Barcelona Sagrada Familia
Gaudi’s masterpiece par excellence, Barcelona Sagrada Familia still under construction.
Going to Barcelona and not visiting the Sagrada Familia should be a sin. Yes, must recognize that the entrance is not cheap, but once you are inside, observing every detail of that work of art, you will forget the price, and it will leave you with your mouth open. And it is that the Sagrada Familia is much more than a basilica. It is a work of art with all the letters, and when you visit it, you become a privileged person. Why? Because every day is different! It’s not finished yet, so there’s always something new to explore. First, it was possible to visit the ship, then open some towers, and it is clear that by 2026, which is when construction is expected to be completed, it will look different.
How to visit Sagrada Familia in Barcelona
Although it is not yet finished, you can discover many of its corners when visiting the Sagrada Familia. From the details of the finished facades to the views from its towers. Minor by little, the work is being completed, and we are getting an idea of how it will look in a few years. What can be visited for now?
The facades
Admiring the Sagrada Familia from the outside will leave you speechless, and even more so now that the central towers (still under construction) begin to loom over the already finished towers. If you get closer, you will be able to admire some details of the already finished facades from the fences. Also, you will see that they have nothing to do with each other. The Nativity façade, which represents the early years of Jesus, is found in the visitors’ entrance area. It was the first to be built, and it shows in the details, with a rugged aesthetic, with a significant predominance of modernist elements and that union with nature. On the other side, the Passion façade has a more minimalist and groundbreaking aesthetic at the same time. It focuses on the Passion of Christ and highlights the pyramidal area with columns that resemble bones and support the cross. This façade was completed in 2018, and the cross was the last piece to be added.
Inside
The most impressive part when visiting the Sagrada Familia is, without a doubt, the interior of the temple. Due to its dimensions, with five naves up to 90 meters long and 60 meters high, it will make you feel tiny. Walking through the interior is like being in a forest, where the columns are towering trees and the stained glass windows are gaps between the branches that fill everything with light and colour, especially on sunny days. Be sure to pay attention to the details, such as the baldachin of the main altar or the icons representing the apostles. They will not leave you indifferent.
The crypt
A perhaps not so well-known place in the Sagrada Familia is its crypt. It is located under the main altar, and another smaller chapel is there. The tomb of Antoni Gaudí, the architect who designed the basilica, is located under the main altar. If you have already read anything about Barcelona, you will know that he was the genius who raised Catalan modernism to its maximum expression.
The museum
Another place that can visit in the Sagrada Familia is the museum in which the temple’s history is collected. There you will be able to see models of different building elements, even when the first walls were beginning to be erected in a field where there was nothing on which, then It was the outskirts of the city. Finally, the last area that has opened to the public has been the towers. It is not about the central towers, which are still under construction, but about those located on the facades. From above, you can have good views of Barcelona and see firsthand how the completion of the temple is going.
Types of tickets to visit the Sagrada Familia
As you can see, within the Sagrada Familia, there are several areas to discover, and there are also different types of tickets that allow you to access some places or others. All tickets allow access to the temple’s interior (with crypt and museum), although only one of them allows you to climb the towers. In addition, you can choose other services, such as the audio guide or the guided tour, which will make the price one or the other.
These are the different types of tickets:
Basic Sagrada Familia: €20. It allows you to enter the interior of the Sagrada Familia, but does not include climbing the towers, an audio guide or a guided tour.
Sagrada Familia with audio guide: €26. It allows you to access the interior with an audio guide to know all the details, but you will not be able to climb the towers or enjoy a guided tour.
Sagrada Familia with guided tour: €27. You will access the interior with a guide who will tell you all the details. Here you will not need an audio guide. Does not include the rise of the towers.
Sagrada Familia and Gaudí House Museum: €28. Combined ticket in which you can access the interior of the Sagrada Familia with an audio guide and the Gaudí Museum in Parc Güell. It does not include access to the towers or guided tour of the Sagrada Familia, or the payment area of Parc Güell.
Sagrada Familia with towers: €33. In this case, you can visit both the interior of the Sagrada Familia and one of the towers and take an audio guide. You must bear in mind that the Sagrada Familia is the most visited monument in Barcelona and there are many queues, so it is best to buy your ticket in advance.
Rules for visiting the Sagrada Familia
The Sagrada Familia is the great icon of Barcelona, and a place visited every year by about 5 million people. Therefore, when you enter to visit it, you will have to pass a security check-in will check your belongings. It would help if you also kept the following rules in mind: Regarding clothing, you cannot enter with caps or hats, transparent clothing, bare shoulders or pants or short skirts since it is a Catholic temple. No eating or smoking is allowed. You cannot carry out acts of protest, raise your voice, run or maintain any uncivil behaviour. You should also bear in mind that, although you can visit it, the works have not yet finished and parts may be closed to the public.
The central nave of the Sagrada Familia is simply spectacular.
How to get to the Sagrada Familia
La Sagrada Familia is located in the heart of Barcelona, in the Eixample district. You can quickly get there by metro with lines 2 and 5 to the “Sagrada Familia” stop. In addition, several buses pass through the vicinity of the temple. The entrance is through Calle Marina, although I recommend you go all the way around the basilica to look closely at the details and see it from different perspectives. The most famous photo of the Sagrada Familia is usually taken from Plaza Gaudí, next to Calle Marina. Still, it is also gorgeous from Plaza de la Sagrada Familia, on the other side.
