Top 15 things to do in Barcelona in Spring
Updated: May 13
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It is Spring in Europe. I was desperate for warm weather and with school holidays upcoming, I had set my radar on BCN! It was going to be my first time in Spain, and I wanted to kickstart my escapades in Spain with this vibrant city Barcelona (only to get there and know that BCN is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia). Errr ok, but still the second most populous municipality of Spain! Letting that marinate there, let's step forward into my entry into Barcelona.
When I landed in Barcelona, I got to know that the natives of Barcelona are Catalans, a distinct type of Spaniard. Catalans are known for being proud of their regional identity, culture and language. And I also discovered that it was Antoni Gaudi's architectural gems that also put Barcelona on the world map, along with many other things. So, including Gaudi’s architectural gems, what are these many other things that the Catalans take pride in?
Football, Gothic Quarter and the Beach baby! Here is your answer spring in Barcelona.
Table of Contents: Top 15 things to do in Barcelona in Spring Barcelona Card #1 Gaudi's masterpieces #2 Participate in the Earth Day Fair on 22 April #3 Celebrate Sant Jordi on April 23rd #4 Camp Nou - Is Football is synonymous to Barcelona? #5 Walking tour of the Gothic Quarter (Barri Gòtic) #6 Feed the pigeons in Plaça de Catalunya #7 The perfect spring in La Rambla Barcelona #8 Waterfront District of Barcelona #9 Port Vell #10 Cool off in the Barceloneta beach #11 Watch a Flamenco dance 💃🏻 at the City Hall #12 Arc de triomf #13 Poble Espanyol -Spanish Village #14 Barcelona Zoo #15 Art museums Montjuic/MNAC, Joan Miró Foundation and El Born Moco Museum |
By utilizing the provided links, you can seamlessly book reliable airport transfers and discover the city's renowned sights. For easy Car rentals, USE THIS LINK. For Airport Transfers to any place in Barcelona, USE THIS LINK. For booking your tickets to various attractions in Barcelona, USE THIS LINK. You may also see the city easily via the Hop On Hop Off Bus. BOOK your Barcelona City Sightseeing Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour HERE. |
Barcelona Card
Explore Barcelona hassle-free with the Barcelona Card, offering free access to over 25 attractions and museums, plus unlimited rides on trams, buses, and the metro. Choose from 3, 4, or 5-day options and save up to 77% on regular admission fees. Along with the card, get a multilingual map and guidebook detailing top sights. Unlock discounts of up to 50% on extra attractions like Gaudi’s Casa Milà and Casa Batlló, flamenco performances, and more. BUY YOUR BARCELONA CARD HERE.
#1 Gaudi's Masterpieces
It goes without saying that the top and most visited places in Barcelona aretoni Gaudi's architectural geniuses namely the La Sagrada Familia, Casa Milá, Park Güell, Casa Batlló and many more in Barcelona and in its surroundings. Engage a guide to explore Spain's Art Nouveau treasures, and you'll find yourself immersed in a constant chorus of "Gaudí, Gaudí, Gaudí!"
For a detailed post on the world-famous sites of Gaudi's architecture, please read my blog post The Gaudi Tour in Barcelona. |
#2 Participate in the Earth Day Fair on 22 April
The Fira per la Terra is Barcelona’s annual two day Earth Day Festival that organizes an eco-fair and market on 22nd April every year, as the International Earth Day falls on that day. The Earth Day Fair is a tradition followed since 1996 in Catalonia. It first took place in USA in 1970 following which it became popular across the globe. At Parc de la Ciutadella, you can enjoy the day of festivities with music, arts, performances, food and much more.
#3 Celebrate Sant Jordi on April 23rd
A book 📕, a rose 🌹, and the lovers ♥️
Witnessing Catalonia in all of it’s romantic festivity today, enjoying the Catalunyan Valentine’s Day, and being part of the celebrations of Sant Jordi, just reinforced my lifetime subscription to my husband Sidd ! April 23rd is probably the favorite day of the year for most Catalans. It's the day of Saint George (Sant Jordi in Catalan), patron saint of Catalonia, who killed a dragon to save a princess and from the blood of the dead dragon was born a rose.
On the 23rd of April, I observed that almost every woman and girl on the street was adorned with a rose. These roses are typically gifted by fathers, husbands, boyfriends, or even girlfriends. It's a tradition where people give roses to their significant others, children, or even bosses to their employees. It was quite poignant to see those without a rose. In return, the custom is to gift a book. Interestingly, April 23 also coincides with International Book Day. So, in response, women purchase books for their partners, significant others, or even children—regardless of gender. And it's customary to buy a book for oneself as well, to uphold the tradition.
#4 Camp Nou - Is Football is synonymous to Barcelona?
To many who worship football, when you say Barcelona, they would normally associate the place to the Football Club Barcelona. The club is commonly referred to as Barcelona and in general parlance known as Barça. It is a professional football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of Spanish football.
