One of the most famous churches in the world is Gaudi's unfinished Sagrada Familia. The church is so widely visited, it has its own metro stop in Barcelona.
Even coming out of the metro, you are greeted with art.
As with any popular tourist destination, it's wise to buy your tickets online because the line in the rain was four blocks long on a weekday in the Winter. Count on at least an hour wait on week-ends and in the Summer.
Another option is to buy a tour which allows you entry through a special gate with much shorter lines.
Since I didn't take my own advice to purchase my entry in advance, I literally walked around the entire structure
astounded by the details.
There was a much shorter line at the Cathedral of Barcelona,
and since it is in the middle of a neighborhood, there was an antique market in the square facing the church.
The style here is classically gothic, both outside
and inside.
This is not just a tourist destination, but an actual church, with prayer areas and confessionals, so a strict dress code is enforced (no shorts, bare arms, or tank tops), and student groups may not enter through the main gate. There are areas where no pictures or videos are permitted, so if you go please respect the rules as a guest here.
The astounding amount of gold in every one of the niches
was bedazzling to behold.
The stained glass on a rainy gray day
added a warm colorful light to the interior.
This section in the center of the church was off limits to visitors and from the map it looks like it is where the choir sits
with an elaborate staircase to the upper portion.
My favorite part was the cloister
with stone sculptures
and 13 geese :)
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