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Bucket list experience:

Last updated: 10 November, 2022
Expert travel writer: Dana Facaros

Gaudí spent his last years obsessing over the Sagrada Família, this ornate, turreted cathedral with its iconic turrets like melting candles.

Although only the Birth Façade and crypt were completed before he died, and nearly all the plans were lost during the Spanish Civil War, the foundation that owns it has decided to carry on building it according to Gaudi’s surviving drawings.

Funded by ticket admissions, it’s already, even critics admit, the most spectacular church of the 21st century. But it’s quite a labour of love – it’s slated to be finished by 2026.

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Price from: £23
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 8+
When: All year around
Duration: Any

Getting there & doing it

For most of the year, you must book well in advance to get in. Don’t just turn up, or think you can book the day before. Take the metro to the Sagrada Familia stop on L2 or L5. There are 50-minute guided tours in English two or three times daily (check the website for timings – the meeting point is at the entrance). There are also audio guides available at any time. Book date- and time-stamped tickets online via Ticketmaster and print them out at home to breeze through the pre-booked entrance.

It’s probably not for you if you suffer from vertigo, but the views from the church’s Passion and Birth Façade towers are extraordinary. Buy the basilica and towers combined ticket when purchasing online.

When to do it

The cathedral is open year-round, and always busy – go early or late in the day for the best chance of avoiding the crowds and tour groups. Allow around two hours to see the building. Also, return after dark to see the cathedral lit up – a sight to behold (and blissfully crowd-free).

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Sagrada Familia Small-Group Guided Tour with Skip-the-Line Ticket

Sagrada Familia Small-Group Guided Tour with Skip-the-Line Ticket

Barcelona

Meet your guide at the meeting point to embark on this Sagrada Familia Tour. Contemplate this UNESCO World Heritage-listed building. Start ...

€49 | Rating 4.79 / 5 [68 ratings]

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Tour supplied by:

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Fast Track Sagrada Familia Guided Tour

Fast Track Sagrada Familia Guided Tour

Barcelona

Visit the most important landmark in the city of Barcelona. Admire Gaudi’s mastery and make sure not to miss out on the rich symbolism of hi...

€51 | Rating 4.28 / 5 [4749 ratings]

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Tour supplied by:

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Sagrada Familia: Fast Track Guided Tour with optional Tower

Sagrada Familia: Fast Track Guided Tour with optional Tower

Barcelona

Skip the line and explore the Sagrada Familia on this guided tour. Discover the impressive Gaudi's masterpiece and enjoy panoramic views of ...

€53 | Rating 4.26 / 5 [407 ratings]

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Tour supplied by:

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Sagrada Familia Skip-The-Line Guided Tour

Sagrada Familia Skip-The-Line Guided Tour

Barcelona

We offer the most friendly, interesting and knowledgeable guided tours in Sagrada Familia, our meeting point is Kurz&Gut, a cosy Bar- Restau...

€53 | Rating 4.61 / 5 [287 ratings]

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Tour supplied by:

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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Hotel Seventy Barcelona

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain[1.2 miles]

Large but stylish and hip modern hotel with all the bells and whistles, in the heart of Barcelona’s shopping district.

Official star rating:

Hotel El Palace Barcelona

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain[1.3 miles]

This grand dame offers unrivalled opulence in the form of swish restaurants, a lavish spa and a rooftop pool.

Official star rating:

Sir Victor Hotel

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain[1.3 miles]

Glamorous design hotel near Barcelona’s best dining and drinking, with one of the city’s loveliest rooftops.

Official star rating:

Hotel Alma Barcelona

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain[1.4 miles]

This chic, minimalist spa hotel in Eixample has smart rooms, a pretty secret courtyard and an indoor pool.

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Barcelona

Catalonia, Spain

Spain’s cultural heart has unforgettable architecture, a pioneering arts scene, creative cuisine and nightlife that buzzes till dawn.

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Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first

Casa Mila (La Pedrera)

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain[1.4 miles]

Marking the culmination of his experimentation with natural forms, Gaudi’s landmark apartment building resembles a giant cliff face battered by the sea. Inside, a remarkable Gaudi-style apartment, an attic filled with architectural exhibits, and the extraordinary roof and chimneys.

Best for ages: 8+ | £25

Casa Batllo

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain[1.5 miles]

The former home of the Batllo family, Gaudí’s shimmering, colour-drenched townhouse is a Modernista masterpiece.

Best for ages: 8+ | £32

Picasso Museum Barcelona

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain[2.1 miles]

Absorbing collection of early and late works by Picasso, in a beautiful Gothic palace. The collection includes Picasso’s 58 paintings inspired by Velazquez’s Las Meninas.

Best for ages: 18+ | £11

Park Guell

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain[2.2 miles]

Gaudi’s endlessly playful, imaginative garden is a lyrical delight, with majestic views over Barcelona.

Best for ages: 4+ | £6

Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..

External view of the building
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Disseny Hub

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Design is Barcelona’s middle name, and this museum is a temple to it, filled with old and new fashions, furniture, decorative and graphic arts.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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Inside view of The extraordinary La Palau Musica concert hall
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Palace of Music

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain[1.8 miles]

Catalan’s gorgeous Modernista concert hall, Palau Musica, is a must-see for its extraordinary architecture. It’s now a UNESCO world heritage site.

Best for ages: 18+ | £17

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External facade showing the intricate detail
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Casa Vicens

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain[2 miles]

The first private home Gaudi designed, this bright Orientalist building only opened to the public in 2017, so it’s a relatively new addition to Barcelona’s Modernista scene – as such, its brightly-tiled and painted interior is often blissfully quiet.

Best for ages: 13+ | £12

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La Rambla

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain[2 miles]

A thrumming, lively street running through the heart of Barcelona towards the sea, is a magnet for outlandish street performers – and tourists.

Best for ages: 4+ | Free

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Round-ups that include this experience

101 World’s greatest historic buildings

Multiple countries

The great civilisations of the past have left a legacy of constructions that still stand out and inspire. Built without the wonders of 20th-century technology, many are also monumental feats of engineering; others offer such grace and beauty, that they’ll literally take your breath away.

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