FC Barcelona is renowned for its possession based style of football, also called Tiki Taka. Barcelona football club is renowned for its famed football academy called La Masia. La Masia is famous for producing footballers such as Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez, Andrés Iniesta, Sergio Busquets to name a few.The spectacular stadium of FC Barcelona is Spotify Camp Nou. It is the heart and soul of the Catalonian people. I'd say the best way to experience this mammoth stadium would be to watch a good game of football in Camp Nou BOOK YOUR FC Barcelona Match Ticket at the Olympic Stadium but if you aren't up for it, then a 90 minute guided tour through the interiors of the stadium and a panoramic view would do justice as well, although it's not the same thing if you ask a hardcore football fan. The stadium is located in the west of the city, in the district of Les Corts. It can be easily accessed by public transport.
For an exhilarating experience of walking through the players' tunnel, getting exclusive access to the press box, marveling at the 5 Ballon d’Or trophies in the Messi Area and feeling the adrenaline rush on the ground, you MUST MUST MUST book the guided or audio tour of Spotify Camp Nou. |
#5 Walking tour of the Gothic Quarter (Barri Gòtic)
Arguably the most attractive and popular part of the city, The Barri Gòtic Quarter of Barcelona or the Gothic quarter was, is and probably will always be my favourite area in Barcelona. Strolling by flower stalls and weekend markets in those medieval narrow streets which are twinkling with shops selling leather, jewellery, and books, the Gothic Quarter Barcelona's Gothic Quarter (Barri Gòtic) is situated in the district of Ciutat Vella. It is the center of the old town of Barcelona and is worthy of one's attention. The area stretches from Las Ramblas to Vía Laietana and from Passeig de Colom to the Plaça de Catalunya. It's buzz is so desirable, thanks to the innumerable number of Catalan restaurants, clubs, pubs, trendy bars and shops in its vicinity.
The Gothic quarter is comprised of a number of charming squares where one can relax, bask in the sunshine, watch kids chase bubbles or feed hundreds of pigeons in the square. For a detailed overview and to get a feel of the walking tour of Gothic Quarter, please read my blog post 'Gothic Quarter in Barcelona (Barri Gòtic)' |
#6 Feed the pigeons in Plaça de Catalunya
The main square of Barcelona. Plaça de Catalunya is the largest central square in Barcelona and connects the old town to the Eixample district. Truly the place where the kids enjoyed to the brim! The Plaça (square) was swelling with a thousand pigeons when we reached the place around sunset. Vendors nearby sold grains to feed the pigeons, which heightened the excitement of the kids and pigeons alike when they were strewn around to eat. Flying over our heads and perching on our hands, the sight and experience both were exhilarating! Kids and parents laughed and giggled and shrieked in happiness amidst this chaotic beauty. We played there for about half an hour before we made way to our next destination.
#7 The perfect spring in La Rambla Barcelona
From this central square central square is a popular meeting point and shopping hub, marking the beginning of Las Ramblas. It features beautiful fountains, sculptures, and green spaces for relaxation. La Rambla is a street in central Barcelona. A plethora of buskers, street artists, musicians, book vendors, trinket vendors and the likes will be seen on Las Ramblas, that makes this street so bustling.
La Boqueria Market (Mercat de la Boqueria): A bustling market known for its diverse range of fresh produce, artisanal products, small eateries and delicious food stalls, offering visitors a chance to experience the rich culinary heritage of Barcelona. Popular with both locals and tourists, there are various stalls inside selling chocolates, candies, alcohol, juices, local food, tapas, spices, jams. But the place is notorious for thieves and pick pocketers. So beware of these pick pocketer and and take care of your belongings.
#8 Waterfront District of Barcelona
The Waterfront District of Barcelona is located along the Mediterranean Sea between Playa de Llevant Beach and the Cruise Ship Terminal. It includes Port Vell, historic Barceloneta and some 7 Mediterranean beaches.
#9 Port Vell
At the southernmost end of La Rambla is situated the Port Vell which is the oldest part of the port of Barcelona. Previously, the port area was a derelict area with empty warehouses, marshalling yards and port factories. The port was completely renovated as part of an urban renewal prior to the 1992 Summer Olympics.
There is a pedestrian only walk-over called the The Rambla De Mar, which takes you across the harbour from La Rambla. On the other side of the harbour, you will notice a big shopping mall and restaurants called Maremagnum. You will see red funiculars running on cables in the sky that runs from the port to Montjuic mountain.
#10 Cool off in the Barceloneta beach
The most ideal place in Barcelona if you want to bask in the sun and just sip on your margaritas. We reached the beach around 4 pm. The beach is expansive with restaurants and bars on the pavilion and the W hotel in the horizon, which reminded me of the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai.
We realised we forgot our beach mat back in the hotel however thankfully there were dozens of vendors selling beach towels and bedsheets. We bought a beautiful Burgundy pink bedsheet from one of the dozens of Pakistani origin vendors and noticing a friendly fellow neighbouring countryman, he was ready to offer the sheet for a reduced price. We lay the sheet on the warm brown sand and perched our heads in the direction of the sun hitting our bodies. Warmth filled in my bones, with the light cool breeze on the skin, and giggles of my kids nearby just made the whole moment so surreal. There were dozens of other vendors as well selling margaritas and beers on the beach, literally delivering it to you without you needing to move a muscle and Thai ladies offering foot and back massages. I dozed off for an hour or so and then we got wrapping up as the hungry bowels called for some food.
