Museums

Joan Miró Foundation - Whether you are a fan of Miró or not this is a worthwhile stop. Located in Montjuïc with incredible views over the city, the museum has over 10,000 works by Miró in addition to pieces by other artists that were part of his personal collection. You can make it a whole day by wandering through the park, visiting the botanical gardens as well as the castle.

Museo del Diseño - This is one of my favorite museums in town and is a must for anyone interested in design of any sort. Permanent collections include furniture and household object design through the ages, clothing, ceramics, jewelry, and graphic design, just to name a few, and they always have wonderful temporary exhibits as well. As with most public museums in Barcelona entrance is free the first Sunday of the month and every Sunday after 3pm but reserve your tickets online to ensure entry.

Casa Vicens - It hasn’t even been a full decade since Casa Vicens, the first home Gaudí designed, has been open to the public. Built in the mid 1880s and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, one can see the beginnings of Gaudí’s genius in this impressive work of architecture before it fully bloomed. If you have seen other, more famous Gaudí buildings I encourage you to pay this one a visit in order to see the creative journey of his life’s work.

Torre Bellesguard - AKA Casa Figueres, this old manor house was designed by Gaudí at the turn of the century for Jaume Figueres and his wife. Gaudí took inspiration from what formerly stood in this place, a medieval castle built for the King of Aragon in the 15th century. Gaudí was give free creative license to design the second home for the family but this proved to be a mistake when the time consuming and costly project outlasted Jaume Figueres. Left alone, his wife, Maria Sagues Molíns, meant to oversee the completion of the home but in an effort to avoid bankruptcy sold off the property. The family never got to live in the house and it changed hands for years until 1944 when Lluís Guilera Molas purchased it and converted it into a modernist clinic/hospital not unlike Sant Pau. Gothic elements meant to pay tribute to the former castle make this an unusual style for Gaudí however, there is proof of his presence with modernist motifs throughout the interior.

Casa Amatller - Often overshadowed by its internationally famous neighbor, Casa Batlló, this home actually has been better preserved with its original furniture adorning the former Amatller family’s apartment. The building was purchased in 1898 by Antoni Amatller, a Catalan chocolatier, who contracted the architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch in to reform and modernize the nearly 20 year old building. Amatller and his daughter lived on the primary floor of the home and rented out the floors above them. Teresa lived in the house until 1960, 50 years after her father’s death, after which the Fundació Institut Amatller d’art Hispánic, founded by Teresa in the 1940s, took over the management of the property.

Palau Baró de Quadras - This palacet on the corner of Diagonal and Roselló dates back to 1882 but was later reformed by the same architect as Casa Amatller between 1903 and 1906. The façade on Roselló received the bigger of the two facelifts in which Puig i Cadafalch reused few original elements but maintained the Gothic elements. Inside the house you can see examples of Moorish motifs as well as Gothic.

Castillo de Montjuïc - Resting atop Montjuïc, visible from the sea and the city below, is the castle with many lives. Originally the home of a primitive quadrangular fort built in 1640 used to defend the city against the Spanish fleet of Philip IV and later improved and fortified becoming the structure that stands there today. In the late 1700s it became a prison during the War of the Pyrenees, and a castle again the in the 19th century only to be returned to use as a prison for the Republicans during the Spanish Civil War in the early 20th century. When Franco won the war the Falangistas took control of the building, using it as a memorial site for the nearly 250 soldiers and civilians accused of being anti-Republic and of espionage. It also became part prison again but this time for the Falangistas. In the 1960s it was partially ceded back to the city by Franco and then turned into a military museum with a statue of Franco. Only in 2007 was the castle finally returned completely to the city and under municipal authority after which the military museum was dismantled and Franco’s statue removed.

Noteworthy Architecture

Sant Joan Despí - The town of Sant Joan Despí is a mere 20 minutes by train from the city center and is home to some six buildings designed by the famous Catalan architect Josep Maria Jujol Gibert. His works were designed and constructed mostly during the modernist era and are pure reflections of the period. This worth the visit for any architecture lover.

Walden 7 - Unlike most other famous buildings in Catalunya this Ricardo Bofill apartment building was designed in the late 1960s and is still considered to be one of the ugliest buildings in Spain but I have to disagree. Named after Thoreau’s utopian community the massive structure was meant to be one of 3 mixed use buildings, a city within in a city, however only one was ever built. The behemoth towers over the area of Sant Just Desvern and boasts 446 apartments.

Pavellons Güell - Inspired by Verdaguer’s epic poem L’Atlántida where the poet reimagines the Garden of the Hesperides, Gaudí constructed his version of the garden for Eusebi Güell as an extension of his immense estate. You’ll know you’ve arrived when you happen on the 16 ft. long wrought iron dragon gate, a depiction of Verdaguer’s dragon battling Hercules… not Sant Jordi. And as in the poem, Gaudí used Mediterranean imagery to tie Catalan themes into the garden’s sculptures.

Casa Tosquella - I have to admit that I stalked this house for a full year before I was granted access to view it before restoration works commence. The last surviving owner attempted to sell the home on Wallapop in 2019 for a mere 1.4 mill but negotiations fell through due to the pandemic. Luckily the city, knowing its cultural significance, stepped in and purchased it in 2021. Built in 1889 as a summer home by Antoni Tosquella, it was modernized by Eduard M. Balcells in 1906. The house has Moorish elements on the façade contrasting with the modernist themes throughout the interior making for a unique and unusual work of architecture. As of mid 2023 the house is still not open regularly to the public but it is possible to visit it during the annual 48HR Open House Barcelona architecture conference in late October.

Sant Andreu de Palomar - Take a stroll through this once independent, farming village just north of Poblenou and La Sagrera to discover some of the Sant Paciá church where you can admire a mosaic by Gaudí, the historic Fabra i Coats, a former textile factory constructed in the early 1900s, as well as a smattering of modernist residences. Annexed by the city in 1897 this neighborhood has a distinct feel with its cobblestone, orange tree lined streets and architecture from the turn of the century.

Casa Ramos - This gigantic private residence made up of 3 buildings and taking up an entire corner was featured in the season of Killing Eve set in Barcelona. Soak in the impressive façade and make sure to walk around the corner to set eyes on what I call the brunch tower because I like to think of taking my breakfast out in this sunny, glassed-in cupola.

c/ Pádua, 75 - If you make a trip to visit Casa Tosquella make sure to swing by this address to peep this well restored façade. This is a private building so don’t expect to see more than the exterior.

c/ Bolivar, 36 + Can Comas d’Argemir - Located steps away from each other, not far from Casa Tosquella and Casa Ramos.

Casa Pere Company - Built in 1911 by Josep Puig i Cadafalch during the onset of his “white period” where he reduced adornments as well as color. Unlike other works of his this building has a Nordic inspired gabled roof and a smooth façade with minimal sgraffito. Unfortunately the house was acquired in 1940 by a doctor who turned the space into a clinic and eliminated almost all of the original interior elements.

Casa Sayrach - An imposing yet elegant example of Catalan modernism built by Manuel Sayrach i Carreras in 1915. This residential building at the top of the Eixample is definitely worth a pass by to see its full beauty… from the outside.

Castell dels Tres Dragons - Centrally located in Ciutadella park making this phenomenal building easy to visit. Now closed to the general public and devoted to the city’s Museum of Natural Sciences research department this space was originally built to be and used as a cafe and restaurant for the Universal Expo in 1888 by Lluís Domènech i Montaner.

Hidroeléctrica de Cataluña - Designed by Pere Falqués i Urpí in 1896 this once operating power plant steps from Arc de Triomf can sometimes be visited with prior appointment.