Casa Batlló or Casa Milà? Which Is Better in 2025?

Are you planning a trip to Barcelona and can’t decide between Casa Batlló and Casa Milà? You’ve come to the right guide!

As a local travel blogger that lives in Barcelona, I’ve visited both houses and am here to help you pick the right one for your next visit. 

Both of these Antoni Gaudí masterpieces are must-see attractions, but depending on what you’re looking for, one might suit your visit better than the other. 

In this post, I’ll walk you through the key differences, highlights, costs, and insider tips for each, so you can make the best choice for your trip. 

Ready to find out if Casa Batllo or Casa Mila is right for you? Let’s get started!

When it comes to choosing between Casa Batlló and Casa Milà, my personal favorite is Casa Batlló because of its colorful and whimsical design.

A visit to Casa Batlló feels like stepping into a fairytale, with its vibrant façade, wavy lines, and intricate details that truly capture Gaudí’s imaginative style.

The interior is just as breathtaking, full of vibrant hues and organic shapes that make you feel as though you’re exploring an underwater world. 

Casa Milà (also known as La Pedrera) is impressive in its own way, but it has a more subdued and functional design, and the interior doesn’t have the bright colors and playful atmosphere of Casa Batlló.

It does have a spectacular rooftop but it’s more about appreciating Gaudi’s architectural innovations rather than over-the-top design.

So if you’re drawn to bold colors and creativity, Casa Batlló is the one to choose. But if you’re more interested in architectural design and function, then Casa Mila is the better choice.

Pro Tip: If you’re planning to visit either house, I recommend you use a Barcelona Card discount. You can get up to €7 off your ticket purchase. 

Casa Batlló is one of the most famous buildings in Barcelona, featuring a whimsical, almost underwater look to it, with shades of blue, pink, coral, and green adorning its exterior. 

Casa Batlló is also known as the House of the Dragon because its colorful facade is believed to have been inspired by the legend of Sant Jordi. In the legend, the noble knight Sant Jordi slays a fearsome dragon to save a princess.

The building’s distinctive, somewhat unsettling look could be seen as a symbolic defeat of this evil, with the rooftop resembling the dragon’s spine and the roses that bloom each April resembling its blood. 

Other people believe that Casa Batlló is more so inspired by Monet’s The Water Lilies, with the building’s architecture representing calm waves and corals of the sea. Both are valid interpretations and give life to Gaudi’s work. 

Casa Milà isn’t as colorful as Casa Batlló but it’s no less impressive. Its unconventional, rough-hewn appearance gave it the nickname La Pedrera, which means “the stone quarry”. 

Casa Milà is one of Gaudí’s more experimental works and features a mix of Expressionism, Modernism, and Naturalism. The house has curves inside and out, with few sharp corners to be found. The facade is made almost entirely of stone.

Gaudí’s clients, businessman Pere Milà and his wife Roser Segimón, gave him free rein in the building’s architecture. Their only wish was for it to appear unique and Gaudí, as always, delivered.  

Casa Batlló is a remodel of an earlier home, redesigned in 1904 at the request of the Batlló family. The house now functions as an architectural museum, open to the public every day.

Josep Batlló, the home’s owner, granted Gaudí full creative freedom of the building’s design. He even asked the building to be demolished and built entirely from the ground up if that was what Gaudí desired. However, Gaudí felt no need to demolish the home and instead used it as a base for his work. 

Between 1904 and 1906, Gaudí reimagined the building’s facade, expanded the light well, and restructured the internal layout while ensuring the home remained functional. Suffice it to say, the Batlló family was extremely pleased with the result.   

Shortly after the finalization of Casa Batlló, Pere Milà, a prominent member of the bourgeoisie, commissioned Gaudí to build him and his wife Roser Segimón a new house. 

They planned to live on the main floor and rent out the rest of the apartments. Gaudí agreed, and construction began on February 2, 1906. 

Unlike Casa Batlló, which was a remodel of an old home, the building that previously stood on the site of Casa Milà was demolished to make way for Gaudí’s new design.

Pere Milà acknowledged Gaudí creativity and, like the Batllós, permitted him to do whatever he wanted to the building. Gaudí took this as a challenge and practically ignored all the conventional rules of architecture at the time. 

The architect received much criticism throughout Casa Milà’s construction, with citizens disproving of its unusualness. Some even made fun of the people living in the apartments. 

To Gaudí, that didn’t matter. Despite facing financial and legal challenges—such as the rooftop exceeding permitted limits, Gaudí’s continual changes to the design, and budget overruns—Pere Milà and Roser Segimón were deeply impressed with his work. 

Both considered to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Casa Batlló and Casa Milà have very distinct architectural styles, making it hard to believe they were both designed by the same architect. 

The architecture of Casa Batlló heavily incorporates Catalan Modernism, which features decorative details, dynamic and organic shapes, and an emphasis on nature. 

On the other hand, Casa Milà merges Catalan Modernism with Expressionism and Naturalism. Though considered controversial at the time, the building greatly contributed to the Modernista movement. 

