Casa Vicens: where Gaudí began
Before the Sagrada Família, before Park Güell, there was a summer house in the village of Gràcia. Casa Vicens is Gaudí at thirty, already unlike anyone else: a house of brick and tiles, turrets and palm-leaf railings, built for a family who wanted a place in the country.
- What it is
- Monument
- Time to allow
- 1 to 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Ticket
- Best time
- A weekday, with Park Güell the same day
Barcelona this week
Why Casa Vicens is worth it
Manuel Vicens i Montaner commissioned the house as a summer residence, and Gaudí built it between 1883 and 1885. It was his first important commission, and he filled it with the colour and Moorish ornament of his early years.
The house was enlarged in the 1920s and stayed a private home for more than a century. It was restored and opened as a museum in 2017.
It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Gaudí's works.
What to see
The tiles
Green and white tiles painted with yellow marigolds, the flowers that grew on the plot, covering the walls and turrets.
The smoking room
A room in the Moorish manner, its ceiling of carved and painted honeycomb.
The dining room
Painted with birds and plants, with cherries and ivy climbing the beams.
The roof
A terrace among the turrets and chimneys, with a view over Gràcia.
How to do it well
- Combine it with Park Güell: both are in Gràcia, about twenty minutes apart on foot.
- Book a time slot: the house is small.
- Gràcia's squares and streets around the house are worth an hour of their own.
Where it is
Address
Carrer de les Carolines 20 to 26, in Gràcia
Nearest station
Fontana or Lesseps (line 3), each about four minutes away
Museums and sights nearby
- Park Güell1.2 km
- La Pedrera (Casa Milà)1.3 km
- Casa Batlló1.8 km
- Sagrada Família2.0 km
Distances are in a straight line.
Tickets and tours: Casa Vicens
Casa Vicens: common questions
- What was Gaudí's first house?
- Casa Vicens, in Gràcia, built between 1883 and 1885 as a summer house for Manuel Vicens i Montaner.
- How long does a visit to Casa Vicens take?
- About an hour.
- Is Casa Vicens near Park Güell?
- Yes, both are in Gràcia, about twenty minutes apart on foot.
- How much time do you need for Casa Vicens?
- Allow 1 to 1.5 hours. That is this site's estimate for an unhurried visit.
What visitors say about Casa Vicens
Rating from Google
Things to do near Casa Vicens
The nearest of this site's best things to do in the city. Distances are in a straight line.
- 2Sit on Gaudí's mosaic bench at Park Güell1.2 km awayGarden, 1 to 2 hours, ticket with a start time for the monumental area
- 4Walk among the chimney warriors on La Pedrera's roof1.3 km awayMonument, 1 to 1.5 hours, ticket
- 3Walk through the house of bones at Casa Batlló1.8 km awayMonument, 1 to 1.5 hours, ticket
- 1Stand inside Gaudí's forest of stone at the Sagrada Família2.0 km awayChurch, 1.5 to 2.5 hours, ticket with a start time, sold online
Artists to see near Casa Vicens
The museums nearest to here, and the most famous artists on show in each.
Picasso Museum, 3.2 km away
National Art Museum of Catalonia, 3.9 km away
Where to eat near Casa Vicens
The nearest of the famous tables this site lists in Barcelona. Distances are in a straight line.
- Casa Almirall4.3Bar, Raval2.7 km away
- Els Quatre Gats4.1Café and restaurant, Casa Martí2.8 km away
- Granja Viader4.4Granja, Raval2.8 km away
- Granja Dulcinea4.2Granja, Carrer de Petritxol3.0 km away
Hotels near Casa Vicens
The five-star hotels closest to it, of those this site lists in Barcelona. Distances are in a straight line.
- Hotel Casa Fuster4.5Five-star hotel, Passeig de Gràcia850 m away
- Monument Hotel4.6Five-star hotel, Passeig de Gràcia1.4 km away
- Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona4.7Five-star hotel, Passeig de Gràcia1.6 km away
- Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona4.7Five-star hotel, Passeig de Gràcia1.9 km away