Guide to visiting Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia in 2024
Exterior of Basilica de la Sagrada Familia. All photos by John O'Boyle / The Empty Nest Explorers
No church in Europe is as unique as Basilica de la Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. The basilica was designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí who is responsible for many unique buildings around the region. Construction began in 1882; it is still unfinished today.
Below we’ll give you tips and suggestions on how to enjoy a visit to this wonderful Barcelona landmark in 2024.
Table of Contents
Where is Sagrada Familia?
Basilica de la Sagrada Familia is located at C/ de Mallorca, 401, 08013 Barcelona. At a height of 566 feet, it can be seen throughout the city.
The church sits between two small parks, Plaça de la Sagrada Família and Plaça de Gaudí. The parks create a nice atmosphere and serve as a place to wait before entering with your timed ticket.
The church is designed so the morning light comes through the blue windows on one side and in the afternoon the light comes through the warm orange glass.
How to Get to the Sagrada Familia
The church is located in the city center, a little north of many of the other Barcelona attractions.
On a recent trip, our hotel was nearby so we took a 20-minute walk but you may want to use mass transit.
Conveniently the L2 and L5 Metro lines stop right at the church. Bus lines 19, 33, 34, D50, H10, and B24 also service the area.
We purchased a multi-day travel card that works both on the metro and bus lines.
Details on visiting Sagrada Familia
The basilica is open every day of the year. We visited on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6th, and the church was open but closed to visitors at 2 pm.
Here are the Sagrada Familia visiting hours:
- November through February: Monday through Saturday 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Sundays 10:30 am to 6:00 pm.
- March and October: Monday through Saturday 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. Sundays 10:30 am to 7:00 pm.
- April through September: Monday through Saturday 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. Sundays 10:30 am to 8:00 pm.
On December 25, and 26 and January 1 and 6th, the hours are 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.
You’ll enter on the Carrer de la Marina side of the building which is the same side as the Metro stop.
Upon entering the facility you’ll pass through an airport-style security check. At the conclusion of your visit, you’ll exit on the opposite side of the church.
The unique ceiling of Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.
How much does it cost to visit Sagrada Familia?
Ticket prices vary from €26 Euro to €40 depending on the options you choose.
Visit with an app-based audio tour €26
Visit with a guided tour €30
Visit with an app-based audio tour and tower visit €36
Visit with a guided tour and tower visit €40
On our recent visit, we chose the audio tour with a tower visit. We purchased the tickets on their website and then downloaded the excellent app. The app is fantastic and everyone in your group should download it especially if you purchase the audio tour.
You’ll have your choice of a shorter or longer audio tour, just remember to bring your headphones. There are clearly numbered stations throughout the church that match the audio tour on the app.
Sagrada Familia is included in Go City Explorer Pass. These kinds of compilation passes can be a great value when visiting the city, but make sure you do the math first, to see if the sights it includes mesh with your plans and that you will be making good use of it before you buy. More info here.
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Screenshots of the official app.
Don't forget to look at the facade
Most churches have statues and artwork on the inside, Sagrada Familia has narrative artwork on the outside.
The Nativity facade faces the East, the Passion facade faces the West and the Glory facade to the South. The Nativity facade was constructed between 1893 and 1936 and is dedicated to the birth of Jesus. The intricate design was directly influenced by Gaudi’s style.
Unlike the Nativity facade, the Passion facade is bare bones with sharp lines in the sculptures. Dedicated to Jesus’ suffering it symbolically faces the setting sun.
Construction on the Glory Facade began recently in 2002 and is still under construction. It is dedicated to the glory of God.
A statue on the Passion facade.
Sagrada Familia is an active church
Sagrada Família was consecrated as a basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in November of 2010.
Mass is held every Sunday morning at 9 am and on Saturday at 8 pm and you can attend. If you want to attend Mass you should arrive early on the Nativity facade side. Attendees must dress appropriately and behave respectfully.
Which Sagrada Familia tower should I visit?
View of Barcelona from the Passion Towers.
You have two choices, the Nativity Towers and the Passion Towers.
The Nativity Towers construction was overseen by Antoni Gaudi himself. Construction on the Passion Towers began after Gaudi’s death following his plaster models.
The Nativity Towers allow you to visit three towers while you'll visit two towers on the Passion side. Although with the very unusual design of the towers you never really are sure when you go from one tower to the other.
The Nativity Towers view faces north toward Plaça de Gaudí while Passion Towers face the Gothic Quarter. There is no bad choice but we chose the Passion Towers mostly because it looks down on the areas of the city we had already visited.
Whichever tower you choose you’ll take an elevator to the top then take a very long winding staircase back down.
If you have any large bags you’ll need to check them at the entrance to the elevator since the space is very tight.
Visit Sagrada Familia museum
We visited the church on the Feast of the Epiphany and unfortunately didn’t have a chance to visit Sagrada Familia museum because of the early closure.
The museum was opened in 1961 and is located on the ground floor.
You can view original drawings by Gaudí and learn about the construction and design of the building.
Light shining through the stained glass windows.
Sagrada Família is the burial place of Gaudí
Architect Antoni Gaudi is buried in the Sagrada Familia crypt, one floor beneath the church.
The crypt consists of four chapels and hosts a daily Mass on weekdays at 9 am and 8:15 pm.
The crypt has very limited visiting hours:
Monday - Friday: 9:00 am - 10:00 am and 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Saturday, Sunday, and holidays: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
I think the Sagrada Familia should absolutely be at the top of your list of attractions to visit in Spain. While traveling in Europe you’ll visit many churches. Looking back on the churches you have visited they may start to blend together in your memory but you’ll remember the Sagrada Familia as totally unique.
If you are traveling to other cities in Spain check out our blog post Traveling by train in Spain
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