The Gaudi Tour in Barcelona
Updated: May 13
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Without a doubt, Barcelona reigns as the trendiest city by the Mediterranean Sea, boasting a wealth of architectural wonders. If I had to sum up Barcelona in a single word, it would undoubtedly be "Gaudí"! The moment you set foot in this vibrant city, the name Gaudí echoes everywhere. It's practically impossible to escape the mention of Gaudí within the first few moments of your arrival. If you engage a guide to explore any of Spain's Art Nouveau architectural marvels, expect to hear nothing but Gaudí's name repeated incessantly. So, who exactly is Gaudí?
So, Who is Antoni Gaudí?
Antoni Gaudi is debatably Barcelona's most celebrated architect and is the one who is responsible for bringing into life the world's most iconic landmarks.
Combining his life’s passions of nature, religion and architecture into his work, Antoni Gaudí was one of the most notable architects of his time. Dubbed as 'God's Architect' by his contemporaries, he insisted that his grand architectural work was for the glory of God. The city of Barcelona is what it is because of its Catalan modernism and one can only be grateful to this pioneering figure of Art Nouveau and modernism Antoni Gaudí.
Table of Contents: The Gaudi Tour in Barcelona #1 In Awe of La Sagrada Familia #2 Gaudí's masterpiece Casa Milà aka La Pedrera |
The Gaudi Tour of Barcelona
In the Gaudi Tour of Barcelona, his most famous works which include the Casa Milá, Park Güell, Casa Batlló, La Pedrera, the restoration of Mallorca Cathedral, the church on the Güell Estate, the Basílica de la Sagrada Família and many more are included. Gaudí is best known for his intricate structures throughout Barcelona, with the storied Basílica de la Sagrada Família. If you visit any of these architectural beauties, you will notice the intricacies in his craft and vastness of the use of material in terms of ceramics, wrought ironwork, stained glass and woodwork.
There are several Gaudi buildings located in Barcelona and its surrounding areas, out of which I have covered the top 6 works of art by Gaudi for you to dwell on. You may choose to get a Gaudi tour of Barcelona or you may chalk them out yourself on a tourist map and get the audio tours of each building once you reach there. Let's begin with The Gaudi Tour of Barcelona. |
#1 In Awe of La Sagrada Familia
Its first look reminded Kiu of Hogwarts! I wouldn’t blame him because the magnanimous look and scale of its structure, the steep conical side structures, the and spiraling towers, the red and orange tainted and painted windows of the basilica towers brought out the Harry Potter excitement in him. But little did he know that much of Antoni Gaudi’s life and career was devoted to the construction of this Basilica. It remained unfinished as Gaudí died in 1926, and it still remains unfinished. There still remains a huge yellow crane looming large over its tallest towers. But Antoni Gaudi has left behind a legacy which has become a world renowned work of architecture. It is one of the major tourists hot-spots in Europe and in fact is one of the top tourist destinations in the last century ushering in millions of tourists every year from world over to Spain.
As the story goes, In 1883, Antoni Gaudì took on his greatest challenge. He dedicated 40 years of his life to constructing this basilica. Taking the then preexisting neo gothic design and constructing it to what it looks today, is next level inspiring. And he derives this inspiration from nature - trees. His theory was trees support branches and branches support the twigs from which leaves are suspended. Similar to the towers and pillars which harmoniously are in balance and proportion. Sagrada Familia is one of Antoni Gaudi’s architectural marvels.
I recommend booking a tour to view the basilica from the inside. We opted for the audio guide tour, especially with kids, to avoid disrupting larger guided tours. You can book tours HERE. For the Optional Tower Tour, please BOOK HERE.
I'd suggest skipping the Nativity tower visit. While some may find the view appealing, I recommend opting for the basilica tour instead. Expect a 15-minute wait in line, followed by a lift ride 80 meters up and a 10-meter stair climb. The view from the small ledge isn't particularly impressive. You'll soon move on to another tower, navigating cramped stairs. Gaudi's architecture is better admired from the ground level. |
Enjoy the music festival Festa Major de la Sagrada Familia
I experienced something amazing during Catalonia's "Festa Major" recently. On April 22nd, near Sagrada Familia, a band filled the air with captivating Spanish melodies as locals celebrated late into the night. What caught my eye was moms dancing with toddlers, while others watched over sleeping babies in strollers. Their confidence was striking as they joined the festivities with their Casteller husbands. It was a beautiful display of tradition and community, making my springtime in Barcelona truly unforgettable!
Among Gaudi's other six masterpieces are Casa Mila, Casa Batlló, Park Güell, Palace Güell, Casa Vicens, and the Crypt in Colonia Güell. During my five-day stay in Barcelona, I explored the first four as they were conveniently located within walking distance of my hotel, except for Park Güell, which required a 30-minute drive. Although Casa Vicens and the Crypt in Colonia Güell are said to be equally remarkable, I opted to save them for a future visit to this magnificent city! |
#2 Gaudí's masterpiece Casa Milà aka La Pedrera
Gaudí's masterpiece La Pedrera and UNESCO World Heritage Site is Barcelona's most popular Modernist building. Known as the Stone Quarry (La Pedrera), the building was constructed between 1906 and 1912. Its exterior was so intriguing and artistic, that it only intrigued us further to check out it’s interiors.
