Review: La Sagrada Família

Give us an overview.
It’s practically illegal to go to Barcelona and not visit La Sagrada Família, Gaudí’s extraordinary temple dedicated to the Holy Family—otherwise known as the world’s largest unfinished church. The latest projected end date is 2026, though local theorists speculate it will never be done in order to preserve its in-process cachet. And that cachet has visitors flocking: With 4.5 million people wanting in each year, advance online booking is a must. Dates open three months ahead. 

Tickets start from €26 ($26) for site access and an audio guide that’s accessible via La Sagrada Familia official app (for speed, download it before you come). Then there are add-ons of a real-person guide (€4 extra), or ascent of one of the two towers (€10 more). 

Which tower is best? The Passion Façade is higher, though the east-facing Nativity Façade (the clincher, for us) lets you walk over a tiny outdoor footbridge between structures. A word to the height- or small-space-averse: the climb down is via spiral concrete stairs that are shoulder-twistingly narrow, often next to open windows that you’ll wish weren’t there. The elevator only takes you up.

What’s it like being there?
To say you'll experience a sense of wonder feels corny, but it’s very hard to walk inside, tilt your head up to the vaults and rainbow stained glass, and not gasp out loud. So, good corny.

Who comes here?
There’s a constant throng of international neck-craners and photographers (if you have a camera that’s superior to a smartphone, bring it for a better shot). But it’s also a functioning church—Pope Benedict XVI consecrated it in 2010—with a free international mass held on Sundays at 9 a.m. 

So, then, what, or who, do you think it’s best for?
Consider this the first must of any itinerary. But if your trip is spontaneous and tickets sold out, go to the roof terrace of the Sercotel Rosellón. The hotel looks unassuming from the street, but you’ll get an eyeful of the church the moment you open the door to the roof.