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The Nativity Façade of the Sagrada Família seen from Plaça de Gaudí

No. 2 Top Landmarks & Attractions 2026

Sagrada Família

Barcelona, Spain · City guide: Barcelona

Antoni Gaudí's extraordinary basilica in Barcelona, under construction since 1882.

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Photo: Txllxt TxllxT, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

The Basílica de la Sagrada Família is No. 2 in Tripadvisor's Travelers' Choice Best of the Best 2026 ranking of the top attractions in the world. Construction began in 1882, and Antoni Gaudí took over as architect the following year. He devoted the rest of his life to the project and is buried in the crypt. Work continues today, funded by donations and ticket sales.

Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the church as a basilica in 2010. The Nativity Façade and the crypt are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Works of Antoni Gaudí". The central Tower of Jesus Christ, designed to reach 172.5 metres, makes the Sagrada Família the tallest church in the world.

Tree-like columns and vaults of the Sagrada Família nave
Tree-like columns and vaults of the Sagrada Família nave. Photo: Julian Lupyan, CC0, source

Best time to visit

The interior looks its best on sunny days, when light pours through the stained glass. Morning light favours the east (Nativity) side and late afternoon the west (Passion) side. Book timed tickets online well in advance, especially from spring to autumn.

Highlights

  • 1

    Nativity Façade

    The only façade largely completed in Gaudí's lifetime faces east toward the sunrise and is crowded with sculpture celebrating the birth of Christ.

  • 2

    Passion Façade

    In stark contrast, Josep Maria Subirachs's angular sculptures on the west side, carved from 1987 onwards, show the Passion and Crucifixion.

  • 3

    The nave

    Tree-like columns branch out to hold up the vaults like a stone forest. The stained glass bathes one side of the interior in blues and greens and the other in warm reds and oranges.

  • 4

    The towers

    For an extra fee, a lift takes you up the Nativity or Passion towers for views over Barcelona. The way down is by narrow spiral stairs.

  • 5

    Museum and crypt

    The museum beneath the basilica displays Gaudí's plaster models and drawings, and has a view down into the crypt where he is buried.

Getting there

The basilica is in the Eixample district. Sagrada Família metro station, on lines L2 and L5, is right beside it, and several bus routes stop nearby. It is about a 30-minute walk from Plaça de Catalunya. From Barcelona–El Prat airport, the Aerobús runs to Plaça de Catalunya.

Practical tips

Tickets
Timed tickets are sold on the official website. Tickets on the day at the site are limited and often sell out.
Dress code
It is a working church, so dress respectfully: cover your shoulders and wear shorts or skirts of at least mid-thigh length.
Time needed
About an hour and a half with the audio guide, plus extra time if you go up a tower.
Currency & language
Euro (EUR). Catalan and Spanish are the local languages, and English is widely understood at the site.
Safety
Pickpockets work the crowds around the basilica and on the metro. The emergency number is 112.
Visa & entry
Spain is in the Schengen Area. Many visitors, including citizens of the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) now records non-EU travellers' entries and exits at the border, and the ETIAS travel authorisation is due to follow. Check the official EU site travel-europe.europa.eu and your own government's travel advice before you go.

Official information: Basílica de la Sagrada Família (official website). Check opening hours, prices and entry rules there before you go.

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