Attraction
Park Güell
Gaudí's hillside park in Gràcia, where mosaic-covered terraces, a serpentine bench and gingerbread-style lodges look out over Barcelona to the sea.
Sagrada Família
Antoni Gaudí's still-unfinished basilica in the Eixample, Barcelona's defining landmark, with a forest-like nave, two sculpted façades and climbable towers.
At a glance
- Type
- Basilica and landmark
- Area
- Eixample, Barcelona, Spain
- Official site
- sagradafamilia.org
Good to know
- Timed tickets
- Tower visits
- Museum
- Shop
Why we recommend it
The Basílica de la Sagrada Família is the church Antoni Gaudí took over in 1883, a year after building had begun to a more conventional neo-Gothic design. He spent the rest of his career on it, and it became his sole project in his final years; he is buried in the crypt. Work has continued ever since, paid for by visitors and donations, and in February 2026 the cross was set on top of the central Tower of Jesus Christ, bringing the basilica to its full height of 172.5 metres and completing its upper structure. Parts of the building, including the main Glory façade, are still being built.
Inside, tree-like columns branch towards the vaults, and stained glass washes the nave in cool blues and greens on the eastern side and warm reds and oranges on the western side, so the light changes through the day. Outside, compare the two finished façades: the Nativity façade, the part built in Gaudí's lifetime, is dense with carved detail, while the Passion façade is stark and angular. The museum below the church explains how the design works, with models, drawings and plaster studies.
A tower visit adds a view over the city. You choose a tower on the Nativity façade, looking east, or on the Passion façade, looking over the centre, go up by lift and walk back down a narrow spiral staircase. Children under six cannot go up, under-16s must be with an adult, and the towers are not accessible for people with reduced mobility. Bags must go in the lockers before you climb.
Tickets are timed and nominative, so bring photo ID and arrive at the time printed on your ticket; buy them from the official website, which charges no booking fees. The official app includes an audio guide in many languages, and guided tours of about 50 minutes are also sold. Allow around 90 minutes for a visit with a tower. The first hour of the day, from 9am, is a quiet hour when headphones are required. This is a working church, so dress modestly, and Mass schedules are published on the website.
The basilica stands in the Eixample above Sagrada Família metro station on lines L2 and L5. Plaça de Gaudí, across Carrer de la Marina, has a pond that gives a good photograph of the Nativity façade. From there, Avinguda de Gaudí leads north-east to the Sant Pau Recinte Modernista, about ten minutes' walk away.
Sagrada Família FAQs
Do you need to book Sagrada Família tickets in advance?
Yes. Entry is by timed, named ticket, sold on the official website without booking fees, and you must arrive at the time on your ticket.
How long does a visit take?
Around 90 minutes for a visit including a tower; the guided tour itself lasts about 50 minutes.
How do the tower visits work?
You choose a tower on the Nativity or the Passion façade, go up by lift and walk down a spiral staircase.
Can children go up the towers?
Children under six cannot visit the towers, and visitors aged six to 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Is Sagrada Família accessible for wheelchair users?
The basilica can be visited by people with reduced mobility, but the tower visit is not accessible.
Is the basilica finished?
Not yet. The Tower of Jesus Christ reached its full height of 172.5 metres in February 2026, but work continues on other parts, including the Glory façade.
Is there a dress code?
It is an active church, so visitors are asked to dress appropriately, with shoulders and legs reasonably covered.
Which metro station is nearest?
Sagrada Família, on lines L2 and L5, right next to the basilica.
Where is Gaudí buried?
In the crypt of the Sagrada Família.