Barcelona, April 2025

Weekdays always for mega tourists sites.
Take a guided tour or get an audio guide if you need or want an explanation of what you are looking at.

These days, it doesn't matter. For several years, the mega tourist sites in Barcelona have required pre-reservation, so there is a finite number of visitors every day, and the visit can be comfortable for everybody. In other words, you will encounter the same crowds any day.

I am not fond of guided tours, but if you do it solo I strongly advise an audio guide, otherwise you're going to miss a lot of bits and pieces and understanding of what you're seeing.

Just returned from a good week in Barcelona yesterday. Very crowded generally and overwhelming crowds at the two sites you mention. I can’t imagine peak season. In my opinion, Parc Guell is somewhat overrated and it is more challenging to reach than most other Barcelona sites. It is also extremely hilly, not well marked, and paths are narrow in spots. Spend your time visiting one or more of the homes he designed. Palau Guell is a better experience than the park, is less crowded, and is in the downtown. If you go to the park, I might try near end of day when the crowd might have dissipated. La Sagrada Familia is so big that it better accommodates a large crowd, but the entry process is very crowded. Well worth battling the crowd to see. I have no view on guided tours other than your time is limited, Rick’s guidebooks provide excellent commentary, and tour groups move like a herd of elderly buffalo through the already crowded sites.

Thanks very much!