TL;DR
The main experience is the nave: an impossibly tall forest of branching columns filled with stained glass light. You'll also see the apse, crypt (Gaudí's tomb), and museum. Tower access adds panoramic views. Allow 1.5 to 2.5 hours. The moment you step inside, you'll understand why people describe it as unlike anything else on Earth.
Every Zone of the Building
The Nave
40–60 minThe central nave is the heart of the building and the main reason to visit. Gaudí designed the columns to branch like trees, creating a natural canopy overhead. The stained glass — blues and greens on the east, reds and ambers on the west — pours coloured light across every surface. At 45 metres tall, the nave creates a sensation of awe that photographs cannot convey. Take your time here. Sit. Look up.
The Apse
10–15 minBehind the main altar is the apse — the oldest part of the building, dating from the 1880s. The original neo-Gothic style here contrasts with the organic modernisme of the rest of the building. The main altar itself is relatively simple: white stone beneath a canopy hung with chains of wheat and grapes symbolising the Eucharist.
The Crypt
10–15 minDescend to the crypt to see where Antoni Gaudí is buried. The tomb is simple and moving — a plain marble slab in the chapel of Our Lady of Carmen. The crypt predates Gaudí's involvement; it was built by the original architect Francisco de Paula del Villar in the early 1880s. The contrast with the exuberant style above is striking.
The Museum
15–25 minThe museum at the base of the building contains Gaudí's original plaster models (partially reconstructed after the 1936 Civil War fire), architectural drawings, photographs from different construction phases, and models of the structural systems. For anyone interested in architecture or engineering, this is unmissable. The hanging chain catenary models in particular are extraordinary.
The Towers
30–45 minTower access (purchased separately) takes you up by elevator to around 65 metres. From the covered walkways, you look down on the sculpted pinnacles of the lower towers and out over Barcelona to the sea. The descent is via a spiral staircase through the tower's interior — narrow and exhilarating. The view from the top at sunset is one of the best in the city.
The Facades
20–30 minThe Nativity facade (east) and Passion facade (west) are best viewed from outside, across the street. The Nativity facade faces Carrer de Marina and is best in morning light. The Passion facade faces Carrer de Sardenya and is best in afternoon and evening light. Both reward close-up study of the individual sculptures — take time to look at the details rather than just the whole.