Visiting Barcelona in May
What to do in the Catalan capital, as spring turns to summer…
By Duncan Rhodes 
Primavera Sound festival brings some of the world’s best music acts to Barcelona, the Night of Museums caters for nocturnal culture lovers and nearby Girona is showered with flowers. There should even be several days of bikini-worthy beach weather. May, you’re bloody marvellous!
Is May a good time to visit Barcelona? Yes, it’s one of my top three months to be in the city, along with June and September. The weather is balmy, the events calendar is packed and the air is tinged with the scent of summer.
If you’re looking for a comfortable city break, during which you can explore the city without needing to wrap up warm, nor smother yourself in sunblock and carry a portable fan everywhere you go, then late spring (or early autumn) are the best times to visit Barcelona – with the added bonus you may well be able to spend a day or two on the beach as well.
The weather is balmy, the events calendar is packed and the air is tinged with the scent of summer.
Some travellers will be coming to the city with a specific purpose this time of year… to catch all the racing action at Montmelo, during the Spanish Grand Prix, or to experience the world-famous Primavera Sound Festival in all its glory. If you’re one of them, I suggest spending a day or two either side to take in the city too.
Otherwise there are lots of one-day events and cool activities and things to do visitors can experience, along with all of the city’s year-round attractions like La Sagrada Familia (skip the line tickets here!), Park Guell, Las Ramblas and the Gothic Quarter. Keep reading to find out our favourite suggestions for this time of year.
What’s the Weather Like in May?
Before we continue, we answer all your weather-related questions…
Is it hot in Barcelona in May?
The average high temperature during May is 22.5 degrees Celsius, whilst the average low is 16 degrees. That’s the average remember, so give a take a couple of degrees on either of those and you can get a good picture of what the weather will be like during your visit.
Can you swim in Barcelona in May?
Sea temperatures this time of the year vary between 18-20 degrees Celsius. That’s a bit chilly by Mediterranean standards, but if you’re willing to do the awkward “cold water shuffle” up to your vital bits then make the splash, you’ll be fine… you big wimps! Otherwise come back in July / August when water temperatures get up to 25 degrees.
What are the chances of rain?
There are on average five rainy days in May… so getting our calculator out that’s a 16% chance of rain on any given day.
What should I pack for May?
You’ll need a bit of everything this time of year, from full length pants (to borrow an Americanism) and a spring jacket, to shorts, t-shirts and – if you’re feeling optimistic – your budgie-smugglers and bikinis. A small, easily-portable umbrella is never a bad idea.
Festivals & Things To Do
What to do in Barcelona in May? Standby for inspiration…
1. Party at Primavera Sound Festival
Kicking off at the end of May, or beginning of June, Primavera signals the start of summer. A glorious festival of 100s of international music acts, on a dozen or so stages, over the concrete sprawling Parc del Forum, Primavera attracts music fans from across the world so celebrate the most pioneering artists in rock, indie, pop, rap and dance, and every genre in between. A favourite with jet-setting hipsters, the festival resembles a fashion show during the day, but doesn’t lose its mojo when the sun goes down. The headliners for 2024 include Lana del Rey, Vampire Weekend, Pulp, Justice, Disclosure and PJ Harvey, with Phoenix playing for free on the Wednesday. Tips for attending here.
2. Visit Casa Mila By Day…
One of Gaudi’s unmissable masterpieces, this biomorphic mansion on Passeig de Gracia has to be seen to be believed. Such was the genius of our Antoni, he designed this palatial building without a single straight line. Talking about lines, you’ll want to avoid them too… they can be hours long. So buy your skip-the-queue tickets via Get Your Guide. The ticket includes an audioguide that will help you appreciate the interior, plus you get access the the Espai Gaudi and the building’s undulating rooftop, with its magical chimneys.
…Or Take The Night Tour!
If you want to see “La Pedrera” (The Quarry), in a new way, then instead of signing up for the day visit above, head there at dusk for a evening tour that finishes on the rooftop. Here, under the night sky, you’ll enjoy a glass of Cava and an audiovisual show projected onto the building’s famous chimneys. From up here, you can also enjoy spectacular night views over central Barcelona. The experience is called La Pedrera: The Origins and you can book tickets via Get Your Guide.
