Barcelona Sagrada Familia DIY Walking Tour

[These are very thorough walking directions – you shouldn’t be getting lost in Barcelona following this guide. However, I definitely recommend that you follow the Google Streetview route of the entire Barcelona Sagrada Familia DIY Walking Tour first, from the comfort of your own home before you head to Barcelona, as this will allow you to better visualise the entire route before you arrive].

START – Metro Glòries [MAP]:

The walk starts at the accessible lift exit of the Metro Glòries station (Line L1).

Metro Glòries station is completely wheelchair accessible. Getting from train platform to street, involves taking two separate lifts: the first lift will take you from the platform to the ticket hall, where a second lift will take you up to street level (to the “Av. Meridiana” exit);

Museu del Disseny de Barcelona [MAP]:

The first noteable sight is the striking overhanging building of the Museu del Disseny de Barcelona (the Barcelona Design Museum). You will pass it on your right. It’s definitely worth a visit if you are interested in design.

The Museu del Disseny de Barcelona has a cafe/restaurant and accessible toilets throughout [accessibility info];

ATTENTION – KEEP LEFT! [MAP]:

Just after the overhanging roof of the Museu del Disseny de Barcelona, a wheelchair accessible ramp heads up to the right. IGNORE THIS. Keep to your left here, and follow the pavement at street level. You will pass the main entrance to the Metro Glòries station (on your right). Continue STRAIGHT AHEAD/SLIGHTLY RIGHT (just aim for the huge Torre Glòries rising ahead of you);

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses “C/ de Badajoz”.

At the end of the crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD for a few metres. You will see Torre Glòries on your right;

Torre Glòries [MAP]:

The observation deck at the top is wheelchair accessible (however, the interactive Cloud Cities Barcelona sculpture up there is not).

It’s cheaper to purchase your tickets online in advance: https://www.miradortorreglories.com/en/

You can purchase tickets at the door on the day, but these cost an additional EUR 3,00 (and can only be bought by card – no cash is accepted for the time being).

There is a reduced rate for wheelchair users – buy your ticket online and just select ONE “reduced/under 5” ticket – an additional carers ticket is free, but the carers ticket is only available at the door/on the day – on presentation of evidence of the wheelchair user’s disability).

A visit to Torre Glòries will last around 50 minutes;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses “Avinguda Diagonal”.

At the end of the crossing, turn LEFT, and continue walking around the corner until you see the next pedestrian crossing ahead of you (there are steps if you head STRAIGHT there);

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs. There are actually two crossings here, in quick succession:

The first crosses the tram tracks in front of  “La Farinera” tram stop, where you’ll immediately see the second crossing ahead of you.

The second and third crossings cross “Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes“.

At the end of the third crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD/LEFTISH for a few metres until you see the next pedestrian crossing ahead of you;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses “C/ de la Independència”.

At the end of the crossing, turn RIGHT, and then take the first entrance into the park on your LEFT (“Gran Clariana”);

Gran Clariana [MAP]:

Looking at Google’s StreetView can cause a lot of confusion here (a lot of the images are from before the major works took place here – and the park doesn’t even exist on them yet). But just follow these instructions – and breathe in the clean-air improvements!

Gran Clariana is a roundish park, ringed by a very pleasant, and very level, walking path.

Walk around, clockwise, to the kids playpark at the western end of Clariana. Turn LEFT here, and pass through the centre of the playpark, before emerging onto C/ de Cartagena. Turn LEFT here, cross the road, and then turn RIGHT-ISH onto “Avinguda Diagonal”;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Carrer de los Castillejos.

After the crossing, keep heading STRAIGHT along Avinguda Diagonal;

Carrer de Padilla [MAP]:

At the very next road junction on Avinguda Diagonal, turn RIGHT into Carrer de Padilla and continue until you see the next pedestrain crossing (on your LEFT);

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Carrer de Padilla.

After the crossing, keep heading STRAIGHT/RIGHTISH along Carrer del Consell de Cent (a wee park will now be on your LEFT), until you see the next pedestrian crossing (on your RIGHT);

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Carrer del Consell de Cent.

After the crossing, you will immediately see the next crossing on your RIGHT (across the entrance to Carrer de Lepant);

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Carrer de Lepant.

After the crossing, continue walking STRAIGHT AHEAD, along Avinguda Diagonal again;

Carrer de la Marina [MAP]:

Remember this junction (you’ll be back here again later). But for now – DO NOT CROSS ANY ROADS. Simply turn  RIGHT, into Carrer de la Marina, and continue walking STRAIGHT AHEAD until you reach the next crossing. This road will lead you directly to La Sagrada Familia (after crossing a few more pedestrian crossings first – all detailed next);

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Carrer d’Aragó.

At the end of the crossing, turn LEFT, then immediately turn RIGHT, and continue along Carrer de la Marina until you reach the next junction/crossing;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Carrer de València.

