film
Sitges Film Festival 2026
The 59th edition of the fantasy, horror and cult films-focused festival
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
Friday, Oct 16
arts-culture
Seat: Factory of Transformations
Castell de Montjuïc’s exhibition uses car company SEAT to tell a story about Barcelona
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.
style-design
Barcelona Design Week 2026
A week dedicated to all things design with talks, exhibitions, workshops and more
film
Filmets 2026
FILMETS returns for its 52nd edition of celebrating the short film
arts-culture
After The Kiss
Taiwanese artist Attilio Chien comes with a solo exhibition devoted to the kiss
arts-culture
Declaration of Love to Lenin, Juana Dolores Romero Casanova
This incredible artist’s first exhibition held at La Virreina.
arts-culture
KBr Flama’26
KBr Flama’26 returns to Fundación MAPFRE with a selection of new talent
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
Elisava
A sun-soaked photography project capturing the Poblenou coastline.
arts-culture
Echoes: Videos from the Han Nefkens Foundation Donation
An exhibition on a donation of 18 video artworks by Han Nefkens Foundation.
arts-culture
Dana Lixemburg
An exhibition on three decades of work by this Dutch photographer
food-drink
Mercat de Mercats 2026
The annual celebration of everything fresh and local from neighbourhood markets
film
IndiFest Film Festival
Barcelona Indigenous Film Festival returns with films dedicated to Indigenous stories
arts-culture
Biennial of Thought 2026
Talks, debates and performances asking what it means to live in the present
film
Barcelona Jewish Film Festival 2026
Festival Cinema Jueu returns for its 28th edition with a fresh lineup of films
music
Ciutat Flamenco Festival 2026
Celebrate centuries of flamenco tradition at Ciutat Flamenco festival
arts-culture
La Zona: Halloween House of Horrors
Think you’ve outgrown being scared of the dark? LA ZONA puts it to the test
film
Transhumant Film Festival 2026
The socially committed film and photojournalism festival returns
film
Love and Hope International Film Festival (L’HIFF) 2026
L’HIFF brings an independent, international mix of films to the city
music
The Sound Society x 22 Recordings
The Sound Society and 22 Recordings team up for a big one at Village Underground
Saturday, Oct 17
fitness-wellness
Outdoor Fitness Workout
An energizing group-training session at Barcelona’s seafront.
music
James Massiah
Lauded South London poet and musician makes his Barcelona debut
Sunday, Oct 18
arts-culture
Art & Coffee Oil Painting Workshop
Slow down, get creative and enjoy something a bit off the beaten track
film
Stranger Than Paradise
An early deadpan classic from Jim Jarmusch
Ongoing
arts-culture
The Cult of Beauty
The CCCB’s latest exhibition delves into one of the most loaded ideas in culture.
Places
nightlife
Marsella
This charmingly grimy Raval bar is famous for its absinthe, and said to be Barcelona’s oldest.
nightlife
Apolo
Founded in 1943, this is one of the city’s premier live music venues and nightclubs.
food-drink
Gallo Santo
Spain’s first fully plant-based Mexican eatery.
food-drink
MariscCo Còrsega
Have your seafood grilled or fried up, Andalucía-style – you pay according to the weight of the product.
food-drink
Koh-i-noor
This family-run restaurant has set itself up as a jewel in the Barcelona curry scene.
food-drink
Bar La Ravala
Tapas at La Ravala are homemade daily and can be found traditionally displayed in a glass case on top of the bar.
food-drink
El Tianguis
The tacos, micheladas and margaritas leave no doubt this is a Mexican must.
food-drink
Casa Dorita
Market-cuisine tapas named for the great-grandmother whose cooking started it.
food-drink
Monopol
One of the city’s most exciting places to eat, drink and watch football.
nightlife
Coco Vail Beer Hall
The space is an embodiment of the founders’ passion for American craft beer and food.
food-drink
Capet
An open kitchen sends out mostly Catalan dishes, which display a sound background in classic French techniques.
food-drink
Paral·lelo
Named “street gelato” for their cute-as-a-button ice cream trolley.
food-drink
DelaCrem Obrador
Natural ice cream on Passeig de Sant Joan – no additives, no stabilizers.
food-drink
NAP Mar
“Neapolitan Authentic Pizza”: thin-crust, doughy delights cooked in proper wood-fired ovens.
food-drink
NAP Antic
“Neapolitan Authentic Pizza”: thin-crust, doughy delights cooked in proper wood-fired ovens.
food-drink
Cera 23
Galician-accented Spanish cooking in the Raval, built around a black rice volcano.
food-drink
Bar Brutal
A Born natural-wine institution – Can Cisa’s Bar Brutal pours biodynamic, sulphite-free bottles alongside sharing plates to a clued-in crowd.
food-drink
Anita Gelato
Anita’s handmade gelato runs past 150 flavors, from pistachio to halva, scooped fresh all day.
food-drink
Jaqueline
Mediterranean restaurant, jazz club, Japanese bar and clandestine cocktail bar in one.
nightlife
La Llibreria
This self-dubbed “cocktail bar and book collection” is the latest gem to appear in Les Corts.
nightlife
Input
Friday nights feature forward-thinking electronic music.
music
Curtis Audiophile Cafe
Whether you want to get down there and dance, geek out over the audio setup – or both – satisfaction is guaranteed.
nightlife
Gimlet
Founded by Javier de las Muelas, Gimlet was the first of what is now a global empire of cocktail bars.
food-drink
La Tere Gastrobar
A Venezuelan-run gastrobar on Carrer Riego, one of the reasons Sants is rising.
food-drink
GiGi Von Tapas
Opened by the trailblazing team behind Milk and Firebug, GiGi’s is one of those places where every day feels like Sunday.
lgbt
Madame Jasmine
A Raval gay bar that embodies the neighborhood’s charms, queerness and eccentricities.
lgbt
Skybar
The Axel Hotel’s rooftop – city views, strong cocktails, a crowd that dresses up.
food-drink
Takeaway & Delivery Picks
Good news in having some restaurants jumping back into action with takeaway and home delivery services.
food-drink
UMA House Trafalgar
UMA House Trafalgar’s seventh-floor pool terrace, with a 360-degree read on the city’s rooftops, spires and the ridge behind them.
food-drink
Gouthier
Based in Sarrià, this is Barcelona’s premier oyster bar.