Ah, Barcelona.
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It’s one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, a contemporary hub for art, philosophy, street fashion, and more that comes with a bold Catalan flavor. It’s also my transplant home for the last seven years.
And a bit of a war zone when it comes to tourism.
Over the last few years, I’ve covered tourism in Barcelona from a variety of angles. I’ve laid out my favorite pastry shops and Christmas markets, explored issues like de-listed Airbnbs and why some people protest tourism, and tried to showcase other locations around Barcelona that are worth visiting.
As a local resident, I’m fairly qualified to point you in the right direction when it comes to things to do, as well as local social issues. But I didn’t grow up in the city, nor do I speak Catalan, meaning there are many elements to Barcelona that are beyond my purview.
In short, there’s a lot I could learn from a local tour guide who has both academic and professional experience in showcasing the very best of their city. Similar to Panos, an expert guide in Athens who represents ToursByLocals, Cayetano also has the qualifications you need for a great tour of Barcelona.
Want to see the difference between a regular tour guide in Barcelona and one who is specifically trained to take you to some of the city’s best sites—and beyond?
Whether you’re visiting Barcelona for the first time or returning, here’s what the city’s most highly rated guide, Cayetano, wants you to know.
6 reasons to book a qualified guide if you’re visiting Barcelona for the first time
#1: The difference is decades of experience
Here’s the rub: Catalonia is full of tour guides, but not all of them have the necessary experience to offer a balanced tour—one that includes lots of learning, a few laughs, and other elements like knowing how to keep a group of possibly jet-lagged and hungry tourists happy.
Guides like Cayetano have the necessary background to put together a memorable tour that’s worth the money. Not only does he have the right licenses (which I dig into below), but he has a whopping 27 years of experience in hospitality—and that includes time spent working in the United States, which makes him particularly great for American visitors.
#2: And an academic background
As with visiting Athens, you need a guide in Barcelona who is qualified to summarize thousands of years of history. I mean that literally; Barcelona has been around for a long time, and a basic tour guide probably won’t have the experience or skillset to convey a lot of information in an eloquent and entertaining way.
Guides like Cayetano have experience, as I covered above, but they also have rigorous academic training. He has a bachelor’s degree in Art History, along with a second in Business (Hospitality and Tourism). He also has two separate licenses: an Official Guide License from the Catalan Government and another from the Professional Licensed Tour Guides Association of Catalonia.)
#3: Catalonia actually tests its tour guides
Like you might have noticed in the previous section, being an official guide gives Cayetano a leg up on other guides in Barcelona. Not all tour guides actually have the correct licensing from local tourism authorities, but Cayetano has passed specific exams (including linguistic exams) to earn his travel guide ‘badges’, so to speak.
This status allows Cayetano to take visitors into official monuments and museums. More importantly, in my opinion, it also shows that this is Cayetano’s profession—not just a hobby or a side hustle.
#4: You need a great introduction to Catalonia (and the Mediterranean…)
One reason Cayetano loves his job is introducing visitors to the Mediterranean way of life, which is a lot different than how we live in the United States. If you’re visiting Barcelona for the first time, that gives you a great introduction to not just the city, Catalonia, and Spain, but the entire region.
That being said, visitors need to learn about Catalonia and its historic involvement with Spain. It’s a very complex and emotionally charged topic, meaning locals like Cayetano are the most qualified to discuss it. I could give you an intro based on my seven years in Barcelona, but it would be paltry compared to the depth and insights that a tour guide like Cayetano can share.
#5: Qualified guides know Barcelona—and beyond
That brings me to my next point: Barcelona is smaller than you might think, and Cayetano knows when, where, and how to take you away from its busiest sites and off the beaten path.
Some of his favorite excursions are the Sagrada Familia, and Montserrat, and its various experiences, including seeing the Black Madonna (La Morenata) and the boys’ choir (Escolonia de Montserrat). The latter is located outside the city and is one of the most iconic destinations in Catalonia that many first-time visitors miss.
He also offers tours such as a Game of Thrones-themed tour of Girona via high-speed train and a dual Montserrat & Manresa tour on St. Ignatius, for example.
#6: Licensed tour guide = priority access
Licensed tour guides in Catalonia get priority access to most of its museums and monuments. That’s an important note here because you don’t want to waste time when you’re on vacation. As Cayetano says, “Time is money when you are traveling.”
Booking a tour with an official guide like Cayetano saves you time when you need it most, preventing you from wasting precious hours in line. Or, more importantly, wasting precious time trying to figure out how to buy tickets online—without realizing they’re already sold out.
One last tip: Cayetano recommends visitors stay in one spot when visiting Europe
I have one last piece of advice if you’re visiting Barcelona for the first time: try to stay in the area for most of your trip. Cayetano wishes that more visitors knew that the best way to experience locations around Europe is to stay for more than a few days to really invest in the local culture and atmosphere. He doesn’t like to see visitors wasting their time in airports and train stations.
