Barcelona — festivals, transport, food, shopping, prices

What to do in Barcelona? There are many options, each better than the last. We’ve gathered all the most authentic and Spanish experiences — from flamenco to tasting jamón at local markets.

Flamenco

You can watch Spanish flamenco without tourist crowds at the music club 23 Robadors. Shows are on Saturdays, entrance costs from 5 € (in other places — from 30 €). Arrive early to get a table and avoid standing throughout the performance — it gets crowded. Next to the club is Barcelona’s oldest bar, Marsella (Carrer de Sant Pau, 65), which has been welcoming guests since 1820. Even Hemingway and Baudelaire visited here — so you might as well have a glass of sangria before the show.

Festivals

Film lovers will enjoy open-air film festivals: Sala Montjuic at the fortress on the mountain of the same name, and Cinema lliure a la Platja on San Sebastian beach. Screenings take place throughout July. Be sure to bring something to snack on, as it will be hard to tear yourself away from the viewing.

For music connoisseurs, there’s also something interesting — in summer, you can listen to concerts by Catalan musicians in the garden of the University of Barcelona.

You can enjoy modern jazz, cava, and the works of the great Gaudí from June to September at jazz evenings on the rooftop of La Pedrera.

At the end of September, the city’s main festival, La Mercè, is held — the day of Saint Mercè, the patron saint of Barcelona. Fire parades take place in the streets, and human towers are built. The festival’s closing ceremony is held at Plaça d’Espanya, with a powerful and colorful pyrotechnic show thundering over the city to the accompaniment of the magic fountain.

In mid-October, Barcelona hosts the 48 Open House festival. These are two days of open doors when you can enter buildings that are usually closed or even prohibited. The festival involves 150 buildings in Barcelona and neighboring cities. Volunteers work at each site, telling the history of the construction. Architectural monuments, factories, and even private homes participate in the festival. You can climb the Arc de Triomf or visit the control room of the magic fountain at Plaça d’Espanya.

The Sea

Ignoring the sea would be a crime. Yachting is particularly well-developed here, so you can both simply watch regattas and participate.
If you just want to be a spectator, walk to the end of the pier in Port Olímpic and find the descent to the sea — it’s an excellent viewpoint. If the “sea calls,” book a two-hour yacht trip, which will cost an average of 50 € per person. For the most determined and those in love with sails, training sessions are offered to teach you how to steer a vessel from scratch. The cost of one lesson is from 90 to 150 €.

The Maritime Museum of Barcelona closes its ticket office on Sundays after 3:00 PM and admits guests completely free — don’t miss the opportunity.

Shopping

On the streets of Barcelona, you will, of course, see dozens of familiar names. World-renowned mass-market brands appear at every turn, but steer clear of them!

Locals use the term “glocal” — a combination of two words: global and local, based on Catalan traditions.

Swimwear can be found at TCN, sunglasses at Wild Store, handmade espadrilles at La Manual Alpargatera, and designer accessories at La Basilica Galeria. Men will find many interesting items at The OutPost and Wer-Haus.

Half an hour’s drive from the city is the La Roca Village outlet. Tax-free shopping can be arranged for a single purchase of 175 € or more, and sales run from January to March and from July to August.

Transport

Public transport in Barcelona is well-developed — buses and metro. A single journey costs 2.40 €, but it’s much more cost-effective to buy a 10-journey card, which costs 11.35 €. Journeys are even cheaper with the Hola BCN! card — it grants unlimited travel on all types of city transport, including the Montjuïc funicular. The card is issued for a period of two to five days and costs from 16.3 to 38 € respectively.

From the airport to the city, you can get by metro, L9 Sud line, 4.6 € one way, or by Aerobus for 6.75 € one way. It will take you directly to Plaça de Catalunya. You can also use the R2 Nord Renfe train — 4.9 € one way. This will take you to Estació de Sants and Passeig de Gràcia station. Taxis in Barcelona are not very expensive; a trip up to 10 minutes will cost an average of 15 €.

At night, night buses operate throughout the city; you’ll recognize them by the letter N on the windshield. A regular transport card is valid for travel on these buses.

Accommodation

The most expensive areas to stay are around La Rambla boulevard, the Gothic Quarter, and Plaça de Catalunya. Prices here can reach 300 € per night, so if you’re looking for a budget option, these areas can be excluded from your search. You can choose a hotel on Booking.com. There are also several campsites in the vicinity of Barcelona. The most famous are Camping Barcelona and Tres Estrellas.

Food

The first thing you must try in Barcelona is tapas. Tapas can serve as an excellent alternative to an evening meal; you can simply move from bar to bar, order a glass of wine, and receive a variety of snacks with it completely free. Another popular dish is paella. And, of course, it would be a real sacrilege not to eat seafood in a port city. For the freshest options, head to La Boqueria market, where many small restaurants will cook fish right in front of you.

Souvenirs

Most often, various edibles are brought from Barcelona as souvenirs. Jamón, chorizo, olives and olive oil, cheeses, and turrón are the most popular. Also pay attention to espadrilles — traditional Catalan sandals with a flat braided sole.