Gaudí’s buildings in Barcelona are some of the most visited landmarks in the Catalonian capital.
If you are wondering which of Gaudi’s architectural marvels to put on your Barcelona itinerary, our guide will help you decide. Of course, if you have the time, all of the Gaudi buildings in Barcelona we describe here are worth visiting, especially if you enjoy architecture and art.
A Catalan architect, Antoni Gaudí is known as the foremost exponent of Catalan Modernism, and most of his works are located in Barcelona.
Seven of Gaudi’s works in Barcelona have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
From the soaring steeples of the Sagrada Familia to the curvy lines of colorful Park Güell and the facades and interiors of the many homes he designed, get ready to be captivated by Gaudi’s architecture in Barcelona!
Gaudi’s Buildings in Barcelona: The UNESCO Sites
La Sagrada Familia
La Sagrada Familia is considered Gaudí’s pièce de résistance, and though it is still not complete, more than 140 years after construction began, it stands tall in Barcelona as the most visited landmark in the city.
If there is just one Gaudi building in Barcelona you can visit, make it La Sagrada Familia!
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Gaudi took over as chief architect of the project in 1883, about one year after construction began, and worked on it for the rest of his life.
He is famously reported to have said, “My client is not in a hurry,” when questioned about the long construction time. In fact, when he died in 1926, the cathedral was less than 25 percent complete.
La Sagrada Familia was finally consecrated in 2010, even though it was still unfinished.
The cathedral is one of seven Gaudi buildings in Barcelona on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and is currently expected to be finished by 2026, with decorative finishes to be complete a few years later.
In the Sagrada Familia, Gaudí created a unique naturalist-modernist religious site that combines artistic expression with technical competence.
The cathedral boasts three facades, of which two, Nativity and Passion, are complete. The third, Glory, will reportedly be the grandest when done.
The Nativity facade features elaborate decoration, and, in keeping with Gaudi’s style, includes elements from nature, such as turtles and chameleons. In contrast, the Passion facade is spare, with straight lines and angular carvings.
Gaudi’s design for La Sagrada Familia included eighteen steeples, of which eleven had been built as of 2022. The steeples are one of the most striking features of the exterior of the basilica.
While the outside of the Sagrada Familia is a visual adventure in itself, the interior boasts just as much beauty.
The stained glass windows create a divine flow of light onto a forest of columns holding the tall ceiling. There are no straight lines. Like most of Gaudí’s work, the design of the interior is inspired by nature, giving it a magical touch.
Below the church, you can visit the crypt with mosaic floors containing the tombs of both Antoni Gaudí and Josep María Bocabella, the bookseller whose visit to Italy inspired the building of the Sagrada Familia.
You can also tour the Sagrada Familia Museum which exhibits a vast collection of drafts, photos, models, and building plans for the basilica. While a lot got lost in a fire during the Civil War, the remaining items give you an understanding of the architect’s work.
And finally, you can go to the viewing area at the top of one of the towers for panoramic views over Barcelona!
Looking for a souvenir? Be sure to step inside the Sagrada Familia shop.
How to Visit
La Sagrada Familia has varying operating hours:
From November through February: Monday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sundays 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
March and October: Monday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Sundays 10:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
From April through September: Monday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Sundays 10:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
On December 25 and 26, and January 1 and 6, hours are 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
La Sagrada Familia may sometimes be closed for special events. For up-to-date information on operating hours, visit the official website.
You can visit La Sagrada Familia independently or as part of a guided tour. We’ve done it both ways, and we think a guided tour offers a much enhanced experience on your first visit if you aren’t a Gaudi expert.
You MUST book tickets or a tour well in advance of your visit to avoid waiting in line for a long time, especially in season. Without a ticket, you may even not be able to enter, if the building is at capacity when you arrive.
Buy tickets (with an app audioguide) or book a guided tour at the official website. You can also choose to visit one of the towers, taking the lift up to the top and walking down.
