Tour Details
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Product Type
- Tour
- Venues
-
- Hospital de Sant Pau
- Sagrada Familia
Photos & Highlights
- A private tour with your party and a local expert at the top of their field, such as Catalan modernism, as you explore Gaudí’s extraordinary masterpiece
- Unique, personal tours for the intentional traveler, Context tours bring you to iconic venues and show you the hidden gems and stories of cities across the world
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Tour Description
Your Sagrada Familia tour begins with the expansive Hospital de Sant Pau. This ambitious structure, designed by top architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner in 1930 and covering nine square city blocks, has served as an active hospital until 2009. After five years of intense renovations, the complex has recently reopened to the public and now houses cultural and academic institutions, such as the United Nations University and Casa Asia. You’ll explore this space, learning about the Modernisme movement, architect Montaner, and Barcelona's urban planning and development since the 1930s.
A short ten-minute walk away is Antoni Gaudí's La Sagrada Família. Still incomplete today, more than ninety years after Gaudí's death, this building stands as one of the single most important works of architecture in Europe—a stunning example of Gaudí's genius (or madness), and the enduring power of his work and vision in Barcelona. After taking on the project in 1883, Gaudí worked on the Sagrada Família until his untimely death in 1926. Your exploration of the basilica, and all of its wondrous interiors, will illustrate its symbolism, aesthetics, design, and how it connected with the Modernisme movement as a whole.
By the end of your Sagrada Família guided tour, you will emerge with a tangible understanding of these two inspired works and recognize their importance in the history of modernist art and architecture, as well as their ongoing significance to the city.
Experts
- You seek to gain a deeper understanding of Barcelona’s world-renowned and once-controversial Art Nouveau architecture—or as it is referred to in Catalonia, Modernisme.
- If you’re a Gaudí’s fan, we recommend you also take a look at our Gaudí Architecture Tour through Barcelona.
- If you’re traveling with children under the age of 12, we recommend our family-oriented Gaudí Tour for Kids.
- Sagrada Familia – An awe-inspiring basilica in Barcelona, Spain, designed by the renowned architect Antoni Gaudí, characterized by its intricate facades and ongoing construction since the late 19th century.
- Hospital de Sant Pau – A magnificent modernist hospital complex that showcases stunning architecture and harmonious integration of art and functionality.
Meeting and Ending Point
- We meet at a café near the Hospital Sant Pau and end at the Sagrada Familia.
- The exact meeting point and map are communicated in your confirmation email.
Tickets
- Includes Skip-the-line tickets to Sagrada Família.
- Please be advised that the Sagrada Família is an exceptionally popular and iconic venue. As it operates with strict capacity limits, tickets can sell out well in advance, particularly during peak travel seasons.
- Our tickets will get us to a special entrance where our group will have to stand in line due to security and crowd control measures.
- To ensure your visit and avoid disappointment, we strongly recommend booking your tickets as early as possible in advance of your planned travel dates.
- Includes admission tickets to Hospital de Sant Pau.
Availability
- Private tours are offered daily.
- Small group tours are offered on select days during the summer months.
Itinerary
- The distance between the two venues is 1 kilometer (just over a half mile, approximately a 15-minute walk), and the surfaces are flat and paved.
Wheelchair accessibility
- The Hospital de Sant Pau is fully accessible and offers wheelchairs for rent.
- Sagrada Família is wheelchair accessible as well.
For more information about Context Tours, please visit our FAQs.
What is the difference between a Small Group and a Private Tour?
Context Travel offers both Private and Small Group Tours. Private tours are booked between your party and a local expert, where you'll be given a private tour of the venue. Small Groups are similar to what you might associate with a typical "walking tour." Capped at a maximum of six per group, you'll be joined by other travelers who have purchased the same tour and tour the venue as a group.
Both offer the same Context experience — an incredibly unique, deep dive into a place or subject led by a world-class expert in their field showing you the highlights of iconic venues alongside hidden gems and surprising stories.
What is the difference between a Small Group and a Private Tour?
