As Canadian, I would like to share my successful online purchase (finally) for the Sagrada Familia tickets (after more than 10 failed attempts, and after reviewing many online discussion about this):
I did it during Barcelona’s business hours
Use Google/Chrome on my PC at home
Open a new incognito (private browsing) window
Launch the purchase on the church’s website
When ask, provide your gmail address
Make sure your phone number field has a Canadian flag (some glitches, just re-do)
And ensure the phone field starts with “+1” (I used my home landline)
I select Canadian dollars (instead of euro)
They use a “2-factor authentication” method (i.e. need a secondary code)
I use TD Visa (and select a cell number for Visa to text me a secondary code)
Enter the code, voilà, done, they sent emails with tickets (with QR code)
I fully prepared to use my iPhone and the church’s app to buy, if the above failed. Some bloggers (many outside of RS forum) had more luck with Mastercard, I have one, and it did not work for me either. It seems to me the credit card company not the issue, as I did try using my Scotiabank Visa (still failed after talking with the bank). I did not even contact TD with the above trial.
I think any US bank is OK as long as you have a “2-factor authentication” set up with your bank (i.e. need a secondary code).
January 2024 was the earliest discussion I’d seen online about this purchase/payment problem with Gaudi’s crazy church. It is still so today. I encountered similar problem in 2023 when purchasing Seville cathedral tickets. Look like Spain is quite bad in this (as with their train booking problem too, even with a Eurail pass).
Of the third-party booking agents, I like Get Your Guide (used them before, and will again), but even their cheapest offerings with Sagrada Familia charge big time (even just booking the ticket, with no guided tour, is a hefty fee of 6.27 euros/ticket).
Hope this help.