Passeig de Gràcia

It all began as a dusty rural path called Camí de Jesús, connecting the walled city to the distant village of Gràcia. Stretching through the heart of the Eixample district, this avenue would transform into what is now Spain's most expensive street. In 1827, the city transformed this simple lane into a grand 42-meter-wide boulevard. Aristocrats flocked here to parade their finest horses and luxurious carriages, turning it into the most fashionable promenade of its time.

The real transformation came in the early 1900s when Barcelona's wealthiest families began an intense competition to build the most spectacular mansions along the avenue. They hired the era's most celebrated architects: Antoni Gaudí, Lluís Domènech i Montaner, and Josep Puig i Cadafalch. This architectural rivalry created what locals call the Illa de la Discòrdia, the Block of Discord, where competing masterpieces stand side by side. Casa Batlló displays its dragon-inspired roof and skeletal balconies, while Casa Amatller showcases Dutch Gothic elements and Casa Lleó Morera reveals intricate floral decorations.

In 1906, architect Pere Falqués added 32 ornate street lamps with integrated benches at their base, decorated with trencadís mosaics made from broken ceramic pieces. Gaudí himself designed the pavement underfoot, embedding patterns inspired by Mediterranean sea creatures.