11 Things to Do in Barcelona in October

Your list of things to see and do in Barcelona is sure to be packed with plans, but there’ll be even more to add once you discover everything October has to offer. This month, Barcelona takes on a more local feel thanks to a number of traditional local festivals and events steeped in history, though there are also a few that might give you a bit of a scare.

If you fancy exploring Barcelona, you’ve picked a brilliant month to visit. The good weather is still here for enjoying the outdoors at events like Viu Montjuic, but there’ll also be chances to explore the interiors of buildings of great architectural value and to discover Catalan cuisine. If you want to know exactly what I mean, keep reading!

Are you thinking of going on a food tour of Barcelona? Without a doubt, food is the best way to get to know a city. If you’re going to be there on the first weekend of October, you can make the most of Tast a la Rambla (Taste the Rambla), a major event where the best restaurants in the area offer their dishes as tapas to visitors on Barcelona’s famous street.

With this gastronomic celebration, the city aims to showcase its culinary offerings. The food stalls stretch all along La Rambla, though they are mainly concentrated in the area closest to the Columbus Monument. In total, more than 20 restaurants take part.

El Tast de la Rambla is a food event, but there are many other gastronomic activities taking place around it, such as workshops and food and wine pairings. Of course, there are musical performances to liven up the atmosphere. It’s the perfect place to go for lunch or dinner during your stay in Barcelona.

Useful information

• When: the first weekend in October. Stalls are open from around 12 noon to midnight.
• Where: on La Rambla (particularly near the Columbus Monument).
• Price: free entry and food and drink for around €4.
• Recommended if: you enjoy food and the lively atmosphere that surrounds gastronomy.

Also known as Festas del Roser, La Rambla’s annual festival takes place on 7 October, although there are things to see and do in the days leading up to and following the event, when this tourist-filled street takes on a more local feel.

Join in and take part in the guided tours, workshops, musical performances and other scheduled activities (the vast majority of which are free). One of the best things about these festivities is that they coincide with the start of the mushroom season, so plenty of tastings are organised (especially at the Boquería Market).

Whatever your age, you’ll enjoy La Rambla’s annual festival, though if you’re travelling to Barcelona with children, I’d recommend it even more. There are plenty of activities designed just for them.

Useful information

• When: the days leading up to and following 7 October.
• Where: La Rambla.
• Price: free.
• Recommended if: you’re travelling to Barcelona with children and looking for activities for the whole family.

Barcelona is one of the cities with the most impressive architecture, so strolling through its streets and admiring the façades from the outside is a real treat. But it’s even better to see these places from the inside, something you can do for free if you’re in the city on the last weekend of October thanks to the Barcelona Architecture Festival.

For 48 hours, the interiors of various houses and buildings are open to the public, with architects and volunteers on hand to lead guided tours. During this event, you’ll discover hidden treasures of Catalan Modernism and other city landmarks such as the Arc de Triomf or the former La Modelo prison. Unfortunately, the Sagrada Familia and Casa Batlló aren’t part of the Festival, so if you want to explore them in depth, you’ll need to book a guided tour.

Generally, no prior registration is required, although I recommend checking the programme beforehand to find out opening times and how to get to each site. The best way to learn about the secrets and wonders of Catalan architecture is from the experts, so it’s also a good idea to pop into each building whilst you’re out exploring Barcelona.

Useful information

• When: last weekend in October.
• Where: various locations across Barcelona.
• Price: free.
• Recommended if: you want to get up close to Barcelona’s architecture, guided by experts.

In Barcelona, every neighbourhood has a market; in fact, some of them are very famous and could be considered a tourist attraction, such as the Sant Antoni Market. To showcase their cultural value, the Mercat de Mercats food fair is organised every year in mid-October, with free entry. That said, you’ll have to pay if you want to take home a culinary souvenir from the many stalls set up around Barcelona Cathedral.

