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When To Go

With its mild Mediterranean climate, Barcelona is a year-round city. While summer is peak season, we recommend avoiding this hot and humid period, especially August, when tourists storm the city, Catalans escape for cooler climes, and many shops and restaurants close their doors for the month. In-the-know travelers visit in late spring (May-June), when there is plenty of outdoor fun to be had without the soaring temperatures. The best bang for your buck is fall (mid-September to mid-November), when the city is relatively free of crowds. Winter time, especially between January and March, is low season due to colder days; but even then, you can still get lucky and experience some alfresco fun.

Barcelona's annual calendar is chock-full of festivals and events. We particularly recommend being in town for New Year's Eve, when festivities include lots of cava drinking and eating grapes at midnight; Sant Jordi Day on April 23, celebrating Catalonia's patron saint; SONAR, the Festival of Advanced Music and Multimedia Art (www.sonar.es) in June; and Festa Major de Gràcia (www.festamajordegracia.org), a colorful street party in late August with live music, open-air movie screenings, and theater.

When To Go

High season:
July–August

Low season: January–March

Best bang for your buck: mid-September–mid-November

See Barcelona Travel Guide