It pushed the boundaries of architecture, challenging conventional design principles and introducing new ways of thinking about space, form, and function.

In my opinion, Casa Batlló’s interior is more impressive as it has a more whimsical and organic design to it. The rooms are adorned with stained glass windows, intricate mosaics, and architectural details that evoke an underwater environment.  

Casa Batlló’s interior looks like it’s straight out of a storybook, using parts of nature as decoration. The banisters are made of hardwood and mimic the backbone of a huge animal.

Mr. Batlló’s study features a mushroom-shaped fireplace, a wavy ceiling, and wooden doors, and the loft has a series of 60 catenary arches. 

In comparison, Casa Milà has a more functional and practical interior. It still features curved lines and organic shapes characteristic of Catalan design, but it also has elements found in livable apartments, like emergency stairs, chimneys, and insulation. 

You’ll get to see the living quarters on the upper floors of the apartment building including the entry hall, kitchen, study, bedrooms, and bathrooms.

The central courtyards are another highlight, with high ceilings and massive windows that let in plenty of natural light. There’s also an underground parking garage for carriages and automobiles, which was ahead of its time.

Both Casa Batllo and Casa Mila have spectacular rooftops but Casa Mila’s is much more over-the-top. It’s decorated with a series of stone carvings that depict a range of themes, including mythology, warriors, nature, and the four elements. 

Ventilation towers stand artistically to provide air into the Whale Attic, and the chimneys (some of which are freestanding while others are joined in groups) rotate about their own axis. Each of these structures is a work of art on its own. 

On the other hand, the rooftop of Casa Batlló is much smaller and depicts a dragon’s back, with colorful eye-catching tiles representing its scales. 

The roof terrace at Casa Batlló is framed with four crooked polychrome chimneys, decorated with mosaics.

Some of these chimneys feature a dragon’s profile, facing Passieg de Gracia.  There’s also a rooftop bar and seating area where you can take a break and have a drink.

Both Casa Batllo and Casa Mila offer different experiences for night visits, which is an interesting way to experience the houses if you’re looking for things to do in Barcelona at night.

Casa Batlló offers night visits after 8:30PM, which is a bit cheaper than the daytime ticket and includes a tour through the main floor, light well, and attic, as well as a glass of cava.

Additionally, they occasionally host a rooftop event called Magical Nights, which features live concerts, music, and drinks. 

On the other hand, Casa Milà’s night tours are a bit more elaborate. It features an audiovisual rooftop show where you can learn about the building’s history and architecture.

This shadow show that transforms the rooftop’s structures into seemingly living beings with multiple projections on the stairwells. All this is accompanied by drinks and chocolate snacks. 

FYI: For the general visits, Casa Batlló offers a Basic Blue ticket, as well as upgraded Silver and Gold ticket options, which include additional attractions like the Gaudí Dome, the original Concierge room, an augmented reality tablet, the Private residence of the Batllós, and free cancellation.

Casa Batlló and Casa Milà are both located on Passeig de Gràcia, a prestigious street in Barcelona known for its architecture. 

They’re situated within walking distance of each other. Casa Batlló is located at number 43 on Passeig de Gràcia, while La Pedrera-Casa Milà is located 3 blocks away at number 92.

Before visiting the Antoni Gaudi houses, here are some tips to make the experience more seamless and enjoyable: 

• Consider purchasing the Barcelona Card: A Barcelona Card offers discounted admission to a wide range of attractions, including Casa Batlló and Casa Milà. It also includes unlimited travel on the city’s public transportation network, so you can easily visit one attraction to another without paying individually for transportation costs. 

• Buy your tickets online in advance: Casa Batlló and Casa Milà are popular tourist attractions, so you’ll almost always be met with a long line to get in. Booking tickets online is a bit cheaper and allows you to skip the queue at the ticket office. 

• Get there early: If possible, visit the Gaudí houses early in the morning to avoid large crowds. With fewer people around, you can better appreciate the architectural details and take photos without distractions. The only downside here is that morning tours cost more than afternoon tours, so keep that in mind. 

• Consider the nighttime experiences: Visiting the Gaudí houses at night offers a completely different experience than daytime visits. The interiors are illuminated in a special way, bathing the rooms in a magical ambiance. Nighttime tours also often feature rooftop concerts. 

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about the Gaudí houses:

I hope this comparison between Casa Milà and Casa Batlló has helped you decide which Antoni Gaudí house to visit during your time in Barcelona. 

While I personally prefer Casa Batllo, both of these iconic buildings and famous landmarks in Spain are incredibly unique and definitely worth visiting.

If you do decide to visit, definitely consider purchasing the Barcelona Card, which will give you a discount on your visit.

No matter which one you choose, you’ll be sure to be captivated by Gaudí’s incredible architectural style and vision.

READ NEXT:

• Is Casa Milà Worth It?
• Is Casa Batlló Worth It?
• 15 Famous Buildings in Barcelona You Shouldn’t Miss