If tickets are sold out on the official website for the date you want to visit, you may be able to get them through a reseller like GetYourGuide.
Buy your tickets (with audioguide) for La Sagrada Familia now!
There are also a variety of guided tours with fast-track access you can book at Viator here or GetYourGuide here, with the ability to cancel or reschedule up to 24 hours before the tour date.
Here are the most booked guided tour options for La Sagrada Familia:
- This popular 90-minute tour covers the facade and the interior, and you visit the museum on your own.
- This highly rated 90-minute tour covers the facades and the interior, and you tour the museum and go up the tower on your own.
- This combination 4-hour tour covers La Sagrada Familia and Park Guell, the two most popular Gaudi sites in Barcelona. The price includes admission, and the group size is capped at 12 people for a personalized experience!
If you have the Go City Barcelona All-Inclusive or Explorer pass, a guided tour of La Sagrada Familia with fast-track entrance is included. Be sure to book your time slot in advance.
Tips
Visit early in the day, and on a week day rather than a weekend day to avoid crowds.
However, noon and the evening are the best times to see the sun light up the stained-glass! Check out this evening tour that comes with expert commentary and allows you to see the sun streaming through the stained glass windows!
The Sagrada Familia is a place of worship, so proper attire is required. No bare shoulders or knees, no hats, no flip flops.
International mass is at 9 a.m. every Sunday. Entry is free, but seating is limited.
You’ll find restrooms, and storage for bags and small backpacks, at the site.
Park Güell
Park Güell is one of the world’s most visited parks and will bewitch you with its fairy tale aura.
Featuring Art Nouveau architectural and design elements, with mosaic sculptures, benches, gingerbread houses, and serpentine stairs, the park is a lot of fun for kids and adults alike.
Park Guell was built as part of a residential area that never was finished. The area was way outside the city at the time it was built and did not garner much interest.
Later, it was turned into a public park, where you can take in exceptional city views.
The park is one of seven Gaudi buildings in Barcelona listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and just like La Sagrada Familia, Park Guell definitely deserves a top spot on your Barcelona itinerary.
Inside the park, you’ll want to visit the Nature Square and the Mosaic Terrace, where you can enjoy sweeping views of the park and the city.
The main staircase, with colorful walls snaking up on each side, and the famous mosaic salamander (El Drac) are among the park’s most famous features.
Benches are covered in brightly-colored tiles and palm-lined passages of colorful stones are home to rare plant species.
For the best views, climb up to the three crosses on Calvary Hill. A chapel was to be built here, but the work got stopped.
You can also walk the Laundry Room Portico, which was meant as a passage between the residential houses that eventually were not built.
Birdwatchers will want to look for the many species of birds that call the park home.
Also be sure to visit the Gaudi House Museum, where the architect spent the last 20 years of his life, while he worked on La Sagrada Familia. Interestingly, the house was not designed by him!
How to Visit
Park Guell has varying operating hours:
From January 1 through February 16: 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
From February 17 to March 24: 9.30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
From March 25 to October 29: 9.30 a.m. to 8.30 p.m.
From October 30 to December 31: 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
Last access of the day is one hour before closing, and you have to enter within 30 minutes of the entry time shown on your ticket.
For up-to-date information on operating hours, visit the official website.
You can visit Park Guell on your own or as part of a guided tour.
Park Guell is an enormously popular Barcelona attraction, so you should book tickets (or a tour) in advance to avoid standing in line for a long time, especially in season.
You can buy tickets, or book a guided tour, at the park website.
If tickets are sold out for the day you want to visit, you may be able to buy them through GetYourGuide or another reseller.
A guided tour is an efficient way to visit Park Guell, to make sure you do not miss anything of import. There are a variety of tours you can book on Viator here or GetYourGuide here.
