10 Things to Do in Barcelona in Spring

Spring is many people’s favourite time of year. And no wonder: the warmer weather sets in and there’s a wider range of outdoor activities on offer.

There are plenty of options for things to see and do in Barcelona. But in spring, Barcelona hosts a wide variety of events to welcome this lovely time of year. Here’s the ultimate guide to your city break.

Religious festivals are very important in Barcelona, and in Spain in general. Regardless of your faith, experiencing these celebrations is essential to immersing yourself in the city’s culture, and best of all, everyone is invited to join in the festivities and have fun.

There are various Holy Week traditions, but the most significant are the processions. On Palm Sunday, the faithful take palm leaves and join the La Burreta procession, which winds through the centre of Barcelona, re-enacting Jesus’ entry into the city of Jerusalem. This procession begins in the morning at the parish church of Sant Agustí, and is a quintessential experience of Barcelona during your spring visit.

Another procession I recommend taking part in is the one on Good Friday, which takes place between the Gothic Quarter and Las Ramblas in Barcelona, right in the heart of the city’s tourist district.

Finally, don’t forget to treat yourself to a mona de Pascua to round off your Holy Week celebrations in true Barcelona style.

• When?: Holy Week, dates vary depending on the year.
• Where?: Barcelona
• Price: free

Girona Temps de Flors is a festival featuring floral displays at various monuments, historic buildings, courtyards and gardens throughout the city of Girona. Thousands of tourists visit the city every year to take part in this event, which fills the streets with colour and fragrance in the heart of spring.

This festival takes place in early May and is well worth a visit to see what it’s all about. It is completely free and takes place outdoors, which makes it even more appealing.

Girona is a city in the province of Catalonia, just 100 kilometres from Barcelona. If you’re wondering how to get to Girona, you can check out our article with all the details; or you can simply book a guided tour from Barcelona, the best option for your holiday. This will allow you to enjoy your visit to the full and without any worries.

I recommend exploring the narrow streets of the Jewish quarter, the Call, and visiting the Cathedral of Santa María, the highlights of Girona.

• When?: early May
• Where?: Girona, Catalonia.
• Price: free

On the second weekend of April, comic and humour fans have their place in the city of Barcelona. This event has been held since 1981, and since then, thousands of visitors have flocked to the city in spring to enjoy the event.

The Saló del Cómic is one of the most important events in the world of comics, featuring visits from renowned artists, art workshops, prize draws, exhibitions and much more.

General admission is around €10 and tickets can be purchased both online and at the ticket office at the Fira de Montjuïc.

• When?: Second weekend in April
• Where?: Fira Montjuic, Barcelona.
• Price: €10

Sant Jordi is one of the most eagerly awaited dates in Barcelona’s calendar of celebrations. 23 April is International Book Day, but it also coincides with the feast day of the patron saint of the province of Catalonia. Two major reasons that gave rise to such a special day.

During the Sant Jordi celebrations, the streets are very busy and the atmosphere is lively. The tradition involves giving a rose and a book to a loved one, so you’ll find stalls selling books and roses on every corner. You’ll see many people carrying their flowers all over the city as they take a stroll on Sant Jordi’s Day.

If you’re planning to visit Barcelona in spring, you’ll be able to enjoy this day where flowers, literature and joy take centre stage. And I can assure you it will be one of the things you’ll never forget from your time in Barcelona.

Don’t forget to pop by Casa Batlló, as its façade is adorned with hundreds of roses and becomes one of the most photographed spots of the day.

• When?: 23 April
• Where?: Barcelona, Catalonia.
• Price: free

27 April is the day to commemorate the patron saint of Catalonia. If you’re travelling through Barcelona in spring around this time, it’s a special day to pay a visit to the unique mountains of Montserrat.

Montserrat is a natural park known for its beautiful hiking trails and for the monastery nestled amongst its mountains. The Virgin of Montserrat is also very well known as she is distinctive for her dark complexion, and thousands of worshippers come year after year to ask for her intercession and to visit her great sanctuary.

Getting to the Abbey of Montserrat is very easy, and it is located very close to the city of Barcelona. You can book a guided tour, the best option to make the most of your visit.

• When?: 27 April
• Where?: Monserrat, Catalonia.
• Price: free

Sant Joan’s Night is celebrated in style in Barcelona, and the city is filled with street parties, bonfires and fireworks.

