arts-culture
Festa Major of Esquerra de l'Eixample 2026
One of the city’s biggest neighbourhoods celebrates its festa major
miniguide
The best things to do in Barcelona, curated by locals. Events, restaurants, nightlife and the spots worth knowing – updated weekly.
Barcelona
miniguide
The best things to do in Barcelona, curated by locals. Events, restaurants, nightlife and the spots worth knowing – updated weekly.
Events
Tuesday, Sep 29
arts-culture
Declaration of Love to Lenin, Juana Dolores Romero Casanova
This incredible artist’s first exhibition held at La Virreina.
arts-culture
Elisava
A sun-soaked photography project capturing the Poblenou coastline.
arts-culture
Josep Maria de Sucre, Activist and Visionary Artist
A new exhibition on the work of Catalan visionary artist Josep Maria de Sucre
arts-culture
Patrim’25: Look in Silence. That Blues Look
A snapshot of emerging artistic talent from the Universitat de Barcelona’s Faculty of Fine Art.
arts-culture
Backstory Talks: Daisuke Yosumi
Practical ideas from Japanese minimalism
film
Festival u22 2026
Festival U22 returns as Barcelona’s young cinema festival
film
Transhumant Film Festival 2026
The socially committed film and photojournalism festival returns
film
Amílcar
Miguel Eek’s poetic portrait of an anti-colonial revolutionary
Wednesday, Sep 30
arts-culture
Pere Portabella
A program of screenings drawn from this Catalan filmmaker’s repertoire.
arts-culture
Light Filtered Through the Cracks
MACBA’s exhibition looks back to when video became a tool for political intervention.
arts-culture
Echoes: Videos from the Han Nefkens Foundation Donation
An exhibition on a donation of 18 video artworks by Han Nefkens Foundation.
music
La Mercabanda 2026
Casa Batlló’s Magic Nights brings this quartet to its Dragon rooftop
film
Hard Truths
Mike Leigh’s prickly, darkly funny family drama
film
Open-Air Cinema at the Palace 2026
El Palace’s Rooftop Garden transforms into the city’s best open-air screen.
Thursday, Oct 1
film
Hard Eight (Sydney)
Paul Thomas Anderson’s coolly controlled debut feature
film
What's Up, Doc?
Peter Bogdanovich’s classic screwball comedy
music
maya ongaku
Dreamy, earthy psychedelia from Japan
Friday, Oct 2
arts-culture
BAUM Festival 2026
BAUM brings Barcelona’s tattoo and urban culture worlds together
food-drink
Mahou Bravas Fest Barcelona 2026
A whole festival dedicated to Spain's most iconic tapa
music
Lawrence English
Live show from the revered Australian sound artist
Saturday, Oct 3
innovation
Women In Fabric 2026
A tech event focusing on women in Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, data and AI
arts-culture
Viu Montjuïc 2026
Montjuïc’s museums, gardens, heritage spaces and community projects open their doors
fitness-wellness
Outdoor Fitness Workout
An energizing group-training session at Barcelona’s seafront.
Sunday, Oct 4
arts-culture
Art & Coffee Oil Painting Workshop
Slow down, get creative and enjoy something a bit off the beaten track
Ongoing
arts-culture
The Cult of Beauty
The CCCB’s latest exhibition delves into one of the most loaded ideas in culture.
Places
food-drink
Santamasa
Enjoy good food with a local feel at Santamasa in Sarrià.
food-drink
Gallo Santo
Spain’s first fully plant-based Mexican eatery.
food-drink
Bivio
At steakhouse in Bivio, Argentine Black Angus arrives on a hot stone for you to finish at the table.
food-drink
Casa Dorita
Market-cuisine tapas named for the great-grandmother whose cooking started it.
food-drink
The Rooftop at Serras
A chic terrace and plunge pool above the Serras, with serious cocktails and a clean sweep over Port Vell, Barceloneta and the sea.
food-drink
La Balabusta
On the corner of Rosselló and Enric Granados you’ll find the Israeli restaurant La Balabusta.
food-drink
La Terraza del Claris
The rooftop of an Egyptologist’s hotel – discreet, art-filled, no day-club treatment.
nightlife
Garage Beer Co.
This UK-style brewery is one of Barcelona’s most central stops for quality brews.
food-drink
Ocaña
Four spaces in one, including the new D.F. Mexican restaurant.
food-drink
Anita Gelato
Anita’s handmade gelato runs past 150 flavors, from pistachio to halva, scooped fresh all day.
food-drink
Contraban
The Wittmore’s Michelin-listed restaurant, with a rooftop terrace above it.
food-drink
Pepa Bar a Vins
The tapas are prepared raw, marinated, grilled or lightly blow-torched.
food-drink
Bar Castells
This tapas bar/restaurant dates back some hundred years.
food-drink
Lateral
This glitzy tapas joint is the result of a €1.3 million investment.
lgbt
Madame Jasmine
A Raval gay bar that embodies the neighborhood’s charms, queerness and eccentricities.
food-drink
Nobu Hotel
Twenty-three floors above Sants – a rooftop pool and terrace open to non-guests, plus Japanese-Peruvian cooking from Nobu Matsuhisa.
food-drink
Gouthier
Based in Sarrià, this is Barcelona’s premier oyster bar.
lgbt
La Chapelle
One of the skinniest gay bars you’ll ever visit, but also one with the most charm.
food-drink
Rabbit's
A recent addition to the city’s vibrant tapas scene in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi.
food-drink
Pulpería Can Lampazas
They specialize in premium-quality octopus sourced directly from the Galician Rías.
music
Curtis Audiophile Cafe
Whether you want to get down there and dance, geek out over the audio setup – or both – satisfaction is guaranteed.
lgbt
Skybar
The Axel Hotel’s rooftop – city views, strong cocktails, a crowd that dresses up.
nightlife
Big Bang Bar
Big Bang Bar has long been a mecca for local musicians and traveling tunesmiths looking to share music on an intimate stage.
food-drink
El Casal
Steps away from Santa Maria del Mar sits this gem of a café.
food-drink
Pachuco
Wash down generous portions of Mexican fare with peso-priced micheladas.
nightlife
Coco Vail Beer Hall
The space is an embodiment of the founders’ passion for American craft beer and food.
food-drink
El Magraner Boig
Authentic Greek dishes and atmosphere at this laid-back yet animated Raval restaurant.
food-drink
Dr. Beer & Mr. Fried
A champion of craft beer and fried food, the new arrival draws inspiration from US-style cajun and creole cuisine.
nightlife
Diobar
You’ll find one of Barcelona’s best music venues in the basement of a Greek restaurant.
food-drink
Bar Cañete
Step inside it feels like traveling through time to Spain’s glory days.