Palace of Catalan Music

Palace of Catalan Music
4.5
About
The Palau, an icon of modernist architecture in downtown Barcelona The Palau de la Música Catalana is one of the most representative monuments of the city and It is one of the most recommended tourist attractions of Barcelona. Built between 1905 and 1908 by the great architect Lluis Domènech i Montaner, the Palau de la Música Catalana is an architectural jewel of Catalonia and essential part of any visit to the city, as any of the most fascinating Gaudi buildings. This historical building, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997, offers an experience so magical that visitors fall in love with it. From the hand of experienced guides, the wonders of this architectural pearl discovered and visitors into a fantasy world full of details and references to the characteristic nature of modernist architecture. An essential visit in the list of top 10 things to see in Barcelona.
Duration: < 1 hour
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Admission tickets
from C$33.51
All you need to step foot in the door.
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: El Born / La Ribera
The labyrinth that is El Born becomes most apparent the moment you turn down one of its side streets. But this is one of the few labyrinths you might actually enjoy losing your way in. After all, there are few places that live and breathe such exciting energy regardless of the time of day. This neighbourhood seamlessly transcends the old and new parts of the city, reflected in its vast array of restaurants ranging from fancy Michelin-star establishments to trendy fusion restaurants. Here you'll find historical and cultural attractions such as the popular Picasso Museum and the Gothic cathedral La Santa Maria del Mar, where you just might be able to catch a traditional Catalan wedding.
How to get there
  • Urquinaona • 3 min walk
  • Catalunya • 6 min walk
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See what travellers are saying
  • Bovills55
    Rottingdean, United Kingdom327 contributions
    Stunning venue, worth a visit.
    The most amazing building.. with the most chaotic guide system. The audio guide is from scanning the QR code. However, even with 5G would not work. Then told you had to register for their free wifi. Only to find it still wouldn’t work, back down stairs, only to be told would have to rescan QR code.. and then the wifi was so slow it wouldn’t work anyway. Gave up on audio! We were supremely lucky to be able to sit down and witness the choral work shop.. they were amazing, the conductor extracting exactly the notes needed to allow the music to rise and fill the auditorium. The acoustics are amazing. The stained glass breathtaking. By far my favourite thing in Barcelona! There is a cafe downstairs and small gift shop.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written September 21, 2023
  • d t
    Bend, Oregon98 contributions
    Great concert in spectacular setting
    Wow! We recently attended a fabulous concert (chorale led by conductor Eric Whitacre) in this awesome venue. Acoustics were great, the chorale was made up of some 600 voices from all over the world. The “Palace” is a beautiful, colorful setting to listen and comfortably sit for a 1 1/2 hour performance. I would say, finding a concert to attend, is the best way to experience this beautiful theater.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written September 24, 2023
  • travelmum555
    Haddenham, United Kingdom248 contributions
    Palau de la Musica
    We did the self guided tour. Lovely mosaics and ceilings to see. They also put on concerts there. Lovely cafe with good reasonably priced three course meals. Not as famous as the Gaudi buildings, but worth a visit if you have time for a few extras.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written September 24, 2023
  • Bob Oare
    Mount Pleasant, South Carolina124 contributions
    Opera in Barcelona
    We attended a performance of the opera "Carmen" by Georges Bizet. Although this is a French opera it was a stunning evening of wonderful Spanish artistry. Christina Segua was a sexy temptress as Carmen and Ignacio Guzman was the perfectly naive Don Jose. There was fabulous flamenco and ballet. The Palace of Catalan Music in Barcelona is a stunning music venue. Luis Domenech designed this Catalan modernise music hall with beautiful floral accents and graceful curves. It was completed in 1908. Attend a musical performance if possible. This was one of the highlights of our recent trip to Spain. As a bonus we bumped into our Don Jose, Ignacio Guzman and his charming wife after the performance, He truly appreciated the thunderous audience applause & loves performing in Barcelona.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written October 1, 2023
  • contemplative writer
    York, Maine53 contributions
    So beautiful and cheerful
    There are so many things to do in Barcelona that you might forget about the Palace of Catalan Music in the Gothic Quarter not far from the cathedral. But you'd miss out on a unique window into Catalan culture if you did. The auditorium itself is one of the richest and most beautiful in Europe; they say that the acoustics in it are quite special. The colors are fabulous: rich and vibrant. Sit and take it all in! There is also a nice cafe inside the Palace and a small gift shop. For 2 euros more, I recommend the guided tour: you'll get to hear the magnificent organ and you'll get a lot of insight into the architect's vision.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written October 3, 2023
  • RoyaltyC
    Calgary, Canada410 contributions
    Building has the shape of a ship from the outside
    I bought a ticket on the spot for 16 euros. There was only a couple in front of me on a Monday morning around 9 am. The palace is magnificent. The roses on the ceiling and everything else in the theatre are very impressive. The building has the shape of a ship from the outside. It must be wonderful to see a show there.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written October 17, 2023
  • It's Mar
    Marbella, Spain32 contributions
    So so pretty and colorful
    I’m so happy I chose to visit it! 👉🏻 Less crowded than Casa Batllo. 👉🏻 Tiny and beautiful. 👉🏻 Didn’t take hours to explore it. 👉🏻 Took great photos. 👉🏻 Relatively cheaper entrance, than other attractions in Barcelona.
