You can experience the best of Barcelona without the crowds, and it’s so worth it.
The first time I visited Sagrada Familia, architect Antoni Gaudi’s famous unfinished church in Spain, was in 2011. It was easy to see the beauty in this unfinished church, but it was too crowded to linger long and appreciate its architectural details.
The second time I visited Sagrada Familia was with Get Your Guide, which launched an exclusive after-hours Sagrada Familia tour in 2023. Being able to take my time checking out architectural details and bask in the light inside the church was a completely different experience. I didn’t have the place all to myself, but with fewer than a dozen participants on my tour, it kind of felt like I did.
The thing I loved most about this space is the way the light filters in through its stained glass windows and dances off its interior angles, something I wasn’t able to fully appreciate on my first visit. Visiting in the early evening felt like the perfect time.
Construction on the Roman Catholic basilica began in 1882 and has yet to finish. The Sagrada Familia has three ornate facades, one of which remains under construction. Getting up close to a work in progress that’s long been an architectural legend set this experience over the top for me. This is where Catalan modernism emerged and a place where 90-degree angles do not exist. Because 90-degree angles don’t exist in nature, Gaudi chose not to incorporate them here. That creates an interior where it feels like there are no wrong turns, and that can be a nice feeling.
While it is Barcelona’s top attraction, Sagrada Familia is just one of many Gaudi gems in the city. Gaudi was born in a town almost 70 miles from Barcelona but built his career and reputation in the Catalan capital. After a private tour of Sagrada Familia, I was ready for more Gaudi. So, I took a Get Your Guide before-hours tour of another Gaudi project, Casa Mila, also known as La Pedrera.
La Pedrera translates to stone quarry and is a nod to the building’s exterior The building houses three of the most beautiful rent-controlled apartments in the world (not open to the public) and regularly hosts work from leading sculptors. There’s also a restaurant and coffee shop on the ground floor.
This tour doesn’t end at the gift shop, but the gift shop is definitely worth your time—and money.
Casa Mila helped me better appreciate and understand Gaudi, the architect whose fingerprints are all over Barcelona. It gave me a glimpse into how people lived, worked and played in Spain in the early 1900s and made me daydream of what it might be like to live here inside a historic piece of art and surrounded by so much beauty.
I’m a sucker for a good rooftop, so naturally, I loved the view from Casa Mila. The building is named after Pere Mila who commissioned its construction in 1906 and sits in a trendy upscale neighborhood that’s well worth wandering after your visit.
I visited Casa Mila on an early morning GetYourGuide tour, a good thing because long entry lines start forming early. And I’ve come to appreciate guided tours more as I’ve become a more experienced traveler. A good guide can help deepen your understanding of a place and keep you from missing those special things you don’t realize you should be looking for.
At Casa Battló, it was the whimsical exterior that drew me in. This colorful, curvaceous building is full of fun and personality, so naturally I wanted to go inside. Like Casa Mila, Casa Battló is one of those popular Barcelona attractions that’s almost always going to be busy. Once you’re standing in front, it’s easy to see why.
Casa Battlo’s exterior is mesmerizing, especially around golden hour—the hour after sunrise and before sunset when natural light makes for exceptional photos. Go to Casa Battló in the evening as the building lights are coming on for the full effect.
The grand home lines a street that looks like it came straight out of an early 20th-century Spanish fairy tale. Inside you’ll find Gaudi’s signature curves, carved wood and a space designed to maximize light and air. A grand hall welcomes visitors, ushering them through what would have been Mr. Battló’s study and into the living room, a grand open space overlooking the street below.
Head up to the loft and you’ll find a space that feels like entering the ribcage of an animal. This space which once would have housed utilitarian spaces for residents, is now best known for its 60 catenary arches—the ribs of whatever animal you imagine curling up on top of this building.
There are two options for experiencing Casa Battló without the crowds, an early morning tour and an after-hours evening tour. I opted for a morning tour, and it felt like I had the place to myself. It was a nice way to experience Barcelona waking up and included a rooftop visit, which isn’t included with evening visits.
For a peek into what the Battló’s life was like here, opt for a Gold Level ticket, which includes access to their first-floor residence, restored to look as it did in the early 20th century. Leave yourself extra time to check out the 360 and immersive Gaudi experiences.
Admission is free for children up to 12 years old.
*Support this site by booking through our partner links. We earn commissions when you purchase through our links, but editorial reviews are independent and not subject to external review.