The night of 23–24 June is the shortest of the year, and the Catalans bid farewell to spring to welcome summer with positive energy and a grand ritual.

The Flame of Canigó is the city’s most deeply rooted tradition. If you head to Plaça Sant Jaume, you’ll see a huge bonfire lit. From there, the fire will be used to light all the other bonfires scattered throughout the city of Barcelona. It’s like that ‘mother bonfire’ from which all the other fires are kindled.

Many community dinners are held in the different neighbourhoods and the city is filled with music in every corner.

The night culminates with fireworks on the various beaches at midnight, which will be as crowded as you’ve probably never seen before.

Don’t miss out on trying the delicious cocas de Sant Joan, a traditional sweet of this celebration, which is always accompanied by a nice glass of cava. Cheers!

• When?: 23 June
• Where?: Barcelona, Catalonia.
• Price: free

La Nit dels Museus, as its name suggests in Catalan, is an open-day event for all municipal and private museums in the city of Barcelona.

It takes place on the Saturday night closest to 18 May, which is International Museum Day, and is an ideal way to spend a spring evening in the city.

The event starts at 7 pm and you can enter for free until around 1 am, so I recommend thinking in advance about which museums interest you and planning a route based on that. You can check out my article on the best museums in Barcelona to get a general idea.

In fact, there are certain galleries and exhibitions that you can only access on this night, making it a very special event. Are you going to miss it?

If you aren’t lucky enough to be in the city on this date, don’t be disheartened. The Barcelona Museum Pass is designed for anyone wishing to visit several of the city’s museums at significant discounts.

• When?: the Saturday closest to 18 May
• Where?: Barcelona, Catalonia.
• Price: free

Barcelona is one of the best cities for music festival lovers.

Sónar Barcelona is a renowned event held on the third weekend of June, which many people look forward to all year round. It’s three days of pure electronic music and top artists.

It’s such a major event that it’s split into two parts: Sónar by Day and Sónar by Night, but you can buy a ticket for whichever part you prefer. Tickets start from €35 for a single night, and you can buy passes for different days and parts of the event.

It’s a festival that travels to different cities, including Berlin and New York, so if you’re visiting Barcelona and have the chance to attend, don’t miss out.

• When?: Third weekend in June
• Where?: Barcelona, Catalonia.
• Price: from €35

A place’s customs and folklore have very diverse origins. And they’re utterly fascinating too.

This tradition takes place exclusively in Barcelona and attracts both locals and tourists who want to see for themselves what it’s all about.

L’ou Com Balla, or in English, ‘How the Egg Dances’, consists precisely of making an egg ** ‘dance’** by placing it strategically in the jets of the fountains in the city’s various courtyards and gardens. The fountains are specially decorated for this grand occasion.

Unfortunately, I’ll let the cat out of the bag: to stop the egg from falling off, you simply place the entire shell of an empty egg inside it.

If you’re visiting Barcelona in spring and fancy taking part in this celebration, you can head to Barcelona Cathedral, the Frederic Marès Museum, the Maritime Museumor the Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Pedralbes.

This event takes place in mid-June and is completely free to attend . Don’t forget to bring your camera!

• When?: Mid-June
• Where?: Barcelona, Catalonia.
• Price: free

Primavera Sound has been held in Barcelona since 2001 and has been a huge success ever since.

At the end of May, this music festival takes place at the Parc del Forum in Barcelona. Here you can enjoy performers from the worlds of rock, pop and electronic music, all gathered together at the same festival.

In fact, it is such an inclusive festival that it provides a platform for both established artists and emerging musical legends to showcase their talent.

The event is spread over two separate weekends, and you can buy a ticket for one of them, or a pass for both. If you only want to go for one day, tickets start from €100. Remember to book in advance as Primavera Sound is one of the most popular events in Barcelona.

• When?: late May
• Where?: Barcelona, Catalonia.
• Price: from €100

The spring weather in Barcelona is among the most pleasant you’ll find in the city. Temperatures range from a high of 15°C in March to a high of 25°C in June.

It’s true that there are still some chilly days, but you no longer need to lug that winter coat around with you everywhere. Rain is frequent in March and April, but after this period there are plenty of days of bright sunshine. In fact, some brave souls are already taking their first dips at Barcelona’s beaches.

Barcelona is a city that lends itself to spending days outdoors. This makes spring a very convenient time to visit the city. You can make the most of both its parks and the terraces dotted throughout the city.