Parc Guell is located near the northwestern edge of Barcelona just off the Sant Josep de la Muntanya. You can reach it by taking metro line 3 and getting off at the Lesseps stop and walking. It is open year round from 10am, but closing hours vary with the seasons. Before going, check online if you are planning an afternoon trip. Admission to Parc Guell is free.
Parc Guell was built and designed by Antoni Gaudí, that brilliant architect who left such a large footprint on Barcelona's landscape. He was commissioned by Eusebi Güell in 1900, to design gardens fit for the aristocracy. The idea was to fill Parc Guell with sixty luxury villas that would be available for purchase by Barcelona's richest families. When the park was completed in 1914, the home sales didn't go as planned and Güell's money-making scheme failed. In 1923, Parc Guell became a municipal park owned by the city of Barcelona.
When you visit Parc Guell, the first thing to greet you will be one of Gaudí's iconic dragons, sunning itself on a fountain at the entrance. The entire area is filled with stunning examples of the Art Nouveau style. Many of the surfaces are trencadis, a style created by covering surfaces with pieces of broken ceramics. At the top of Parc Guell is a large square with ample seating that offers a magnificent view of Barcelona. You can also see the house Gaudí lived in while working on the park. It has now been converted into a small museum.