Every guide in this directory is listed as officially licensed. This page explains exactly what that means, how we check it, and how you can verify any guide's status yourself before you book.
The licence: Generalitat de Catalunya accreditation
In Catalonia, a professional tourist guide must hold the official habilitació de guia de turisme — a tourist-guide accreditation issued by the Generalitat de Catalunya, the regional government. It is a legal requirement for leading paid group tours inside Barcelona's major monuments and museums, including the Sagrada Família, Park Güell and the Palau de la Música. To earn it, a guide passes official examinations covering Catalonia's history, art, architecture and heritage, plus language proficiency.
The registration number
Each accredited guide is issued an official registration number (for example, a code beginning with GT-). It is the single most useful thing to check: it ties a real, examined, accountable professional to the person leading your tour. We display this number on every guide's profile in the directory.
What an official guide ID looks like
A licensed guide can show you their official accreditation on the spot — either the red plastic card pictured here or the same ID as a digital pass on their phone. It's headed Guia de Turisme de Catalunya and carries the Generalitat de Catalunya and CATALUNYA emblems, so it's easy to recognise. On it you'll find everything you need to check the guide is the real, registered professional you booked:
- their full name and national ID number (labelled Titular);
- their registration number (Núm. inscripció), in the
GT-format — the same one shown on their directory profile; - the languages they're accredited to guide in (for example, Anglès, Francès);
- a photograph of the holder, which should match the person in front of you; and
- a QR code labelled Comproveu-ne la validesa (“check its validity”) that you can scan to confirm the licence against the official record.
That QR code makes it the quickest way to verify a guide in person: scan it, and check that the name, photo and registration number all line up with the person leading your tour.
How we check a listing
- We list a guide only when an official accreditation and registration number are on record for them.
- We show that registration number publicly on the profile, so the claim is transparent and checkable — not something you have to take on trust.
- We periodically review listings and remove or correct any profile when a guide asks us to, or when we are told a detail is wrong.
How you can verify it yourself
You don't have to rely on us. Before booking, you can:
- Scan the QR code on the guide's official card or digital pass. The Generalitat-issued accreditation — whether the red plastic card or a PKPASS pass on the guide's phone — carries a QR code that links straight to the official record. Scanning it is the fastest on-the-spot check.
- Ask the guide for their accreditation and registration number — a licensed guide will give it without hesitation, and it should match the number on their profile.
- Check the number against the official Catalan tourism register. Accredited guides are recorded in the Generalitat's official registry of tourism professionals; the registration number is what you cross-check.
- Look for consistency — the name, number and languages a guide gives you should match what is shown on their directory profile.
What we do and don't verify
We confirm licensing status and registration details — that a guide is officially accredited and which languages and specialities they list. We are an independent directory, not the licensing authority: we do not set tour prices, take bookings, or guarantee availability, and we are not party to your arrangement with the guide. If you believe a listing is inaccurate, contact us and we will investigate and correct it.
Why this matters
An unlicensed "guide" may be cheaper, but they can be turned away at monument entrances, carry no accountability, and often lack the training that makes a tour worth taking. Hiring a licensed, registered guide protects both the quality of your visit and your money. We cover the difference in detail in official vs unlicensed tour guides in Barcelona.