It's virtually impossible to stroll through Barcelona, Spain without encountering a building designed by famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. For most sites, it's easy to walk past and snap a picture, but his most famous work, the Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, more commonly called the Sagrada Familia, draws more than 2.8 million visitors annually. That means if you want to check out the inside of the church that began construction in 1882, you usually have to wait in long lines. But if you know what you're doing—and you will after reading these tips—you won't have to wait around for 135 years to get in.
Buy Tickets in Advance
Anyone can purchase admissions tickets about two months in advance. You just choose an entry time within a 15-minute window and decide if you want to walk through on your own ($17, or €15), add on an audio tour ($25 or €22), or book an onsite guide ($27 or €24).
Book a Tour
Booking a tour will alleviate any nerves about planning an itinerary and getting from place to place. In this case, it can also help you skip the line. Skip The Line Barcelona, a private guided tour, gets you fast-track entry to the architectural masterpiece for $140 (€125); Julia Travel offers a similar option for $57 (€51) that provides escort into the church and towers by an expert guide.
Opt For the Nativity Façade
Because the building is still under construction, a number of areas don’t connect to other parts of the site. One of those, the Nativity Façade tower, has a separate entrance from the main entry. You have to buy a special ticket for access to this area ($32, or €29), but you’ll avoid the crowds wanting to see the main structure. Your ticket also guarantees you a 15-minute window of time to enter, and incredible views over Eastern Barcelona. Additionally, walking down the steep stairs in the tower dissuades people from this part of the attraction, thinning the crowd further.
Go on a Monday_
Since many museums in Barcelona are closed on Mondays, visitors often think the Sagrada Familia is, too, but it’s open every day, including Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Everyone else thinking the site's closed on Mondays makes it the best day of the week to visit.
Have a Drink Hotel Ayre Rossellon
Chances are, you're visiting the Sagrada Familia to snap a few photos of the outside, and you might not even step foot inside. To get some of the best vistas (and pictures) of the cathedral, have a drink at the rooftop bar of the Hotel Ayre Rossellon. It’s basically touching the back of the famous attraction, and you'll get to see the upper parts of the façade that aren't easily visible from the ground. That in itself is worthy of a toast.