Casa Batlló or La Pedrera: Which Gaudí House to Visit?

Casa Batlló and La Pedrera are two houses by Antoni Gaudí on the same avenue in Barcelona, Passeig de Gràcia, about five minutes apart on foot. Both are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Works of Antoni Gaudí, and both need a ticket to go inside. Casa Batlló is the better choice for colour, the interior rooms and an immersive visit. La Pedrera is the better choice for the rooftop, the architecture and a calmer visit.

If you have time, see both. If you can only see one, this guide compares them point by point. You can see the tickets and guided visits for the first one on our Casa Batlló page.

What is Casa Batlló?

Casa Batlló, at Passeig de Gràcia 43, was an ordinary apartment building until Gaudí remodelled it between 1904 and 1906 for the Batlló family. He gave it a façade of coloured glass and ceramic, balconies like masks and columns like bones. Locals call it the House of Bones. The roof is shaped like the back of a dragon, with scales of glazed tiles.

Inside, there are almost no straight lines. The main floor, where the family lived, has wooden doors and windows that curve like waves. The central light well is tiled in blue, dark at the top and pale at the bottom, so that the light is the same on every floor.

The colourful façade of Casa Batlló on Passeig de Gràcia

What is La Pedrera?

La Pedrera, or Casa Milà, at Passeig de Gràcia 92, was the last private house Gaudí designed. He built it between 1906 and 1912 as a home for wealthy families. Its rough, wavy stone façade looked like a cliff to the people of Barcelona, so they called it "the stone quarry", La Pedrera.

The building has two large inner courtyards that bring light into every floor. Under the roof is the attic, a long space under 270 brick arches that now holds an exhibition about Gaudí's life and work. On top is the most famous rooftop in Barcelona: chimneys and stair towers that look like helmeted warriors, with views to the Sagrada Família.

A guide with a small group in front of La Pedrera, Gaudí's Casa Milà

Casa Batlló vs La Pedrera: the main differences

Inside the house. Casa Batlló shows you the rooms of a family home, full of colour and curved woodwork. La Pedrera shows you a furnished apartment from the early 1900s, so you see how a Barcelona family lived in 1911.

The roof. Both roofs are worth the visit. The dragon roof of Casa Batlló is small and colourful. The rooftop of La Pedrera is larger, with more sculpture and wider views over the city.

How you learn about Gaudí. Casa Batlló uses technology: an audio guide with augmented reality, the Gaudí Cube, a 360-degree video room, and the Gaudí Dome with light and sound. La Pedrera explains Gaudí with an audio guide and the exhibition in the attic, which shows how he designed the building.

Time. Plan about one hour for Casa Batlló and one to one and a half hours for La Pedrera. Opening hours change with the season, so check the official Casa Batlló and La Pedrera websites before your visit.

Crowds. Casa Batlló is smaller, and it can feel full at peak times. La Pedrera has more space, so the visit is usually calmer.

How much do the tickets cost?

On our site, Casa Batlló entry tickets start from €29 and La Pedrera entry tickets start from €29. The price depends on the day, the time and the ticket level.

At Casa Batlló, the ticket level matters. The Blue ticket includes entry, the audio guide and the Gaudí Cube. The Silver ticket adds the Dragon's rooftop. The Gold ticket also adds the Batlló private residence and an augmented reality tablet. The Platinum ticket includes all of this plus priority access. If you want the roof, choose Silver or higher.

At La Pedrera, the standard ticket includes the whole visit with an audio guide: the courtyards, the apartment, the attic and the rooftop.

Can you visit in the evening?

Yes, and both evening visits are popular. The Casa Batlló evening ticket includes an audio guide and a glass of champagne, and you see the façade lit up at night. The La Pedrera sunset ticket takes you onto the rooftop in the evening light, with an audio guide. Sunset tickets start from €25.

Which one should you choose?

Choose Casa Batlló if you travel with children, if you like colour and interiors, or if you want a visit with a lot of technology. Children often prefer it, because the dragon story and the 360-degree room are easy to follow.

Choose La Pedrera if you are interested in architecture and how Gaudí built his houses, if you want the best rooftop, or if you prefer a calmer visit.

Choose both if Gaudí is the main reason for your trip. They are five minutes apart, so you can see one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Can you see both with a guide?

Yes. The Gaudí Highlights Tour with Sagrada Família and Casa Batlló takes you inside Casa Batlló, past La Pedrera with your guide, and then inside the Sagrada Família, with skip-the-line entry. It is the fastest way to see Gaudí's three best-known buildings in one day.

If you want Casa Batlló without the crowds, the Casa Batlló Early Access Guided Tour goes in before the house opens to the public, with a licensed guide. It includes the rooftop and the Batlló family residence.

For more Gaudí, see our architecture tours in Barcelona and our La Pedrera page.

Is Casa Batlló or La Pedrera better for a first visit?

For most first-time visitors, Casa Batlló is the more memorable visit, because of its colour and its interior. La Pedrera is the better second visit, when you want to understand Gaudí's ideas.

Do you need to book Casa Batlló and La Pedrera in advance?

Yes, in high season. Timed tickets for the popular hours sell out, mainly on weekends and from Easter to October. Book a few days ahead to get the time you want.

Can you go inside both on the same day?

Yes. They are on the same avenue, about 600 metres apart. With both visits and a break for lunch, you need about half a day.

To plan the rest of your trip, read our guide to Catalan Modernism in Barcelona and our list of the top 10 attractions in Barcelona.

Written by the local guides of Artista Tours, a tour agency founded in Barcelona. About Artista Tours.