Month guide · Barcelona · Spain
Barcelona in May
What May is really like in Barcelona: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Canaan, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
May is one of the best months to visit Barcelona. Expect average highs of 22°C (72°F), lows of 15°C (59°F), about 6 rainy days and roughly 14.5 hours of daylight. Warm and sunny with long evenings and the first beach days, though the sea is still cool.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 22°C (72°F) / 15°C (59°F)
- Rainy days
- About 6
- Daylight
- About 14.5 hours
- Sea temperature
- 17°C (63°F)
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in May
May is the 5th-warmest month in Barcelona: days average 22°C (72°F) against a yearly average high of 21°C (70°F), and nights fall to about 15°C (59°F). Rain falls on roughly 6 of its 31 days. Compared with April (19°C (66°F)), May is warmer; by June highs climb to around 26°C (79°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 06:32
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 21:03
- Daylight
- About 14.5 hours
- Sea
- 17°C (63°F)
Spring (March–May). Mild, sunny days, café terraces and Sant Jordi's books and roses, with occasional rain and busy Easter weeks; the sea stays cool until late May.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 4 for crowds (the peak is June at 5) and 4 for hotel prices (highest in June). Book accommodation early: May is one of the pricier months.
Events in May
- Primavera Sound music festival at Parc del Fòrum (usually late May or early June)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in May
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Park · Gràcia
Park Güell
Take bus 24 towards the upper entrances to avoid the steep climb from Lesseps or Vallcarca Metro, and book the first or last slot of the day.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Views
- Outdoors
- Kids
Architecture · Eixample
Casa Milà (La Pedrera)
Nicknamed La Pedrera, 'the stone quarry', Gaudí's last private building has an undulating stone façade without straight lines and wrought-iron balconies like tangles of seaweed.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Architecture
- Iconic
- Views
- Art
Viewpoint · Montjuïc
Montjuïc
Ride the funicular from Paral·lel Metro, take the cable car up to the castle, then walk down through the gardens.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Views
- Outdoors
- Free
- Kids
- History
Museum · Montjuïc
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC)
The domed Palau Nacional, built for the 1929 International Exposition, holds Romanesque murals rescued from Pyrenean churches and reinstalled in apse-shaped rooms, alongside Gothic altarpieces and Catalan Modernista art.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Views
- Rainy day
What to pack
For highs near 22°C, lows near 15°C and 6 wet days: light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Barcelona?
One of the best months to visit Barcelona, with a notable event on the calendar. The other best months are June and September–October. Compare every month.
Barcelona in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Barcelona?
It is one of the best months to visit Barcelona. Warm and sunny with long evenings and the first beach days, though the sea is still cool.
+How warm is Barcelona in May?
Average highs are around 22°C (72°F) and lows around 15°C (59°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Barcelona in May?
Expect rain on about 6 days of the month.