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Catalonia Religious & spiritual activities

Our most recommended Catalonia Religious & spiritual activities

Barcelona: Sagrada Familia Entry Ticket with Audio Guide

1. Barcelona: Sagrada Familia Entry Ticket with Audio Guide

Explore Antoni Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia, and discover the beautiful basilica at your own pace. Learn about its history with an included audio guide. Find out firsthand why Gaudi's iconic work — its impressive facades and interior — is one of Spain's most visited monuments. Admire a combination of Gothic and Art Nouveau forms in this UNESCO-listed structure that dominates the Barcelona skyline. Gaudi began working on the true symbol of Barcelona in 1882, and the Sagrada Familia remains a work in progress today. Although unfinished, the basilica remains a must-see. 

Sagrada Familia: Skip-the-Ticket-Line Guided Tour & Ticket

2. Sagrada Familia: Skip-the-Ticket-Line Guided Tour & Ticket

Make your visit to the Sagrada Familia unforgettable with a 1.5-hour guided tour of Gaudí’s masterpiece. See the Basilica’s dream-like façade and interior in a small-group or private tour setting accompanied by an expert guide. During the tour you will learn about the ongoing construction, the current predicted completion date, and the generations of craftspeople, architects and artists learned how to bring Gaudi’s vision to life. Your guide will meet you outside, starting the tour with a little introduction before heading to the Basilica’s entrance. After you’ve headed through security, hear all about the Nativity Façade, the first completed section of the Basilica. Next, you will step into the interior of the Sagrada Familia. Marvel at the world created by the intense colored light from the stained glass windows and the branch-like columns extending over the ceiling. Gaudí intended for the interior to look and feel like a walk through the woods, with the light exuding a sense of sifting through forest leaves.  As you exit the Basilica you will hear about the Passion Façade, representing the story of Jesus’ crucifixion. Experience the drama of the Passion through the tower’s stark and angular sculptures. This façade, like most of the Sagrada Familia, was built after Gaudí’s death.  Head to Sagrada Familia Schools next, designed for the children of the workers building the Sagrada Familia. Hear how it was reconstructed more than once and even moved locations to make way for the Basilica.  Your last stop will be the Sagrada Familia Museum, where your guide will share original sketches and plans with you that demonstrate the complexity of Gaudi's architecture and vision. Find artifacts here from Gaudi’s life and the Basilica's own history, like his upside-down model of the Basilica.

Barcelona: Sagrada Familia Guided Tour with Tower Access

3. Barcelona: Sagrada Familia Guided Tour with Tower Access

Take a guided tour of La Sagrada Familia cathedral with an expert guide, and marvel at Barcelona’s most iconic landmark in the soft light of the morning. On this tour you’ll admire the artwork of Gaudi. Striking for its architectural features and art, the Sagrada Familia is legendary. It was the all-consuming obsession of the modernist architect, Antoni Gaudi. His work on the building began in 1882 and remains unfinished. During the tour your guide will point out the contrasting nativity and passion façades. You’ll also learn about the symbolism and representations of the Holy Family as an expression of Christian ideology, constructed in stone. Note the Christian iconography as you hear about the history of the church. See the angled pillars sprouting like a web of tree branches, holding up the roof. Below the ground is the Museu Gaudi, where you’ll find documentation about Gaudi’s life and work. There is also a crypt where masses are held, and a viewing platform above the burial site of the architect.

Girona: Small Group Walking Tour

4. Girona: Small Group Walking Tour

The ancient walled city of Girona stands on a fortress-like hill, high above the confluence of the Onyar and Ter rivers. As the provincial capital, it has a long and distinguished history. Founded by Iberians, the Romans later named it Gerunda and established it as an important stopping point on the Via Augusta, linking Iberia with Rome. But the most important time for the city was the middle ages, due to its location near the french border the city was under siege several times, so its main buildings are from that time. Girona has the huge 15th century cathedral, boasting the widest unsupported gothic arch in the world which dominates the skyline. Much of the city's attraction lies in exploring the medieval streets, especially around the charming Jewish quarter. In the lower part of the city, you will enjoy spectacular images of steep alleyways and the brightly painted façades of the houses overlooking the Onyar river which provide the most emblematic image of the city.  Among the bridges that span the river are the lightweight Gómez bridge and the Ferreries Velles bridge which was designed by Gustave Eiffel in 1877. Also, if you are interested in The Game of Thrones series, the guide will show the locations where the 6th season was filmed. This extensive visit will show you the most important monuments of Girona, its history, its Jewish heritage and also its legends. Join local guides who know all the secrets of the city.

