Barcelona - Private guide?

[CatFreelancer]

We would appreciate a recommendation for a private, English-speaking guide for a day in and around Barcelona. Last year a recommendation from CC folks led us to an excellent guide in Santiago, Chile. (We were able to communicate with him via email and "hire" him months prior to our arrival.) Then again, perhaps Barcelona is an easy "do on your own" city? Thank you for any suggestions! ~~Bev

[GirlWriter]

We would appreciate a recommendation for a private, English-speaking guide for a day in and around Barcelona. Last year a recommendation from CC folks led us to an excellent guide in Santiago, Chile. (We were able to communicate with him via email and "hire" him months prior to our arrival.) Then again, perhaps Barcelona is an easy "do on your own" city? Thank you for any suggestions! ~~Bev

 

We will be using Barcelona Day Tours. We haven't been yet, so I can't give a personal reference for the tour guide, but I have read great things about the company on CC and have been pleased with the email correspondence between me and the company rep who has been arranging things for me. Their price also is excellent.

 

Here is the URL: http://www.barcelonadaytours.com/

 

Oh, and yes, it is possible to do Barcelona on your own. However (and I've been there only once before myself), what I found is that without a guide to explain the significance and history of what you're looking at, you're apt to just sort of "see sights" without appreciating them fully. That's why I'm opting to get another guide this time around, because my family is going with me and I want them to hear all the wonderful info about the sights that I heard when I was there last!

[CatFreelancer]

Hi Shay,

 

Thank you for your quick response. From the website, it looks like a great company. I am just at the beginning of research; it is likely we won't be in Spain until next year some time, so if you have a chance when you return from your trip perhaps you would be so kind as to post your experience with this company. Thanks again. If anyone else has ideas, all suggestions are welcome! ~~Bev

[ab0si]

Girlwriter gives a perfectly valid reason to use a guide. In a city like Barcelona (with its excellent public transportation system), it is really a matter of your traveling style. If you are the type of person who hits the internet, library and bookstore to research places before you go, this is an easy city to do on your own. If your pre-trip research is more limited, a guide can certainly make the visit more interesting and meaningful.

 

To me, the research is part of the fun; to others it is work. Neither approach is right or wrong.

[Desert Cruizers]

I checked out their web site and that looks like what we are looking for. We are booked on the Liberty TA out of Barcelona next year and many of our RC will be coming in early and want to take a day tour of Barcelona, as well as arranging shurttle to the terminal from our hotels. I love researching out our trips, and for many of our RC this will be our first trip abroad, so would like a guided tour so as to not miss anything.

[BenLynn]

We would appreciate a recommendation for a private, English-speaking guide for a day in and around Barcelona. Last year a recommendation from CC folks led us to an excellent guide in Santiago, Chile. (We were able to communicate with him via email and "hire" him months prior to our arrival.) Then again, perhaps Barcelona is an easy "do on your own" city? Thank you for any suggestions! ~~Bev

We've used Spanish Trails twice for tours in and around Barcelona. The company is owned and run by a young American couple. Their website is Spanish-Trails.com.

I sure that you'll have a great day if you choose them