3. Discover Gaudi by Bicycle!
If checking out Gaudi’s greatest hits is on your itinerary, then this UNESCO Highlights Tour by Gaudi Bike Tours is arguably the most complete introduction to the architect out there. Not only do you visit La Sagrada Familia, Casa Mila and Casa Batllo, but you also see some of Antoni’s less famous works like Casa Vicens and Palau Guell, as well as call by the serene courtyard of the Gothic hospital where he died. A highlight of the tour is a refreshments break on a beautiful square in the bohemian Gracia district. Check out more details and photos here, or head directly to their website.
4. Bottle Your Own Cava!
Spring is the perfect time to take a day trip to the nearby Penedes wine region and find out all about how the famous local Cava is made. Cava is, of course, Catalonia’s much more affordable answer to French Champagne (and still equally as tasty!). During this creative workshop you get to taste three different blends of Cava, before choosing and bottling your favourite, using the ‘disgorging’ method. You can read more about the activity here, and it’s well worth staying for the rustic lunch at the winery’s millennia-old farmhouse. You can book on the official website, or else just send us an email on info@barcelona-life.com with your group size and preferred dates. When the sun is shining this is a simply wonderful day out.
More Wine Please!
Full many more wine options, including private tours to the Penedes and Priorat regions with hotel pick up, sailing trips to the nearby Alella urban wineries, and day trips to Montserrat with organic wine tasting, check our guide to the best wine tasting tours from Barcelona.
5. Get on Board a Boat Party!
The warm daytime weather make it the perfect time of year to set out off Barcelona’s ports on a glamorous catamaran full of young party people and dance, mingle and drink under the sun. This is the closest you’ll get to being in Ibiza, without jetting out there, and the after the cruise is over the party continues on dry land as you’ll get free club entry with your ticket. As well as the Original Barcelona Boat Party (€55), there’s also a Paella Lunch & Swim Party (€69), both of which are quite wild, there’s also the BBQ Chill Out Boat (€50-60) that includes swim-stop and a few sizzling sausages, best enjoyed with a refreshing cerveza. Check all your options here, or click the button if you’re ready to book direct with the organisers.
6. Take a Walking Photography Tour
Explore the narrow streets of Barcelona’s beautiful Old Town districts, like El Borne, Gotico and Raval, at the same time as you learn how to photograph them. Shutter Kings offer fun and insightful photo tours of these colourful barrios, rich in fascinating details from the past and present, and their guides are professional photographers who will teach you how to use all those tricky functions on your camera you’ve been avoiding up until now. In fact, even if you’re quite an advanced photographer they’ll have some tips on how get holiday pics that really stand out.
7. Watch Barça in La Liga
May is the time of the year when FC Barcelona usually make a convincing push for the finishing line, in the race to be La Liga champions. You can buy tickets for any of their home matches on Ticket-Compare.com, and hopefully see some spectacular goals from their array of young attacking talent. Depending on how their campaigns are going, you might also be able to catch them in one of Europe’s or Spain’s cup competitions as well.
Or Take a Tour of Camp Nou!
If you’re not in town for any games, then you could always book yourself tickets for the Camp Nou Experience instead. The ticket includes a visit to the FC Barcelona Museum, with it’s glittering trophy cabinet, plus a look inside the stadium, dressing rooms and much more! (Note: Due to refurbishments the tour is restricted to the museum for now!)
8. Take a Cable Car Ride up Montjuic
The coastal rise of Montjuic is home to an abundance of cultural attractions, from Barcelona’s castle to the Joan Miro Museum and not forgetting the Olympic Ring. The best way to ascend is via the Teleferic de Montjuic, a modern cable car that whizzes you up the mountain with great views back over Barcelona. From there you can check out the castle and then wander down to explore some of the hill’s other treasures.
9. Enjoy a Sunset Cruise
No trip to Barcelona can truly be considered complete without taking advantage of its glamorous coastal location. This sunset cruise sets sail every evening during the warmer months, allowing you to finish your day in the best way possible… bobbing gently on the water with a glass of Cava and a cool Mediterranean breeze in your hair. You can read more about the experience here, which is also available with live Spanish guitar music. Or if you want to book a private boat just for yourself then head here.
10. Take a Helicopter Flight!
Add an unforgettable element to your Barcelona visit with a scenic helicopter flight along the city’s dramatic Mediterranean coastline. Barcelona is beautiful from above and its fun to see how the contrast between different areas of the city, from an aeriel perspective. There are a couple of different tours, such as this 7 minute flight that is available every day at 11:30am, and this 7 or 12 min flight which is available every day at 3:30pm.
