SomewhereOutThere

We will be in Barcelona for 3 days in May. I plan to purchase advance tickets for Sagrada Familia and am trying to decide whether to visit at a time when they offer an English tour (11:00 or 1:00) OR visit later in the day, probably around 5:00 and rent the audioguide (early morning is not an option). Has anyone taken the English tour? If you had it to do again, would you build your schedule around making the English tour, or go at another time & rent the audioguide? Appreciate your input.

Dukey1

Why is renting an audioguide early in the day not an option? Not available or because of the early hour?

Having been to the place several times I would go as early as POSSIBLE, especially during tourist season.

SomewhereOutThere

Dukey1 - My comment that early morning is not an option meant that we will not be sightseeing early in the morning, as we are planning to stay up late every evening. We understand there will be crowds during the day & plan to buy advance tickets for a specific timeframe to shorten our time in a que. Since I'm planning to buy the tickets now, I need to decide whether to plan around the English tour, or go when it works best in our schedule & rent the audioguide. Have you taken the tour or used the audioguide? Any opinion on those?

uhoh_busted

We didn't use a tour or an audio guide to look at Sagrada Familia...there is plenty information available from guidebooks and you are going to spend most all your time gazing up anyway To be honest, my husband had checked out several Gaudi books from the library, so we had studied up on it all before we left home. It's not like you'll get him confused with any other architect! Do check out the small building outside the cathedral. Just my opinion...I think the audio guide would certainly be sufficient.

Dukey1

Thanks for the response. I agree that the audioguide should be sufficient; there are printed explanation cards near the static inside exhibits, too.

Also agree that you'll be spending a lot of time "looking up" and I would suspect that not waiting in the long ticket lines will make things more pleasant.

Kwoo

We used the audioguides & found them very helpful. I recommend them & don't think it's necessary to take an English-speaking tour, unless it fits in with your schedule. We were in line by 8:45AM in October & waited no more than 15 minutes. The first day we arrived around 10:30am & the line wrapped around Sagrada Familia, so we left & returned earlier the next day. I personally like using audioguides; you learn so much more rather than just relying on guidebooks, etc.

euromom

We did this 2 years ago and found the audioguides fantastic, no need for English tour.

SomewhereOutThere

Thanks to all for the info - We'll book a timeslot that works best in our schedule & will go with the audioguides.

MiamiBeachMomma

For those who bought the tickets in advance online -
I am going to buy my tickets online in advance - but we arent sure about the audio for all of us - can you buy the audioguide once your there without waiting in the line??