We describe the manufacture and electrochemical characterization of micro-tubular anode supported solid oxide fuel cells (mT-SOFC) operating at intermediate temperatures (IT) using porous gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC: Ce 0.9 Gd 0.1 O 2−δ ) barrier layers. Rheological studies were performed to determine the deposition conditions by dip coating of the GDC and cathode layers. Two cell configurations (anode/electrolyte/barrier layer/cathode): single-layer cathode (Ni–YSZ/YSZ/GDC/LSCF) and double-layer cathode (Ni–YSZ/YSZ/GDC/LSCF–GDC/LSCF) were fabricated (YSZ: Zr 0.92 Y 0.16 O 2.08 ; LSCF: La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3−δ ). Effect of sintering conditions and microstructure features for the GDC layer and cathode layer in cell performance was studied. Current density–voltage (j–V) curves and impedance spectroscopy measurements were performed between 650–800°C, using wet H 2 as fuel and air as oxidant. The double-cathode cells using a GDC layer sintered at 1400°C with porosity about 50% and pores and grain sizes about 1μm, showed the best electrochemical response, achieving maximum power densities of up to 160mWcm −2 at 650°C and about 700mWcm −2 at 800°C. In this case GDC electrical bridges between cathode and electrolyte are preserved free of insulating phases. A preliminary test under operation at 800°C shows no degradation at least during the first 100h. These results demonstrated that these cells could compete with standard IT-SOFC, and the presented fabrication method is applicable for industrial-scale.