Here are some of the most popular guided tour options for Park Guell:
- This highly-rated 75-minute tour offers skip-the-line access and a walking tour of the park with commentary on the history and the features of interest
- This very popular combination tour of La Sagrada Familia and Park Guell gives you 2 hours at each attraction, and the group is limited to 12 participants
- This well-reviewed 90-minute tour of Park Guell offers priority entrance and a guided walk through the park
Tips
Park Guell gets crowded during the day, so if you are visiting on your own, plan to arrive early in the day, at opening time, or later in the afternoon, for the most peaceful time in the park.
Bring sun protection and water to drink. It can get hot and a lot of the park is exposed.
Wear proper walking shoes: you’ll be doing quite a bit of walking.
With a valid ticket, you can stay as long as you like in the park, but once you exit you cannot re-enter.
The Gaudi House Museum has its own entry fee, separate from the park.
Casa Milá
The last private residence designed by Gaudi, Casa Milá is also known as La Pedrera, or “The Quarry,” due to its undulating natural stone façade.
The exterior also features beautiful wrought-iron grilles on the 32 balconies, and an innovative wrought iron and glass entrance.
The building’s interior hides an eccentric beauty and uniqueness, from curved arches holding large columns to stained glass windows letting in a wealth of light into the building.
La Pedrera is a distinctive piece of art, with the play of light and shadows complementing the rounded shapes of the house, and one of the seven Gaudi buildings that make up the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Gaudi met with criticism and ridicule when the house first went up, and the owners even refused to pay his full fee until he sued, and won.
Inside the residential building, you can explore some of the residential apartments, with furnishings from the early 20th century, including a selection of ornaments designed by Gaudí.
Don’t miss the two interior patios that were built for better ventilation and light in the apartments. The entrance halls are a spectacle of colors, with wall paintings based on tapestries and light reflecting from the stained glass windows of the apartments.
Finally, the rooftop with its 28 uniquely shaped chimneys offers panoramic views of Barcelona. Each chimney is a work of art!
You can also opt to visit the mezzanine for an immersive virtual reality experience, and the Gaudi exhibition in the attic of the building.
How to Visit
Casa Mila opens at 9 a.m. every day, other than on December 25, when it is closed. Between March and early November, it closes at 8.00 p.m., and between November and February it closes at 6.30 p.m.
Last entry is one hour before closing time.
La Pedrera also offers a 90-minute night experience between 8.30 p.m. and 11 p.m. It’s a guided tour with light and sound that culminates on the rooftop. It also offers a sunrise experience!
For up-to-date operating hours, visit the official website.
You can visit La Pedrera independently or as part of a guided tour. We did a guided tour on our first visit and learned many fascinating things that made our visit that much more enjoyable.
Buy tickets at the official website.
If tickets are sold out for the date you want to visit, you can also buy them at Viator or another reseller.
If you prefer a guided tour, you can book a private tour of Casa Mila and Casa Batllo, with the freedom to cancel until 24 hours before the tour, on Viator. The highly-rated tour lasts 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Check price and availability on a private guided tour of Casa Mila and Casa Batllo now!
Casa Batlló
Casa Batlló was originally built in the late 1870s by Emilio Sala Cortés, one of Gaudí’s architectural professors. However, in 1903, it was sold to a local businessman, Josep Batlló, who decided to have Gaudí rebuild it.
Given complete creative freedom, Gaudí created a unique house that has turned into one of Spain’s most visited tourist attractions. He created a new unique facade and considerably changed the interior for both function and artistic appeal.
Today Casa Batlló, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is open for visits by the public.
Casa Batllo’s facade is one of the most unique sights you’ll see in Barcelona, with balcony railings shaped like masks, oval windows, and a roof that looks like a dragon’s back.
The colorful mosaic façade invites you inside to an even more wonderful experience as you admire the stained glass windows, tiled walls in vibrant colors, and the chimneys on the rooftop.
Inside, the main hall features magnificent stained glass windows that color the room with natural light flow.
The house is decorated with colorful statues of sea creatures and animals, and the banister of the wooden staircase resembles the backbone of an animal.
The blue-tiled inner patio, known as the patio of light, is impressive. To make the light flow in evenly, the blue tiles are lighter the further down on the wall they get, and standing at the bottom gives you a feeling of being underwater.
