchant of legend. On the street of the Egipcíaques, the house where women accused of adultery were locked away until their husbands forgave them. And at the Pedró, a lepers' chapel that was hidden among shops, the rumour of a nun buried alive that ended in riot, the saint who's said to have died at this crossroads, and the street where, in 1912, a kidnapped girl was found and the press invented the "Vampire of the Raval". Every legend is marked as a legend.
- Start
- The round opening in the wall
- Finish
- The woman wrongly remembered as a vampire
- Who it is for
- For another visit, when you want to look beyond the familiar sights. A walk for mystery and legend lovers. A walk for anyone curious about true crime, with the facts.
- 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 round opening in the wall
- 2
The house for the poor
- 3
The convent filled with iron
- 4
The Chinatown without Chinese residents
- 5
The marble table
- 6
The merchant's saint
- 7
The house where women were confined
- 8
The chapel for people with leprosy
- 9
The nun who never existed
- 10
The saint at the crossroads
- 11
The woman wrongly remembered as a vampire
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
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.
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.
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.