La Sagrada Familia is the most famous landmark in Barcelona and a must-see for any visitor to the city. However, a ticket to go inside La Sagrada Familia isn’t cheap, so if you are wondering if the ticket price is worth it, I’ll show you a glimpse of what you can get for your money!
Know Before You Go to Barcelona
Before travelling to Barcelona, make sure you book your Sagrada Familia tickets or tours and your accommodation ASAP as hotels and tickets can sell out.
⭐ TOP 3 SAGRADA FAMILIA TICKETS & TOURS:
1: Sagrada Familia Skip the Line Ticket – Entry ticket & audio-guide at chosen time
2: Sagrada Familia Tour & Optional Tower Visit – Morning tour option with a guide
3. Sagrada Familia Evening Tour with Cava – Evening visit with rooftop views
🛌 MY FAVOURITE HOTELS IN BARCELONA:
$$: Sercotel Hotel Rosellon – Incredible view of the Sagrada Familia from some rooms and the terrace
$$: H10 Madison 4* Sup – top location with rooftop pool & view of the Gothic Cathedral
$: Chic & Basic Lemon Boutique Hotel – great value hotel near Plaça Catalunya
❗BEWARE OF PICKPOCKETS❗
Although Barcelona is a safe city, pickpockets are a problem here, particularly in popular tourist areas and on the metro. Use a theft-proof backpack and consider getting some hidden-pocket clothing to keep your belongings safe.
What is La Sagrada Familia?
La Sagrada Familia is a cathedral that was designed by Antoní Gaudí, a modernist architect who left his mark all over Barcelona with designs that were inspired by nature. As well as La Sagrada Familia his work includes Park Güell, Casa Batlló and La Pedrera, among others.
Work began on the Sagrada Familia in 1882, and it was intended to be a temple dedicated to the Holy Family. Originally, another architect Francisco de Paula del Villar was commissioned to head up the project, but Gaudí took over a year later and transformed the design from a Neo-Gothic style cathedral to a Modernist masterpiece, making it his own.
Gaudí dedicated his life to the construction of the cathedral and worked tirelessly for the next 43 years to realise his dream. Unfortunately, he was killed by a tram in 1926 and never got to see his masterpiece completed.
Work has continued on the Sagrada Familia over the years, with interruptions due to Civil War and COVID among other delays. The cathedral was due to be completed in 2026 on the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death, but due to the pandemic that now seems unlikely.
La Sagrada Familia is probably the most famous building site in the world, and the money raised from entry tickets goes towards the construction of the cathedral. While it is impressive from the outside, the inside is absolutely spectacular!
Is It Worth Going Inside La Sagrada Familia?
The short answer is YES it is definitely worth paying to go inside La Sagrada Familia! What you can see from the outside, while quite wonderful, is a fraction of what you will see on the inside. The Sagrada Familia interior is really where Gaudí shows his mastery in architecture, not just decorative designs.
You Might Also Like: The Best Hotels Near La Sagrada Familia
Sagrada Familia Tickets
There are several ticket options that you can buy to go inside Sagrada Familia. I’d highly recommend buying your tickets in advance as queues to get tickets on the day can be horrendous.
Fast-Track Skip the Line Entry Tickets & Audio Guide
Tickets are allocated for specific times, so book your tickets online to guarantee you can enter at the time you want. I would say that the best time to visit Sagrada Familia is in the morning before the crowds arrive, when the sunshine is streaming through the colourful stained glass windows.
Tickets include fast-track access to avoid the queues and an audio guide for your phone. You can download the audio guide in advance for iPhone here and Android here. (Don’t forget to bring headphones so you can listen to the guide and not disturb others)
There is also an extra option to add access to one of the Sagrada Familia towers to your ticket – either the Passion Façade or the Nativity Façade Towers which both have gorgeous views of the city. Access to the tower will be exactly 1 hour after your selected time to access the Basilica.
Access to the towers must be booked in advance and can’t be added on once you arrive (unless you purchase your entry tickets directly at the Sagrada Familia office). For safety reasons, only children over 6 can visit the towers and under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.
Bear in mind that the towers are not accessible – there is a lift up to the towers, but the only option for coming down is to use the stairs so it is not recommended for people with disabilities or those who might struggle with enclosed spaces.
Guided Tour Including Skip the Line Tickets
Enjoy a comprehensive tour with an expert guide who will share more information about the Sagrada Familia than it is possible to get on your own. Your guide will point out hidden gems and secrets of the basilica as you walk around the interior and exterior of the Sagrada Familia.
After the tour, you have as much time as you like inside to revisit areas of the basilica at your own pace. This guided tour does NOT include access to the Towers.
Guided Tour Including Tower Access
If you would like a guided tour and access to one of the Sagrada Familia Towers, check out this tour available on GetYourGuide. I haven’t done this one myself, so check the reviews to see if it is suitable for you.
You can also book directly on the official Sagrada Familia website for a large group tour (maximum of 30 people) which includes Tower Access.