Barcelona: Fast-Track Sagrada Familia and Towers Guided Tour

5. Barcelona: Fast-Track Sagrada Familia and Towers Guided Tour

Enter the monument and discover the ultimate must-see landmark in Barcelona. Learn about the history and significance of Sagrada Familia from your local guide.  Marvel at the astonishing interior, rich in symbolism and inspired by natural wonders. Walk freely around the nave whilst listening to your guide’s explanations of Gaudí’s masterpiece on your headsets. Take in all the details of the perfect fusion between architecture and spirituality. Tour the outside façades and wonder at the magnificence of details. At the end of your tour, stay inside Sagrada Familia and visit the museum.  Listen as an exhibition of drawings, models and pictures narrates the story of the Basilica. The museum also displays information on Gaudí’s life and career. At the end of the tour, go with your guide to the elevator entrance for you to go up one of the towers by yourself. Admire the panoramic views over Barcelona. 

Barcelona: Cathedral of Barcelona Entry Ticket

6. Barcelona: Cathedral of Barcelona Entry Ticket

Discover the jewel of Barcelona's famed Gothic Quarter with this entry ticket to the Cathedral of Barcelona. Learn about the historical background of this church which was constructed in the 14th and 15th centuries. Begin by going through the external doors of Pieta and Saint Eulalia to enter the cathedral's cloister. Next pass the Romanesque interior door, made of white marble and archivolts decorated with geometric patterns and a Gothic pediment. Wander through the cloister and its four galleries with ogive arches separated by pillars. Gaze at the reliefs sculpted into the pillars of the cloister arches, showing scenes from the Old Testament. Learn about the Holy Cross, and the keystones of the vault depicting scenes from the New Testament. Next take some time to check out the chapels arranged along the three galleries, each initially dedicated to the patron saint of an institution or guild, and placed under the protection of a specific family. Then observe the cloister garden with palm trees, magnolias, an orange tree, and a fountain. Here, the traditional “ou com balla” (dancing egg) takes place each year for the celebration of Corpus Christi. There is a large pond in the cloister that is home to the 13 white geese of the Cathedral. Continue by taking the elevator to the rooftops, through the chapel of the Innocent Saints, next to the door of San Ivo. From the rooftops, gaze upon the two bell towers, the two lateral pinnacles, the cimborio crowned by the Holy Cross, the cloister, and a spectacular panoramic view of Barcelona. After enjoying the rooftop views, visit the historic Chapter Hall, converted into a museum space. This is located under the gallery of the cloister, next to the chapel dedicated to Saint Lucia. Originally, it was the site of a soup kitchen for the poor. Once inside the Chapter Hall, wrap up by checking out the 11th-century lobed baptism font from the former Romanesque temple and the terracotta sculpture of Saint Eulalia by Giuliano di Nofri, from the pediment over the door of Saint Eulalia.

Barcelona: Jewish Quarter 2-Hour Walking Tour

7. Barcelona: Jewish Quarter 2-Hour Walking Tour

Learn the story of the Jewish community in Barcelona on a walking tour of the Gothic Quarter. Listen as a personal guide brings the history to life, and explains how important the Jewish people were to the development of Barcelona through the centuries. Go to Spain's oldest synagogue, and stroll down narrow alleys that date back to the Middle Ages. It is estimated that the Jewish community began to arrive in Spain in the 3rd century, following the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE. Your guide will describe how the Jewish population grew steadily in Barcelona, becoming more and more important politically and spiritually. Learn how the Jewish community lived in relative peace until 1391, when a brutal attack brought a dramatic end to their presence in Spain. Soak up the art and architecture of the ruins of a house owned by a Jewish alchemist, and see the unique Mikve from medieval times. Go to the ruins of the Old Synagogue (Shlomo Ben Adret), and explore the small Jewish Quarter around the Roman walls.

