Head Northwest to discover the hidden Gaudi

Gaudi is a well-known Spanish architect, and most of his works are located in and around Barcelona. There are, however, three fantastic buildings by Gaudi that await the curious traveller in the Northwest.

Comillas is a small city renowned by its architecture, somewhere between the mountains and the sea in the beautiful province of Cantabria. El Capricho, by Gaudi, is a beautiful summer villa built in 1885. Its ceramic wall decoration is found in later works by Gaudi (so is the beautiful portico). Other must-see architectural wonders in Comillas are the Sobrellano Palace and the Pontifical University.



Astorga is a cosy city in the province of León, less than three hours by car from Comillas. Its Bishop's Palace (designed in 1883) is one of Gaudi's earlier masterpieces. It can be seen both as a palace and as a castle, the result being a disneyesque neo-gothic building where every detail tells a story of brilliance. Don't miss the chapel inside. There is more to Astorga than the Palace, and the three-coloured Cathedral or the Chocolate Museum are also worth walking into. Astorga is well-known by its gastronomy, so don't miss the filling cocido maragato (or try the local tapas, free with your drink).


León, a half hour trip from Astorga, is home to the Casa de los Botines, a very personal work by Gaudi he accepted during his stay in Astorga.