Gava Mines Archaeological Park
Gava Mines Archaeological Park
4
Thursday
10:00 AM - 2:30 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 2:30 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 2:30 PM
About
A very interesting site within a short distance of Barcelona city. Ancient mines of varicite (used in jewellery)worked back as far as 6000 years ago - before the Pyramids! Bringing Prehistory to Life! Live the experience of an innovative archaeological expedition to the Gavñ prehistoric mines, the oldest tunnelled mines in Europe and the only ones to have been used solely to extract variscite. Enjoy their magic, by investigating the finds from inside and around the mines, through advanced audiovisual and multimedia displays; discover what life was like for our ancestors 6.000 years ago, at a unique site which is so close to Barcelona.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
4.0
71 reviews
Excellent
33
Very good
23
Average
6
Poor
4
Terrible
5
don_blas
Barcelona, Spain10 contributions
Apr 2013 • Family
This attraction is new, spectacular, sleek, modern and dynamic, but it is also too fast and too shallow. Employing only a total time of one hour, you can watch impressive virtual recreations of the zone and its inhabitants 6,000 years ago, get a knowledge of how they lived and observe reproductions of their bones and tools but YOU CANNOT TOUCH THEM (unbelievable in a XXI century museum). Finally, you can take a quick tour to some real galleries of these variscite (semiprecious clear green stone) mines than were exploited millennia ago.
A very advisable experience but it is missing a more hands-on experience. If you adopt the pervasive fast paced rhythm you will probably miss one of the most remarkable items on display: an ancient man skull that suffered a trepanation (two holes) and whose owner was able to survive at least for six months.
The webpage http://www.parcarqueologic.cat/esp/imgpcn/m.asp is offered only in Spanish and Catalan, but every presentation at the museum is given also in English.
A very advisable experience but it is missing a more hands-on experience. If you adopt the pervasive fast paced rhythm you will probably miss one of the most remarkable items on display: an ancient man skull that suffered a trepanation (two holes) and whose owner was able to survive at least for six months.
The webpage http://www.parcarqueologic.cat/esp/imgpcn/m.asp is offered only in Spanish and Catalan, but every presentation at the museum is given also in English.
Written April 8, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LeNoudeGaia
Andover, UK85 contributions
Feb 2015 • Couples
How do you make a 6000 year old rough hewn hole in the ground interesting? Proof that that the designers of the exhibition have done something right comes in two forms: firstly the enthusiasm of the young school group ahead of us and secondly that my wife, who typically glazes over at the mere mention of archaeology, volunteered that she had enjoyed the visit. The actual hole in the ground viewed from a gallery may be unremarkable in itself but the cleverly designed audio-visual introduction and series of themed kiosks, all with help from the EU, put it into context and the remarkable achievement of the miners, hacking away at hard rock deep underground with the most basic of tools, and no hard hats, is brought home to you.
The site is relatively small and it could get rather crowded in high season but when we visited at the end of February there was only the school party and ourselves.
There is limited parking at the site but finding it without satnav proved challenging and we ended up parking in the road at the back of the site.
The site is relatively small and it could get rather crowded in high season but when we visited at the end of February there was only the school party and ourselves.
There is limited parking at the site but finding it without satnav proved challenging and we ended up parking in the road at the back of the site.
Written March 1, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pconl
Tarragona, Spain58 contributions
Jul 2012 • Couples
A short train ride from Barcelona you'll find these ancient mines where neolithic man quarried varicite, a semi precious green stone, 5000 and more years ago. You can see around the site, visit a mock up of a mine and there are audio visuals in Spanish, English and Catalan to help you understand it. Best combined with a visit to the Gava museum in the nearby town where the display shows the significance of the site at the mouth of the Riu Llobregat and the highlight is the 'Venus of Gava', a strange anthropomorphic female figure found at the mines. The site is little visited and is a bit off the beaten track but well worth the effort. Also Gava is a pleasant if unremarkable Catalan town, a change from the crowds of BCN.
Written August 19, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Betty
Montgat, Spain33 contributions
Dec 2021
The ruins of the old mine can barely be seen through dirty glass. Beyond that, there is not much else to see in the place.
Written March 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Catbiscuits
Montclair, NJ6 contributions
Aug 2019 • Family
I’m a world traveler and former university professor so it takes a lot to impress me. We had been staying in Sitges and were going to go into Barcelona on our last day, but given an airport strike, thought we should play it safe and do something on the way. We were glad we stopped at the Gava Mines Archaelogical Park! We found parking easily on the street, perhaps because it was a Saturday.
Inside, we were greeted by a lovely staff member who spoke English well. She escorted us to see a multimedia display that gave us a glimpse of what we would see throughout the museum. Of course there is the mine entrance and I had really thought it would be a small hole in the ground, but it is quite big when you get on top of it. The whole park feels like a building since it has walls and a roof, but you can also see the excavations in progress. I’d love to be there when the archeologists are there.
