Antoni Gaudí's Barcelona - Attractions, 2026 Tickets, Prices and Visitor Guides

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Quick Information

• Full Name: Antoni Gaudí i Cornet
• Nationality: Spanish
• Most Famous Work: Sagrada Familia
• UNESCO World Heritage Sites: 7

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Who Was Antoni Gaudí?

Antoni Gaudí i Cornet was the visionary architect behind some of Barcelona's most famous landmarks and most popular attractions. He was born 25th June 1852 in Reus, near Tarragona, and died on 10th June 1926 in Barcelona, having been hit by a tram.

He started his career after graduating in 1878, but 1883 marked the start of his rise to prominence, when he received his first major commission, Casa Vicens and it went on from there to span several decades.

He pioneered styles and designed some of the most famous landmarks in Spain including the yet unfinished Sagrada Familia, which was his crowning glory that takes pride of place in Barcelona. The Sagrada Familia welcomes around 4 million visitors each year and is Barcelona's most popular attraction.

He went to school at the Piarist School in Reus, where it is said that he excelled in drawing and geometry and thus found his passion for drawing and design. He then moved to Barcelona to study architecture at the Higher School of Architecture (now known as the Barcelona School of Architecture), where he honed his skills and found his passion for using nature as his inspiration and he went on to graduate in 1878.

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Antoni Gaudí Barcelona UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Gaudí's works that are recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Barcelona:

• Park Güell
• Palau Güell
• Casa Vicens
• Casa Batlló
• Casa Milà - La Pedrera
• Crypt of Colònia Güell
• Sagrada Famila

Casa Vicens - Check Availability & Book Tickets

The house that acted as a major catalyst for his career.

• Casa Vicens Address: Carrer de les Carolines, 20, 08012, Barcelona
• Opening Hours: Daily from 09:30 - 20:00

Casa Vicens is in the Gràcia neighbourhood of Barcelona. Built between 1883 and 1885 for a stock and currency broker called Manel Vicens i Montaner, who asked Antoni Gaudí to design and create a summer house for him and his family.

Gaudí took his inspiration from multiple sources for Casa Vicens, which can be seen in its design which includes elements of Catalan architecture, Islamic art as well as Japanese design.

Casa Vicens remained a private residence up until 2014 at which point Morabanc, a bank from Andorra purchased it, partly renovated it (keeping in line with Gaudi's designs) and opened it up to the public in order that it could be enjoyed.

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Gaudi's El Capricho - Check Availability & Book Tickets

A lesser-known property, but still worth visiting.

• Gaudi's El Capricho Address: Barrio de Sobrellano s/n 39520, Comillas
• Opening Hours: Daily from 10:00 - 20:00

Whilst Gaudí was building Casa Vicens, he was commissioned to build another property, a summer villa called 'El Capricho' by a man called Máximo Díaz de Quijano. Quijano was related to Eusebi Güell, who Gaudí went on to become close friends with, and completed further projects with, including Park Güell and Güell Palace.

El Capricho isn't one of Gaudí's most recognised properties but it is open to the public nonetheless. The commission turned out to be a pivotal moment for Gaudí because it introduced him to Eusebi Güell, and it turned into a friendship that lasted a lifetime.

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Sagrada Familia - Check Availability & Book Tickets

Probably the most famous of all his designs and Barcelona's most popular attraction.

• Sagrada Familia Address: Carrer de la Marina, 401, 08013, Barcelona
• Opening Hours: Monday - Saturday From 09:00  & Sunday From 10:30

In 1883 Gaudí took over what would be the project he would end up dropping all other work for, The Sagrada Familia.

The original architect had differences of opinion with Josep Maria Bocabella, the man that commissioned the Sagrada Familia, and it was at this point that Antoni Gaudí got involved.

The Sagrada Familia's full title is 'The Basilica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia'.

Gaudí's vision was that he wanted to build the church incorporating the three stages of Jesus' life, the nativity, the passion and the glory, and with it, to use his style of including nature in the design.

He would include elements such as stained glass in the architecture to tell the story of time, including biblical events.

He knew the project was going to go beyond his lifetime so it is suggested that he concentrated on the external part of the church, as he feared that the project could end after his death, if the outside wasn't at a certain stage.

Gaudí went on to devote more than 40 years of his life to the Sagrada Familia until his tragic death in 1926, when he was hit by a tram in Barcelona, when it is believed he was on his way to mass.

Since then, a succession of architects have continued Gaudí's work, striving to remain faithful to his original design.

The Sagrada Familia hasn't been without its issues over time. It was damaged during the Spanish Civil War when it suffered an arson attack. Works then started again in 1954, and other than during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, construction has been constant ever since.

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Palau Güell - Check Availability & Book Tickets

The property that Eusebi Güell wanted for his own family.

• Palau Güell Address: 3-5 Carrer Nou de la Rambla, 08001, Barcelona
• Opening Hours: Daily from 10:00 - 20:00

Having met Eusebi Güell whilst working on El Capricho in 1888 Güell commissioned Gaudí to design Palau Güell for him. The property would be used as both Güell family residence and also a space for holding receptions.

