Barcelona - Sagrada Familia ticket timing

[Nicki828]

We will visiting Barcelona on our upcoming cruise and have purchased Hop on Hop off tickets through Barcelona City Tour. The one place we have decided to pre purchase tickets to is Sagrada Familia, but we are uncertain on what time we should book tickets for. Would appreciate any advice.

[renroc13]

We are going to prebook tickets and will probably look at the 9 915 and take a taxi there. I believe you can pick up the on off bus along any route. The lines begin to fill and I have read if you get the early tickets pretimed it will not be as busy at the will call window. We have seen it several times the past 15 years but have decided to tour it this trip. So many changes since the first time we saw it.

 

Karen

[plan09]

When we used the HOHO we were surprised that the bus didn't arrive to our stop until much later then their 9am start time if you intend to use the hoho to get you there watch the timing.

[Nicki828]

When we used the HOHO we were surprised that the bus didn't arrive to our stop until much later then their 9am start time if you intend to use the hoho to get you there watch the timing.

 

Yeah. That's why we aren't sure what time to book. We don't want to book too early or too late. We figure it will be one of our earlier stops.

[orangearmy]

We did this when we were in Barca in May. We pre-bought tickets for 10:00 but due to the Ho Ho buses being very busy did not get to the Sagrada till close to 10:30. They let us in; not a problem although we were concerned that we would not get in. We left the ship around 9:00 (used the port shuttle). Bought our Ho Ho tickets and caught the bus which went up to Plaza de Catalunya. There we had to get off the bus, cross the square & que up to catch another bus which went up to The Sagrada. Long line and had to wait at least for one bus to fill before we got on. So in conclusion, had we known about the way the Ho Ho buses ran, we would have booked our tour for 10:30. By the way, we used the audio guides for the tour and the tour started from the opposite end of the cathedral rather then where we entered the building.

[rmurray847]

By the way, we used the audio guides for the tour and the tour started from the opposite end of the cathedral rather then where we entered the building.

 

Audio tour is certainly worth the extra expense, in my opinion. Not sure how you will work out the HOHO situation (personally, I'd consider just taking a cab...they aren't too expensive in Barcelona). But pre-purchase is a must. We got there around 10, and already the line (this was in mid-August) was halfway around the church. It's a nice feeling to look at that long line of hot, sweaty, ill-prepared tourists and then stroll up to the window, get your ticket, buy your audio guide and be on your way! (Yes, that's not very charitable of me...but I do like when my pre-planning pays off!).

 

Sagrada is a fantastic place to visit. The museum below is excellent. If you want to do something extra like make the trip to the top, you have to buy those in advance as well. That was something I DID NOT know in advance, and so we had to forgo it, because the next available spot was 2 hours from the time we arrived.

[kazu]

I would also take a cab to Sagrada (which we did last time). Once you are done, if you have HO HO tickets, you could then hop on and start your tour, no?

 

It would alleviate any stress and the cab was not that much money.

[campolady]

We did this when we were in Barca in May.

 

A word to the wise - the locals don't like the city being called Barca. Barca is the name for the Football Club not the city.

 

Just a tip - I am not criticizing you.

Edited September 5, 2015 by campolady

[cc_rider]

I would also take a cab to Sagrada (which we did last time)....

Is a cab the better choice over the Metro? Seems like Drassanes to Diagonal to Sagrada would be pretty easy.

Edited September 16, 2015 by cc_rider