The best way to discover Santa Maria del Mar

Many citizens consider Santa Maria del Mar one of the most beautiful churches in Barcelona. The basilica, located in La Ribera neighbourhood, was built between 1329 and 1383, and it stands out for being the only large, totally finished Gothic church in Catalonia. In order to grasp the importance of Santa Maria del Mar, the church hosts three different guided tours depending on your interests.

First, you can take advantage of the church’s architecture to enjoy 360-degree views of the city with the guided tour around the tower and roofs. An expert will tell you about all the details in the building’s construction, and you’ll be able to see the rose window, buttresses and stained-glass windows up close, while getting a sense of how Barcelona was shaped by peering at it from a unique height. This tour is offered Monday through Wednesday at different times depending on the language, and it costs 8.5 euros.

You can also choose a complete tour, in which a guide will take you around not only the tower and roofs but also the entire building to show aspects that were only recently discovered, as well as visiting the places that are usually closed to the public. This tour is offered Monday through Saturday and it costs 10 euros.

Finally, the most exclusive tour comes when the basilica’s doors are closed, in the Capvespres a Santa Maria del Mar (Evenings at Santa Maria del Mar). With a small group guided by an expert, you will visit the entire church at night, when it is the quietest, walking through its inside and its towers and roofs. This tour is offered from 18 May to 28 September, Thursday to Saturday at different times, and it costs 17.50 euros.

You can find all the tours on the church’s website.