An iconic masterpiece by the world-renowned architect - Antoni Gaudí, Sagrada Familia is one of the most breathtaking and gigantic Roman-Catholic churches in Barcelona. What makes it so culturally and historically important is the fact that the church has been under construction for over a century. Yep! The construction started in the year 1882 and is estimated to be ready by the year 2026.
Though it is still under construction, it is the top-visited attraction in Barcelona and pulls over 3,000,000 visitors a year. If you're visiting this Basilica on your Barcelona vacation, here's all you need to know about the Sagrada Familia entrances.
Sagrada Familia Entrances Explained
The church has clear demarcations of entry points based on the type of tourists/travelers. The entry is divided into three parts: general entrance, groups entrance, and entrance for school visits. As of 2021, for all visits, tickets can only be purchased online.
#1 Group Entrance: If you’re in a group, tourists can enter via the Nativity facade on c/ de la Marina and take a left. The timing for this entry point is 9 AM to 6 PM and is open all days of the week. The timings might change if there are any special events being held inside the church. The waiting time depends on the time you choose to visit the church and whether it’s the peak tourist season or not. The queues are longer during the peak season and can take up to 2 hours even.
#2 General Entrance: If you’re traveling as an individual i.e. without a group, you’ll enter through the same entrance, but the entry point is towards the right. So, once you’re at the Nativity facade, take a right. The timings for this entry point is from 9 AM to 6 PM, open on all days of the week.
#3 Entrance For School Visits: Well, this isn't an important piece of information for tourists/travelers, but there’s a third entry point towards the back of the church on the c/ de la Sardenya which is reserved only for school kids.
Getting To The Sagrada Familia Entrance
Car - If you’re planning to drive down, you can park your car in the nearby garage as the church premise in itself doesn’t have a parking facility.
Bus - The nearest bus stop, Mallorca - Marina, is 150 m away from the church and is just a 2-minute walk.
Taxi - If you’re looking to travel hassle-free, you can always book a cab service that drops you right in front of the Sagrada Familia entrance
Metro - This is one of the most convenient ways to get to the church. The nearest metro station is Sagrada Família. Two lines - L2 & L5 - stop here.
Parking outside Sagrada Familia Entrance
The church itself doesn’t have a parking facility inside, but there are a bunch of parking garages surrounding the monument. The nearest parking garage is Parking Sagrada Familia that’s about 300 m away from the church. Apart from this one, there are at least a dozen parking lots around the church.
Tips for your Sagrada Familia visit
- Depending on your group size, make sure to stand in front of the right entrance queue. Individual/General entrance allows up to 9 visitors and Group entrance allows up to 20 people.
- The monument follows a strict dress code as well including no see-through clothing, clothing must cover mid-thigh, etc.
- A guided tour of Sagrada Familia is highly recommended to make the most of your visit. Without the company of a local tour guide, you'll never know the real history behind this fascinating structure
- Professional photo equipment is prohibited inside the Basilica.
- There is no locker facility at the Basilica, so make sure not to carry heavy luggage bags.
- For epic views of Barcelona city, climb up the Sagrada Familia towers.
- For people with disabilities, you can request a wheelchair and there is a separate entrance as well.
- All tourists must mandatorily wear a mask and maintain a social distance of 2 m.
- There is an international mass held every Sunday at the Basilica at 9 AM and everyone is welcome to be a part of it.
- Smoking or eating is strictly prohibited within the premises.
- Sagrada Familia has free audio guides that can be accessed via their app.
All Your Questions About Sagrada Familia Entrances Answered
The entrance to Sagrada Familia is via the Nativity facade that’s right at the start of the Basilica.
There is a single entrance to Sagrada Familia with 3 separate entry points: for Individuals, for Groups and for School visits.
Depending on your group size, you can choose the individual entrance (upto 9 pax) or group entrance (upto 20 pax).
The entrance fees to La Sagrada Familia is 26€ and 27€ for a ticket that includes a guided tour.
If you have purchased your tickets online, there are no queues at Sagrada Familia. Simply report 10-15 minutes before the time stamp on your tickets and walk in without standing in queues.
Yes, Sagrada Familia is wheelchair-friendly. You can request a wheelchair by displaying relevant proof.
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