6 Tried & Tested Ways to Skip The Line At Sagrada Familia
Select Your Sagrada Familia Skip-the-Line Tickets
The city of Barcelona stands out for two things: its beaches and its architecture. As it once was the seat of the Catalan empire, the city has a lot to offer in terms of historical monuments, with architectural styles ranging from its Gothic quarters to Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia.
One would argue that the Sagrada Familia Basilica is the main attraction for tourists visiting Barcelona, given its controversial history and the complexities in its construction, dating all the way back to 1882.
Today, Sagrada Familia sees over 4.5 million visitors every year. Given the number of tourists, the waiting times in queues at the ticket offices easily extend past 60 minutes, with at least 2 hours of wait time during the peak season. Couple this with the Mediterranean sun and queuing up can easily take its toll even on the most patient of travelers.
This post will leave you with insights on how to best utilize your time and skip those long lines at the Sagrada Familia.
Why Skip The Lines at Sagrada Familia?
- Utilize Time: Queues in front of the basilica, especially during peak hours, can take up close to two hours. Bypass the crowds and head straight into the Sagrada Familia.
- Avoid Crowds: Get a glimpse of what Gaudi had envisioned for the monument, without having to stand in long lines and elbowing your way through the peak hour rush.
- Ensure Availability: Avoids the odds of standing for hours only to find out tickets are sold out by purchasing your tickets online at least two days in advance.
- Flexible Visit: Make the most of your visit by choosing skip-the-line tickets best suited to your needs. Choose between a basic entry ticket, access to audio-guides, or ticket with access to either the Nativity or Passion towers, to ensure you get a rounded Basilica experience.
- Explore More: Combo tickets offer skip-the-line access to more than one iconic monument in Barcelona such as the Park Guell, or the Casa Milà.
Queue at Sagrada Familia Entrances
To ensure smooth movement of foot traffic, the Basilica has three separate entrances:
- Entrance Type 1 (Group): If you’re visiting the Basilica in a group of up to 30 people, use entrance 1. To access this entrance, you enter from the Nativity Facade and turn left. Group and general entrances are properly demarcated, so the likelihood of you standing in the wrong line is low.
- Entrance Type 2 (Individual): Even though it says individual, this entrance can be used if you’re traveling alone, or with a group of up to 9 people. This entrance would be located to the right side of the Nativity Facade.
- Entrance Type 3 (Educational): This is a separate entrance that can be accessed if the visitors are school students. The entrance would be located towards the back of the Basilica.
Wait times at the entrances could range anywhere from one to three hours, depending on the month and the time slot you’ve chosen to enter. The best way to save yourself from this daunting experience is to purchase Skip The Line ticket to Sagrada Familia. Read on to find out what are some of the other hacks you can try to skip the long lines at Sagrada Familia.
How To Skip the Lines at Sagrada Familia?
1. Buy Sagrada Familia Skip The Line Tickets
One of the sure-shot ways to bypass this queue and head straight to the church on your arrival is to purchase Sagrada Familia skip-the-line tickets. These tickets allow you to make the most of your day and skip the ceaseless queue to enter the Basilica.
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2. Book Tickets Online
Your Sagrada Familia tickets can be purchased online up to two months before your visit. With an online ticket in hand, save yourself hours of unnecessary wait time in long ticket lines. you will only have the mandatory security to get through (10-15 minutes wait). This also allows you to avoid the disappointment of being turned away once the limited capacity is reached.
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3. Visit During Early Hours
The Basilica opens at 9 AM every day. Since most attractions in Barcelona are closed on Mondays, visitors often assume the same about the Sagrada Familia, making Monday the least crowded day to visit. Early mornings are the best time to visit. You would still find a few people who have lined up in anticipation, however, the queue gets longer as the day progresses.
Sagrada Familia Timings
4. Opt for Guided Tours
Most guided tours do come at a slight premium, it makes for a more fulfilling experience. With so much history behind each element of the Sagrada Familia, it is best explored and understood with a tour guide as it would allow you to have more insights into the most intricate historical aspects of the monument. Booking a guided tour will also allow you express entry and bypass the queues outside.
Sagrada Familia Guided Tours
5. Buy Tickets for the Nativity Facade
Two out of three facades are currently open to the public, and the Nativity Facade is one of them. The ascent to the tower is via an elevator, however, the descent is on foot. A narrow spiral staircase with a ~400-step descent acts as a disincentive for those who aren’t comfortable with heights or have walking difficulties. However, the plus side is, it is guaranteed to be free of crowds.