Barcelona: Sagrada Familia Tour with Optional Tower Access

8. Barcelona: Sagrada Familia Tour with Optional Tower Access

Get up close and personal to all the details of the Sagrada Familia on a guided tour. Skip the long lines on arrival, and then learn everything about Antoni Gaudí's masterpiece from your expert guide. Hear how Gaudí was inspired by different aspects of life, such as nature, to create his unique style of architecture. Enter the unfinished basilica and be inspired by the light that enters through the stained glass windows in a timeless atmosphere. Visit all 5 floors of the cathedral, and get access to the tower (if option selected) to enjoy panoramic views of the amazing streets and monuments of Barcelona.

Girona: Jewish Heritage Guided City Tour and Museum Visit

9. Girona: Jewish Heritage Guided City Tour and Museum Visit

Meeting at 10 AM in Plaça de Sant Feliu, begin your guided tour through the Jewish neighborhood of Girona, one of the best-preserved in Europe. This district is located in the heart of the city and is full of ancient remains from its Roman and Medieval past. Known locally as “the Call”, this area was home to 1,000 inhabitants during the Middle Ages, making it one of the most important Jewish communities in Spain's history. As you explore the narrow streets of the Jewish Quarter — hometown of Nahmanides, the Medieval Kabbalistic philosopher, physician and Sephardic rabbi — you'll visit the spots where the city's 3 synagogues were located. During the guided tour you will find out all about the customs and traditions of the Jewish people who lived here, as well as the tools that they used, and the design of their houses. You'll also visit the Museum of Jewish History to learn about their way of life. Your guide will then lead you around the labyrinthine streets while explaining the history of the expulsion of the Jews in 1492, an act that ended 600 years of coexistence. After 3 hours exploring the Call, your tour will come to an end, and you'll have newfound knowledge of the profound influence that the Jewish community left in Girona.

Barcelona: Skip-the-Line Sagrada Familia & Park Güell Tour

10. Barcelona: Skip-the-Line Sagrada Familia & Park Güell Tour

Discover Barcelona through the eyes of the city’s most famous architect: Antoni Gaudí. Join a guided tour of the Sagrada Familia and Parc Güell, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with skip-the-line tickets. Enter via a large staircase dominated by a dragon of mosaic ceramic tiles. Explore the park and learn about this Catalan style, known as “trencadís,” on a guided tour. Admire the 86 Doric columns arranged like trees. Continue by bus to La Sagrada Familia, Gaudí's unfinished basilica in the Eixample district. Skip the lines and step inside the cathedral. Marvel at its vaults that tower 70 meters above, as well as the rich ornamentations of Gaudi's Latin cross plan. Learn about Gaudi’s use of symbolism, and see original drawings and models that follow the construction of the church in the Sagrada Familia Museum.

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What people are saying about Catalonia

Overall rating

4.6 / 5

based on 4,594 reviews

This was one of the highlights of my trip to Barcelona. It was crowded even though we visited in the off season. This was an amazing experience. From the beauty of the stained glass windows to the view from the tower. Rich with religious symbolism I recommend the audio guide and tower access. I am deathly afraid of heights so the trip down the spiral stairs was terrifying. Keep that in mind. Obviously I made it! Next time I will be hiring a professional guide to explain the symbolism and meaning.

These two sites in Barcelona are amazing and seeing them in a small group (only 7 in ours) made a huge difference. It was a very personal tour with a fantastic guide (Jordi or George (in America). He explained so much and included stories that brought the experience of the creation/building to life. He helped (with things like stairs and getting the best photo from certain sites). Plus, he knew a great deal of history and was obviously deeply appreciative of Gaudi's works. He was the best guide!

Easy booking system, you can use the service in advance or on the day. Sagrada Familia is a little overpriced however when you have a beautiful sunny day and you can see how the sunlight is moving through the cathedral window it is all worth it. Breathtaking stonework

Amazing tour!! Tour guide was very knowledgeable and had an awesome personality. Very easy to interact with. Did not feel rushed throughout the tour. Went at a great pace and was able to get amazing photos along the way. Would highly recommend booking this tour!

Excellent tour by an informed guide who was very familiar with the area, the history, and the people around Montserrat. He's a safe driver too. :)