Barcelona’s Sagrada Família is Antoni Gaudí’s unfinished basilica and the defining landmark of the Eixample district. Construction began in 1882, and Gaudí took over the project the following year, devoting the last decades of his life to it. When he died in 1926, only a fraction of the church was complete; generations of architects have since continued the work using his drawings and models.
The interior is reason enough to visit. Columns branch like trees beneath vaults shaped by Gaudí’s experiments with natural geometry, while stained glass washes the nave in changing colour. Morning light brings out the greens and blues of the Nativity side; later in the day, warm reds and golds glow on the Passion side. Outside, the richly carved Nativity façade contrasts with Josep Maria Subirachs’s stark, angular scenes of Christ’s Passion.
Book Sagrada Família tickets in advance, especially in peak season, and choose an early entry if you want a quieter look at the nave. Tower access requires a separate ticket option and involves stairs, so check the accessibility details before booking. The audio guide is worth using: it helps decode the symbolic creatures, biblical scenes and geometric details that are easy to miss.