8 things to do this summer in Barcelona

Not to play favorites, but when it comes to summer, there's no European city that beats Barcelona. With powdery beaches and spacious parks, a buzzy nightlife and al fresco restaurants—it's practically built for the sunny season. And that's not to mention the number of only-in-summer activities that pop up. I'm talking high-octane music festivals, local street fairs, firework shows, and beach celebrations.

This is my third Barcelona summer, so I've got the scoop on what to do (and what to skip) plus tips and tricks for navigating the city's top attractions and events.

Note: In 2024, Barcelona continues to experience unprecedented drought conditions. Visitors are encouraged to be conservative with their water usage. Consider shorter showers and cooling off at the beach instead of the hotel pool.

Barcelona’s waterfront has nine beaches that stretch all the way from the sail-shaped W Barcelona Hotel closest to the city center to Platja de Llevant just before Parc del Forum, which is the city’s designated dog-friendly beach in the summer. Barceloneta, adjacent to the old fishing neighborhood, is the most popular but also tends to be the most crowded with tourists and hawkers selling towels and drinks.

Keep walking north—past Frank Gehry’s iconic Gold Fish Sculpture and the newly renovated Port Olimpic, which will reopen this summer in time for the 2024 America’s Cup sailing competition—to find more spacious beaches that locals prefer like Platja de la Nova Icària and Bogatell Beach.

Sangria may be the first drink that comes to mind when you think of Spain, but Barcelona has its own favorite drink orders for the summer season. If you want to blend in, order either a vermouth or a tinto de verano. The former is a much sweeter alternative to the martini ingredient you may be thinking of, and comes in both red and white varieties. The latter is a mixed wine drink similar to sangria, but simpler in that it’s just red wine with soda water and fresh lime juice. For the best people-watching, head to the neighborhood of Gràcia where locals gather on sunny plazas to enjoy a late-evening Tinto de Verano. Try one at La Rovira, or work your way through the vermouth menu at V de Vermut, in Sant Antoni. And if you’re craving sangria, check out the creative recipes at Bubita Sangria Bar in El Born.

During the summer solstice, typically in mid-June, Barcelona celebrates the longest day of the year with gatherings that take place both on the beach and throughout the city. El Noche de San Juan, or the Nit de Sant Joan in Catalan, is a party celebrated all over Spain but each place has its own way of interpreting the old pagan traditions. In Barcelona, bonfires are organized by various neighborhoods and many people will gather on the beach for fireworks and a night swim.

During a heat wave, it would do you well to rearrange your itinerary to spend more time inside—at least until the sun goes down. Thankfully, the city is chock-full of museums to occupy your time and your mind with world-class art, history, and cultural exhibitions.

The best choice for cooling down is the Museu d’Història de Barcelona. You enter the cool dark subterranean world of Roman Barcelona, where the city’s ancient ruins are on display. For art museums, because there are so many, you will have to break them up by neighborhood. You can check out the Museu Picasso and the Moco Museum back-to-back in El Born or head to Plaça de Espanya to see what exhibits are on at CaixaForum before heading up the hill to the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC), which is the largest museum in the city and has one of the most outstanding skyline views from the top of the steps.

Summer is live music season in Barcelona. The all-genre Primavera Sound Festival kicks things off in June, shortly followed by the electric dance fest Sónar, and then it’s back to rock with the Cruïlla Festival. Not to mention, all throughout the summer, Brunch! Elektronik organizes DJ daytime shows every two weeks in venues across the city. If you won’t be in town for one of these events, there’s always a good party in the works at music venues like Razzmatazz and La Terrrazza.

It’s a tradition for each neighborhood in Barcelona to throw an annual Festa Major, aka a big street fair. These festivals take place throughout the year but in the summer you’ll find them going on in some of the more central areas—and each has its own style that represents the local energy. Take the Festa Major del Casc Antic (June) in El Born, where the focus is on Catalan traditions and dances or the Festa Major de Poble Sec (July) where live music represents the alternative vibe of the neighborhood at the foot of Montjuïc.

Without a doubt, the most famous of all of Barcelona’s summertime street parties is the Festa Major de Gracia (August). During this week-long festival, entire streets are transformed into larger-than-life papier-mâché art installations. Neighbors come together for months before the event to choose their theme and craft each piece by hand and the whole city gathers to see the impressive spectacles in person.

You can’t go more than one block in Barcelona without passing two or three gelato shops. But, there are a few stand-outs you shouldn’t miss. The most popular (prepare for a long wait) are Obrador Delacrem and Gocce di Latte. If you’re feeling adventurous, guess the mystery flavor of the week at Caju, a new vegan gelateria in El Born. Expected to debut this summer, Gelato Collection is a much-anticipated project by Albert Adrià, one of Catalonia’s most celebrated Michelin-rated chefs.

A city beach is good for ending an afternoon of sightseeing, but for a full beach day, you’re better off taking a train or bus outside the city. South of Barcelona, on the Costa Daurada, Sitges is the go-to beach town with many miles of sand and plenty of bars and restaurants, but you can also find options in areas like Castelldefels or Gavà. To get to the Costa Brava in the north, drive or take a bus to one of the fabulous seaside towns on the Costa Brava.

Tossa de Mar is the most popular for Costa Brava daytrippers because it is the closest, but it’s worth the extra effort to get out to beachside villages like Calella de Palafrugell, one of five in a cluster of seaside villages, and L’Escala, home to the ruins first Greek settlement on the Iberian peninsula Empúries and a top beach in Cala Montgo.