As of July 2021, it has come to my knowledge that Park Guell no longer offers free admission for tourists. Unfortunately, there will be strict admission fees during all public operational hours.
NOTE: everything else about this article remains accurate and up to date with the exception of the aforementioned admission changes.
Visiting famous touristy areas could be stressful due to the crowds of people. Just imagine trying to take photogenic pictures for your Instagram, without someone’s head or being in a gigantic line for entry or even just using washrooms. On top of that, we all get to pay admission fees as well. Yay for all the hassles!!
But if there “IS” a way to avoid all those headaches, don’t you want to try it? Let me give you a travel tip that I actually tried (and worked), when I visited Park Guell in Barcelona.
Early Bird is the key to these 5 benefits
All you need to do is get up early. I know it isn’t everybody’s thing, but it’s well worth it! Let me tell you what and how much, these benefits are worth.
1. Save 10€ on admission
Entry is FREE if you visit the Park before business hours. Who doesn’t like to save money? I LOVE saving money and getting a good deal! That’s why I’m sharing this information with you, so that you can save money and time as well.
2. Prime locations are empty for unobstructed pictures
Everyone has social media accounts nowadays and when you’re traveling, that’s the time people want to post/share pictures. However, it is hard to take pictures without other people in them. We’ve all experienced the frustration. No more wishing that the photo bomber didn’t ruin your picture.
If you get there early… The few other early birds are often asian like myself, who love saving a buck and getting a jump on the lines. I’m not kidding! There is always someone there in most cases but you can still take perfect pictures without too many people.
Masonry stone columns at sunrise
3. You can stay as long as you want
Once you are in the restricted area, you can enjoy Antoni Gaudí’s art even once admission fees begin at 8am. There is no time restriction. If you are in the park before open hours it’s free reign.
As most people know, you need to purchase a ticket if you want to go inside the Sagrada Família. When you buy the ticket, you have to pick the time for your visit.
I picked the earliest time which was 9 am, so I ended up running out of time to enjoy the park and rushing to the Sagrada Família. If you are visiting the park for free, give yourself extra time for your next planned event for the day.
4. No line ups
Of course, fewer people means no line up! You don’t have to wait for anything, including washrooms! Park is huge and you can look around without wasting time being in lines.
The famous Salamander all by yourself, at Park Guell
You can take pictures with famous the salamander without waiting people to move out of your way as well. It was the best!!
5. Sunrise at the world heritage site
Watching the sun rise or set anywhere on Earth is something I love, but it’s not for everyone. I’m Japanese and the sunrise is sacred in Japanese culture. It is also significant in many other countries and cultures, where it represents life and new beginnings. Seeing that at a world heritage site is special and makes a positive start to any daily adventure.
How early are we taking about?
The time you can go in for free is before 8 am. After 8 am, there will be a gate and park employees that are going to charge admission to those outside the main entrance. Arrive before 8 am and you will likely see the sun rise while saving the admission fee!
But don’t go crazy! If you are too early, the sun is not up. You will end up taking “meh” pictures like this.
Park Guell just after sunrise
1 Thing you need to be careful about
No one is around. Therefore if anything happens, you are on your own. Keep that in mind if you are a single traveller in Europe. Especially in a big city like Barcelona, where it’s known for pick pockets. If you are planning to take public transportation to get there, please be cautious around you.
I highly recommend taking a Taxi or Uber from wherever you are staying. It’s not crazy expensive, (depending on where you are) and is the safest way to get there on time. Not being aware of public transportation times, delays or even getting lost somewhere defeats the purpose if you can’t make it on time.
Visiting Park Guell for free was well worth it
When I visited Barcelona, there were so many things that I wanted to see including Sagrada Família, Casa Batlló and of course Park Güell. It can cost you quite a bit less money to see all those places if you use my travel tips! The total cost of visiting those places would be 67€, which is almost $100 CAN (as of July 2019)!
Saving 10€ doesn’t seem like much but it adds up if you take advantage of these tips. You also get the benefits of less people and shorter lines.
I always try to find a way to get a good deal and I don’t mind spending time researching it. Hope you find this article useful to save your money and time.
