Verdaguer House-Museum

Verdaguer House-Museum sits in Folgueroles, a small town in the Osona region of Catalonia, and preserves the birthplace of Jacint Verdaguer, the 19th-century poet regarded as the leading figure of Catalan literary revival. The house opened as a museum in 1967 and has since operated as part of the local museum network run by the Barcelona Provincial Council. It ranks among the oldest literary museums in Catalonia, giving it a certain weight beyond its modest size — a stop that matters both to literature enthusiasts and to anyone curious about 19th-century rural Catalan life.

Who was Jacint Verdaguer?

Verdaguer is credited with helping restore Catalan as a serious literary language during the Renaixença, a cultural movement that revived Catalan letters after centuries in which Castilian dominated official and literary life. His epic poems gave the language a new prestige, and the house where he was born became the obvious place to commemorate that legacy once preservation efforts began.

What can you see inside?

The exhibition reconstructs the setting of a well-off rural Catalan household from the mid-1800s, with period furniture and everyday objects giving a sense of the domestic world Verdaguer grew up in. Alongside the reconstructed rooms, the museum displays biographical material, manuscripts, editions of his work, and personal items tracing his path from a farmhouse childhood to national literary fame. It's a compact but focused visit that says as much about rural Catalonia as it does about the poet himself.

How do you get to Folgueroles?

Folgueroles lies in the Osona region, a short distance from Vic, the area's main town and the easiest transport hub to reach it from. Driving from Barcelona takes roughly an hour heading north. The town itself is small, and the museum sits right in its centre, so once you arrive it's an easy walk from wherever you park or get dropped off.

When is the best time to visit?

As a small local museum, opening hours can be limited, especially outside the summer season, so it's worth checking ahead before planning a visit. Spring and autumn work well for combining the museum with a look around the rolling countryside of Osona, and Folgueroles often serves as a starting point for other stops tied to Verdaguer's life in the region.

Who is this museum for?

It appeals most to visitors interested in Catalan literature and regional history, and to travellers looking for an authentic, less crowded alternative to Barcelona's main attractions. Given its small scale, a visit typically takes under an hour, making it an easy addition to a day exploring the Osona countryside.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Verdaguer House-Museum? It's the birthplace of poet Jacint Verdaguer in Folgueroles, converted into a museum in 1967.

Where is it located? In Folgueroles, in the Osona region of Catalonia, Spain.

Who manages the museum? It's part of the local museum network run by the Barcelona Provincial Council.

Is it worth visiting without knowing Verdaguer's poetry? Yes — the exhibition also shows what rural Catalan life looked like in the 19th century, so it has historical value beyond the literary angle.