Important to note: The audio guide at Casa Mila is exceptionally child-friendly. Even my 4-year-old daughter could grasp the details outlined in the guide during our 1.5-hour tour. It's truly captivating to delve into the intricate architectural beauty of this building through Gaudi's own words. |
We took a tour of La Pedrera, which was named after its owners, Pere Milà and Roser Segimon. Gaudí, the architect, envisioned it as a representation of the sea's waves, which is evident in its exterior design boasting 32 balconies adorned with wrought iron railings. The facade serves as both support and outer cladding. Inside, I was struck by the butterfly courtyard with its large windows equipped with integrated blinds for light and air. Each floor houses four apartments surrounding two inner courtyards. Moving through, I noticed corridors leading to various rooms, all featuring star-patterned parquet flooring and sliding doors, which added a sense of spaciousness to the interiors.
A fascinating yet often overlooked area of the building is its attic, where servants once handled laundry and hung clothes. Here, you'll find 273 distinct brick arches meticulously crafted to resemble the interior of a whale's stomach. The highlight of the structure undoubtedly lies in its rooftop, crafted from the upper portion of a large rock shaped by the elemental forces of air, fire, earth, and water.
For the La Pedrera Night Experience, Book Your Tickets HERE.
#3 Admire Casa Batlló
One day the textile magnet Josep Batlló commissioned to remodel a building which was built 25 years ago (The original building was constructed 1877 which was later bought by Josep Batlló in 1903). The project required structural modifications - New outer facade and new inner courtyards. Later a new roof and new rooms. So, Josep Batlló hires Gaudí and rest is history. After Josep Batlló died, an insurance company Seguros Iberia acquired Batlló house and made refurbishments to the building. But the design remains faithful to Gaudi’s design. It is a living and modern house and from 2005, Casa Batlló has been designated to be UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We viewed the house from outside itself. If you want to tour the site, then you can
#4 Take a stroll in Parc Güell (Park Güell)
Park Güell is Gaudi’s interpretation of integration of architecture and nature. Park Güell was born out of the collaboration between the architect Gaudí and his patron Eusebi Güell. When Eusebi Güell purchased 15 hectares of land in the north of Barcelona in 1900, his original idea was to construct a garden city with beautiful houses, caretakers' lodges, a market, a school and a church, inspired by English garden cities. It was planned that the infrastructure would not occupy more space than the green areas. It is considered to be one of the most iconic locations in Barcelona. It was a pleasant walking area and you need 2 hours to cover all parts of the park.
How to Get There? The quickest route from Barcelona to Park Güell is by Uber, taking approximately 7 minutes at a cost of €15. Alternatively, you can opt for a direct bus departing from Pg de Gràcia - Aragó and arriving at Trav de Dalt - Torrent de les Flors.
The main entrance to Park Güell is on the south side, on Olot street, and is situated among two pavilions (warden houses), from which visitors can enjoy the spectacular view of the stairway with the hypostyle room. Both Pavilions are crowned by domes remembering mushrooms.The wall of the park is made of rustic stone topped with ceramic tiling and medallions bearing the name of Park Güell.
It takes about two hours to cover all the major sections of Park Guell. The major sectios include Pathways And Viaducts, Porter's Lodge Pavilion, Three Cross Hill, Gaudi House Museum, Austria Gardens, The Dragon Stairway , The Hypostyle Room and the Greek Theatre.
From 7 AM to 9 AM and from 6 PM to 10 PM, Park Guell is reserved for neighbors and Gaudir Més members. Tickets are available only online OR You can Book your Park Guell Tickets HERE. For a guided tour with skip the line access, please BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE.
I highly recommend visiting Park Güell in the evenings, especially during spring or summer. Our experience visiting around noon, precisely at 12:30 pm, left us quite sunburned and wishing we had followed the advice to enjoy the park's cooler shade in the evening. |
#5 Casa Vicens
Casa Vicens or Gaudi's first house in Barcelona is considered to be Gaudi's first project and is a modernist building. It is seen as one of Antoni Gaudí's greatest works, was built between 1883 and 1885 as a summer getaway for the influential Vicens family. It earned the title of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, showcasing Gaudí's early architectural style. Its highlight is the aesthetic renewal of art and architecture and makes for an explosion of colors, thus is worthy of a visit. It will take 2 hours to visit this home and they show a 10 minute movie as part of the tour.
How to Reach? The most convenient way to travel from Barcelona to Casa Vicens is by train, which takes around 11 minutes and costs between €1 and €2. Another option is to take the bus, which takes approximately 13 minutes and costs €3.
Visit Casa Vicens FOR FREE with the purschase of the Barcelona Card Modernsita. |
# 6 Crypt in Colonia Guell
The Crypt, also called the church of twisted columns, was like a practice run for Gaudí's famous Sagrada Família and got the title of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. Around the Crypt, you can explore Colonia Güell's streets and see some really cool Catalan Art Nouveau buildings, which make the village even more interesting and beautiful.
How to Reach? Situated in "Santa Coloma de Cervelló," approximately 15 km from Barcelona's center, ample free parking makes it convenient for car travelers. Alternatively, opting for a bus or the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) train service from Plaça Espanya in Barcelona (Lines S33, S8, and S4) offers a budget-friendly option.
Admission Fee: 10 € for a ticket with an audio guide and 13 € for a 2-hour guided tour of Gaudí's Crypt and Colonia Güell, available in Catalan or Spanish.
Closing Thoughts
Barcelona is a city defined by architectural wonders, and Antoni Gaudí was the genius behind many of them. Think La Sagrada Família's tall towers, Casa Milà's wavy walls, and Park Güell's colorful mosaics. Gaudí loved nature, and you can see it in all his designs. From exploring the city streets to checking out his amazing creations, Barcelona is like a giant playground of Gaudí's imagination!
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