Barcelona is one of Spain’s most popular cities with some 27 million annual visitors, and you can be pretty sure that the vast majority of those visitors pop by the Sagrada Familia. This church, yet unfinished despite work on it having started in 1882, is Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi’s masterpiece.
The basilica is a construction of superlatives, from its ongoing construction — lasting already longer than the pyramids took to be built — to its being the tallest religious building in Europe, with its spires reaching 566 feet. It is Gaudi’s place of burial and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Inspired by nature and set in stone, it is said that, without modern technology and computer imaging, the end of construction would not be in sight yet.
So, obviously, the Sagrada Familia is on your to-do list for Barcelona. But with everybody else having it on their list, too, there is only one way to really enjoy it: after hours.
I was lucky enough to be invited on a press opportunity as one of the first visitors to experience the newly launched GetYourGuide Originals Sunset tour of the Sagrada Familia. Here is why this tour is such a special treat.
An After-Hours Start
It was 8 p.m. and the heat of the day was slowly reducing, the sun starting to think about setting, and the gates to the Sagrada Familia had been locked, with the last visitors lingering outside. My little group of 10 people stood by the entrance when security came, unlocked the gates, and ushered us in. Before even setting foot in the basilica, this felt like a true privilege. As I entered the interior, I just gasped. I had not been to the main church before, only the crypt, and while the Sagrada Familia has a stunning exterior, the inside just takes your breath away.
Eyes were being drawn upward to the roof of the church, which is not really a roof. Instead, it feels like there is no end to it, with the spires growing from the ceiling and the vast columns and lights making for an organic-feeling spectacle; as if you were in a cave with nature all around. But, I guess, that is Gaudi for you.
Wandering around with our guide, the small group was looking a little lost in the space, without the crowds, and with only the Sagrada Familia’s organist, Juan de la Rubia, approaching.
Musical Treats Along The Way
The basilica as it is now has two sets of organ pipes, two keyboards, and 30 pedals. It is a formidable instrument, but one that will increase in size and grow in different locations, even up to the location Gaudi himself had envisaged for the organ. De la Rubia told us of the privilege of being the Sagrada Familia’s organist and how he comes to the church after hours to practice.
He said that people start lining up at 7 a.m. on a Sunday to attend 9 a.m. mass when he plays the organ high up in the rafters. He played a piece by Bach written for the organ, and then another, while we sat spellbound on the pews. But despite the concert, everybody’s eyes kept roaming away from the organist to take in the multi-faceted interior with all its little quirks and design details.
Catching A Light Spectacle
With the sunset approaching, we checked out the various stained-glass windows. In the west, the windows are stained in shades of yellow, orange, and red, while in the east, the colder colors, such as greens and blues, dominate. This is Gaudi’s design to enhance the colder sunrise’s light from the east, while at sunset, the lower, flowing Sun sets fire to the red-hue windows, basking the interior in warm light.
Each window is inscribed with the names of saints and their locations. People tend to stop to try and maybe find their names, if related to a saint, or their homeland’s name on the windows.
Up In The Rafters
Despite there being some handsome spiral-stone staircases leading up to the choir seating areas, we took the modern elevator on what I suppose could be called the church’s first floor. Whisking us up at an impressive speed, views of the aisle and the church’s columns zoomed past too fast to really appreciate. But stepping out onto the balcony, with the aisle far below, the size of the choir seating becomes obvious. Here, there is capacity for a choir holding 1,000 people. De la Rubia explained that he had played the organ with a choir of 800 voices singing and the sheer thought of it made me shiver. It’s a shame, really, that this experience only includes organ music.
As we headed back down again, toward the exit, the roughly 1.5-hour-long private tour seemed to have flown by. Outside, the setting Sun had turned the sky a dark pink, and the tall columns and surreal spires of the Sagrada Familia contrasted eerily with its surroundings. This really is a weird but wonderful place; especially without any other tourists around.
Winning The Lottery
This very special after-hours tour is truly unique, so special indeed, that you will have to win a lottery to enjoy it exclusively. GetYourGuide has organized three dates this summer when these tours will take place: July 3, July 10, and August 4. Enter your details, and you have the chance to win two tickets for that day, free of charge. You just need to be in Barcelona and turn up.
But, if you do not win, there are still ways of enjoying the Sagrada Familia with fewer people, such as the Sagrada Familia: Fast Track Access Guided Tour and the Barcelona: Sagrada Familia Tour with Optional Tower Access (remember, there is a lift).
More Private Gaudi Tours
If you love Gaudi, then you really ought to also head to Casa Mila, also called La Pedrera. This once privately owned house along Passeig de Gracia was Gaudi’s last project before concentrating his efforts on the Sagrada Familia. The building is stunning and the exclusive Before Hours Tour allows you to see the original apartments and enjoy the views from the rooftop — all the way to Sagrada Familia without anybody standing in your way.
Verdict
This is a truly breathtaking experience and even more special because of its exclusivity. Try and win your ticket for this summer and look out for a repeat performance next summer.