Güell Palace

It’s hard not to do a double take walking past the Güell Palace, one of Gaudí’s many creations. It may be less famous than the Casa Milà or Casa Batlló, but you can visit this palace from top to bottom, unlike the others. The façade alone is already worth the visit, but you can go inside to see more—you just have to pay the entrance fee. The palace was commissioned by Gaudí’s patron, Eusebi Güell, as a family residence. Instead of following the other wealthy families to the new, trendy Eixample district, the Güell family stayed in the heart of the city, near the vibrant Rambla. The palace’s architecture was heavily influenced by Moorish and Eastern styles, and Gaudí blended them with Catalan modernism. It feels like you’re standing in front of a Florentine palace—or a house straight out of a fairytale—topped with colourful mushroom-shaped chimneys. In the lower part of the building, the master blacksmith created a feature allowing residents to look outside without being seen themselves. Handy, right? Take a closer look at the two entrance arches! You might spot Eusebi Güell’s initials hidden among the motifs. Between the two arches, there’s a 3.5-metre-high coat of arms—the Catalan flag reimagined, represented by wooden planks and metal wires. There’s also a phoenix, a well known symbol of rebirth, perched atop a helmet, placed here it symbolises Catalan’s economic revival at the time.