Major tourist attraction reveals plans to double entry fee – but only for holidaymakers
ONE of Europe’s most popular attractions has revealed plans to double entry fees for tourists.
Barcelona’s Park Güell welcomes millions of tourists a year.
However, the attraction could soon cost a lot more, with the local government revealing a hike in fees for holidaymakers.
Designed by Antoni Gaudi, Park Güell was free to visit until 2013.
Currently, entrance fee costs between €10 (£8.36) and €14 (£11.70), with the latter including access to the museum as well as the park.
However BComú has revealed plans to increase this to €20 (16.72), local media reports.
This means it would be a similar price to other attractions in the city such as the Sagrada Familia (€26/£21.74) and Casa Batllo (€29/£24.24).
But this also means tourists would be forced to shell out nearly €80 (£66.88) to see the major attractions.
However, Catalonia’s tourism head Cristina Lagé explained the new fees are part of a wider increase in tourist taxes being introduced to reduce the pressure on locals.
She said in a local interview this would help services function properly.
Park Güell’s other new rules introduced include tickets only being available to buy online, which was introduced in July.
This is in place to reduce the crowds at the entrance of the park.
The city council said it will also “encourage scheduled visits, generate staggered and fluid access to the park and avoid unnecessary travel and dissatisfaction when tickets are unavailable”.
Park Güell once welcomed as many as nine million tourists a year, although last year reported around 4.4million.
It’s not the only tourist attraction looking at hiking fees for holidaymakers.
Turkey’s Hagia Sophia is now charging tourists €25 (£22) to visit with access to the mosaics and gallery floor.
How to spend 24 hours in Barcelona
The Sun’s Assistant Travel Editor Sophie Swietochowski recently visited Barcelona.
YOU can’t go to Barcelona without admiring some of architect Antoni Gaudi’s impressive works.
There is the Sagrada Familia church, Park Guell and Casa Batllo all within a few kilometres of each other.
I chose to explore Gaudi’s Casa Mila this time, with a behind-the-scenes Sunrise Guided Tour with GetYourGuide (£33.63pp).
You can’t leave Barcelona without drinking sangria, so head to bar Bubita, down a side road behind the Picasso museum.
It serves the stuff in a huge variety of flavours, including limoncello and basil, and lime, orange and mint.
Portugal has ditched entry fees to 38 of their attractions – although tourists still have to pay.
And we’ve rounded up the attractions that are free to visit across England.