11. Vist 3 Countries in One Day
If you’re determined to pack as much as possible into your travels, you’ll be hard pressed to beat this day trip, which encompasses three separate countries in a single day! Starting in Barcelona, you’ll visit the medieval Catalan village of Baga, surrounded by the rocky peaks of Cadi-Moixero National Park, before crossing the border into France, where you can visit the natural healing springs of the ancient spa town of Ax-Les-Thermes. It’s hard to beat French cuisine, so naturally you’ll also take your lunch at one of the village’s authentic local restaurants. After lunch, you’ll take a spectacular drive through the Pyrenees mountains to Andorra, where you can shop for bargains (like wine!) at Andorra la Valla’s tax-free shops. On the way back they’ll be time to visit the Romanesque church of St. Climent and its panoramic valley views, as well as passing by the jagged landscape of Montserrat, before arriving back in Barcelona in time for dinner. Check out the photos on Get Your Guide, or browse other great day trips by Explore Catalunya.
12. Girona Flowers Festival (mid-May)
There can hardly be a more fitting way to celebrate spring than by hopping on a train up to Girona to see the picturesque town decked out with flowers. Temps de Flor runs from 11th to the 19th May in 2024, and visitors will have the chance to enjoy the city enhanced by hundreds of different floral displays. Running concurrently is the A Cappella Festival, ensuring there’s plenty going on at this time.
Girona Day Trips
For those not familiar with the city, Girona is a stunning medieval town that features heavily in the epic fantasy Game of Thrones TV show, and is one of our favourite day trips from Barcelona. You can even book a Game of Thrones tour with transport from Barcelona, while other tour options include visits to the Dali Museum or Costa Brava beaches.
13. Night of the Museums
For one evening in May virtually all of Barcelona’s museums will be open and free to the public. If you’re a short-on-cash culture-vulture, or just like the idea of wondering around the city’s most hallowed vaults at an hour they’re usually closed, then you’ll enjoy this event (that is mirrored in cities all around Europe). A piece of advice… it’s better to pick the lesser known gems, than visit the big-hitters where excessive queues will have you questioning whether saving a few pennies was really worth the hassle of waiting in line. The dates for 2023 were not announced at time of press, but you can check the city website for details.
14. Join a Local Food Tour
If sampling the local cuisine is one of the reasons you booked your flight to BCN, then consider signing up for one of the food tours I recommend on this post. Barcelona is a city where many of the best restaurants are hidden on back streets and quiet plazas, so to be taken to some of these secrets in the company of a local guide who knows what to order is something of a treat. What’s more the best tours usually combine delicious tapas with historic insight, and perhaps a visit to a local market… and of course some refreshing local wines and liqueurs.
15. Join a Bar Crawl!
Barcelona’s nightlife races year round, but things speed up around spring, when long warm days entice people out in the evening too. There are plenty of ways to experience the local nocturnal scene, from this glamorous VIP party tour, to this classic pub crawl, with up to 100 drinkers turning up each night to have fun.
16. Geek Out at Comic Barcelona
Barcelona hosts an homage to all things comic-related once a year, and the dates for your diary in 2024 are 3rd to the 5th May. The Salón Internacional del Cómic de Barcelona has been held annually since 1981 and its known as one of the top comic events in all of Spain. Authors, artists, publishers and more show up to talk about their latest projects and, if they’re lucky, to win some of the coveted awards. Grab your tickets on their website and get ready to geek out with comic fans from all over the world. Kids are welcome!
17. Head to the Beach…
If the sun has got his hat on, then you can pack some factor 30 and head down the beach. Barceloneta is the city’s most famous stretch of sand, with plenty going on in terms of people watching, beach bars and hawkers selling everything from drapes to iced mojitos. Meanwhile, Nova Icaria, Bogatell and Marbella tend to be a little bit less crowded (but still busy), or you even could train it out of town to somewhere like Sitges or Castelldefels.
Keep Reading…
Aside from these seasonal recommendations, don’t forget we have compiled a long list of fun and unusual things to do by day as well as by night.
About the Author
Duncan established Barcelona Life in 2009, whilst freelancing for the likes of Conde Nast, The Guardian, Easyjet Magazine, CNN Traveller and many more. From interviews with Ferran Adria to revealing the secrets of the city’s poetry brothels, he knows the city inside out… and shares all his best tips right here.