Like La Sagrada Família? Here's why you'll love the Gaudí masterpiece Casa Vicens

Barcelona-based travel journalist and Spain expert Isabella Noble recommends an enthrallingoff-radar monument for travelers keen to learn about the great Modernista architect Antoni Gaudíwith one of Barcelona’s loveliest neighborhoods right on the doorstep.

Adored by both local residents and millions of curious annual visitorsBarcelona’s landmark Modernista monuments are just as key to the fabric of the city as the tantalizing wonders of Catalan gastronomy.

From fantastical La Pedrera to otherworldly Casa Batllómany of these are the work of the celebrated Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926)whose unparalleled legacy is intricately intertwined with modern Barcelona’s identity.

With so much on offer in Catalonia’s capitalit can be tricky to know where to startparticularly if you’re pressed for time or traveling on a budget. Many travelers make a beeline for Gaudí’s world-famous basilicaLa Sagrada Famíliawhich is still under construction more than 140 years after works first began. There’s no denying the awe-inspiring beauty of this colossalliving-and-breathing monument — but there is much more to Gaudí’s wonderfully varied legacy. While the architect’s headliner creations are sprinkled around elegant L’Eixamplehis work can be uncovered in quieter northern pockets of towntoo.

You’ve probably heard of La Sagrada Família...

First begun in 1882La Sagrada Família is both the pinnacle of Gaudí’s career and Barcelona’s greatest temple to Modernisme. Towering over the grid-like streets just north of Dreta de L’Eixamplethe monumentalUnesco-protected basilica is a feast of soaring towersintricately sculpted facadesshimmering stained glassforest-like pillars and nature-inspired forms. It will eventually rise to 565ft (172.5m) and have 18 towerswith completion now tentatively expected around 2032 – just in time for its 150th anniversary.

When Gaudí was fatally injured by a tram in 1926only a small portion of the building had been completedincluding the spectacularly sculpted Nativity Facade (Façana del Naixement) and the neo-Gothic crypt (where the genius is interred). Gaudí’s mission has been faithfully carried on ever sincebased wherever possible on his original plans and models (though many of these were lost during the Spanish Civil War).

There’s a reason why La Sagrada Família is Spain’s most-visited monumentattracting 3.4 million visitors in 2022 (and a record 4.5 million in the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic). Gaudí devoted 43 years of his life to itand you should definitely see it at some point. But if you’re keen to sidestep the crowds (it’s almost always busy) and the minimum €30 price tagor simply fancy learning all about where Gaudí’s work beganhead to the northern neighborhood of Gràcia for a less-visited masterpiece that only opened to visitors a few years ago.

...but Casa Vicens offers the perfect Gaudí experience

Wandering along Gràcia’s unassuming Carrer de les Carolinesit’s impossible to miss the curious turreted mansion with rust-red wallsjagged balconies and strips of yellow-and-aqua tiling. This is Unesco-listed Casa VicensAntoni Gaudí’s first ever independent commission – a luxurious summer house built between 1883 and 1885 for the wealthy trader and stockbroker Manuel Vicens i Montanerin what was then a refreshingly greensparsely populated area.

It took a pioneering three-year restoration project to convert Casa Vicens into a visitable monumentled by respected modern-day architects José Antonio Martínez LapeñaElías Torres and David García. The house finally opened to the public in 2017and still remains a lesser-known jewel on Barcelona’s otherwise-packed Gaudí trail. In 2022it received 126,632 visitors – you might well find yourself joined by local barcelonins also on their first-ever visit.

Gaudí was just 30 years old when the project kicked off. Fresh out of architecture schoolhe used traditional local materials and techniques (papier-mâchétile worksgraffitowooden beams) in highly innovative ways to create one of the earliest wonders of Catalonia’s Modernisme movement. From the rustling palm-filled gardens to the tile-covered bathroomsthe whole place is a riot of color that combines elements of Moorishneoclassical and various Asian-inspired architectural s. Stepping into the ground-floor sala de fumadors (smokers’ room)for exampleAndalucía’s Alhambra instantly springs to mind thanks to the elaborate blue-and-gold muqarna niches.

As always in Gaudí’s worknature provided a constant source of inspiration. The distinctive marigold tiling mirrors flowers that were already growing here in the 1880s; the elaborate iron gates feature the shape of local fan palms; and every room is designed to bring the lush gardens into the house itselfwith leafy motifs ranging from twirling vines to blue-tinged passionflowers.

After exploring the ground floor’s grand dining room (still flaunting its original Gaudí-designed wooden furniture) and covered porch (refreshed by a tinkling fountain)you’ll be whisked up to three ornate family bedrooms and a sun-washed terrace on the first floor. On the top levelyou can take in intriguing models of the house and a collection of Gaudí’s lettersbefore emerging on the meandering rooftop.

For anyone who has savored the flowing design of Gaudí’s La Pedrera and Casa Batlló (which both date from the early 20th century)or glimpsed the organic shapes of La Sagrada FamíliaCasa Vicens feels strikingly different. But many elements that pop up here became key features for the architect’s more-celebrated later creationssuch as the endless plant-world motifsthe Catalan vaults in the basement and the walkable rooftop terrace with its angular towers. Gaudí was also behind Casa Vicens’ evocative gardenswhich originally included a monumental fountain that was sadly demolished in 1946.

ImportantlyGaudí only designed half of the building you’ll see today. The eastern section of the house is the work of the Catalan architect Joan Baptista Serra de Martínezwho in 1925 extended the property onto the site of a now-lost convent; if you look closelyyou’ll spot subtle differences in the exterior tile work. During the recent restorationan award-winningcontemporary staircase painted completely white was integrated into this newer 20th-century section.

Once you’ve had your fill of Casa Vicens itselfwander down through lively Gràciaknown for its village-like plazasbuzzy vermouth bars (I love Bodega Neus and La Vermu)stylish independent boutiquespopular specialty-coffee spots (try SlowMov or El Noa Noa) and the wonderful Mercat de la Llibertat (another Modernista beautyby Francesc Berenguer i Mestres).

How to make it happen

Casa Vicens is open daily from 10am (closing times vary seasonally) and is easily accessible on Barcelona’s efficient metro (take L3 to Fontana or Lesseps). It’s worth booking tickets ahead (adults €17children free)particularly for the excellent tours (€21)led by highly engaging guides who bring the building and its historical context to life.