In Barcelona, markets are much more than just places to buy and sell. They are meeting points for local residents, and the city council always strives to promote them and encourage people to shop there, thereby supporting fresh, local produce.

As well as selling goods, traders also organise other activities, such as cookery workshops, cocktail-making sessions or even wine tastings. To do this, they enlist the help of local chefs, who prepare dishes that you can enjoy on the spot.

Useful information

• When: mid-October.
• Where: Barcelona Cathedral and surrounding area.
• Price: free entry.
• Recommended if: you want to try fresh produce from Catalonia and feel like a true Barcelonian.

During October in Barcelona, specifically in the middle of the month, Viu Montjuic takes place, offering an opportunity to experience this mountain and the entire surrounding area. The whole site is put to use, featuring various buildings and leisure venues (such as gardens, museums and theatres), to organise a range of recreational activities. In total, there are 22 venues that open to the public for two days in October to offer a series of workshops, talks, and musical and theatrical performances.

For example, this area is home to some of Barcelona’s finest museums, such as the Archaeology Museum, the National Art Museum of Catalonia and the Caixaforum, as well as historic buildings like the Olympic Stadium.

This event is also a great opportunity to visit places that are usually closed to the public, such as the Espai Bombers, or to discover sites of great beauty and cultural interest, such as the Botanical Gardens or the Teatre Lliure. Exhibitions and guided tours are organised at all these venues.

Useful information

• When: mid-October.
• Where: Montjuïc.
• Price: free entry, although you sometimes need to register in advance via the event’s official website.
• Recommended if: you’re interested in culture and want to visit some museums for free.

One of Barcelona’s most iconic races is the Cursa de Bombers (Firefighters’ Race), held on a Sunday in late October. It’s a 10-kilometre route and the terrain is fairly flat with no significant inclines, making it more accessible and popular, which is why thousands of people turn out for it every year.

Of course, firefighters take part in this race, dressed in their full uniform, but so do amateur and professional athletes. On their website, they describe this event as a running festival, something you’ll be able to see for yourself when you go (whether to run or just to watch). A stage with a screen is set up at the start so that no one misses a thing, whilst music plays to cheer on the runners and the crowd.

If you like travelling with your running shoes, I recommend signing up for the Cursa de Bombers. You don’t need to be a professional (in fact, the elite athletes start separately). It’s also a lovely way to explore Barcelona, as you’ll pass through Plaça de Catalunya, Via Layetana, La Rambla and Ciutadella Park.

Useful information

• When: a Sunday in late October.
• Where: central Barcelona.
• Price: registration as a runner costs around €17 (access for spectators is free).
• Recommended if: travelling and exploring cities means running through them for you.

Sitges is very close to Barcelona, about an hour away by public transport. This coastal town is a great place for a getaway. The Sitges Film Festival also takes place in the first half of October. If you’re into horror and fantasy films, you simply must attend a screening, as the festival showcases the best international films in the genre.

As well as the films, other activities are organised that fill the town with zombies. This is particularly evident during the Sitges Zombie Walk, a parade of people in impressive costumes who look a bit scary and make their way through much of the town.

The Sitges International Horror and Fantasy Film Festival has been held since 1968. Over time, it has become a world-renowned event, attracting many film enthusiasts and stars. Why not take a trip from Barcelona to see it for yourself?

Useful information

• When: first half of October.
• Where: Sitges.
• Price: approximately €10–€15.
• Recommended if: you like fantasy and horror films.

Are you thinking of heading to Port Aventura from Barcelona? It’s always a good time to take a day trip and enjoy this theme park, which is just an hour from the capital, but in October it’s even better. Why? Because the whole park gets ready to celebrate Halloween.

Haunted houses, attractions themed and decorated to be extra scary, concerts and shows… This is what Port Aventura looks like throughout October, although obviously the big day is the 31st. Mind you, it’s the event of the year at the park, so it’s usually very busy; if you want to go, buy your tickets well in advance.

