Barcelona, Day 3: Sagrada Familia

We dedicated the third day to Sagrada Familia designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi. Joining the line at 8:30am, we waited for one hour to get in. I should have bought tickets online to avoid queuing. But you must choose a schedule when you buy from the official website. Somehow we couldn't commit to the exact date and time before the visit. You can always book tickets online the day before your visit, print the receipt at your hotel for a small fee or free of charge, and bring it to the entrance. You will not regret it. Traveling can be physical demanding. You only have so much energy and time each day. Try not to waste your energy and time on waiting in a long line.

The jet lag and exhaustion from the day trip got the best of me. Feeling fatigued, I roamed around the basilica like I was lost in the forest. It does look like a beautiful forest inside the church. The interior is my favorite part. Gaudi's church was inspired by nature. The style is a combination of Art Nouveau and Gothic. You can find flowing, curvilinear forms throughout the church.

A prayer in Catalan

At 11:00am, it was our turn to go up the tower by lift. They assigned us the appointment for the lift at the ticketing office. We wanted to go up Nativity tower because we heard the view was better. Too bad, the lift tickets for Nativity tower were sold out that day. We went up Passion tower instead.

The church is currently under construction. 2026 is the anticipated completion date, the hundredth anniversary of Gaudi's death. A quarter of the exterior is covered, there are construction cranes everywhere. You can't avoid the sights of construction when you take pictures. I like to think of the construction scene as part of the art, titled "progreso" or "devoción".

After we went up the tower for the view, we made our way down by walking down the stairs. Older tourists frantically looked for the elevator to go down after they saw the spiral staircase. Passion tower does have an elevator to take you down. You must descent by the stairs in Nativity tower. The stairway looks kind of creepy. JJ thinks it's photogenic.

Overall, this is more like seeing an architecture wonder instead of a functional church. As they are still working on the building, you hear construction noise constantly and there is no service in the church. It may not make you feel very spiritual right now but it's undeniable there is nothing like Sagrada Familia. It's one of the kind.

Sagrada Familia General Info (opening times, tickets, towers)