#11 Watch a Flamenco dance 💃🏻 at the City Hall
The Flamenco dance, a symbol of Spain's cultural and artistic identity, has been inspired by the Andalusian art and of various cultures such as gypsy, Arab, Christian and Jewish. It is an exotic amalgamation of song ("cante"), music such as guitar playing ("guitarra") and dance ("baile") evoking the human emotions of sadness, joy, passion, loneliness, anguish and more.
To know more about the history and origin of this dance form, I urge you to read this page which is linked to the City Hall: https://flamencobarcelonacity.com/pages/flamenco-history
An exuberant performance by the Flamenco dancers at the city hall is a sight to behold! The vigor and passion exuberant in their dance and the connection with the audience is unmatched! What I loved loved loved were the singers also having a gloriously good time while the dancers performed. In a basement with dimmed out lights and black interiors, dispels itself a performing stage and a bar serving drinks to the audience.
Interesting Facts:
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#12 Arc de triomf
At the time, the triumphal arch " Arc de Triomf " was the main entrance to the 1888 Universal Exhibition held in the Parc de la Ciutadella in Barcelona . It is similar to the structure of the Arc De Triomphe of Paris, but it has no military significance. It is red bricked and stands tall, in a beautifully adorned walkway with palm trees on either side of the walkway. The height of the triumphal arch is 30 meters and it was designed by the Spanish architect Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas. The gate has become one of the iconic landmarks of Barcelona.
#13 Poble Espanyol -Spanish Village
Important to note: The Spanish village would definitely be part of my itinerary but it was a 25 minutes drive away from the city center. With every other gorgeous sightseeing location being at walking distance from our apartment (we had booked a place very close to Sagrada Familia), this village was meant to be on our itinerary of the last things to do in Barcelona of time permits.
#14 Barcelona Zoo
Built over 32 acres of land, Barcelona Zoo is home to more than 4,000 animals from over 500 different species. The zoo is located in the Parc de la Ciutadella in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The zoo used to be internationally known as the Home of Snowflake, the only known albino gorilla, who died in 2003. They have a great range of animals —Sumatran tigers, giant tortoises, Rothschild's giraffes, a Komodo dragon.
Tickets Rates: Adults: €21,40; From 3 to 12 years: €12,95
Opening times: It is open from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM from Monday to Friday.On Saturday and Sunday, the zoo is open from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
Important Note: Although we didn’t visit the zoo in our 5 day tour of Barcelona, I’m sure this zoo would be an ideal place to visit if you have kids. As a personal opinion, it definitely wouldn’t be in the top 10 places to visit in Barcelona. Because there are so many places to visit and things to do for kids here, the zoo can be reserved as a backup plan. |
#15 Art museums Montjuic/MNAC, Joan Miró Foundation and El Born Moco Museum
I am not an art enthusiast, although I did make time to visit the Mauritshuis and Rijksmuseum in Netherlands out of sheer interest in seeing the masterpieces of Rembrandt, Frans Hals and Johannes Vermeer. But in Barcelona, I hadn't made time for the The Fundació Joan Miró or Moco museum in El Born or MNAC.
The Joan Miró Foundation is a museum of modern art honouring Joan Miró. It is located on the hill called Montjuïc in Barcelona. The museum owns over 10,000 paintings, drawings, sculptures, stage designs and carpets from Joan Miró - the earliest drawings are from 1901. The tour lasts 2 hours and is available in three languages – Catalan, Spanish, and English.
Timings: Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 6 pm (from November to March) or from 10 am to 7 pm (from April to October).
The Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya abbreviated as MNAC, is a museum of Catalan visual art located in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. MNAC's collection of Gothic Art includes works by painters such as LLuís Borrassà, Bernat Martorell and Jaume Huguet, and sculptures by artists. It will take you approximately 3 hours in total to see the permanent exhibition and the temporary Gaudí exhibition. Apparently, the Romanesque art collection is awesome.
Timings:
Winter opening times: October to April, Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm;
Sundays and public holidays, 10am to 3pm.
Remember that access to the exhibition rooms is allowed until 30 minutes before closing time.
The El Born Museum or Moco Museum features a selection of Banksy's original art, a reminiscence of the street artist's notable career. This exhibition features a great selection of modern works by famous artists: Andy Warhol, Salvador Dalí, Damien Hirst, Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, KAWS, Yayoi Kusama and more. You can walk in for free and check out the old market and excavated houses from the 1700's. At 4pm, they offer a tour in English. If you only want to visit the free part of the museum, you'll take around 30 minutes.
Timings:
SPRING – SUMMER - March-October: from Tuesday to Sunday and bank holiday, 10 am to 8 pm.
AUTUMN – WINTER - November-February: from Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am to 7 pm.
Sunday and bank holiday, 10 am to 8 pm. On December 26th, open until 2:30 pm.
If you enjoy art or are an art connoisseur I'd recommend that you keep time for this.
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