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There are many incredible sights to see around the world, but they have one thing in common: they're relics of the past, often built thousands of years ago and preserved over time for their historical significance.

However, there's one major attraction that's the complete opposite; it's a work in progress. Parts of it are still shrouded with scaffolding and tarps, and as you wander around you occasionally hear the sounds of power tools as the structure endlessly grows.

The Sagrada Família in Barcelona is a landmark most people are familiar with, and in the past year, there have been a number of rumors swirling that 2026 will be when it is finally finished. After all, it's now been 100 years since its architect Antoni Gaudí stepped into the path of a streetcar outside the church, dying days later. So, does the centenary of his death mean this iconic structure can finally be finished?

According to my wonderful, and scarily knowledgeable, guide, Rosa, no. While the 100-year anniversary was commemorated by topping the church with a glass cross and bringing it to its full height of 172.5 metres, the work is far from over.

We took a Sagrada Família tour with Rosa one sunny afternoon, and before we even stepped through the door, our group peppered her with questions about the completion date of the project. Some had heard it'd be completed this year, 144 years since construction began, and others had been told we'll see the finished building by 2032 or 2034.

But while Rosa seemed to know every carving on the building and every little detail of Gaudí's fascinating life, the completion date was one thing she couldn't tell us because, simply, nobody knows. Her animated shrug summed up the local attitude to the project. It'll take as long as it takes.

And given the ambitious scale of the build, it's doubtful that most of us will see the finished product in our lifetime. But that's no reason not to visit. The Sagrada really is something you have to see in person to appreciate the sheer scale, detail, and passion that has gone into every inch. Many people are seemingly unconcerned about the construction work going on around them. Nearly five million people visited the Sagrada in 2025, a daily average of 13,500.

Even if you only see the outside, the Sagrada has thousands of incredible and mysterious statues and carvings, each with its own unique tale. From the tree of life, which looks a bit like a Christmas tree but actually represents eternal life, to the Passion façade with its skeletal-style sculptures, you just never tire of looking at it.

After a thorough examination of the outside, we stepped inside to the warm yellow glow of the basilica. Because the stained glass is different colours on each side, the interior appears in different shades throughout the day. The Sagrada's interior is just as ornate as the outside. The high ceilings are adorned with symbols representing figures from the bible and contain a whole canvas of mysteries on their own.

At the end of the tour, you can visit a small museum dedicated to Gaudí, explaining his life, his creative process, and how he works. But even with all this context, it's difficult to imagine that this one behemoth could be the vision of a single person, even in its perpetually unfinished state.

TUI offers 3-night city break packages to Barcelona, staying at the 4* H10 H10 Madison Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis, from £666 per person based on two adults sharing a classic double room, traveling on Ryanair from London Stansted Airport on 15 September 2026. Price includes 10kg of hand luggage.

Our tour was with TUI Musement. The small guided tour including tower access starts at £70 per adult (11+), £51 per child (5-10), under 5s go free, or you can opt for Sagrada Familia entrance with audio guide from £30 per adult (30+), £27 per youth (11-29) with under 10s going free.