There are a series of large cubes that display information on them. Some of these had failed fluorescent tubes so they weren’t readable, but with all the information we were presented, it wasn’t a huge loss. You could enter into four of the cubes and these had impressive multimedia shows that incorporated videos, archeological objects, and even holograms. I’ve worked with museums on many occasions and never saw anything like this! Our jaded teenage kids loved it and they sat through the displays, without just punching a button and running away. Audio and text was in Catalan, Castilian and English. The English was flawless.
Finally there is the reconstruction of the mine which is truly spectacular. I guess if you have no interest in prehistoric life, this place won’t interest you, but if you have any curiosity, this should be fascinating. I suppose if you have serious back or neck problems and you can’t bend over or if you have mobility issues, you might want to call the museum to inquire although I recall elevators around.
Inside, we were greeted by a lovely staff member who spoke English well. She escorted us to see a multimedia display that gave us a glimpse of what we would see throughout the museum. Of course there is the mine entrance and I had really thought it would be a small hole in the ground, but it is quite big when you get on top of it. The whole park feels like a building since it has walls and a roof, but you can also see the excavations in progress. I’d love to be there when the archeologists are there.
There are a series of large cubes that display information on them. Some of these had failed fluorescent tubes so they weren’t readable, but with all the information we were presented, it wasn’t a huge loss. You could enter into four of the cubes and these had impressive multimedia shows that incorporated videos, archeological objects, and even holograms. I’ve worked with museums on many occasions and never saw anything like this! Our jaded teenage kids loved it and they sat through the displays, without just punching a button and running away. Audio and text was in Catalan, Castilian and English. The English was flawless.
Finally there is the reconstruction of the mine which is truly spectacular. I guess if you have no interest in prehistoric life, this place won’t interest you, but if you have any curiosity, this should be fascinating. I suppose if you have serious back or neck problems and you can’t bend over or if you have mobility issues, you might want to call the museum to inquire although I recall elevators around.
Written August 25, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MajorBrownEye
Catalonia, Spain57 contributions
Mar 2016 • Family
After a bit of a stressful journey - do NOT trust Google maps for the location and avoid Tuesdays before 2pm as it's market day and the streets are mayhem - we were absolutely wowed by this place.
Interesting for me and my 9 year old daughter alike. Although you don't get to see much more than the entrances of the mines, the way the information is presented makes it very real and fascinating. We were lucky enough to have the whole place to ourselves - OK perhaps market day was a good idea after all.
Each section has a touch screen to choose the audio language from Catalan, Castellano and English, thereafter you are treated to fully automated audio-visual displays with effects from opening doors and curtains, via lighting effects to 3D projections.
The blend of realism, science and actual artefacts makes it almost impossible not to imagine life there 6000 years ago.
Add the laid back but enthusiastic staff and you have a great experience. Within 5 minutes of arriving my daughter exclaimed "We HAVE to come back here".
I can't recommend this place highly enough.
Interesting for me and my 9 year old daughter alike. Although you don't get to see much more than the entrances of the mines, the way the information is presented makes it very real and fascinating. We were lucky enough to have the whole place to ourselves - OK perhaps market day was a good idea after all.
Each section has a touch screen to choose the audio language from Catalan, Castellano and English, thereafter you are treated to fully automated audio-visual displays with effects from opening doors and curtains, via lighting effects to 3D projections.
The blend of realism, science and actual artefacts makes it almost impossible not to imagine life there 6000 years ago.
Add the laid back but enthusiastic staff and you have a great experience. Within 5 minutes of arriving my daughter exclaimed "We HAVE to come back here".
I can't recommend this place highly enough.
Written March 24, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CalEsteve
Gosol, Spain47 contributions
May 2015 • Couples
An excellent presentation of these unique Neolithic mines. The on site modules present sufficient information without leaving the visitor saturated. Never underestimate how much effort goes into giving relatively simple explnations. Moving from module to module you never lose the sensation that you are in the middle of an archaeological dig, and you half expect the archaelogists to pop up at any moment. Time is no issue - you can wander around, read every word, admire the labyrinthic reconstruction...and combine this with a visit to the local museum.
Written May 10, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Claim your listingGava Mines Archaeological Park - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Gava Mines Archaeological Park
- Gava Mines Archaeological Park is open:
- Sun - Sun 10:00 AM - 2:30 PM
- Thu - Fri 10:00 AM - 2:30 PM
- Sat - Sat 10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
- Hotels near Gava Mines Archaeological Park:
- (9.79 mi) Stay Together Barcelona Apartments
- (1.41 mi) B&B HOTEL Barcelona Viladecans
- (9.21 mi) The Patio Barcelona
- (9.78 mi) The Corner Hotel
- (9.72 mi) Hotel Soho Barcelona
- Restaurants near Gava Mines Archaeological Park:
- (0.05 mi) Cafe Bar ParÃs
- (0.06 mi) Bar Plaza
- (0.07 mi) Bar Tapeo Paris
- (0.20 mi) Dvino's
- (0.08 mi) Bar Costa De La Luz
Gava Mines Archaeological Park Information
Excellent Reviews | 33 |
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Very Good Reviews | 23 |
Gava Mines Archaeological Park Photos | 54 |