Sagrada Familia Facades
6. Buy a Combo Ticket
This ticket includes not only the Sagrada Familia but also other iconic sites in Barcelona such as the Park Guell. This would allow you to explore more of Barcelona but on a budget as these combo tickets allow you to explore more than one attraction at a reduced rate. Booking a combo tour would allow you fast-track entry into both sites.
Book NowSagrada Familia Skip-the-Line Tickets vs Guided Tours - Which Should You Choose?
Skip-the-line Tickets
- The Sagrada Familia skip-the-line tickets allow you to save you the time it takes to stand in line at the venue to purchase your ticket. With this ticket, you can proceed directly to the security checkpoint.
- You would have access to an audio guide, available in multiple languages, that can be downloaded from the app. Be sure to carry a pair of headphones for this!
- You will have the freedom to explore the attraction at your own pace.
Guided Tours
- You will be accompanied by an expert guide, who would have in-depth knowledge about the Sagrada Familia.
- These tours are available in multiple languages, so be careful to choose a tour suited to your needs to make the most of it.
- Guided tours mean you will be following a set itinerary and will be accompanied by a group of 12-30 people, which can feel a little restrictive.
Verdict: To ensure you maximize your visit, opt for the fast-track guided tour, with tower access. This would allow you to bypass the queues for ticket purchase, gain insights into the history of the monument by a live guide in your preferred language, as well as show you the best of everything the site has to offer.
Visitor Tips
- Due diligence: Spend some time planning your visit. Narrow in on the day of the week, time slot, and type of ticket you would like to purchase, which would give you access to what you’re looking for.
- Be punctual: Visitor tickets can only be utilized for a 15-minute window that is mentioned on the ticket. If this window for entry is missed, you would be required to purchase another ticket. Make sure to account for security check queues (applicable to all ticket holders) while planning your entry to the Basilica.
- Timings: The operational hours of the Basilica can differ from those of the Museum. Both have slight variations in opening hours depending on the month. Operational hours may also deviate from the usual hours in case of special events occurring at the Basilica, during weekends, or important festivals such as Christmas. Do check the timings before your visit.
- Accessibility: The Basilica is wheelchair accessible, however only parts of the Museum such as the ground floor and gardens can be accessed by those with disabilities. The Towers are entirely inaccessible to those in a wheelchair, as the descent is on foot.
- Pet friendly: Pets are not allowed on the premises, however guide dogs for those with a proven disability will be permitted.
- Carry-ons: All rucksacks and backpacks will be screened at the security checkpoint. Food and drinks are not permitted. For a faster entry process, avoid carrying backpacks or bags.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sagrada Familia Skip the Line Tickets
Q. Yes, there are many ways to skip the line at Sagrada Familia, such as arriving at the venue early, and purchasing your skip-the-line tickets online and in advance.
A. Yes. Skip-the-line tickets are available online for the Sagrada Familia. You can book them here.
A. Sagrada Familia skip the line tickets can range anywhere between EUR 34 to EUR 64, depending on the ticket inclusions. The skip-the-line, guided tour ticket with tower access would be the most expensive.
A. You can purchase Sagrada Familia skip-the-line tickets online. Book the Sagrada Familia tickets here.
A. The queue to purchase tickets at the venue could be 2-3 hours long during the busy months. The skip-the-line tickets would allow you to skip this queue and gain fast-track entry into the monument.
A. Yes, the Sagrada Familia skip the line tickets are absolutely worth it. For a small premium, you would be able to save yourself a few hours standing in line to purchase a ticket, and spend this time inside the Basilica, or visiting other Barcelona historical sites such as Park Guell.
A. Not all skip-the-line tickets include a guided tour. You could opt for the basic skip-the-line ticket, which would allow you to explore at your pace. At a slight premium, you could opt for the ticket with an audio or in-person guide.
A. Yes. When you book a ticket online, you not only get to skip the queue at the ticket counter, but you have a guaranteed entry ticket. Often tickets get sold out and visitors are turned away at the counter despite waiting in line.
A. The waiting time is dependent on various factors, including the month of visit, and the time slot in the day. Waiting time can range from nil to 3 hours.
A. Audio guides are not a default inclusion with skip-the-line tickets. You would have to opt for the ticket type that would include an audio guide.
A. Skip-the-line ticket holders don’t have a separate entrance. Entrances depend on whether you are entering as an individual or a group up to 9 pax, or in a group of up to 30 pax, however, both are from the Nativity Facade.