Would you rather stay in Barcelona but still have a good time on Halloween night? All the city’s nightclubs organise themed parties (for which I recommend dressing up). What’s more, Poble Espanyol (an open-air museum depicting a life-size village) is also decorated and themed for the occasion.

Useful information

• When: throughout October (especially on Halloween night).
• Where: Port Aventura.
• Price: approximately €50.
• Recommended if: you fancy a different and very comprehensive Halloween experience.

Whether your heart beats for Barça or you simply love football and don’t want to miss the experience of watching one of the world’s greatest teams play at their home ground, Spotify Camp Nou, October is a great month to do so.

In October, La Liga is roughly halfway through the season, so the excitement is palpable in the air. The fact is that the Spanish top-flight teams aren’t just competing for the title (incidentally, Barça already has 27 league titles to its name), but the best of them also secure a place in the following year’s European competitions.

My advice is that if you’re travelling to Barcelona in October and dream of watching your favourite team play, book your tickets as far in advance as possible and always through official websites, because tickets sell out fast and scams are rife. Oh, and if you want to save a bit of money, choose a less high-profile fixture (for example, tickets for El Clásico are considerably more expensive) and look for the cheaper sections.

Useful information

• When: In October, La Liga is halfway through the season.
• Where: Spotify Camp Nou.
• Price: from €70.
• Recommended if: your heart beats for Barça and you’re passionate about football.

Do you like jazz? Then you’re in luck, because October sees the launch of the Voll-Damm Jazz Festival in Barcelona, a flagship event attended by major artists who are leading figures in the genre.

This event, which lasts several weeks, brings together the best international musicians, who perform in the city’s major venues and theatres. Ticket prices vary, but generally cost around €20. That said, they do tend to sell out, so keep an eye out to buy them.

Generally, most of the venues are in Barcelona and are, in fact, key venues within the city’s artistic culture (such as the Sala Apolo, the Sala BARTS or even the Palau de la Música). However, the theatre in Sant Cugat is also used; this is a nearby town that can be reached in under an hour.

Useful information

• When: throughout the month of October.
• Where: various venues and locations in Barcelona.
• Price: approximately €20.
• Recommended if: you’re a fan of jazz and live music.

That’s right, the beer festival is coming to Barcelona too. Barcelona’s Oktoberfest is one of the biggest celebrations of October. For two weeks, the Montjuïc fairgrounds are filled with litres and litres of beer, long tables, Bavarian cuisine and German music.

Entry is free, although a one-litre mug of beer costs around €10. Bear in mind that although it’s a very large venue (around 5,000 square metres), it tends to get very busy, so I recommend booking a table online.

As if that weren’t enough, there are also fairground rides for both adults and children, ensuring the entertainment never stops.

Useful information

• When: throughout the month of October.
• Where: Montjuïc fairground.
• Price: free entry (drinks cost around €10).
• Recommended if: you like beer and the atmosphere of big festivals.

Some say that the weather is always good in Barcelona, and they’re not entirely wrong. In October, temperatures still reach 20°C (and above) during the day, although it cools down at night (to around 15°C) and you’ll need a jacket. In any case, the weather is perfect for being out and about.

That said, the rainy season begins and it’s highly likely you’ll need an umbrella or a raincoat during your trip.

As for daylight hours, you’ll get around 10 a day; bear in mind that the clocks change at the end of the month, so these will drop to around 8.

Although the weather remains fairly good in October, it is clear that the summer season has ended in Barcelona, so the city is quieter and there are fewer tourists. This means you can take advantage of special offers and lower prices on hotels and flights.

Although there are fewer people on the streets of Barcelona, it remains a very popular city, so it’s not a good idea to leave your bookings until the last minute (especially for major tourist attractions such as Park Güell or the Sagrada Familia).

What plans are you not going to miss during your trip to Barcelona in October? I hope I’ve given you some ideas.