A tour around Sagrada Família
Sagrada Família is not just the name of the most famous church in Barcelona. It is also the name of a whole neighbourhood which still keeps the essence of life in the city, even with the hordes of tourists wandering the streets. Get to know the barri!
El Poblet
El Poblet was the name of this neighbourhood back in the day. Until the mid-19th century, this area was part of the town of Sant Martí de Provençals. There were a few masies (farmhouses), but it was mainly composed of humble dwellings - shacks and ground-floor houses - which were concentrated between what now are the streets of Marina and Passeig de Sant Joan. When Gaudí took over the building of the world-famous temple in 1883, Cerdà had already proposed to enlarge the city of Barcelona, and the streets' layout was already in the works. The importance of the “cathedral of the poor” –as it was referred to– was such the whole neighbourhood began to be referred to as Sagrada Família, by extension. Gaudí would only live to see the crypt, the apse and the tower of Saint Barnabas of the Nativity façade because he died run over by a streetcar in 1926.
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Visiting the temple
According to the latest calculations, the church will be completed by 2026. Still, if you plan on visiting the Sagrada Família in Barcelona, there are a few things you should take into account. First, you will need to book tickets. The best way to do this is online. There are several options, depending on whether you are travelling alone, with family and friends or if you want to book a tour or prefer to explore all by yourself. Be warned, though: the price is steep: tickets start at 38€!
It can be a bit cheaper, proportionally, to buy combined tickets to visit Sagrada Família and Parc Güell but be prepared to spend 50€ per person. Children up to 10 years go in for free. If you are on a tight budget, there is also a solution. The temple opens for Sunday mass at 9 in the morning so you can go in for free. You won’t be able to climb the stairs to the towers or access the Museum, and you need to be there early because it fills up very quickly!
It can be a bit cheaper, proportionally, to buy combined tickets to visit Sagrada Família and Parc Güell but be prepared to spend 50€ per person. Children up to 10 years go in for free. If you are on a tight budget, there is also a solution. The temple opens for Sunday mass at 9 in the morning so you can go in for free. You won’t be able to climb the stairs to the towers or access the Museum, and you need to be there early because it fills up very quickly!
So much more than a church…
From the Sagrada Família Church, you can continue your visit to the neighbourhood. First, take Avinguda Gaudí and walk up to the Hospital de Sant Pau, another jewel of Modernist architecture of the city. After that, if you like fleamarkets, walk down to the Encants Vells to find used and new furniture, antiques, clothes, books, fabrics…
There are some food stalls on the upper level of the market if you suddenly get hungry. If you are lucky, you will see an auction, an activity which, according to some sources, dates back to the 14th century. Although you can only purchase something if you have registered in advance and plan to sell whatever you buy in a stall at the market, it is an original thing to do in Barcelona. After Encants, the ultimate visitor's guide to Sagrada Família must include a few of the bodegas to enjoy vermouth, of course! Go to Bodega Carol, where you can savour the torreznos (crispy bacon strips) and enjoy the good music.
Discovering Sagrada Família is so much more than just visiting the church! Give this neighbourhood a chance and enjoy living there!
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There are some food stalls on the upper level of the market if you suddenly get hungry. If you are lucky, you will see an auction, an activity which, according to some sources, dates back to the 14th century. Although you can only purchase something if you have registered in advance and plan to sell whatever you buy in a stall at the market, it is an original thing to do in Barcelona. After Encants, the ultimate visitor's guide to Sagrada Família must include a few of the bodegas to enjoy vermouth, of course! Go to Bodega Carol, where you can savour the torreznos (crispy bacon strips) and enjoy the good music.
Discovering Sagrada Família is so much more than just visiting the church! Give this neighbourhood a chance and enjoy living there!
Sagrada Família is not just the name of the most famous church in Barcelona. It is also the name of a whole neighbourhood which still keeps the essence of life in the city, even with the hordes of tourists wandering the streets. Get to know the barri!
El Poblet
El Poblet was the name of this neighbourhood back in the day. Until the mid-19th century, this area was part of the town of Sant Martí de Provençals. There were a few masies (farmhouses), but it was mainly composed of humble dwellings - shacks and ground-floor houses - which were concentrated between what now are the streets of Marina and Passeig de Sant Joan. When Gaudí took over the building of the world-famous temple in 1883, Cerdà had already proposed to enlarge the city of Barcelona, and the streets' layout was already in the works. The importance of the “cathedral of the poor” –as it was referred to– was such the whole neighbourhood began to be referred to as Sagrada Família, by extension. Gaudí would only live to see the crypt, the apse and the tower of Saint Barnabas of the Nativity façade because he died run over by a streetcar in 1926.
Find your room in Barcelona
Visiting the temple
According to the latest calculations, the church will be completed by 2026. Still, if you plan on visiting the Sagrada Família in Barcelona, there are a few things you should take into account. First, you will need to book tickets. The best way to do this is online. There are several options, depending on whether you are travelling alone, with family and friends or if you want to book a tour or prefer to explore all by yourself. Be warned, though: the price is steep: tickets start at 38€!
It can be a bit cheaper, proportionally, to buy combined tickets to visit Sagrada Família and Parc Güell but be prepared to spend 50€ per person. Children up to 10 years go in for free. If you are on a tight budget, there is also a solution. The temple opens for Sunday mass at 9 in the morning so you can go in for free. You won’t be able to climb the stairs to the towers or access the Museum, and you need to be there early because it fills up very quickly!
It can be a bit cheaper, proportionally, to buy combined tickets to visit Sagrada Família and Parc Güell but be prepared to spend 50€ per person. Children up to 10 years go in for free. If you are on a tight budget, there is also a solution. The temple opens for Sunday mass at 9 in the morning so you can go in for free. You won’t be able to climb the stairs to the towers or access the Museum, and you need to be there early because it fills up very quickly!
So much more than a church…
From the Sagrada Família Church, you can continue your visit to the neighbourhood. First, take Avinguda Gaudí and walk up to the Hospital de Sant Pau, another jewel of Modernist architecture of the city. After that, if you like fleamarkets, walk down to the Encants Vells to find used and new furniture, antiques, clothes, books, fabrics…
There are some food stalls on the upper level of the market if you suddenly get hungry. If you are lucky, you will see an auction, an activity which, according to some sources, dates back to the 14th century. Although you can only purchase something if you have registered in advance and plan to sell whatever you buy in a stall at the market, it is an original thing to do in Barcelona. After Encants, the ultimate visitor's guide to Sagrada Família must include a few of the bodegas to enjoy vermouth, of course! Go to Bodega Carol, where you can savour the torreznos (crispy bacon strips) and enjoy the good music.
Discovering Sagrada Família is so much more than just visiting the church! Give this neighbourhood a chance and enjoy living there!
Discover our rooms in Barcelona
There are some food stalls on the upper level of the market if you suddenly get hungry. If you are lucky, you will see an auction, an activity which, according to some sources, dates back to the 14th century. Although you can only purchase something if you have registered in advance and plan to sell whatever you buy in a stall at the market, it is an original thing to do in Barcelona. After Encants, the ultimate visitor's guide to Sagrada Família must include a few of the bodegas to enjoy vermouth, of course! Go to Bodega Carol, where you can savour the torreznos (crispy bacon strips) and enjoy the good music.
Discovering Sagrada Família is so much more than just visiting the church! Give this neighbourhood a chance and enjoy living there!
