Disclosure: This post may contain references to Disney, The Disney Channel, and The Cheetah Girls, none of which are owned by or affiliated with The Rocky Safari. All images, movie scenes, music clips, and other media related to The Cheetah Girls are the property of Disney.
Table of Contents
The Cheetah Girls Strut at Park Güell
I believe there was no Gaudí destination of greater importance to my little sister than visiting Park Güell in Barcelona, Spain.
As you can see in the two Shorts/Stories above, Gaudí’s Park Güell was one of the selected destinations where The Cheetah Girls 2 movie was filmed!
What Is Park Güell?
Originally conceived as a project for a residential town, most of the houses in Park Güell were never built so it ended up as a public park instead!
Only two of the houses originally planned for the estate were built. One of these houses was where Antoni Gaudi decided to live.
Today, Gaudí’s old home is now the Gaudí House Museum; the other home built is Casa Trias House.
The main viewing area is built on the Montaña Pelada: a concave terrain shaped like an amphitheater with views of Barcelona and the sea.
Visiting Park Güell: Tips & Information
Who Designed Park Güell?
Park Guell was designed by the famous Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí who also designed Casa Batlló, Casa Milà, and the Sagrada Familia.
The park was inspired by English landscape gardens.
What To See in Park Güell
As with so many of Gaudí’s projects, Parc Guell is a tribute to nature.
Today, it joins the list as a World Heritage Site as declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The Main Entrance
Although there are multiple entrances, the most impressive entrance is via a grand staircase guarded by a mosaic-tiled dragon!
Since Park Guell was originally intended to be a gated residential development, the entrance is grand and Gaudí’s home was built within sight to lure in buyers.
As you can see, there was quite a bit of construction work being done to restore Park Güell at the time of my visit.
Luckily for you, the Parc Güell restoration project concluded in August 2020, one year after my visit.
Gaudí’s House Museum
This building was the official residence of Antoni Gaudí for almost 20 years, from 1906 until the end of 1925.
Take note that entrance into Graudí’s House Museum is not included in your standard entrance ticket to visit Park Güell. You’ll need a separate ticket to enter the museum.
Casa Trias
Casa Trias is private property closed to the public.
It is occupied by the descendants of the lawyer Marti Trias who originally lived in the house.
Free Entry Points vs. The Monumental Area
There are sections of Park Guell that can be access for free (Free Entry Area), while the more popular sections are reserved for those who pay to enter.
The restricted section (Paid Entry Area) is home to the monuments and sculptures.
The mosaic seats are located within the Paid Entry area.
The Gingerbread Gatehouse
The two buildings shown below are located at the entrance of Park Guell. This is where you can get tickets to enter the monumental zone.
In the photo below, you can see the Porter’s Lodge Pavilion near the entrance.
The gingerbread-style houses have roofs made of trencadís tiles.
The Large Organic Columns
These large organic columns are made of stone.
This was one of the three viaducts located within the park. These were originally created by Antoni Gaudí to allow carriages to easily facilitate the transportation of visitors. Now visitors can walk within them.
Gaudí’s Ceramic Mosaics
The dragon staircase is another iconic location from the Cheetah Girls 2 movie.
The trencadís-style sculptures were so colorful and fun to see in real life.
The Hypostyle Room
The Hypostyle Hall was finished in 1907 and has 86 columns.
The columns support the famous mosaic seating which rests atop the Hypostyle Room!
The Mosaic Seating
The mosaic seats are perhaps the most iconic of all the monuments within Park Guell.
The seats are surprisingly comfortable for a stone bench. Gaudí had a workman drop his pants and sit in soft plaster all along the bench to imprint an anatomical curve, foreshadowing the science of ergonomics by half a century!
Park Güell FAQ
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Park Guell in Barcelona.
Where Is Park Guell Located?
The main Park Guell entrance is:
Carrer D’Olot
08024 Barcelona, Spain
It is from this entrance that visitors can see the spectacular view of the staircase and the Hypostyle Room.
What Are Park Guell’s Operating Hours?
Unfortunately, the park’s hours of operation have changed in recent years.
When I visited Park Guell in 2019, I went in the morning at 7:00 sharp. This was how we got so many photos with the sun rising!
If you’re a tourist, you can enter between the hours of 9:30 AM and 7:30 PM.
Barcelona residents may enter before & after during exclusive viewing times: 7:00-9:30 AM and 7:30-10:00PM. (This changed in 2021).
Can You Still Enter the Monumental Zone for Free in the Morning?
Unfortunately, no. They took away this option in 2021.
How Much Time Do You Need to Visit Park Guell?
If you’re wondering how long to spend at Park Guell, the answer depends on what you are prioritizing.
We spent a total of 1 hour there.
We arrived at 7:00 AM sharp and by 8:00 AM we were leaving.
If you are hoping to explore the entire park, I’d probably suggest you block around 3 hours.
If you’re exclusively going to see the Gaudí section, 1 hour will suffice.
When Is the Best Time to Visit Park Guell?
I used to recommend visiting Park Güell in the early mornings because you could get in for FREE and enjoy the sunrise which made for an amazing photo op! All of the photos of my family visiting Park Güell within this blog post were taken around 8:00 AM.
Unfortunately, the rules changed in 2021 and now Park Güell reserved this time for Barcelona residents ONLY. Tourists can visit between the hours of 9:30 and 7:30 PM.
Given the change in rules, I recommend tourists still try to visit as early as possible by going closer to 9:30 AM.
Is Park Guell Open to the Public?
Portions of the park are free to visit but tickets are required to enter the monumental zone.
How Much Does It Cost to Visit Park Guell?
At the time of writing, the cost to visit Park Güell with a general ticket is 10 euros.
You can check current pricing on Parc Guell’s official website.
Discounts exist for various groups including, but not limited to, the disabled, the elderly, and children. Kids between the ages of 0-6 may enter for free!
Although it costs a little more, I recommend the skip-the-line ticket.
How Can I Buy Tickets to Park Guell in Barcelona?
You can buy Skip the Line tickets with a guided tour of Park Guell here.
How Far Is Park Guell from The Sagrada Familia?
It is about a 35-minute walk or a 10-minute taxi ride to travel from the Sagrada Familia to Park Güell.
It’s a bit further from Casa Milà and Casa Batlló. Here are all four places on the map so you can see where they are relative to one another.
When Was Park Guell Built?
Parc Guell was built between the years of 1900 to 1914.
How Big Is Park Güell?
This is one of the largest green areas in Barcelona. It occupies 17 hectares of land. This means Parc Guell occupies more than 40 acres of land.
How Many Homes Were Supposed to Be Built in Parc Güell?
It was intended to have sixty single-family residences. Since it was unsuccessful, the park became city property in 1923.
What do You Wear to Park Güell?
There is no formal dress code. Comfortable clothing and footware is recommended since you’ll be climbing stairs and walking around a large park.
Did the Cheetah Girls Actually Go to Barcelona?
Yes! The entire film (surprisingly even the New York City scenes) was shot in Barcelona, Spain during the spring of 2006.
This blog’s article explains all of the different places in Barcelona that the Cheetah Girls visited.
Where Did they Film the Cheetah Girls 2?
The entire film was recorded in Barcelona, Spain.
Where are the Cheetah Girl Steps in Barcelona?
The Cheetah Girl steps are at Parc Güell. These are the very same steps the Cheetah Girls strut down.
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