Barcelona is getting ready for its winter festival and, as is now tradition, the city is full of events that allow us to rediscover our own treasures. Among giants, ‘correfocs’ and castells, there is one event that marks the February calendar every year: the opportunity to enter the Sagrada Família for free. To mark the feast day of Santa Eulàlia, the temple has announced that it will once again be joining in the celebrations of its co-patron saint with its eagerly awaited Open Days.
This is no ordinary visit. It is an opportunity to stroll under Gaudí’s forest of columns as the afternoon light begins to color the stained-glass windows, as this year ‘s visits are concentrated in the evening hours of the weekend of February 14 and 15. A total of 8,500 tickets have been made available to the public, a generous number but, knowing the pace of the city, they tend to fly faster than the pigeons in Plaza Cataluña.
How to participate in the ticket draw
To avoid the endless queues that used to surround the block on Carrer Marina, the system is once again a digital draw. The process is simple but there are key dates that should not be forgotten. Those interested can register via a form on the Basilica’s official website or on its social media pages. The registration period is now open and will close on February 8 at 9:00 p.m.
Once registration is closed, luck will decide who the lucky ones are. The names of the winners will be published on February 9, giving them enough time to organize their visit. The scheduled times are Saturday, February 14, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Sunday, February 15, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
A classic of the Santa Eulàlia festivities
This initiative is now in its fifth consecutive year, establishing itself as one of the highlights of the cultural program for the ‘Laia’ festivities. While the streets of the Gothic Quarter are filled with more traditional events, such as the procession of the giant Laia and the sardana dances, the Sagrada Família offers this architectural counterpoint that allows residents to reclaim a space that often seems reserved solely for tourists.
Beyond being free of charge, these open days are a good excuse to take a closer look at the progress of the work, which is now entering its final stages with the completion of the Tower of Jesus Christ. If you fancy feeling like a tourist in your own city without breaking the bank, this is the sign you’ve been waiting for to try your luck.