You can’t go to Barcelona without at least hearing about Antoni Gaudí. The famous Catalan architect is known for his work on houses and churches throughout Barcelona during the beginning of the 20^th century. His style is known as “Modernisme” and looks like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Each piece is elaborate and ornate in its own ways, and are all must sees when in Barcelona.

Casa Battló

Casa Battló is along the swanky high-end street, Passeig de Grácia, and sticks out against the rest of the sandstone colored buildings thanks to it's ornately decorated front and roof. It was redesigned by Gaudí in 1904 for the wealthy Battló family and has been preserved as a museum ever since. The building is lined with colorful vine-like structures and curvy balconies wrap around the windows. At the top, scales in a variety of color cover the waved roof, making it look as though a lizard is sitting there perched. Going inside the Casa Battló also offers an unbeatable experience. Besides an audio tour, which are included or optional with many museums now, Casa Battló offers a digital experience that shows you what the house once looked like back in the day. You hold an iPhone-shaped device up to in any part of the house, and are shown simulated versions of the house’s old interior, while listening to details on Casa Battló’s history. Once you climb up all of the staircases in the huge house, you’ll find access to the roof where you can see beautiful views of the city and a glimpse of that scale-y creature.

The top of Casa Battló

The front of Casa Battló

Sagrada Família

Also in the Eixample district is another one of Gaudi’s greatest, yet still unfinished, works: Sagrada Família. This massive church has been in the works since 1883 and is planned to be finished in 2026. You don’t even have to step inside the church to have your breath taken away: the front of the massive church is covered in intricate designs and appears to reach all the way into the heavens. Every single inch of it is more detailed than the next. Once you are inside, the variety of colors in Gaudí’s stained glass masterpiece ensures that the chapel is cast in a different color light any time of day. Being inside and around the church is an unbeatable experience, and you’ll be able to marvel at its beauty for hours.

Sagrada Família's front

Park Güell

On the way up to Barcelona’s mountains, you can find Park Güell perched amongst its hills. The park has winding dusty paths that take you up to see the most amazing view of Barcelona, and contains gorgeous architecture pieces throughout. The most famous are Gaudi’s mosaic-tiled terrace seating and giant salamander that has become known as a symbol of Gaudí’s work. The park also has the house Gaudi lived in turned into a museum that’s fun for checking out. You can get lost in this park for hours and enjoy the view and natural vibes.

The front of Park Güell's terrace

The entrance to the park