Why is Gaudi so important to Barcelona? Antoni Gaudi is Spain’s most famous architect. He is one of the most famous and unique architects in the world!
You cannot go to Barcelona and not be drawn into at least one Gaudi building. It is an absolutely essential part of Barcelona. We went to a handful and wish we had gone to a lot more!
You will know instantly if you are looking at one of Gaudi’s building because of how whimsical and ornate it is. In Barcelona alone seven of his buildings are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites, meaning that they are considered a world treasure and protected by international treaties.
Very Brief Background
Gaudi himself was a young architect that worked mainly in Barcelona in the early 1900’s. He was a major part of the Modernista movement, an art movement that went against the traditional gothic buildings in Europe and incorporated modern and organic ideas.
Modernista buildings are all over Barcelona and they make you smile as soon as you see them! They are colorful and different and make you immediately ask “What’s that!?” as you pass them.
All of the buildings that Gaudi designed feature three themes that were important to him, nature, religion, and Catalunya (the region of Spain that Barcelona is the capital of).
If you’re interested, read more about Gaudi here.
These are the most famous Gaudis’ in Barcelona that should be on your bucket list
Quick tip: if you use Head Out or the Barcelona Card to get tickets, you’ll save even more! Learn more about them and other ways to save money in Barcelona.
Sagrada Familia
If you only have time for one thing in Barcelona, you must see Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia.
It is a Catholic Basilica dedicated to the Sacred Family (Jesus, Mary and Joseph) and one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever been in…in the world!
It has been under construction continuously since 1882 because of how massive and intricate it is. Gaudi ended up living in the church so he could work on it continuously, until he unexpectedly died in 1926 after he was hit by a tram in the street. They expect to by (mostly) done by 2026, since 3D printing and new technologies have greatly sped up the work.
It is BY FAR the biggest building in Barcelona and you can see it from anywhere. It will be the tallest church in the world when it’s completed.
The two completed opposite entrances of Sagrada are the Nativity façade and the Passion façade. (The last façade will be the Glory façade, but it hasn’t begun construction yet).
The Nativity façade tells the story of the birth of Christ and is one of the most intricate things you will ever see. Spend time on this side looking closely because you will even see little sculpted bugs on the leaf doors!
The Passion façade tells the story of Christ’s crucifixion and is a cubist stark contrast to the Nativity side.
You enter Sagrada via either the Nativity or Passion façade depending on the day so be sure to arrive at least 15 minutes early.
Stepping inside is like stepping into a jewel box! The walls are all white marble but colored rainbow by the gigantic stain glass windows, and the colors magically change throughout the day as the sun moves!! You can also go up into the towers for an amazing view of Barcelona (tickets are extra and no one under 6 is allowed up).
Be sure to get skip the line tickets online at least a few days before hand, or wait hours in line and they often sell out! I recommend a guided tour, it was one of the best we took and makes you appreciate the building so much more. (Get tickets at the official website here)
Park Güell
Pronounced gwell (like “well”), this is a Park Gaudi designed in Barcelona for the wealthy residents to live in. In the end, the project failed and only two houses were ever bought of the planned sixty.
There are two main areas, the public area and the Monumental area.
The public area is free and has playgrounds and trails to walk on. The Monumental area has all the famous buildings and statues in Park Güell and you have to pay to enter this (also get tickets ahead of time or you will wait in line forever and not get in).
Park Güell is an amazing break from the rush of the city in Barcelona and you can easily either take the metro or bus to get there.
Go as early in the morning as you can! There will be less crowds and better light for your pictures (and less pickpockets!). If you go very early you will be able to get in for free.
If you take the metro, be warned that there A LOT of steps up the hill to get to the park. We were a little out of breath when we got to the top because we were rushing to meet our tour group on time!!
There is also a decent number of stairs and hills in the Park, I would not recommend a stroller for kids unless you were just taking a walk around the free area.
Casa Batlló
This house is a few blocks from the Plaza de Catalunya and on a major street in Barcelona, Passeig de Gràcia.
It was designed by Gaudi for a family in Barcelona and is themed like an underwater grotto. Colorful paintings of plants wind up the front of the building, twisting around lots of terraces. Walking through it is like exploring a Dr Seuss house, every detail is unique and ahead of it’s time. Even the door handles are uniquely made!!
You will slowly wind your way up to the rainbow tiled roof shaped like a dragon’s back! Buy tickets a head of time, each ticket comes with an audioguide with a virtual reality experience where you can see what the rooms would have looked like when the family lived there.
Discounted admission is included with the Barcelona City Card.
Casa Milà
Also known as La Pedrera (the stone quarry) by locals, Casa Milà is just down the Passeig de Gràcia from Casa Batlló and was the last private home made by Gaudi in Barcelona.
There is not a single straight line or right angle in this entire building and the arches in the attic make you feel like you are walking through the ribcage of a dragon.
You can get tickets to explore Casa Milà at day or at night when there is a colorful light show on the terrace roof.
Discounted admission is also included with the Barcelona City Card.
These four Gaudi buildings in Barcelona are all in the top 10 attractions in Barcelona, but there are many other Gaudi’s in Barcelona!!
You could easily spend a Barcelona vacation just doing Gaudi buildings and still see some of the most important parts of the city. Even if touring buildings is not your thing you will be surprised by how amazing and beautiful these buildings are.
Just remember that you should ALWAYS get skip the line tickets ahead of time and most are free or discounted with the Barcelona Card or can get you free activities through Head Out!
Even seen a Gaudi building? What was your favorite?
