Best time to visit Sagrada Familia: How to avoid crowds, take great photos

Sagrada Familia is not just Barcelona’s but also Spain’s most visited attraction, drawing around 5 million tourists annually.

In fact, an estimated 30,000 visitors enter the gates of Antoni Gaudi’s masterpiece daily during the summer months.

With such a massive surge of crowds making a beeline to the church, tourists are naturally curious to know when is the best day and hour to visit the church.

Here’s everything you need to know about the best time to visit Sagrada Familia.

What’s ahead

Best time for taking photographs

Best time to avoid the crowd

If you want to avoid the crowd, the best time to visit the Sagrada Familia is as soon as it opens at 9 am. The period from 9 am to 11 am is relatively less crowded.

During the peak months (April to September), the longest waiting lines are seen between 11 am and 1 pm.

After lunchtime, the crowd thins down, and the queues shorten.

This is another of those best times to visit the basilica.

However, it can become challenging standing in the church’s lines due to the hot sun.

If you can’t brave the Spanish sun, which is really harsh during the summer months, try being in the ticketing queue by 5 pm.

That being said, there is a high possibility of the day’s tickets being sold off by 5 pm. So we always recommend booking your Sagrada Familia tickets online.

Best time to see Sagrada Familia interiors

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Image: Viabam.com

The best time to see Sagrada Familia cathedral’s interiors is when the sun sets, between 5 pm and 6 pm.

Why so? Because the evening light shining through the intricately stained glass makes the church’s interiors appear dream-like.

Many tourists, as a matter of fact, plan their visit to coincide with the Golden Hour.

Once you have marveled at and photographed the interiors, you can attend the Holy Mass at the Crypt Altar at 6 pm.

Want to go up the towers?
Purchase the Sagrada Familia Tower ticket and explore it yourself, or hire a local expert to take you around. If you only want to explore the church, get the regular admission ticket.

Best time to go up the Sagrada Familia towers

If you plan to go up one of the Sagrada Familia towers, you need a Tower ticket first. Here are the best two times to go up the church’s towers.

Sagrada Familia Towers in the morning

The best time to go up the towers is between 9 am to 11 am.

Make sure you reach the venue before the crowds start trickling in. You’ll have to spend at least 15 minutes to collect your audio guide (if there’s a queue) before heading up the tower.

You could encounter a short queue near the elevator taking you up to either the Nativity or Passion Tower before 11 am. This queue’s strength doubles up as the day progresses.

After you take the elevator and view the tower and the scenes from above, you must climb down some 400-odd stairs.

Before 11 am, you won’t need much time to walk down the stairs.

If you’re a heliophile—someone who loves sunlight, 10.30 am to 11.30 am is one of the best times to see the sun’s rays streaming through the stained-glass windows.

Sagrada Familia Towers in the afternoon

If you missed the time slot mentioned above, the next best time to reach the attraction would be 3 pm.

Once again, start your tour by going up the towers and enjoying the sunlit views of the city.

Just so you know, during this time of the day, there is a slightly longer queue at the elevators.

Even climbing the stairs can be slow because of the crowd walking ahead of you.


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Monday: Best day of the week

Sagrada Familia is one of the very few attractions in Barcelona that remain open on the first day of the week

Most Barcelona attractions (and some restaurants, too) remained closed on Mondays. As such, tourists assume that the Sagrada Familia, too, is closed on Mondays.

Mondays at Sagrada are, thus, relatively less crowded and ideal for visiting with family, kids, and seniors. 

We suggest booking your Sagrada Familia tickets in advance to avoid queues (both long and short) and enter the Basilica right away.

Worst time to visit Sagrada Familia

12 pm to 3 pm is the most crowded time at Sagrada Familia, irrespective of the season.

This is on account of large school groups, cruise liners, and bus tour tourists all entering the church around noon.

The queue at the ticketing counters is long, and this translates to long lines for the elevators, too (when you go up the towers).

If you’re staying in Barcelona long enough, we suggest avoiding the 12 pm to 3 pm slot.

Did You Know?
The cost of your Sagrada Familia ticket funds the work still needed to complete the Sagrada Familia, making you a co-creator in Antoni Gaudí’s masterpiece!

Best time for taking photographs

Sagrada Familia stained glass windows in the morning lightPin
Image: Goodfon.com

Sagrada Familia is so beautiful that you can take photographs whenever you want.

That being said, some hours, particularly, are better than the rest. For instance, there are two slots that are great for taking photos at Sagrada Familia.

The first of these slots is from 10.30 to 11.30 am, when the sunlight enters the Basilica at a specific angle, engulfing the Sagrada in hues of gold, yellow, and red.

The second slot is from 5 pm to 6 pm when the subdued rays of the sun stream sheepishly. Many tourists consider the evening time better due to the peace and quiet, as well as the dwindling crowds.

If you are a seasoned photographer, any time is good for photoshoots of the Basilica from outside.

We recommend the morning slot if you plan to go up the Nativity facade tower; with the sun behind you, you will be able to click numerous good pictures.

There is no specific good time to take excellent photos of the Passion facade; this makes it a hit with photographers who don’t have a specific time frame in mind.


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Researched & written by
Jamshed is a versatile traveler, equally drawn to the vibrant energy of city escapes and the peaceful solitude of remote getaways. On some trips, he indulges in resort hopping, while on others, he spends little time in his accommodation, fully immersing himself in the destination. A passionate foodie, Jamshed delights in exploring local cuisines, with a particular love for flavorful non-vegetarian dishes. Favourite Cities: Amsterdam, Las Vegas, Dublin, Prague, Vienna

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