Context Travel offers both Private and Small Group Tours. Private tours are booked between your party and a local expert, where you'll be given a private tour of the venue. Small Groups are similar to what you might associate with a typical "walking tour." Capped at a maximum of six per group, you'll be joined by other travelers who have purchased the same tour and tour the venue as a group.
Both offer the same Context experience — an incredibly unique, deep dive into a place or subject led by a world-class expert in their field showing you the highlights of iconic venues alongside hidden gems and surprising stories.
Why can’t I book this tour for more than 8 people?
Our Sagrada Familia tours are capped at 9 due to the venue requiring a special reservation for larger groups, this also helps your tour experience in order to best navigate the museum and crowds. Should you have a larger group, we suggest splitting in to multiple groups.
Do my tickets include access to the Sagrada Familia Towers?
The tickets obtained for this tour do not grant access to the towers. However, on the day of the tour, your guide may be able to help you upgrade your tickets to include tower access – subject to availability. It's important to note that climbing the towers entails navigating numerous stairs and often experiencing significant crowds, making it an experience we do not strongly recommend during peak travel season.
What are Skip-the-Line Tickets?
With skip-the-line tickets for this tour, your admission is pre-purchased, enabling you to bypass the ticket purchasing queue. However, please note that you may still need to wait briefly in a security line or a line for the scanning of your pre-purchased ticket at the cathedral's entrance.
The tickets obtained for this tour do not grant access to the towers. However, on the day of the tour, your guide may be able to help you upgrade your tickets to include tower access – subject to availability. It's important to note that climbing the towers entails navigating numerous stairs and often experiencing significant crowds, making it an experience we do not strongly recommend during peak travel season.
What are Skip-the-Line Tickets?
With skip-the-line tickets for this tour, your admission is pre-purchased, enabling you to bypass the ticket purchasing queue. However, please note that you may still need to wait briefly in a security line or a line for the scanning of your pre-purchased ticket at the cathedral's entrance.
Book with confidence — see Context's flexible cancellation policy here.
Where You'll Start
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670 Reviews
Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.
I recently had the pleasure of taking a private Sagrada Familia and Hospital de Sant Pau Tour with my wife, and I can confidently say that it was one of the best tour experiences we've ever had. A huge part of what made this tour so special was our guide, Monste.
From the very beginning, Monste was incredibly warm, friendly, and engaging. She immediately made us feel comfortable and excited about the day ahead. Her knowledge of both Sagrada Familia and Hospital de Sant Pau was absolutely outstanding. She shared fascinating historical details, architectural insights, and little-known facts that you wouldn’t easily find in a guidebook.
What really set Monste apart was her clear passion for the subject. It was evident that she truly loves sharing the history and beauty of these landmarks, and her enthusiasm was contagious. She took the time to answer all our questions, and her patience and kindness made the experience even more enjoyable.
The skip-the-line tickets were a huge bonus – we were able to bypass the long queues, which made the experience much more enjoyable and efficient. Monste’s guidance through both the Sagrada Familia and the Hospital de Sant Pau was seamless, and we were able to appreciate every detail without feeling rushed.
I would highly recommend this tour, especially with Monste as your guide. Her warmth, kindness, and in-depth knowledge made the experience unforgettable. If you're planning to visit these incredible sites, make sure to book a private tour with her—you won't regret it!
Emil
Mar 15, 2025
This tour is an absolute must!! The Sagrada Familia is nothing short of spectacular. The Hospital De Sant Pau was the tour we didn’t know we needed. Together, they pair nicely. Cayetano was very knowledgable and keeps everyone interested and engaged. It was a family favorite tour for sure! The hospital is truly a gem to visit! The Sagrada Familia will be a place we visit again when we return to Barcelona because it is that amazing. Thank you Cayetano for an enjoyable tour!
Alexis
Mar 11, 2025
Ester provided an informative, well paced and entertaining guided tour. She was very well informed and was easily able to answer all our questions.
Matthew
Mar 10, 2025
Context Experts in Barcelona
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Meet Resi