Inside Casa Batlló, you can tour the part of the house where the Batlló family lived as well as the servants’ quarters.
Take the stairs up to the rooftop terrace where you will be amazed by Gaudí’s signature chimneys and sweeping city views.
How to Visit
Casa Batllo opens at 9 a.m. every day and closes at 8 p.m.
Last entry is one hour before closing time.
Casa Batllo also offers an evening experience called Magic Nights (it begins at 8 p.m. and lasts 2 hours), and a morning visit called Be The First, that starts at 8 a.m.
For up-to-date operating hours, visit the official website.
You can visit Casa Batllo independently or as part of a guided tour.
Buy tickets at the official website.
If tickets are sold out for the date you want to visit, you can also buy them at Viator or another reseller.
If you prefer a guided tour, you can book a private tour of Casa Mila and Casa Batllo, with the freedom to cancel until 24 hours before the tour, on Viator. The highly-rated tour lasts 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Check price and availability on a private guided tour of Casa Mila and Casa Batllo now!
There is also a popular tour that includes the Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, and Casa Batllo, if you are up for visiting three Gaudi sites in one day.
Casa Vicens
Casa Vicens is the first private residence Gaudi designed in Barcelona. Built in the Orientalist or Neo-Mudéjar style, Casa Vicens is one of the seven Gaudi buildings that make up the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The house was built as a summer residence for Manuel Vicens in the 1880s. In the 1920s, it was extended by Joan Baptista Serra de Martínez, and a number of Gaudí’s original features were removed or replaced as part of the extension project.
Casa Vicens has undergone other extensions and changes in subsequent years.
The home has a richly decorated facade, with many colorful tiles and arches. There is a porch surrounded by wooden latticework based on a Japanese system of shutters that Gaudi discovered at a Japanese architecture exhibition in Barcelona.
Inside the Casa Vicens, you can visit the entrance hall, porch, dining room, and smoking room.
In the dining room, the motifs covering the walls all feature nature and animals. But the smoking room might be the most impressive room in the house, with stained glass windows, colorful tiles with flower motifs, and a blue and golden ceiling resembling palm leaves.
Finally, the rooftop with its views and tiled towers and chimneys is just as picturesque as any other rooftop Gaudí has designed.
How to Visit
Casa Vicens has varying hours:
From November to March: Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Tuesday through Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
From April to October: Every day from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Casa Vicens will be closed on December 25 and January 6, and have reduced hours (until 5 p.m.) on December 31.
For up-to-date operating hours, visit the official website.
You can visit Casa Vicens independently or as part of a guided tour.
Buy tickets at the official website.
If tickets are sold out for the date you want to visit, you can also buy them at GetYourGuide or another reseller.
If you prefer a guided tour, you can book a private tour of Casa Vicens, with the freedom to cancel until 24 hours before the tour, on GetYourGuide. The highly-rated tour lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Check price and availability on a private guided tour of Casa Vicens now!
You also have the option of booking a combined tour for Casa Mila and Casa Vicens.
Güell Palace
The Güell Palace, or Palau Guell, is less famous than the four Gaudi buildings described above, but it is one of the seven structures that form the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Situated midway on Las Ramblas, Palau Guell is an easy place to add to your Barcelona itinerary if you wish to see more of Gaudi’s work.
Gaudi’s first big commission, the Guell Palace was the start a long relationship between the creative architect and Eusebi Güell. The palace is worth seeing because it includes the essence of the creative elements that you can see in his later work.
The Güell Palace might also have the most unique interior of all of Gaudí’s creations, with dark wood and wrought iron, unlike the light-filled interiors in his later structures.
On the ground floor is the grand entrance hall, with a dramatic staircase leading up to the family’s floor, where you’ll find a salon used for entertaining, with tall walls decorated with murals.
The stables in the basement are interesting for their large columns with top mushroom-like parts rounded into arches. Guests in their carriages would ride right in through the large doors, and then walk up the stairs into the living area.
