El Capricho
Museum Gaudí-designed modernist villa in Comillas, ornate facade
In Comillas, Gaudí’s El Capricho showcases colorful ceramic tiles, curved brickwork, and a towered summer villa-an early Antoni Gaudí commission. Visitors photograph the polychrome facade, tour interior rooms, and learn about 19th-century regional patrons.
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El Capricho is a villa in Comillas, Cantabria, designed and built by Antoni Gaudí in the 1880s as a summer residence. It is among Gaudí’s early secular works and features his characteristic use of ceramics, wrought iron and organic forms.
The building is compact and highly decorative, with a distinctive cylindrical tower, polychrome tile patterns and a loggia. The composition combines local building traditions with Gaudí’s early Modernisme vocabulary, making it a specific architectural highlight rather than a large estate.
Commissioned in the early 1880s, construction took place in the mid-1880s and the house reflects Gaudí’s work before his major projects in Barcelona. The villa has been restored and is maintained as a historic house open to the public.
El Capricho stands in the coastal town of Comillas in Cantabria, in northern Spain, a short walk from the town centre and coastal landscape.
- Architect: One of Antoni Gaudí's few works outside Catalonia, completed between 1883 and 1885 and notable for its colourful ceramic decoration and distinctive tower.
How to Get to El Capricho #
El Capricho is in Comillas, Cantabria. Reach Comillas by car from Santander (about 50 km west) or by regional bus services; the villa is a short walk from Comillas town center.
Tips for Visiting El Capricho #
- Check opening days for interior tours - the house museum is often open limited hours, while the gardens are more accessible.
- Look for Gaudí's polychrome ceramic work and the playful ironwork on balconies - details are concentrated at eye level.
- Combine the visit with a walk around Comillas to see modernist architecture and coastal views.
Best Time to Visit El Capricho #
Best in spring through early autumn for access to interior tours and comfortable coastal weather.
Weather & Climate near El Capricho #
El Capricho's climate is classified as Oceanic - Oceanic climate with mild summers (peaking in August) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 3°C to 24°C. Moderate rainfall (905 mm/year).
January
January is the coolest month with highs of 12°C and lows of 3°C. Regular rainfall (87 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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February
February is cold with highs of 14°C and lows of 4°C. Moderate rainfall (78 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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March
March is cool with highs of 16°C and lows of 6°C. Moderate rainfall (68 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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April
April is cool with highs of 16°C and lows of 7°C. Regular rainfall (92 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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May
May is cool with highs of 19°C and lows of 10°C. Moderate rainfall (75 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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June
June is cool with highs of 21°C and lows of 13°C. Moderate rainfall (46 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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July
July is mild with highs of 23°C and lows of 15°C. Moderate rainfall (44 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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August
August is the warmest month with highs of 24°C and lows of 15°C. Moderate rainfall (50 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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September
September is cool with highs of 22°C and lows of 13°C. Moderate rainfall (63 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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October
October is cool with highs of 19°C and lows of 10°C. Regular rainfall (97 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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November
November is cool with highs of 16°C and lows of 7°C. The wettest month with heavy rain (109 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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December
December is cold with highs of 13°C and lows of 5°C. Regular rainfall (96 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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