Accessible La Sagrada Familia Barcelona
Accessibility :
Accessible Building (except towers),
Free entry (1 companion too),
Accessible Toilets
Further Info
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For details of other wheelchair accessible hotels, wheelchair-friendly eating and drinking options and wheelchair accessible attractions in central Barcelona, see the Accessible Barcelona Guide
Accessible La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona
Antoni Gaudí’s La Sagrada Familia is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Barcelona.
So it gets busy.
Very busy.
And as the day goes on, it just gets busier. So get there as early as possible.
And if you plan to walk to La Sagrada Familia, by following the Barcelona Sagrada Familia DIY Walking Tour route, then you really should be at Mirador torre Glòries when it opens at 10am (9:30am from October to March). This means that you won’t arrive at La Sagrada Familia much before noon at the very earliest though (when La Sagrada Familia will already be busy).
However, if you are starting the Barcelona Sagrada Familia DIY Walking Tour from La Sagrada Familia itself, then you really should be at La Sagrada Familia when it opens at 9am.
Wheelchair users (and one companion/assistant) enjoy FREE admission to La Sagrada Familia. But there’s a reason for this:
The free admission is partly explained by the limited access to La Sagrada Familia. Thanks to ramps everywhere, La Sagrada Familia is a very accessible building (although some ramps are pretty steep).
On the ground floor only though.
You will be able to go everywhere on the ground floor, but even although there are two lifts which ascend the towers (which in theory would make the towers of La Sagrada Familia accessible to wheelchair users), there is a “one-way system” in operation at the towers: a lift takes visitors up, they then have to descend via the stairs though. And La Sagrada Familia visitors in wheelchairs will simply not be allowed onto the lift in the first place (nor visitors on crutches – and even La Sagrada Familia visitors with strollers/pushchairs).
Getting to La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona using Public Transport
Metro:
La Sagrada Familia has its very own Metro station (called, unsurprisingly, “La Sagrada Familia” Metro station) on Lines L2 & L5.
And there is some excellent news for wheelchair users:
La Sagrada Familia Metro station is wheelchair accessible. But, more than just that, the accessible entrance/exit of Line L2 trains (the “Mallorca-Marina” exit), is directly opposite the accessible entrance to the actual La Sagrada Familia building. There is also an accessible exit for L5 trains (the “Provença / Avinguda Gaudí” exit), but the lift leaves you slightly further away from the wheelchair accessible entrance of the La Sagrada Familia.
Bus:
The entire Barcelona bus network has been fully wheelchair accessible since 2007.
And all public buses in Barcelona have driver-operated retractable wheelchair ramps, and dedicated spaces for wheelchair users.
However, nothing beats the perfectly positioned exit of the La Sagrada Familia Metro station on Line L2.
Taxi:
Except maybe a taxi.
Possibly more expensive though, but a million times more comfortable – so maybe the added expense is really worth it here?
There’s no single telephone number to request an accessible taxi in Barcelona though (there are loads of different taxi cab operators in Barcelona – and although they all operate the same distinctive black and yellow cars, they all use different telephone numbers).
One of the biggest taxi operators in Barcelona who have wheelchair accessible taxis though is Taxi Amic (they have 53 accessible taxis in Barcelona).
Accessible taxis can be requested directly from a form on their website too, but you still have to confirm this with a telephone call (most of your information will have been sent already though, so the language barrier is minimised).
Your Barcelona hotel should also be able to arrange an accessible taxi for you too though (and will be able to give you a number to call to request a return journey – it may be easier for your hotel just to arrange a return time at the start though).
NEW: There is a relatively new app that you can use to hail an accessible Barcelona taxi using your mobile phone. And as you don’t have to speak to an actual person, there is no language barrier to get in the way at all here. And there is an option to request an accessible taxi only. The name of the app is AMB Mobilitat (Picmi). Available on both the Google Play & Apple App Store.
More “mini-ranks” are being added in 2023 too.
Accessible Entrance to La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona
There is a separate accessible entrance to La Sagrada Familia.
It’s actually at the rear of the building – beside the La Sagrada Familia giftshop.
Queues here are much smaller (if any at all if you go early in the day).
Entrance is free for wheelchair users – and one companion/assistant. Proof of disability is required though – and this requirement is strictly enforced (Blue Badges are accepted as proof).
Accessible Toilets at La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona
Wheelchair accessible toilets are available in La Sagrada Familia. The ramp outside the accessible toilet is quite steep though.
Accessible Cafe/Restaurant at La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona
There’s no eating or drinking facilities within La Sagrada Familia itself (it’s a working church after all – it’s only one of the most popular visitor attractions in Barcelona because it is such a stunning building, and because the building was designed by Antoni Gaudí).
There are plenty of cafes and restaurants in the surrounding streets though. However, as with many of the most popular visitor attractions anywhere in the world, the “cost:quality ratio” improves the further away from La Sagrada Familia you go (and you’ll have to go pretty far before the photographic menus end). If you’re following the Barcelona Sagrada Familia DIY Walking Tour route, then I would simply advise stopping at a cafe or restaurant somewhere between La Sagrada Familia and the next destination at the “La Monumental” bull-ring.
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For details of other accessible visitor attractions, accessible events, and accessible eating and drinking options in Barcelona, see the Accessible Barcelona Guide
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Thank you – and enjoy your visit to Barcelona!
Video credit: La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, timelapse video: La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona (Youtube).
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