Barcelona
Park Güell: tickets, tips and what not to miss
A mosaic lizard on the stairway, a bench that snakes around a terrace and views over the whole city. Park Güell is Gaudí’s most colourful work. Here is how to buy tickets, what is free and what to see.
From the terrace at the top of the park you look out over all of Barcelona, down to the sea. Beneath your feet a long bench snakes in waves, covered in broken tiles of every colour, and at the entrance a mosaic lizard guards the stairway. Park Güell was meant to be an exclusive housing estate for the city’s wealthy. Today it is one of the most visited parks in the world.
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Short answer: how to visit Park Güell
Tickets: The Monumental Zone with the mosaic lizard and the serpentine bench requires a timed ticket. Buy online well in advance.
Free area: The rest of the park, with its woods and paths, is free to walk.
Best time: The first entry slot in the morning, before the heat and crowds.
Getting there: The park sits on a hill above Gràcia. From the metro it is a steep walk up.
Stay near the park
In Gràcia: Hotel Casa Fuster, the nearest luxury hotel. See rooms at Hotel Casa Fuster
The garden city that never was
Eusebi Güell, Gaudí’s great patron, wanted to build a garden city for wealthy families on the hill above town. Work ran from 1900 to 1914, but only a couple of houses were sold and the project was abandoned. It opened as a public park in 1926, and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with several of Gaudí’s works.
What to see
The mosaic lizard: the colourful salamander on the main stairway, the park’s most photographed sight.
The serpentine bench: a long, undulating bench around the terrace, covered in trencadís, mosaic made from broken tiles.
The Hypostyle Room: a forest of columns beneath the terrace, originally intended as the estate’s market.
Gaudí’s house: the house where the architect lived for almost twenty years, now a museum with its own ticket.
Hotel Casa Fuster in Gràcia.
More Gaudí nearby
Down in Gràcia stands Casa Vicens, Gaudí’s first major house from the 1880s, with green and white tiles and a clear Moorish influence. It is open as a museum and lies on the way down from the park, so it is easy to combine with your visit. For more, continue to Casa Batlló and La Pedrera on Passeig de Gràcia, and finally the Sagrada Família.
Good to know
Book ahead: Time slots sell out quickly, especially at weekends.
Bring water and sunscreen: There is little shade on the terrace.
Combine with Gràcia: Walk down through the neighbourhood afterwards and find lunch on one of its squares.
Watch your valuables: The entrances are busy, and pickpockets follow the crowds.
Where to stay
Hotel Casa Fuster: in Gràcia
A modernist luxury hotel from the early 1900s, close to the park and Passeig de Gràcia.
Book your stay: See rooms at Hotel Casa Fuster
Majestic Hotel & Spa: on Passeig de Gràcia
A classic grand hotel with a roof terrace, a short trip to both Gràcia and Gaudí’s houses in Eixample.
Book your stay: See rooms at Majestic Hotel & Spa
See more in our guide to where to stay in Barcelona.
Barcelona looking out to sea.
Frequently asked questions about Park Güell
Is Park Güell free?
Parts of the park are free, but the Monumental Zone with the lizard and the bench requires a ticket.
How long do you need at Park Güell?
An hour and a half to two hours covers the Monumental Zone and a walk around the rest of the park.
When was Park Güell built?
Between 1900 and 1914. It opened as a public park in 1926.