Sagrada Familia Free Tickets & Discounts
Children under 11 years old get free entry to La Sagrada Familia, and students and seniors get a discount with proof of status. Disabled people can get a free ticket for them and for 1 companion if you book in advance – reserve your disabled access ticket here.
Access Rules & Requirements
Before going inside the Sagrada Familia, there are some rules and regulations in place that you must follow:
- The Sagrada Familia is a construction site, so some areas may be closed or inaccessible.
- Modest clothing is required: knees and shoulders must be covered at all times; no swimwear; no transparent clothing; no plunging necklines, exposed backs or stomachs
- You must wear shoes to enter the Sagrada Familia
- Bring a passport or ID with you
- No hats are allowed inside the nave or the museum, except for religious or health-related reasons
- All visitors must go through a security check, which may take up to 25 minutes in high season. Do not bring any pocket knives or weapons with you.
What Can You See for Free?
First off, let’s start with what you can see of La Sagrada Familia from the outside, without having to buy tickets. Currently, there are fences up around the cathedral which can restrict your view, but you can still see the beautiful façades and the Sagrada Familia towers from the outside.
Even if you can’t afford to buy Sagrada Familia tickets, don’t miss coming to see the exterior and admire the architecture and design of Barcelona’s most famous architect.
The best views of the cathedral are from across the pond in Plaça de Gaudí but you can also get nice views from the Plaça de la Sagrada Familia on the opposite side of the basilica, and right in front of the façades.
The Nativity Façade is one of the oldest parts of the cathedral, and follows the original designs that Gaudí made. Here you can see the story of the birth of Christ through the different statues and sculptures on the outer walls of the cathedral.
The Passion Façade is in a notably different style to the Nativity Façade and is the work of another architect and sculptor. The statues on this side are about the death of Christ, so the more austere style actually fits the theme of the façade very well.
The Sagrada Familia Interior
If you can afford it, it is well worth paying to go inside La Sagrada Familia. Photos don’t do justice to this incredible building, but hopefully they give you an idea of what to expect!
Columns and Height
When you first enter the Sagrada Familia, the first thing you are struck by is the height.
Gaudí designed the columns of the cathedral to be like tree trunks, with a wide base that divides into smaller supporting branches near the top. Gaudí wanted people to feel like they were walking through a forest, not just a church.
Looking up to the ceiling is more like looking up through the dappled shade of giant trees, than at the ceiling of a normal cathedral.
Stained Glass Windows
The colourful stained glass windows flood the interior of La Sagrada Familia with light, creating patterns on the floors and walls as the light moves with the sun. In the morning, the sun shines on the Nativity Façade, which has windows filled with blue and green windows, representing water and birth.
In the afternoon, the sun comes through the red, orange and yellow windows on the Passion Façade, representing the blood of Christ and his death in the most beautiful way.
When the Sagrada Familia is completed, the floor of the basilica will be made from marble, to illuminate even more of the inside with mirror-like reflections.
Crypt
Gaudí is buried in the Sagrada Familia, his resting place is in the Crypt Of The Expiatory Temple that had been under construction before he took over as head architect. The crypt is constructed in Neo-Renaissance style, and while it is currently closed due to COVID restrictions you can view it through small windows looking down from the main part of the cathedral.
The crypt is actually a similar size to a normal church and can host ceremonies and mass in a more intimate setting than in the grand nave of La Sagrada Familia.
Sagrada Familia Museum
As well as the magnificent basilica itself, inside La Sagrada Familia you will also find a museum dedicated to Gaudí and the plans and designs for his masterpiece. You can see close-up images of all aspects of the designs, from the animal sculptures that Gaudí used instead of gargoyles to the bunches of fruit.
While the original model of the Sagrada Familia that Gaudí made was destroyed during the Civil War, the reconstructed model is in the museum. You can also see through a window in the workshop where the current architects and sculptors use computers to construct the designs for the new parts of the cathedral.
The Towers
You can purchase an add-on to your ticket that includes access to one of the Sagrada Familia’s towers. While you can’t see the towers from inside the main part of the Sagrada Familia, if you are able to go up into the towers there are spectacular views of Barcelona.
Currently, the best views of the towers are from outside the cathedral, and you can see them from all over the city as they tower high above everything around them.
There are several towers that are still under construction, and when the Sagrada Familia is completed, the tallest tower, dedicated to Jesus Christ, will be topped with a huge cross that will have a viewing platform for up to 100 people.
I can’t wait to see what it will be like when it is finished, but we’ve got a few years to wait for that! So, what do you think – is it worth paying to see inside the Sagrada Familia? I hope these photos of the Sagrada Familia interior have shown you that it is – but what you will see with your own eyes is so much more beautiful.
I hope this post has helped you to plan your visit to the Sagrada Familia. You may also like these other posts with more tips for your trip:
- The Best Time to Visit Sagrada Familia
- The Best Restaurants near Sagrada Familia
- The Best Hotels near Sagrada Familia
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