On the rooftop, you can see Gaudí’s signature feature, multiple cone-shaped chimneys with colorful mosaics, and enjoy views over the city. There is an elevator.
How to Visit
Palau Guell has varying hours:
From April 1 to September 30, the palace is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
From October 1 to March 31, the palace is open from 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
Last entry is one hour before closing time.
Palau Guell is closed on non-holiday Mondays, December 25 and 26, January 1 and 6, and the last week of January (for maintenance).
For up-to-date operating hours, visit the official website.
You can visit Palau Guell independently with an audio guide. Buy tickets at the official website.
If tickets are sold out for the date you want to visit, which is unlikely, you can also buy them at Viator or another reseller.
Colonia Güell Crypt
The final structure that makes up the Gaudi UNESCO World Heritage Site is the Colonia Guell Crypt.
The Colonia Güell Crypt is built of basalt stones, making it look a lot older than it is – almost like a cave from a fantasy movie.
It was part of a larger project, the Güell Colony, where Gaudí had planned to build a church. But construction stopped before he could finish due to the death of Eusebi Güell.
Yet it is a unique structure where the architect tested out a lot of the features that he later implemented in the Sagrada Familia, like the leaning columns.
The most impressive feature of the crypt is likely the irregular, leaning columns that almost look scattered around the altarpiece.
The stained glass windows have an abstract shape resembling a cross.
All over, you will see how Gaudí melded natural shapes with earthy colors to make the space feel like a mystical cave.
Finally, make note of the modernist furniture and ornaments inside, all designed by Gaudi.
How to Visit
Colonia Guell Crypt has varying hours:
November through April: Weekdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and weekends and holidays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
May through October: Weekdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and weekends and holidays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Closed December 25 and 26 and January 1 and 6.
For current hours of operation visit the official website.
You can buy tickets for Colonia Guell Crypt online at GetYourGuide or another reseller.
Map of Gaudi Architecture in Barcelona: The UNESCO Sites
More Travel Inspiration for Spain
Considering a trip to Spain? Be sure to read our 10 days in Spain itinerary, written especially for first-time visitors to the country, as well as our 3-day Barcelona itinerary.
If you are considering a return visit to the country, we also have an article on the best places to visit in Spain, and the most exciting Spain road trips to consider.
If you plan to visit Madrid, check out our 3 days in Madrid itinerary. We also have a round-up of the best day trips from Madrid you can take.
If you are planning a trip to Southern Spain, we have a detailed itinerary for Andalusia you’ll want to read! The comprehensive itinerary includes Seville, Granada, Malaga, Ronda, and Cordoba.
Many visitors to Spain have the Alhambra of Granada at the top of their bucket list. Exploring the breathtaking Nasrid Palaces and Generalife Gardens at the Alhambra are among the best things to do in Granada.
Seville is one of our most favorite places to vacation in Spain. Check out our 3 days in Seville itinerary if you are planning your first trip, or our one day in Seville travel guide if your visit will be brief.
We also have an article on the best things to do in Seville, as well as an in-depth guide to Seville in winter.
Also be sure to peruse our complete guide to the Real Alcazar of Seville, one of the top monuments to visit in Andalusia.
Check out our round-up of the must-take day trips from Seville, as well as our ultimate guide to planning a day trip from Seville to Cordoba.
If you are trying to decide whether to visit Granada or Seville, we think you should allow for enough time to visit both! But we have an article to help you choose if you only have time for one or the other.
Visiting the Mezquita is only one of the many exciting things to do in Cordoba, which served as a filming location for Game of Thrones.
Ronda is one of the most picturesque white villages in Spain, and our one day in Ronda guide describes all the best things to do in the hilltop city. Another Andalusian pueblo blanco to consider is gorgeous Casares.
You can visit both Ronda and Casares on day trips from Malaga, the Andalusian city located on Spain’s Costa del Sol. There are many exciting things to do in Malaga as well.
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