Antoni Gaudí i Cornet’s first house was designed as a summer house for a wealthy stockbroker in what was then the outskirts of town. Unfortunately the town encroached, and the house’s gardens were sold off over the years. Still, the relatively compact house shows some of the young architect’s exuberant style and thoughtful design.
Carrer de les Carolines, 20-26
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Of all of architect Antoni Gaudí’s works in Barcelona, La Sagrada Família has to be the most iconic.
Set to be the world’s tallest church when it is completed in 2026, La Sagrada Família sees more than 3m visitors annually. It is the sixth most reviewed attraction in the world on TripAdvisor, with mostly positive reviews.
Famously, George Orwell wasn’t a fan, saying it was “one of the most hideous buildings in the world” and that he hoped it would be destroyed during the Spanish Civil War.
Whether you consider it gaudy or a work of genius, it is difficult not to be impressed. You’re unlikely to have the place to yourself however, but the visitor numbers are managed reasonably well.
If you want to avoid those crowds entirely, here are some alternative sites to visit without being overrun.
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The private house of a wealthy industrialist, Palau Güell represents an early Gaudí commission. A fascinating insight into the lives of the one-percenters of the time – more than any other of the Gaudí attractions in Barcelona, at Palau Güell you can almost imagine how its occupants lived. It is less crowded than the other Gaudí buildings on the tourist trail too.
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