Tour Details
Duration
3 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
- Plaça Catalunya
- Teatro Principal
- Plaça George Orwell
Photos & Highlights
- Spanish Civil War tour of Barcelona led by a historian.
- Gain a clear understanding of the Spanish Civil War, its timeline, and its far-reaching consequences
Select a date
Tour Description
George Orwell—British novelist, essayist, and critic—arrived in Barcelona in 1936 with the paperwork necessary to find work as a war correspondent. However, his experiences as a soldier in the 29th POUM division formed the bulk of the material for his notable text Homage to Catalonia. Transitioning from writer to soldier, Orwell joined the fight against Fascism during the Spanish Civil War. This three-year conflict tore Spain apart as two groups of differing political ideologies grappled for control. This 3-hour Spanish Civil War walking tour through Barcelona follows Orwell's footsteps during the 1937 May Revolution, as described in the author's classic book. It is designed to give visitors a clearer picture of the Spanish Civil War and its impact on Barcelona.
Our Spanish Civil War tour begins at a historic café in Barcelona, where we will set the stage with a thorough introduction to the Spanish Civil War. By examining the underlying tensions that culminated in the conflict, we will gain a clearer framework for understanding George Orwell’s involvement. While Orwell is best known today for his dystopian critiques of totalitarianism, his early works were rooted in personal experiences, including his time in Burma, London, and Paris. We will explore how his political convictions led him to join the fight against Fascism in Spain. After laying this historical foundation—and perhaps enjoying a refreshing beverage—we will continue our journey to La Rambla, Barcelona’s main thoroughfare, where the headquarters of key political factions in the war were once located.
As we walk through the city, we will visit former theaters, restaurants, and other sites where Orwell witnessed the factional struggles among anarchists and communists within the Republican forces. These internal divisions ultimately weakened the resistance against Franco’s Nationalists, leading to the fall of the Second Spanish Republic in January 1939. Along the way, we will uncover traces of the war’s impact on Barcelona, including remnants of the first mass aerial bombings of civilian targets—an early example of the devastating warfare that would soon engulf Europe.
Our exploration will also highlight the social experiments implemented by the Popular Front, such as collectivized restaurants and other cooperative initiatives that sought to reshape Barcelona’s economic and social structures. These efforts reflected an ambitious, albeit short-lived, attempt to create a more equitable society amidst the turmoil of war. Through these stops, we will discuss how Orwell’s time in Spain shaped his later works, particularly Homage to Catalonia, offering a deeper perspective on the intersection of ideology, war, and personal conviction.
As we walk through the city, we will visit former theaters, restaurants, and other sites where Orwell witnessed the factional struggles among anarchists and communists within the Republican forces. These internal divisions ultimately weakened the resistance against Franco’s Nationalists, leading to the fall of the Second Spanish Republic in January 1939. Along the way, we will uncover traces of the war’s impact on Barcelona, including remnants of the first mass aerial bombings of civilian targets—an early example of the devastating warfare that would soon engulf Europe.
Our exploration will also highlight the social experiments implemented by the Popular Front, such as collectivized restaurants and other cooperative initiatives that sought to reshape Barcelona’s economic and social structures. These efforts reflected an ambitious, albeit short-lived, attempt to create a more equitable society amidst the turmoil of war. Through these stops, we will discuss how Orwell’s time in Spain shaped his later works, particularly Homage to Catalonia, offering a deeper perspective on the intersection of ideology, war, and personal conviction.
As we explore the streets of Barcelona, we will see the city through the eyes of this infamous conflict. Together, we will note the War's effects upon the collective consciousness of this seaside city. With Orwell as our guide, we will come away with both an understanding Spanish Civil War's timeline and contributing factors. Moreover, we will see Orwell's particular experiences and perspective, which lingered with him long after his departure from Spain, informing his later work. In the end, we will emerge with a focused picture of Barcelona between 1936 and 1939, noting the buildings and streets that bear silent witness to the city's tragedy.
Where You'll Start
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45 Reviews
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Again, the docent was extremely personable and knowledgeable. Any time we asked a follow-up question to an already detailed explanation, the new information that Alan was able to supply was impressive. He was so committed to our having an excellent experience that he brought us back to the restaurant that was one of the sites on the tour and offered to make certain we got a table on the same balcony mentioned in a journal entry about the restaurant. I particularly liked hearing passages from Orwell's writing (and that of his contemporaries) about the sights we were seeing.
So why a "5" instead of a "6." Two reasons: We sat in the Café Zurich for an hour prior to the walk hearing some introductory information. An hour was simply too long and yet... This brings me to reason number two. Until almost the very end of the walk and seemingly only because we asked a question did we discover that Orwell's time fighting the Spanish Civil War lasted only six months. You'd think that important fact would be part of the introductory material we needed to learn. But Alan was somewhat weak in making over-arching connections. My husband used the word "wandered" when describing Alan's information. We were interested so we paid a lot of attention and got what we wanted out of the tour, but we feel Alan should identify the important concepts and facts tour participants need to know in addition to having vast amounts of knowledge about discrete destinations.
Karen
Reviewed on:
Sep 13, 2013
Alan is a very engaging person, and his knowledge and enthusiasm for the subject is extraordinary. He was very generous with his time (exceeding the 3 hours), and we enjoyed having both morning coffee and lunch with him. We had been on a group tour through much of Spain, though on our own in Barcelona. We had been disappointed by the lack of knowledge of 20th century Spain and the Civil War (and a seeming reluctance to talk about the war and the Franco years) by our tour director and various guides along the way, but Alan more than made up for that!
Carol
Reviewed on:
May 30, 2013
Alan was certainly the master of his subject. After a thorough introduction, he took us on an extended walking tour of Barcelona to see the places where George Orwell lived. Alan was so knowledgeable that he certainly can and should write a book on the subject. While the subject matter is complex, I felt that there wasn't enough "cause and effect" so that I left with a better understanding of the Spanish Civil War. The walking tour was of interest, but because of the big-city environment, it was very difficult to hear what Alan was saying while we walked around. I think the other 3 people on the tour enjoyed it and I understand that one couple stayed with Alan for much of the afternoon.
Alfred
Reviewed on:
May 29, 2013
