Rainy day · Barcelona · Spain
8 things to do in Barcelona when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Fabio Alessandro Locati, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Sagrada Família, Casa Batlló and Picasso Museum. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 12–15 hours across 7 areas; all charge for entry. April is usually the wettest month, with about 6 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 0
- Time to see them all
- 12–15 hours
- Areas
- Eixample, El Born and Sant Pere
Barcelona on a rainy day
Religious site · Eixample
1.Sagrada Família
Book a late-afternoon slot for the warm light through the western windows, and add a tower visit only if you are happy on narrow spiral stairs.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Art
- Rainy day
Architecture · Eixample
2.Casa Batlló
See the façade lit up after dark from across Passeig de Gràcia, and visit early in the morning for fewer people inside.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Architecture
- Iconic
- Art
- Rainy day
- Kids
Museum · El Born
3.Picasso Museum
Entry is free at certain times each month, but those slots still have to be reserved online and go quickly.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- History
Architecture · Sant Pere
4.Palau de la Música Catalana
A concert ticket for guitar, choral or chamber music can cost little more than a guided tour, and you see the hall used as intended.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Architecture
- Art
- After dark
- Rainy day
Museum · Montjuïc
5.Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC)
Head first to the Romanesque galleries, then step out onto the front terrace for sunset.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Views
- Rainy day
Architecture · El Raval
6.Palau Güell
Use the audio guide for the basement stables and the rooftop, and pause in the main hall to look up into the dome.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Sant Gervasi
7.CosmoCaixa science museum
Pair it with Tibidabo on the same day, as both sit on the northern edge of the city.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Aquarium · Port Vell
8.Aquarium of Barcelona
Walk there over the Rambla de Mar footbridge from the end of La Rambla, and go on a weekday morning to avoid school groups.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Eixample | Sagrada Família and Casa Batlló | 1.5–2 hours + 1–1.5 hours |
| El Born | Picasso Museum | 1.5–2 hours |
| Sant Pere | Palau de la Música Catalana | 1 hour |
| Montjuïc | Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC) | 2 hours |
| El Raval | Palau Güell | 1–1.5 hours |
| Sant Gervasi | CosmoCaixa science museum | 2–3 hours |
| Port Vell | Aquarium of Barcelona | 1.5–2 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 3 low cost, 4 mid-priced, 1 expensive. Book ahead for Sagrada Família, Casa Batlló, Picasso Museum and Palau de la Música Catalana. The longest visit is CosmoCaixa science museum; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Sagrada Família: Entry is by timed ticket only and sells out days ahead in high season; buy on the official website.
- Casa Batlló: Prices rise at peak times; booking online is cheaper than buying at the door.
- Picasso Museum: Timed tickets are required; book online in advance.
- Palau de la Música Catalana: Guided tours run in several languages and fill up; book ahead online.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Eixample): Sagrada Família → Casa Batlló, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (El Born and Sant Pere): Picasso Museum → Palau de la Música Catalana, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Montjuïc and El Raval): Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC) → Palau Güell, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Sant Gervasi and Port Vell): CosmoCaixa science museum → Aquarium of Barcelona, at least 4 hours.
The wettest months
- April: highs of 19°C (66°F), about 6 rainy days, busy crowds. Pleasant walking weather with occasional showers; Easter week brings crowds.
- May: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 6 rainy days, busy crowds. Warm and sunny with long evenings and the first beach days, though the sea is still cool.
- September: highs of 26°C (79°F), about 6 rainy days, busy crowds. Still warm with a warm sea and fewer crowds after the first week; the city's biggest festival comes late in the month.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- El Born — Boutiques, cocktail bars and Santa Maria del Mar east of Via Laietana
- Eixample — Wide Modernista avenues, Passeig de Gràcia and Gaudí's houses
- El Raval — Multicultural streets, contemporary art and late-opening bars
More of Barcelona
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Barcelona?
Sagrada Família. Antoni Gaudí's basilica has been under construction since 1882, and work continues on its central towers.