    Visited December 2022
    Travelled as a couple
    Written November 2, 2023
  • FiMc1
    West Midlands, United Kingdom99 contributions
    A stunning venue and great for a concert
    We visited the Palau for a concert so we could see it and experience the music too. It was a candlelit tribute to Queen and it was fantastic. The Palau is stunning - there is so much to look at and take in and the concert was excellent. We really enjoyed our evening
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written November 4, 2023
  • ANGELO V
    Milan, Italy4,408 contributions
    Modernism at its maximum power
    The "Palau de la Musica Catalana" is a concert hall that was built in Modernist style between 1905 and 1908. It is not big, but there are so many amazing details that it can take some time to see it all: the main façade, the foyer, the staircases, the Luis Millet Hall, the main concert hall, the bar. In 1997, the palace de la Música Catalana was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written December 5, 2023
  • CourtneyStanz
    Belle Mead, New Jersey129 contributions
    Do not miss this experience
    We visited the Palau Musica on 11/26 for a Flamenco Guitar program, and it was an afternoon that will live in our family's memory forever. As all of the photos convey, the Palau is breathtakingly beautiful. The Art Nouveau attention to detail is evident in every corner, handle, light switch, and finish. Nothing can prepare you for the grandeur and aesthetic overwhelm. It is heaven for art, architecture, and history lovers. Beyond the visual stimuli, the acoustics are heavenly and the show was incredible. While our family is American, we were visiting with an expat family member and their Catalan partner - each of us found the afternoon to be delightful in every sense. Next time, I'd love to take a tour and better understand the history, recurring themes, and construction. But I cannot recommend more highly seeing/hearing a show in the space if your time in Barcelona allows. It will be a treasured memory!
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written December 30, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Alina
Timisoara, Romania127 contributions
Jun 2024 • Family
This historical building is declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO , offers an experience so magical that we fall in love with it. This is an architectural pearl and we entered into a fantasy world full of details and references to the characteristic nature of modernist architecture. It is in top 10 things to see in Barcelona.
Written July 19, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Briana H
Chandler, AZ25 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
The unique beauty of this music hall was breathtaking. I enjoyed learning the history of the choir and the hall’s designer too. We were able to hear some singers and the acoustics were exceptional! Highly recommend the guided tour.
Written July 15, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Eksknight
West Lawn, PA152 contributions
Jul 2024 • Friends
Do not overlook this amazing theatre, even with all the amazing architecture in Barcelona. The guided tour was absolutely worth it. You see a short video to give you some background about the theatre then we had an excellent guide show us around. We were able to go on the stage, hear the organ play, and see the building up close. The tour was around an hour which was perfect. I definitely would look into seeing a performance there. I've toured many famous theatres, and this was one of my favorites by far.
Written July 9, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

BTS1972
Munich, Germany3,531 contributions
Jul 2024 • Friends
This music hall is a masterpiece of catalan art nouveau or Jugendstil. Rich in details and ornaments it is a monument of better days of Spain and Catalonia. The place is quite frequented, so better book tickets in advance and in the early morning hours - before the guided tours show up.
Written July 9, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lucas M
8 contributions
Amazing tour, and we also got to hear the organ play from the stage. 10/10 experience, a must do if you are in Barcelona. Tour guide was also very thoughtful and provided detailed explanations for everything that we saw
Written July 1, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JJKFETP
Libertyville, IL208 contributions
Jun 2024 • Solo
This is a beautiful spot to visit. I did a guided tour in Spanish, and my guide did a great job covering the venue while also giving us some time to snap pictures in the main hall. Be sure to leave yourself some time to see the temporary exhibit in the café/restaurant space.
Written June 30, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Javier R
5 contributions
Jun 2024 • Family
Extremely poor view from second floor! Don’t waste your money paying tickets on this floor, better pay more but be in the first floor, also the set up of the performers don’t really think of the viewer at this level, very disappointed
Written June 23, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Eileen108
Mount Shasta, CA4,678 contributions
Jan 2024 • Solo
Excellent tour, we not only got a lot of background information including a short film, but also a sample of how music sounds in the auditorium. Amazing place with so much decorations to see!
Written June 22, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Raintree_Thailand
Bangkok, Thailand4,206 contributions
Jun 2024 • Couples
This fabulous building was designed by Lluis Domenech i Montaner and built between 1905 and 1908, and has been designated a World Heritage Site. Unfortunately, this sparkling work of Montaner is overshadowed by hype around Gaudi's creations. The exterior is highly ornate (very nicely lighted at night). We thought the old ticket boxes in the entrance columns were really cool. Inside, there are great tiles (including tiled columns), grand stairways, the incredible multi-colored stained-glass skylight, and carved muses. The concert hall seats 2,200. We paid 16 euros each (seniors rate) for a guided tour in English (normal regular price for adults is 22 euros).
Written June 21, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Candice T
manila, philippines224 contributions
Jun 2024 • Family
We joined the 2pm guided tour of Palau de Musica. It will start with a short video and then there'll be a tour guide explaining about the different parts of the theater. The building itself was really nice, but I guess coming from Sagrada Familia, I wasn't blown away by it. There were many intricate glass decorations and other things that was beautiful, but for some reason, it fell short of my expectations. Overall, I would still recommend coming to this place, maybe watching a show next time.
Written June 8, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Palace of Catalan Music - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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