We wish to take a tour of the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona. Should we book tickets in advance or is it feasible to buy the day we will be there (Sept 17-25) ? Or should we just buy tickets for a performance?
Advance booking can save you time and hassle of doing so during your trip. However, we always visit this often overlooked destination and have never had an issue with obtaining tour tickets. Strongly suggest you also attend an evening concert, regardless of the music offerings, as it provides a completely different experience than the tour offers. While the tour discourages photos, we found there is no issue with taking photos after the concert. We prefer to sit on the second level for the overall view . We do book online in advance for the concerts and also dress appropriately for the event.
I strongly second attending a concert at this marvelous space, and also second sitting upstairs. I don't think a tour can compare to experiencing the venue in the way it was meant to be experienced. You can get pictures before and after - I did.
Do both the tour and a concert if you have the time.
I would suggest you book the tour in advance just to insure you get the time and day you want in case it might be sold out. Not all tours are in English. On the tour, you get to sit in orchestra and they play a short recording of the organ. I forget what was the music. You sit in the seats upstairs while the guide speaks so you have plenty of time to view the auditorium.
If you just attend a concert, then you're not going to get the history and background information.
To complete your Mantener experience, I suggest lunch at the nearby Hotel Espana which was also designed by him. You sit in the dining room right next to the beautiful colored tiles on the wall.
Enjoy.