Friend won't go to "building site"

[ChedderGorgeous]

My friend and I are due to go away "somewhere in europe" at Easter. We had agreed on a city break. Lots of options were discussed and we settled on Barcelona where neither of us have been. Flights booked but no accommodation yet. One of the sites we discussed being excited to see is la sagrada familia.

In conversation, I mentioned that it seemed crazy to us, living in 2024 that it had taken 140 yrs to complete and still wasn't quite built, but in the past this was the norm for cathedrals. My friend was more silent for the rest of the convo and today she asked if we could actually rebook for someone else as she didn't fancy going to a "building site" on her holiday (she particularly likes to visit cathedrals wherever she goes). Wtf? I've tried explain to her that it won't be like the quarry of the HS2 extension there, but she is insistent that she only sees a cathedral in "all its glory".

I'm so frustrated with her (given flights are already booked) that quite frankly I'm going to cancel. AIBU?

What kind of cathedral buff wouldn’t 1) know this about Sagrada Familia and 2) want to see it anyway? Even my primary school age kids know this stuff.

The Sagrada Familia is just amazing and Gaudi's architecture and how it is so embedded in the fabric of the city is spectacular. So silly to miss out on Barcelona because of this weird idea. Barcelona is a great place but, if you do have to change, I would recommend Seville. It has an amazing (and huge) cathedral with the tomb of Christopher Columbus and La Gironda tower with great views over the city. The Alcazar palace is just stunning and the Plaza de Espana is a great spot too. The old town is also great for evening tapas.

I’ve travelled a lot. Particularly around Europe. Barcelona is my least favourite place in the whole of the world that I’ve visited. Closely followed by Paris.

But your friend is silly to cancel the whole trip based on the cathedral. The lines are often hours long though fyi. It’s like Disney World.

@PeppermintMandy What are your favourite European cities?

We were there in October. It's amazing and I wouldn't have missed it. Some scaffolding, not loads and it didn't spoil it for us. As other posters said it is busy and you should book tickets ahead online for timed entry - the day we went it was sold out to people who just turned up to queue. We also went up one of the towers, which again we booked ahead for, and that was less impressive and I probably wouldn't do that again. We loved Barcelona, there is so much to see and do so even if your friend won't go to La Sagrada Familia there is plenty more she can do while you visit it. The cathedral is also interesting if that is what she likes but honestly I can't remember much about it now whereas La Sagrada Familia was so stunning and unique. Park Guell I would also recommend. We went in the afternoon and it was really hot and busy even in October, so maybe go early - again book timed entrance online, mornings sold out quickly when we went.

Best to book ahead on line I think. We visited Barcelona a few years ago but we had only gone for the day. We were staying elsewhere in Catalonia and travelled to Barcelona by train.

We went Sagrada Familia, walked all around the outside boggling at it. But then when we went to join the queue we found the only spaces still available that day were in the evening and we couldn't stay that long as we had a train to catch. Very disappointed to miss it.

So if you do go OP book ahead.

Better she doesn't go than screams when she sees it!

😂

Wowwwww you would end an entire friendship because she had one preference you don't agree with? Bloody hell

@Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain You’re embarrassing yourself.

This was uncalled for! PP is just as entitled to share her opinion on here as you are. Grow up

It'll never be finished - it's like a fractal. Therein its glory.

Is this you and your friend @ChedderGorgeous, Planning a trip ???

You've booked the flights FFS. Tell her you're not prepared to change destination.

Tell her it may not be finished in her lifetime and it would be her loss. Barcelona is a spectacular city and La Sagrada Familia a must see. If she does not want to see it go by yourself, you won’t regret it.

Someone may have said this already but surely the 14 th century gothic cathedral is still there in the barrio gotica. It was when I was last there .

Well that's pathetic, it's beautiful.All she has to do is google it
Could it be an excuse perhaps to cancel the trip, and she doesn't like to say the real reason.
I couldn't wait to see it.
Hope you get it sorted

Says you. They’re still building it. On site. There’ll be heaps of bricks and sand and stuff lying around. And builders and diggers. Will look a mess. Just wait until it’s finished next year?

Says you.

I had a running joke with a friend once that they seemed to put up scaffolding when they heard I was coming, as nearly every church and cathedral I went to was in scaffolding!

La Sagrada Familia is worth visiting anyway. But there's lots else to see in Barcelona as well.

Berlin, Vienna, Madrid, Copenhagen, Munich, Edinburgh, Strasbourg, Florence, Lijublijana (Lake Bled), Valletta.

Thank you for your replies. Based on your feedback, we have had a pre holiday "chat and nibbles" eve and decided that:

• I want to see Sagrada familia
• She does not want to be in Barcelona when I see it as it will ruin her experience of "seeing it in all its completed glory"
• She will therefore fly out 2 days after me (and change her flights ) and leave me the start of the holiday to see it
• We will also visit other Cathedrals in Barcelona.

I'm tired from the conversation tbh, but at least there is a plan now.

She does not want to be in Barcelona when I see it as it will ruin her experience of "seeing it in all its completed glory"

WTAF

I think it's a Greggs now.

😂

And by the way, she's clearly a bit bonkers. But at least you don't lose out, in experience or in hard cash. I'm glad it's sorted, however weirdly.

You can’t argue with stoopid