Few architectural movements embody an entire culture so completely as Catalan Modernisme, which set the region and its capital, Barcelona, apart not just from the rest of Spain but Europe as a whole. Antoni Gaudí is its most famous pioneer, leaving his thumbprint on the city with landmarks including the Sagrada Familia, Casa Mila and Park Güell.
Today Barcelona’s Modernisme properties are among the most coveted real estate – but there are plenty of treasures to be found, from contemporary lofts to Gothic conversions and industrial relics. Here are some of our favourite Barcelona properties for sale right now.
Modernisme apartments in Eixample
Starting from €1.725m
Modernisme’s romantic aesthetic has been preserved inside the freshly refurbished Casa Burés, which was built in 1905 by a wealthy textile baron. Floral tiles, frescoes, marquetry and stained-glass surfaces are juxtaposed by crisp white walls and modern fixtures in each of the Eixample property’s 26 apartments. See more.
Masia in Premià de Dalt
5 bedrooms; €1.95m via Barcelona & Costa Brava Sotheby’s International Realty
Sitting in the coastal village of Premià de Dalt, just north of Barcelona, this Masia or country house is listed as a historic property of local interest, and includes a former defence tower complete with gothic windows, arrow slits for defence and machicolations. Rooms inside the main house – which dates to the 17th century – are connected by arches, and feature stone walls and raftered ceilings. The kitchen still has its original tiles, and windows look out towards the sea.
Build your own Llavaneras villa
€380,000 (inc plans)
Located half an hour drive from Barcelona city centre in Llavaneras, this 1,765 sq m plot of land has sea views and planning permission for a three-storey home with wine cellar and wellness facilities. The area is popular with the well-heeled and boasts golf courses, a yacht club and riding centre. Sketches of the home have already been drawn up but there’s room to adjust the design of the villa per the new owner’s request.
An industrial live/work factory in Ciutat Vella
10 bedrooms (1,260 sqm); €2.6m via Engel & Völkers
This factory in the city’s Gothic Quarter has the potential to earn its keep and become a new cultural hub in one of the city’s oldest neighbourhood. Dating from 1850, the old factory has been used as a nightclub and more recently as workshops, with artists making use of its cavernous ground floor space. Two more levels and two private residencies complete the set, and the Barcelona property has potential as a thriving interesting coworking development for the city’s creative sector.
Freshly renovated Calle Princesa loft
2 bedrooms; €780,000 via Barcelona Sotheby’s International Realty
Those seeking the hustle and bustle of Barcelona’s tourist landmarks – including the Ramblas, Gran Teatre del Lice, the cathedral and Boquería market – can get their fix before retreating to this serene loft on Calle Princesa. It features lofty ceilings, light-drenched spaces and white-walled minimalism.
Passeig de Gracia, Jardinets
4 rooms; €5.9m via Engel & Völkers Spain
Close to Passeig de Gracia, Jardinets, this 1,009 sq m Barcelona property comprises a ground floor workshop and upper living space. The first floor is an open plan studio, with iron pillars and a soaring 4-metre-high ceiling that’s currently used as a painter’s studio. Above that is what could be a two-bedroom apartment, with access to a roof terrace big enough for a pool.