You will start to see the spires of La Sagrada Familia now (ahead of you, and to your left).

For now though, and at the end of the crossing, turn LEFT, then immediately turn RIGHT, and continue along Carrer de la Marina until you reach the next junction/crossing on your LEFT;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Carrer de la Marina – just before you reach Carrer de Mallorca.

At the end of the crossing, turn LEFT, then immediately cross Carrer de Mallorca to the accessible entrance of La Sagrada Familia (located beside the Sagrada Familia Shop);

La Sagrada Familia [MAP]:

After visiting La Sagrada Familia, you will now have to retrace your steps all the way back to that junction of Carrer de la Marina and Avinguda Diagonal (but all is explained in detail next). First though, cross back across Carrer de Mallorca to the Carrer de la Marina crossing;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Carrer de la Marina.

At the end of the crossing, turn RIGHT, and continue walking back along Carrer de la Marina;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Carrer de València.

At the end of the crossing, turn RIGHT, then immediately turn LEFT and continue back along Carrer de la Marina;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Carrer d’Aragó.

At the end of the crossing, turn RIGHT, then immediately turn LEFT, and continue back along Carrer de la Marina;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

We’ve been here before – this is where your “retracing your steps” ends. This time we cross the road.

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

The first of a series of crossings that will take you across Avinguda Diagonal.

At the end of the final crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD down Carrer de la Marina;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Carrer de la Diputació.

At the end of the crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD, along Carrer de la Marina with La Monumental on your LEFT;

Pedestrian Crossings [MAP]:

After passing La Monumental, a series of light-controlled crossings will take you across the busy Gran Via de les Corts Catalans here (dropped kerbs where required).

After crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD down Carrer de le Marina;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Carrer de Casp.

At the end of the crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD and you will see another crossing ahead of you;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses the little Carrer de Ribes.

At the end of this second crossing, you will see the next crossing immediately on your RIGHT;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Carrer de la Marina.

At the end of the crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD along the Carrer de Ribes sidestreet.

Carrer de Ribes is actually a very pleasant street to travel along – a long diagonal road, partly-pedestrianised with a cycle lane, which heads south-west towards the Arc de Triomf;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Carrer de Sardenya.

At the end of the crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD, passed the big building on your right, where yet another crossing will almost immediately be in front of you (the cycle lane will always be on your LEFT here);

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Carrer d’Ausiàs Marc.

At the end of the crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD along the diagonal Carrer de Ribes;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Carrer de Sicília.

At the end of the crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD along the diagonal Carrer de Ribes;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Carrer d’Alí Bei.

At the end of the crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD along the diagonal Carrer de Ribes;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Carrer de Nàpols.

At the end of the crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD along the diagonal Carrer de Ribes;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Carrer de Roger de Flor.

At the end of the crossing, you will see the next crossing immediately to your LEFT;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Av. de Vilanova.

At the end of the crossing, turn RIGHT (in front of a rather beautiful building) and continue to the next, and final crossing (well, final for now anyway);

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

The final crossing before you reach the Arc de Triomf.

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Av. de Vilanova.

At the end of the crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD, before turning LEFT at the Arc de Triomf;

Arc de Triomf [MAP]:

After passing through the arch of the Arc de Triomf, follow the path south (towards the Parc de la Ciutadella);

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Passeig de Pujades.

At the end of the crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD, into the Parc de la Ciutadella;

Parc de la Ciutadella [MAP]:

The paths in the Parc de la Ciutadella are all composed of a tightly-packed fine gravel. Not ideal for wheelchairs, especially for those of you who have taken their manual wheelchair to Bracelona. But the paths in the Parc de la Ciutadella are nowhere near impossible (with a bit of assistance – either by using a powered wheelchair, or the strength of your friendly wheelchair-pushing companion).

Within the park, there are steps between the main path, and all the secondary paths that branch of from it. However, there is one place where a ramp has been built [MAP] which allows step-free access to these secondary paths (which you will want to take – to reach the Cascada del Parc de la Ciutadella, the  central pond and the Plaça de Joan Fiveller);

Barcelona Zoo [MAP]:

After visiting the accessible Barcelona Zoo, you have a number of different options of how to return to your hotel:

Accessible Barcelona Taxi: This would be my recommendation. Either at a pre-arranged time (you can easily spend some extra time rolling through the Parc de la Ciutadella while you wait), or simply call from the Zoo (tel: 667 55 14 30);

Metro: There are a couple of accessible options here: Arc de Triomf and Barceloneta Metro stations ARE accessible. The Ciutadella Vila Olímpica Metro station is NOT accessible though;

Roll: If your Barcelona hotel is nearby, simply roll there. This part of Barcelona, near the sea, is very flat.