Barcelona Picasso Tour

Follow in the footsteps of Picasso during his formative years in Barcelona

$328 and up

Private

N/A

Small group

Tour Details

About the Tour

Category: Art and Museums, Five Days in Barcelona
Duration: 3 hours
Location: Barcelona

Photos & Highlights

Barcelona Picasso Tour with skip-the-line tickets
Led by specialists in art history
Picasso Museum, Els Quatre Gats, El Born, and Plaça Catalunya

Tour Description

No artist shaped the twentieth century more than Pablo Ruiz y Picasso. Born in 1881 in Malaga, southern Spain, Picasso's immense talent was spotted at a young age and was first fostered under the tutelage of his father, also an artist, when the family moved to Barcelona in 1895. Our in-depth, 3 hour, Barcelona Picasso Tour focuses on these formative years of Picasso's life. Led by a local art historian, our private or small-group tour will visit the Picasso Museum and other key sites related to his time in the city, his first inspirations, and the influence of the bohemian circles in Barcelona at the time.

Barcelona Picasso Tour

We will begin our walk at the Plaça de Catalunya, an important central square where the old city meets the Eixample. From there, we'll make our way into the charming El Born district and learn about where and how Picasso's family first lived upon relocating to Barcelona in 1895. We may also see the famed café Els Quatre Gats ("The Four Cats"), a center for artists and intellectuals at the turn of the century that was frequented by Picasso. We may stroll by Casa Llotja de Mar, the former site of the Academy of Fine Arts, where Picasso studied and his father, José Ruiz y Blasco, taught. While Picasso's father was able to secure him a spot at the Academy, it quickly became a source of tension for the two—it became apparent early on that Picasso would quickly eclipse his father's talents, eventually leading to enough strife for Picasso to adopt his mother's surname. Either way, we will develop an appreciation for the degree to which the city influenced him, be it via the site of his first exhibition, or the brothel that influenced his early landmark work, "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon."

Picasso Museum with an Expert

Armed with an understanding of Picasso's relationship with the city, we'll then head to the Museu Picasso, the Picasso Museum, which holds over 3,800 original works in its permanent collection, chronicling Picasso's entire career. While the exact paintings we visit will vary depending upon the expertise of the expert guide and your interest, your guide will lead you through the collection and temporary exhibit, providing you with a thorough chronology of Picasso's development of an artist from his early days in Barcelona through his major later periods, visiting masterworks like "Science and Charity," "Royan," and the astonishing "Las Meninas," a reinterpretation of the Velazquez painting of the same name.

Take Aways

Our discussion will finish with a focus on Picasso's contemporaries and his lasting influence on the art world. The guide will leave you in the museum to allow for further exploration of the collection on your own or provide recommendations for other sites of interest

FAQ About the Picasso Museum Tour in Barcelona

What kind of pieces might we see at the Picasso museum?
The collection at the Museu Picasso is varied, spanning the artist's entire career. Please be aware that due to having such a vast array of Picasso's work at their disposal, the museum changes around what is on public display frequently.

Is this tour walking-intensive and/or wheelchair accessible?
The tour is fairly walking-intensive and the general route may include narrow sidewalks and cobblestoned streets. Museu Picasso is fully accessible to wheelchairs. Please contact us to discuss in more detail your mobility concerns so that we can best advise.

Is this tour suitable for children?
This walk is not a part of our official family program. That said, we may be able to arrange a visit with a kid-friendly expert. Please contact us.

Where You'll Start

Tour Experts

Mark

Mark Planellas Witzsch is an Official Licensed Guide, lecturer, writer/journalist and docent of Catalan and Spanish art & architecture. He lives in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. As a licensed museum and monument guide, he specialized in History, Art and Architecture (Gaudi, among other masters), as well as in the Jewish Heritage in Catalonia and Spain. Mark P. Witzsch holds a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy (History) of Art, another Bachelor in Information Science (journalism and marketing) and an MBA (Master in Business Administration), completed at the George Washington University and the Polytechnic University of Barcelona (UPC). He studied in Barcelona, Japan and in the USA, specifically WASHINGTON D. C. Currently he is working as a museum and monument Licensed Guide. In a broader context, he is writer and journalist in cultural topics and he became a docent in Catalan artistic avant-gardes in Barcelona.

Suzie

I want to take you by the hand on an unforgettable journey through the city where I was born and that makes my heart beat. I am eager to show you the real Barcelona, the one that does not appear in guide books or on the Internet. As all cities, Barcelona is shaped by its people, their customs and their way of life. So, what better way to discover it than through the eyes of a native resident, who not only is a qualified Licensed Tour Guide (2010), but who also holds a degree in Art History (2001)? If you are looking for an authentic experience rather than a conventional guided tour, contact me and I will be delighted to share my passion for the city and its culture and traditions. Language is not a barrier: I speak castellano, Català, English und ein bißchen Deutsch. I promise to provide you with a unique experience and insight into Barcelona. My goal is to turn goodbye into fins aviat (see you soon); in other words, I want to make sure you want to come back for MORE! By the way… I love challenges! So please, don't hesitate and ask away. As for me, I have just one question: are you ready to go?

Ariadna

Born in Girona and raised in Catalonia, Ariadna is a licensed tour guide with over 18 years of experience in the tourism sector. In following her biggest passion— traveling— she realized how rich her home region is with heritage, art, gastronomy, architecture, and varied landscape. For more than 8 years, she has welcomed travelers from around the globe to Barcelona and greater Catalonia, introducing them to the iconic sites, hidden gems, and the storied history of her home. A lifelong learner, Ariadna is currently pursuing degrees in history, geography, and art history to complement her tourism experience.

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79 Reviews – (4.84)

Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.

Resi was awesome! She was friendly, knew her subject, and tailored the discussions and tour to us and our questions! Amazing!

Matthew

Oct. 1, 2019

We love Context tours and have done them in many cities and Dan was the best tour guide we have had yet! He was personable, informative, flexible, and able to make Picasso's life in Barcelona come to life. We were both transfixed the entire time, and surprised when 3 hours had flown by!

Ilana

Sep. 23, 2019

Outstanding!!!

Ginger

Jul. 20, 2019

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