BLACK HISTORY
STEP INTO
WELCOME TO BARCELONA
This is a city often celebrated for modernist architecture and Mediterranean beauty. But it was also shaped by deep, complex ties to the African diaspora that stretch far beyond its borders. As a major Mediterranean port, Barcelona has long been a crossroads of people, ideas, and power. From the medieval period through the rise of the Spanish empire, the city was entangled in transatlantic trade networks that included the trafficking and enslavement of Africans, as well as the wealth extracted from Black labor in the Caribbean and the Americas. These global connections helped finance Barcelona’s growth, even as the lives and contributions of Black people were erased or marginalized in the telling of its story.
On this self-guided walking tour, trace the visible and invisible footprints of Black diasporic presence in the city: from medieval records of African and Afro-descendant residents, to monuments funded by colonial profits, to neighborhoods shaped by migration from former Spanish colonies, to the hubs of knowledge and centers of community open today.
Explore how Black artists and activists navigated these streets, and how their observations, resistance, and writing influenced each other and Catalan writers. We’ll also confront how racism and colonial ideology were built into the social institutions, sometimes literally, shaping attitudes that still echo today.
This tour invites you to see Barcelona differently - not just as a European capital, but as a city meaningfully connected to and influenced by the African diaspora. By walking these streets with intention, we honor stories that have been cast aside and the people who were forgotten. We also recognize Barcelona as an important, functional node in Black history, as opposed to a romanticized symbolic ideal.
Tour duration: 2-3 hours
Level of difficulty: Easy. Mostly flat ground.
CONTACT US
Bali is an amazing place to find exactly what you are looking for, be it relief from stress or an immersive culture. We can help you organize a memorable stay at one of the most magical places on the planet.