For the fifth consecutive year, the Sagrada Família in Barcelona is opening its doors free of charge to celebrate Santa Eulàlia, the city’s co-patron saint. This rare opportunity comes as the city enters a landmark year of celebrations, marking the centenary of Antoni Gaudí’s death and Barcelona’s designation as the 2026 UNESCO World Capital of Architecture.
As part of the city’s winter festivities, the basilica will waive admission charges for two afternoons in February, enabling both residents and visitors to participate in the festivities, which include parades, human towers, and fire runs across the Catalan capital.
Free access will be available on 14 February from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on 15 February from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Following the close of registration last night, winners are being notified today (9 February) of their success in the online draw, with 8,500 winners being selected. Each winner will receive up to four tickets, enabling families and friends to visit together.
As part of a broader effort by the Sagrada Família to mark next year’s milestones, all Barcelona residents who are not among the 8,500 free ticket winners will be eligible for a 50% discount on tickets throughout 2026, in tribute to the centenary of the Catalan architect who transformed Barcelona’s skyline.
This initiative is one of several events planned for ‘Gaudí Year’ in 2026, which has been declared by the authorities. The Gaudí Council, an advisory body to the Catalan Ministry of Culture, aims to use the anniversary to deepen public understanding of the architect’s legacy and its continued relevance to contemporary urban life.
Construction of the Sagrada Família began in 1882. Despite interruptions caused by war and funding challenges, it is now expected to be completed within the next few years. Last year, the basilica reached its final height of 172.5 metres, making it the tallest church in the world.
“The culmination of the Tower of Jesus, the last of the Basilica’s central towers, will be a historic milestone, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death,” the organisation stated.
The ticket initiative arrives at a delicate moment as Barcelona enters a transformative year, celebrating major architectural milestones while simultaneously attempting to strike a balance with mass tourism. Events planned across all ten districts aim to showcase neighbourhoods beyond the historic centre.
As previously reported by Travel Tomorrow, city authorities recently announced measures to curb the so-called ‘selfie circus‘ that forms daily around the basilica, where crowds gathering for photos have increasingly disrupted local life. To ease congestion, the city has invested €2.7 million in creating an ‘anteroom’ square on Carrer de la Marina, which is designed to better manage visitor flows. Completion is expected by April 2026, just in time for the main centenary events and the crowds that will surely flock to the city ahead of the UIA World Congress of Architects.
The Sagrada Família attracts close to five million visitors annually, with tickets normally costing between €26 and €40, depending on the type of visit.
