Private Guided Visit to La Sagrada Família, Barcelona

Visiting the Sagrada Família isn't like popping into any old church. This incredible monument requires at least two hours to really absorb its history, architecture, and cultural impact. One of the best ways to view Antoni Gaudí's masterpiece is with the help of a private guide who can offer details not easily seen on your own. But what makes this experience better is the early entrance, meaning your guide will walk you around the monument's three facades and through its interiors without the typical crowds.

You'll start by meeting your guide near the Nativity Façade, built between 1894 and 1930 and the only exterior Gaudí saw completed. Notice all the intricacies, including marble animals, trees of life, doves, and more. Your guide will explain how it all comes together to represent the birth of Christ and symbolize the three stages of life: birth, vitality, and light (afterlife). But this is just one of three facades, so follow your guide around the building as you learn about the others: Passion and Glory. Passion represents the stages of Jesus, including passion, death, and resurrection, and Glory is all about Christ's eternal life in heaven.

Next, follow your guide into the church's interiors with exclusive early access. Notice the architect's signature geometric shapes and love of colors in the stained glass windows. Your guide will also highlight how he used natural elements in his design. Check out the apse (the half-domed roof), which creates the shape of trees and their crowns, and the Crypt Of The Expiatory Temple, the oldest part of the church with a beautiful neo-Renaissance design. After scouring this historic treasure, you'll end by climbing to the top of the tower known as the Torre de la Pasión for one of the best panoramic views of Barcelona.