Barcelona is the perfect spot for a quick winter break (or better still, a longer break, if you have the time). The average winter temperature is 15-16°C so while it’s not quite sunbathing weather, the low number of rainy days (an average of only five per month in winter) makes it perfect for sightseeing. And Barcelona is surely one of the world’s most beautiful cities, full of fantastic architecture as well as a historical Gothic quarter so it’s a great place to explore on foot.
The other benefit of visiting in winter is that it’s off-season, which means fewer tourists (especially in a city that has struggled with unsustainable levels of overtourism) and cheaper accommodation prices.
You can even go skiing, if the timing is right, in the Pyrenees. There are public transport options where the cost of a ski pass is included in the ticket price so if you love winter sports and feel like trying somewhere different to the Alps, or you want to combine some arts and culture with your skiing, Barcelona could be the perfect choice.
Must sees
Barcelona is justifiably famous for its architecture, especially the Modernisme architecture of Antoni Gaudí, whose often-colourful work is usually based around natural forms.
Even a brief walk around the Eixample district of the city is full of wonder and delight. Highlights include Casa Batlló, often said to be based on the legend of Saint George (or Sant Jordi, as he’s referred to in Catalan, and who is the patron saint of Catalunya. Visit over the 23rd April to see the streets full of stalls selling books and roses to honour his saint’s day). If you look closely you can see the shape of the dragon and the lance piercing it.
The building is just as beautiful inside and there are occasional public events and concerts held on the spacious outdoor terrace so before you go it’s always worth checking the website to see what’s on.
A walking tour of some of Gaudí’s buildings might also take in Casa Vicens, Casa Calvet, Casa Milà (more commonly known as La Pedrera) and of course the Sagrada Familia, the as-yet-unfinished grand cathedral in the city centre.
If you want to visit the inside of the Sagrada Familia then it’s worth booking your tickets online in advance as it’s often sold out or with huge queues, although less so in the winter.
La Pedrera is particularly worth a visit and offers tours of the interior, which has been restored. It also has a beautiful roof terrace. You’ll notice as you explore that the Eixample neighbourhood is set out on a grid block pattern but that each corner is cut at an angle, which makes every intersection more of an octagon than a square, providing space for the many pavement cafes that form such a convivial background to life in Barcelona.
It’s a great example of a simple but creative bit of town planning that leads to a better quality of life for residents.
The Mercat de Santa Caterina is also notable for its architecture, especially its colourful mosaic roof, but equally worth a visit for its produce, especially if markets are the kind of thing you like exploring, as is the Mercat de la Boqueria nearby.
Gaudí was not the only Modernisme architect working in Barcelona in the 20th century and there are several other buildings all close by which are worth seeing, including Casa Amatller by Puig i Cadafalch, Casa Lleó Morera by Lluis Domenich i Montaner, Casa Bonet by Marcel-líà Coquillat and Casa Mulleras by Enric Sagnier.
In fact, these buildings are all on the same block as Casa Batlló and the block is known as the Illa de la Discòrdia (the Block of Discord) for its competing styles. Further north is the Casa de les Punxes, a modernist mansion with a particularly fanciful design.
After all that walking, stop in at El National for a bite to eat. The food is great and it’s a lovely place to eat.
Another architectural marvel is Parc Güell, also by Gaudí. It’s a bit too far to walk to from the centre but easy to reach via taxi or public transport. It has the most amazing views out over the city and Gaudí’s trademark colourful design in both the buildings and the gardens.
If you prefer more modern architecture, Barcelona still has plenty to offer: there’s Herzog & de Meuron’s Forum Building, Jean Nouvel’s Agbar Tower (which looks similar to London’s Gherkin but was apparently designed first), Santiago Calatrava’s Torre Calatrava and Richard Meier’s Museum of Contemporary Art.
It’s also worth making time to go for a wander around the city’s Gothic quarter. It has the kind of narrow, winding streets that really bring history to life as well as a towering Gothic cathedral.
There are plenty of small independent shops and restaurants to choose from in the area and it’s a great place to get lost in.
