In Barcelona, it is impossible to avoid Gaudí's work as it is everywhere. Indeed, a difficult question for the visitor with limited time is to decide which of these works they should see. The guide on our 'bus turistic' had definite views on whether or not Park Guell was worth a visit. A tourist must have asked that very question and he went on a rant Basil Fawlty style about what an idiot you'd feel when you had to tell your friends back home that you went to Barcelona but somehow missed Park Guell. How right he was!

Park Guell is a must-see. Getting there can be a bit of an effort, as unless you take a taxi you are going to have to climb. It is worth noting that the 'bus turistic' gets closest of all public transports. But get there, whichever way you do it.

On arriving to the front gate of the Park, my overwhelming impression was that I was Gretel and that the witch was going to come out any minute. The two houses at the entrance do bear a strong resemblance to gingerbread houses... Gaudí does exuberance like no one else, yet manages to retain an air of tastefulness. One of these houses a souvenir shop (full of Gaudí inspired things, you'll think you want them and wonder why you bought them when you get home).

As we entered the park, there seemed to be a crowd of people on the steps in front of us. This is where the famous salamander covered in 'trencadís' (a sort of glass and pottery mosaic) poses for thousands of pictures. This sculpture has become a symbol of the park and indeed of Barcelona itself.

Rather than heading straight for the square and the hall of 100 columns, we went to the right and walked around the park first. It is a wonderful oasis of peace in a busy city. There are wonderful views of the city to be seen from the top.

The Casa Museum Gaudí is worth a visit, this was Gaudí's own house, the first built in the park which was intended to become a garden city. I don't think I would want to see it if it was too busy though, as the rooms are quite small. I was surprised at how sober the house was in comparison with other Gaudí creations. His bedroom was furnished in a particularly modest manner.

The square is very, very busy. The famous serpentine bench has been polished by many a bottom! This part was not my favourite, it was nice but way too busy with bus-loads of school children, and there was little shelter from the sun. The Hall of 100 columns was very impressive, with its leaning pillars and more mosaic. The interesting acoustics were put to good use by a lone guitarist.

All in all, I am of the same opinion as our bus driver: You can't go to Barcelona and not 'do' Park Guell.

If you're thinking about visiting the Parc and getting there by metro, I would recommend taking the metro to Vallcarca instead of Lesseps, because it's less of a walk from the station and there are outdoor escalators that take you up to the park if you take the Vallcarca exit. From there on, it's all downhill, so it's less tiring, even though you might feel like you're not taking the "conventional" route by not entering the park via the front entrance, where the famous mosaic dragon is.

The park is definitely worth visiting. The mosaics and the gingerbread-house-like buildings are so cute, and there's no admission charge!

One of our first stops in Barcelona was this amazing park designed by Gaudi. Parc Güell is a fun place to spend a morning or afternoon. This park was commissioned by Count Güell, one of Gaudi’s primary patrons. This was intended to be a garden community with several grand homes scattered throughout the grounds and including an open-air theater that would cover a marketplace. Unfortunately, the wealthier citizens of Barcelona preferred living closer to the downtown area of Barcelona and only 2 of the lots were ever sold.

Despite its failure as a garden community, the park has thrived as a public park, after the Güell family turned the area over to the city. We caught bus 24 at Placa Catalunya and rode it for about 10-15 minutes up to the entrance of the park. We immediately began wandering through the lush paths. We first were drawn to an upper gatehouse area, where musicians were playing to a small crowd. From there we wandered over to the winding open-air theater, comprised of many small alcoves with benches. These were later covered in a breathtaking mosaic by Josep Maria Jujol which snakes around the entire outside of the courtyard. Vendors sell trinkets in spots near the stairways, and several musicians belt out melodies in hopes you will donate a few euros or buy a cd. You can also look out over the entire city from this vantage, and get a glimpse of Sagrada Familia, another of Gaudi’s creations.

We headed down the stairs to find a large cavern underneath the enormous open-air courtyard, recalling this was intended to be the garden market. In several spots on the ceiling, beautiful mosaic pictures had been carefully installed. This area is called Sala Hipòstila (Hypostile Hall) and 86 pillars support the roof above.

We stopped by the visitors' center, a gatehouse at the front of the park. And of course, we stopped by the famous mosaic lizard or dragon, and along with dozens of others, jostled for our chance to snap a picture in front of this beautiful fountain. Although there is perhaps not one singular building or area that is the draw to this park, the combination of the architectural details and open areas creates an inviting and playful ambience that we thoroughly enjoyed. We only regretted we hadn’t brought along a picnic lunch!

Beautiful architecture. It's amazing to see. The tunnels and arches, towers covered in mosaics, and an amazing view of the city of Barcelona. To get there from the metro, you walk a few minutes and then up several escalators to the top where the park is located. Quite an experience!

The park was around a 15-minute walk from the station. It was easy to find just by following the crowds. However, it is at the top of around eight flights of stairs. There are some escalators, but when we went, they didn't seem to be working, so we walked up them on what was the hottest day of our visit. Upon returning home, we were told that these do work, but that you need to activate them. This made us feel rather foolish, but clearly no one else there knew this either, as around 50 people struggled to the top.

The park itself was interesting to walk around (sculptures, mosaics, good views), but there were far too many people there, so finding a quiet spot to sit and relax was out of the question. The famous lizard sculpture that adorned so many postcards and guides to Barcelona proved elusive - we walked around the park twice without seeing it. Again, on returning home, we concluded that it was by the entrance at the bottom of the hill, but was obscured by the hoards of visitors, so we missed it.

Having had our fill of Gaudi for one day, we decided to return to the hotel on the bus. The bus routes aren't as clear as they could be, and while we did get back eventually, we had certainly gone via the "scenic route," which included the bus reversing on a very narrow pathway overlooking a ravine.