gaudi Archives - Adventure, baby!

One of Antoni Gaudi’s most well-known masterpieces in Barcelona, Casa Batlló is must-see architectural work in the centre of Barcelona.

Casa Batlló is the former residence of the Batlló family, built in 1877. Gaudi was commissioned to redesign the building between 1904 and 1906. He replaced the original facade with a completely new front of stone and glass, and had the external walls redesigned to give them a wavy shape, plastering them afterwards with lime mortar and a mosaic of fragments of coloured glass and ceramic discs.

This Gaudi masterpiece is a work of fantastical imagination. It really looks like a setting of a surrealist dream. Every room is full of magic and fantasy – a blend of colours, shapes and light. Of Gaudi’s four most popular works, Casa Batlló is the smallest, and is easily do-able with children. There is very little to break, and a lot to see.

While the house is famous for its steep staircases, it is also wheelchair and stroller accessible. The most important parts of the house can be accessed by the elevator. The rooms are tight, however, so I would advise leaving a stroller downstairs if possible.

A special feature of the Casa Batlló is the video guide that is included in the price of general admission. While the audio is certainly interesting, the most exciting part about this guide is the iPod it is connected to, which gives a virtual reality tour of the house while you are walking around. Holding up the iPod to various features in the room gives an alternative view to showcase the architect’s boundless imagination.

We had thought Cheese would be too young for this video guide, but of course it is a screen and hence she loved it. Casa Batlló is extremely welcoming to children, and has a section of their site dedicated to how kids can enjoy their visit.

When visiting Casa Batlló, tickets may be purchased in advance to save queuing up. We did this but then found there was no queue, but on busy days this could be helpful.

Casa Batlló
Passeig de Gràcia, 43, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
Adults 21.5 Euro, juniors (7-18) 18.5 Euro, kids 6 and under free.

More information on Barcelona

Looking for more of Gaudi in Barcelona? Get info on visiting his crypt and other buildings in the city.

After more things to do in the area? Check out these day trips from Barcelona.

Make sure to check out all these Barcelona landmarks when you visit.

A big drawcard for many (including me) with Barcelona is the amazing works of Antoni Gaudi. One of his famous works, Park Güell, makes for a fabulous short day trip out of the city.

Park Güell is a large park split into two different areas: the Monumental Zone, which requires the purchase of a ticket, and the free access area which is open to all visitors at no charge.

To get to the park, catch the underground line L3 to the station Lesseps. From there it’s about 10-15 minutes by foot (follow the signs from the station). It’s all very accessible until you get to the last stretch up the hill, where an escalator or stairs are required to enter the park.

While you don’t need to get a ticket in advance to enter the monumental zone, it’s recommended that you do as visitors are limited to 400 each half hour.

Antoni Gaudí built the Park Güell as a tribute to nature. Gaudi was tasked with the project in 1890, with the park opening to the public in 1922. Along with the Sagrada Familia, this is the largest of Gaudi’s projects. In 1984, the park was included in the UNESCO list of cultural heritage.

There are several levels and areas to the park, the most famous being the blue lizard in the middle of the staircase that runs directly through the centre of Park Güell. The staircase leads to a room consisting of 86 Romanesque columns, designed to be a marketplace for the residential area. Interestingly, this was the originally purpose of the Parc Güell.

The park is a challenge for wheelchairs and strollers. I suggest taking a carrier or light umbrella stroller if you must have one. You are not permitted to leave the stroller at the entrance and several areas are only accessible by long flights of stairs.

After walking through the park you can take a short stroll (200 metres) from the main entrance easterly to the Gaudí Museum. The museum is inside Gaudi’s former resistance and was opened in 1963 as a museum.

Park Güell
Tickets: 7 Euro adult, kids 6 and under free but must have a ticket.

gaudi

Barcelona: Casa Batllo

Barcelona: Parc Guell With Kids