Barcelona Tapas Food Tour in El Born
Description
Taste your way through the Catalan capital on our award-winning Barcelona Tapas Tour. We handle the details so you can skip the crowds and enjoy authentic Spanish cuisine made by locals. Food is central to Catalan culture, and there’s no better way to experience it than by sharing tapas with fellow foodies. Over two and a half hours, you’ll visit four top tapa spots across the Gothic Quarter and El Born, sampling classic small plates and local drinks while uncovering hidden cultural gems. Along the way, see Roman ruins, charming squares, and landmarks like the Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar. From patatas bravas and pimientos de Padrón to crispy fried fish, croquettes, paella, and a traditional Catalan dessert, you’ll taste the best of Spanish and Catalan gastronomy, paired with wine, vermouth, and cava. Perfect for friends, families, and solo travellers, this social experience is the ideal way to meet fellow food lovers and discover Barcelona like a local, with a local guide.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet your friendly local guide at Pl. de Correus, 1, near the main post office in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter. Look for the yellow Carpe Diem Tours flag or sign. Please arrive 10 minutes early, as the tour begins promptly and no refunds are available for late arrivals.
At the heart of Catalan cuisine, the Gothic Quarter is a must-visit for any foodie. Explore Barcelona’s oldest neighbourhood through its flavours, starting at a family-owned tapas spot. Sample Spanish classics like croquettes, patatas bravas, and pimientos de Padrón, perfectly paired with a glass of local wine.
This family-owned bodega has been doing things the right way since 1945. With only four tapas on the menu, it showcases the no-frills soul of Spanish cooking. Just steps from the port, we’ll eat like the sailors did long ago, sharing cones of crispy boquerones, sampling traditional Catalan butifarra sausage, and washing it all down with a pour from a porrón and a glass of Spanish vermouth. *Due to seasonal holidays, weekend availability, and weather conditions, we may not be able to go to this spot but we will compensate by ordering additional food at another stop or replacing this spot with another venue.*
We’ll wander through the city’s oldest neighbourhood marvelling at former Roman walls and towers on our way to the next food stop.
After leaving the Gothic Quarter we'll head to the bohemian El Born where we'll wander down picturesque alleyways, window-shopping at artisanal shops and art galleries.
Learn the story behind tapas in the lively setting of a classic pintxos bar, inspired by the Basque Country. Then dive in, selecting your favourite pintxos straight from the bar.
Before our final stop we'll see one of Barcelona's most stunning basilicas.
We’ll return to the Gothic Quarter for the grand finale: a hearty paella, a glass of sparkling cava, and a classic Spanish dessert that will make you fall in love with Barcelona all over again.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Alcoholic beverage will only be offered to travellers who are 18 or older
- Gluten-free or vegan diets cannot be accommodated. However, vegetarian options are available. Please inform the activity provider about dietary restrictions in advance
Reviews(388)
The tapas tour was fantastic! Lots of local food and drink, nice (air conditioned!) restaurants to sit and chat with fellow travelers, great walk around old town, and Claudio was a wonderful guide! He explained all of the food and talked about Catalan traditions and the area. Highest recommendation!
We had such a fun evening with the wonderful Tahmi who was so informative and so friendly. We had a great group who all mixed in together, Aussies from Sydney and Melbourne, fantastic American ladies from Maryland and DC and us Brits. Nice to be guided around 4 bars/ points of interest. Food was great and to have a drink included at each stop was great value. Would suggest that you are not shy about saying if you are not a fish or seafood fan when you purchase or again when you meet the guide. They definitely accommodated my request which was great to see but others didn’t meaning my vegetarian food had to be shared quite widely when we arrived for the paella at the last venue. If you don’t ask in advance don’t expect last minute changes to be accommodated as the tour is on quite a tight timeline to reach each venue. Thanks to Tahmi for a wonderful evening, we highly the tour
It was a lot of fun to learn more about the El Born and Gothic areas of Barcelona and have the opportunity to be shown places that locals choose to eat. This was a wonderful to way try many different foods and drinks and meet new people.
What a lovely experience. Great knowledgeable guide who clearly had a passion for food and local history. The restaurants we visited were very welcoming and the food and drinks were super! A lovely tour.
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback 😊 We’re really glad you enjoyed the tour, the food, and the experience in El Born. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to see you again soon!
Well rounded and all the places were delicious. Darren seemed very passionate about El callejon and it was my favorite as well. Great activity to see the area and try different restaurants. Great activity for the first day to get acquainted with the area.
Thank you for your lovely review, Caroline! We’re so happy you enjoyed the variety of food and exploring El Born with Darren. We’re glad El Callejón was a favorite and that the tour was a great introduction to the area. We truly appreciate your kind words!
There is enough good food and drink on this tour to take the place of a full meal. Roberto was the PERFECT guide.
Thank you for your lovely review! We're so glad you enjoyed the food, drinks, and had a great experience with Roberto. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to see you again soon!
great history, amazing food and perfect wine pairings! Mariah was very knowledgeable and friendly. thank you
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're so glad you had such an amazing experience with Sila and enjoyed the food tour from start to finish. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to see you again soon!
The food was amazing and we stopped at places I would have never thought to go into on my own. Lidia was super knowledgeable and I like the mix of walking history and great food.
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're so glad you enjoyed discovering new places, delicious food, and learning about Barcelona with Lidia. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to see you again soon!
Very nice. Variety of foods and very nice and charismatic tour guide. Great way to get a little introduction to the city and the food culture.
Thank you for your lovely review! We're so glad you enjoyed the food variety and your guide. We really appreciate your kind words and hope to see you again soon!
Wonderful food and Sara was a wonderful tour guide. I really enjoyed everything we ate and Sara was very knowledgeable and friendly and helpful.
Thank you for your lovely review! We're so glad you enjoyed the food and had a great experience with Sara. We really appreciate your kind words about her knowledge and friendliness, and we hope to see you again soon!