Gaudí designed Palau Güell over six levels and centered it around a large central hall with a parabolic dome that would allow the natural light to flood in to the property. He also incorporated stables into the basement so Güell's horses could be stabled there.

He built the chimneys and ventilation towers in a new style for Palau Güell, using his now famous 'Trencadis' method, which he then went on to repeat the same method in Casa Batlló and Casa Milà (La Pedrera).

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Park Güell - Check Availability & Book Tickets

Barcelona's bright and colourful park.

• Park Güell Address: Carrer d'Olot, s/n, 08024, Barcelona
• Opening Hours: Daily from 09:30 - 20:30

In 1900, Güell commissioned Gaudí again. This time he wanted to create a garden city in Barcelona where the wealthy and elite from the city could spend their weekends. Güell wanted Gaudí to develop 15 hectares of land in the north of Barcelona with around 60 homes.

The project was stopped though due to various reasons including costs and only three properties were completed and of those three properties, Gaudí went on to live in one of them and actually lived there until the day he died.

The property is now called the Gaudí House Museum and visitors can explore it. Güell went on to donate the rest of the land to the city of Barcelona and Gaudí designed and converted the space for them in to what is now Park Güell.

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Torre de Bellesguard - Check Availability & Book Tickets

• Torre de Bellesguard Address: Carrer de Bellesguard, 20, 08022, Barcelona

In 1900, Gaudí was commissioned to design another family home in the north of Barcelona. The site where the property was to be built had a medieval past as it was where the last king of the Catalunya dynasty had lived. Gaudí incorporated this into the design, so it partly symbolises the story of 'Marti the Humane'.

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Casa Batlló - Check Availability & Book Tickets

One of Gaudí's most imaginative creations and famous for its colourful façade and dragon-inspired roof.

• Casa Batlló Address: Passeig de Gràcia, 08007, Barcelona
• Opening Hours: Daily from 09:00 - 22:30

In 1904 Gaudí was commissioned by Josep Batlló Casanovas to extend and renovate what would become one of his most famous properties, Casa Batlló. The property is now referred to by several names including 'house of bones', 'house of masks', 'house of beards' and 'house of the dragon'.

The original property was built by Emilio Sala Cortes, who was one of Antoni Gaudí's architectural professors in 1877 whilst he studied. When Batlló acquired the property he gave Gaudí full creative freedom to do as he wished.

Casa Batlló, named after the owner, was completed in 1906.

It remained in the Batlló family until the 1950s when it was then sold. It had multiple owners between the 50s and the 90s at which point the 'Bernat' family acquired it and they still own it. In 1995 they decided to open it to the public and Casa Batlló now welcomes around 1,000,000 visitors each year and is one of Barcelona's top attractions and landmarks.

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Casa Milà La Pedrera - Check Availability & Book Tickets

The apartment block that he refused to follow the rules on.

• Casa Milà - La Pedrera Address: Passeig de Gràcia, 92, 08008, Barcelona
• Opening Hours: Daily from 09:30 - 20:30

In 1906 Gaudí was commissioned to design Casa Milà or 'La Pedrera' as it is commonly known. The project would also turn out to be his last private commission.

Pere Milà (which is where the main name of Casa 'Milà' comes from) and his wife, Roser Segimon, commissioned Gaudí to design the property as their family home and it was finished in 1912. The Milà family went on to live in one part of the property and rented the rest of the building out as apartments.

Casa Milà - La Pedrera, like Casa Batlló is also on 'Passeig de Gracia', which is one of the most exclusive roads in Barcelona.

Gaudí refused to follow building guidelines issued by the council for La Pedrera and this actually resulted in the size of the property being beyond what was allowed, in essence making it illegal at the time.

It was only after its completion that the council certified the building as "a monument in nature" and thus on that basis, it did not need to abide by the bylaws. Maybe the council could see the future genius - now being one of the biggest attractions in Barcelona.

Casa Milà is referred to as 'La Pedrera' because the front of the property looks similar to an open rock quarry due to its stone facade and its iron balconies and that is the translation of La Pedrera - open quarry.

Gaudí took design features he had used at both Palau Güell and Casa Batlló and used them at La Pedrera, such as the roof design with its chimneys and ventilation stacks.

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Gaudí's Crypt & Colonia Güell - Check Availability & Book Tickets

Explore the unfinished spot where Gaudí conducted architectural experiments

• Gaudí's Crypt & Colonia Güell Address: Carrer Claudi Güell 6, Santa Coloma de Cervello, 08690
• Opening Hours: Monday - Friday: 10:00 - 17:00 | Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 - 15:00

Colònia Güell is a former industrial village built in the late 19th century by entrepreneur Eusebi Güell for workers employed at his textile factory. The site is just outside Barcelona and is best known for its church crypt which was designed by Antoni Gaudí and served as an experimental project for many of the architectural techniques that he later used in the Sagrada Família.

Visitors can explore the village’s historic streets, workers’ houses and modernist buildings while learning about the area's industrial heritage and Gaudí’s innovative approach to architecture.