Another area worth exploring is Montjuïc, which has lots of things to see and beautiful views out to the sea. There is a cable car you can take to reach the top of the hill where you can visit Montjuïc Castle, as well as the National Museum of Catalan Art, the Botanical Gardens, the Joan Miro museum, the Mies van der Rohe Pavillion (another must-see for architecture lovers), the Olympic museum and the 1992 Olympic stadium. There’s also plenty of outdoor space to wander around and soak up the atmosphere.
Must dos
If you like shopping, then Barcelona is a great place to do it – there are lots of independent shops as well as the typical high street offerings. Zara, Massimo Dutti and the other stores belonging to Spanish company Inditex are often much cheaper here in Spain if you’re looking for some savings.
While you’re shopping, make sure to pop into Colmado Quilez, a small family-owned traditional deli/grocery and pick up some fancy olives, salt or olive oil for the food lovers in your life (or yourself). It’s a beautifully laid out store with a great choice of items.
In the run-up to Christmas it’s traditional to eat turrón, which is similar to nougat and usually contains honey and almonds, although there are lots of different flavours now. There are two types: soft turrón, known as turrón Jijona, and hard turrón, known as turrón Alicante.
You may also see mantecados and polvorones, which are originally from Andalusia and more like a soft, crumbly biscuit in texture. They usually contain some combination of almonds, sesame, cinnamon or honey and use the fat of the famed iberico pigs to create their characteristic crumbly texture. Various forms and flavours of marzipan are also widely available and very delicious.
If you like good wine, drop into Enterwine, where the knowledgeable staff will help you find whatever you’re looking for, whether it’s high-end cava, a full-bodied Ribero del Duero or one of the local white wines which Catalunyan vineyards are so good at producing. The nearby Varela is another great place to eat, especially if you can get a seat outside on the terrace.
No trip to Barcelona would be complete without a walk along the beach, and while it might not be warm enough to swim in the winter, a walk along the beach, especially on a crisp, sunny day, is a real pleasure. Make sure to stop and see Frank Gehry’s fish sculpture (another famous architect!) and maybe stop for a drink or a bite to eat at the W Hotel, where one of the restaurants has a cocktail bar on the 26th floor with spectacular views.
If you have time to fit in a show, then a visit to the Palau de la Música Catalana is a must. The art deco theatre interior is beautiful and it’s easy to book tickets online. Barcelona has a jazz festival which runs into December at venues around the city, usually including the Palau, so if you love music there’s a good chance there’ll be lots to choose from. It also has shows that are not part of the jazz festival, including the odd flamenco show, and while flamenco originally hails from Andalusia, it’s popular enough in the rest of Spain for popular artists to command big crowds.
If you visit in December, you’ll see the traditional Spanish nativity scenes around the city and in the churches as we discussed in our city guide to Seville. A key difference in Catalunya is that every nativity will have a figure who is pooping somewhere (yes, really). They’re also widely available to buy, often in the form of famous people as well as the more traditional versions. Spotting them in the scene is great fun for kids in particular.
If you stay for the new year, you’ll be able to ring in the new year in true Spanish tradition: when the clock counts down, you must eat 12 grapes (one at each bong of the clock) for good luck. It’s also considered lucky to wear red underwear to see in the new year.
Here in Spain Santa Claus isn’t the giver of gifts to kids the way he is in Anglo countries; instead, the Three Kings (from the nativity story) deliver the gifts on the 6th January. On the evening of the 5th, Spanish families gather for a celebratory dinner where a cake called a Roscon de Reyes is eaten; it’s a type of sweet bread, baked in a large doughnut shape and filled with whipped cream, decorated with candied fruit. Inside the cream will be a small figure of a king, and whoever finds it in their slice will have good luck for the following year.
Map
All of the places I’ve mentioned here in the article have been saved to this Google Map for you. You can save it to your own phone so that it’s easy to find everything when you visit (even easier if you download the map for offline use!)
Images: Kate Lillie, Bjørn Erik Pedersen, Juan Emilio Prades Bel
