El Capricho

El Capricho is a modernist villa in Comillas, a small seaside town on Spain's northern Cantabrian coast, designed by Antoni Gaudí. Construction ran from 1883 to 1885, commissioned as a summer residence for a wealthy client, Máximo Díaz de Quijano. He never got to enjoy the finished house — he died a year before the works were completed. The building now operates as a museum open to visitors.

Why does El Capricho stand out?

Gaudí completed very few projects outside Catalonia, which makes El Capricho something of a rarity on Spain's architectural map. The villa sits in a quiet part of Comillas, away from the busier resort towns further along the Cantabrian coast. Because it operates as a museum, travelers can actually step inside rather than just admire the facade from the street — useful to know if you're planning how much time to set aside.

The site is fixed at coordinates 43.383679, -4.292743, which is handy if you're navigating by GPS rather than a street address. Comillas itself sits on the Cantabrian Sea, an area known for cliffs, beaches and a mild, damp Atlantic climate — worth keeping in mind whatever season you travel.

How do you get to El Capricho?

Comillas has no train station or airport of its own, so the most practical approach is by car or bus from larger Cantabrian towns such as Santander or Torrelavega, following the local coastal road. The villa itself sits within the town, so once you've reached Comillas it's typically no more than a short walk from the center. Travelers coming from further afield in Spain will usually connect through Santander, which has both an airport and bus links running along the coast.

It's worth saving the museum's phone number, +34 942 720 365, especially if you're visiting outside peak season and want to confirm the current opening hours before setting off.

When should you visit, and what are the opening hours?

Visiting hours shift with the season, so it pays to check before you go:

• November–February: 10:30am–5:30pm
• March–June and September–October: 10:30am–8pm
• July–August: 10am–9pm
• Closed on December 24, 25 and 31, and on January 1 and 6

Summer brings the longest opening hours, making it easy to pair a visit to the villa with an afternoon on one of the nearby beaches. Outside summer, plan your day a little earlier, since the museum closes sooner.

Frequently asked questions

Who designed El Capricho? The villa was designed by Antoni Gaudí and built between 1883 and 1885.

Who was it built for? It was commissioned by Máximo Díaz de Quijano as a summer home, though he died a year before construction finished.

Can you visit the inside? Yes — the building is now a museum open to the public, with hours that vary by season.

What's the easiest way to get to Comillas? Santander is the best gateway, with a car or bus ride along the coastal road bringing you into town; the villa itself is within easy walking distance of the center.