I just bought tickets from the official site for a guided tour... now I am apprehensive if I did the right thing?? should I have just gotten an audioset??? once we are in the church can we stay as long as we want?? just don't know much about this...
I used the audio guide, but I'm sure the tour will be good. I don't see any reason why you can't stay on and look around more after the tour ends. When I visited in 2016, you could not return to the church after you entered the shop, so be careful about that. Basically, don't go through any turnstyle until you've seen all you want of the church.
Does your tour include going up into one of the towers? That is the BEST part!!! We didn't do a guided tour, but its such an amazing place!
I was there in May. You can stay as long as you want.....but once you enter the gift shop (as previously mentioned), your church experience is done. I bought the audio guide with a tower visit. I also bought a basic ticket....no audio/no tower.....just to do some photography. I wanted to see the insides with the morning light and late afternoon light. Both times I stayed until my camera battery was all but drained...lol. There is lots of information posted in the forum. Hope you have an awesome time.