Dazzle your eyes as you walk through a 19th-century masterpiece.
Plan Your Visit
Casa Vicens is generally open for visitors during the same hours each day, though these hours vary by season. Here are the times you can visit:
| Period | Hours |
|---|---|
| April – October | 9:30 – 20:00 |
| November – March | 9:30 – 18:30 |
| December 25, January 7-14 | CLOSED |
Every day, the ticket office opens at 9:30 and closes 1 hour and 15 minutes before the closing time. However, visitors are asked to leave 15 minutes before closing time. It takes about 75 to 90 minutes to fully experience Casa Vicens.
In order to avoid crowds, consider visiting on a weekday, and/or during early morning or late afternoon hours. More tourists are likely to be here in July and August, so it may also be wise to choose a different month for your visit.
There are a few different modes of transportation that will get you to Casa Vicens:
Metro: Green Line and Blue Line will take you to the Fontana station, which is only a 10-minute walk away from Casa Vicens.
Bus: There are also several buses that will bring you close, including the H6, 22, 27, 32, 87, and 114.
Taxi: Alternatively, you can take a taxi. The average fare is between €12 and €15.
The main entrance of Casa Vicens is located directly on Carrer de les Carolines, 20-26. The entrance is easy to find. It’s very elaborate, decorated with patterned ceramic tiles.
Casa Vicens is completely wheelchair-accessible, except for the stairs of the main entrance. However, staff members can guide you to the nearby doorway that has no steps.
Each level has flat floors and no steps. There’s also a wheelchair-accessible elevator and a wheelchair-friendly bathroom in the basement.
Insider Tips
What to See & Do (with Pictures)
We’re about to give you a preview of Casa Vicens – read about the different parts of the building here!
Basement
Gaudí made a basement with Catalan vaults and ventilation that brought in plenty of fresh air. The basement was originally home to the coal cellar and a storage space.
Today, the gift shop is in this basement. You can also see a multimedia presentation that showcases the final restoration of the home in 2015-2017.
Facade and Garden
alfredosaz.gmail.com/DepositphotosGaudí set up the home so that the three-level facade overlooked the garden. Because of its orientation, light and air can easily enter the home.
He was inspired by Islamic, Mudejar, and Eastern architectural styles, and he integrated wood, brick, ceramics, and iron into his design.
Gaudí placed beautiful green and white tiles all over the façade. Look closely, and you’ll see Moorish carnation flower patterns on some of the green tiles.
Approaching this house, you’ll see the garden at the front and center. Originally, it was larger and more prominent, with a large archway, two fountains, and a waterfall. Now, it is 300 square meters and includes a landscaped roof, potted plants, and flower beds.
Gaudí worked the plants of the garden into the design of the facade, as well as the rest of the building.
Main Floor Rooms
lachris77/DepositphotosOn the main floor, you’ll walk through an ornately designed entrance hall, covered porch, smoking room, and dining room.
In the entrance hall, you’ll see stunning patterns all over the ceilings, walls, and floors.
You’ll also see Gaudí’s signature nature motifs in the dining room, which is the main area of this floor. The original furniture, designed by Gaudí, sets up Manuel Vicens’ collection of paintings beautifully.
When you walk onto the covered porch, you’ll have a peaceful view of the garden. Also, the mist from the fountain and the breeze coming in through the shutters will keep you cool and refreshed.
Even though the smoking room was meant for leisure, Gaudí put the same level of effort into the decorations here. You’ll be impressed by the palm tree and date cluster patterns on the ceiling, papier-mâché tiles on the walls, and tiles with oil-painted red and yellow roses on the paneling.
Upper Floors and Bedrooms
lachris77/DepositphotosWhen you get to the first floor, you’ll walk through three bedrooms, a bathroom, and a sitting room. These rooms are a little bit less ornate and more intimate than the main floor. Gaudí designed them so that light could freely flow in.
Here, you’ll experience Gaudí’s view on the home firsthand. He thought it should be a source of calm and comfort for the family.
The main bedroom is divided into two parts, covered with neutral hues and nature motifs. Two doorways lead out to a terrace where you can enjoy the serene garden view.
The pink and blue bedrooms are also lightly decorated with nature motifs. You’ll see a lot of the blackberry plant here. The domed room includes climbing plant and bird decorations, making you feel like you’re outside.
Additionally, there is a dressing room with a bathtub. This makes Casa Vicens a very modern building for its time – running water was a luxury when it was first built.
Rooftop and Dome
OlyaSolodenko/DepositphotosThe Casa Vicens rooftop was inspired by Egyptian, Indian, and Moroccan architecture. It was one of the first roofs created that you could walk on. The walkway allows you to explore the rooftop and gaze onto the lovely scenery below.
You’ll also love the bold colors on this rooftop. The vermilion walls and flooring contrast wonderfully with the green and white ceramic tiles. These tiles decorate the three chimneys and Eastern-inspired turret.
An expansion was added onto the home decades later by Serra de Martínez. He designed a very similar turret to Gaudí’s.
Permanent and Temporary Exhibits
Gaudí originally designed the attic as a well-ventilated space for the house service staff. Today, it is home to the museum’s permanent exhibition. Here, you’ll see original blueprints, details of renovations, and original furniture used by the Vicens family.
The exhibition contains multiple tables of information. You can learn all about Gaudí’s artistic influences, his expert techniques, and his creative use of materials.
You can also take a look into Gaudí’s mind with the Manuscrito de Reus. Here, Gaudí wrote his thoughts on architecture. You may be particularly interested in the page entitled La casa pairal, where he stated: “A home is the family’s tiny nation”.
Did You Know That? Facts
- Casa Vicens was the first house that Antoni Gaudí designed.
- The façade includes three inscriptions written in Catalan. These reflect the three directions that the house faces: “Sun, little sun, come and see me,” “From the hearth, the fire of love lives,” and “Oh! The shadow of summer.”
- There are no hallways in Casa Vicens. Instead, Gaudí used hexagonal distributors that connected the rooms.
History
1883
Manuel Vicens i Montaner, a rich businessman, was impressed with Antoni Gaudí’s design of the crypt at the Church of Colonia Guell and commissioned him to design a summer home.
1885
Construction of Casa Vicens was completed.
1899
Vicens’ widow sold the home to Antonio Jover Puig.
1925
Antonio Jover Puig requested an addition to the home; Gaudí was unavailable and authorized his student Joan Baptista Serra de Martínez for the project.
1927
The addition to Casa Vicens won the best building award in the Barcelona City Council’s Annual Artistic Buildings Contest.
1946
The land that included part of the garden and the original waterfall were sold, and Casa Vicens was no longer connected to the chapel of Santa Rita.
2005
Casa Vicens was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
2014
MoraBanc, a private family bank in Andorra, purchased the property and started a plan to restore the home to Gaudí’s original design after multiple renovations.
2017
Casa Vicens became available to the public for the first time, as a museum.
FAQs
Is there a guided tour or audio guide?
Guided tours with in-house experts are available. There is also a free audio guide available for the self-guided tour. Book Guided Tour here »
Can I skip the line to Casa Vicens?
You can buy a ticket that will allow you to skip the line to Casa Vicens here ».
Can I visit the garden and rooftop terrace?
You can visit the rooftop terrace at Casa Vicens. This is included in a general admission ticket. The garden is a separate attraction, requiring a separate ticket purchase.