Season guide · Barcelona · Spain
Barcelona in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Jvhertum, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Mild and often sunny but too cool for swimming, with Christmas markets, calçot season and the lowest hotel prices outside trade-fair weeks. Expect highs up to 15°C (59°F) and lows around 8°C (46°F), with about 13 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 8°C (46°F) to 15°C (59°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 13
- Sea
- 13°C (55°F) to 15°C (59°F)
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 15°C (59°F) | 8°C (46°F) | 4 | 9.5 h | 2/5 |
| February | 15°C (59°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 4 | 10.6 h | 2/5 |
| December | 15°C (59°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 5 | 9.2 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 15°C (59°F) against a yearly 21°C (70°F), and 13 of the year's roughly 57 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Cavalcada de Reis — Three Kings parade (5 January)
- January: Winter sales (from early January)
- February: Santa Eulàlia winter festival with castells and giants (around 12 February)
- February: Carnival parades (February or early March)
- December: Fira de Santa Llúcia Christmas market by the cathedral (usually late November to 23 December)
- December: New Year's Eve celebrations in the city (31 December)
Good choices for winter
Museum · Sant Gervasi
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
Aquarium of Barcelona
The aquarium on the Moll d'Espanya in Port Vell displays Mediterranean and tropical sea life, with a long underwater tunnel through the main oceanarium where sharks and rays glide overhead.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Religious site · Eixample
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
Casa Batlló
Gaudí's 1904–1906 remodelling of a townhouse on Passeig de Gràcia produced bone-like balconies, a scaly dragon-back roof and a light well tiled in graded blues.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Architecture
- Iconic
- Art
- Rainy day
- Kids
Museum · El Born
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
Day trips in winter
- Figueres and the Dalí Theatre-Museum (About 55 minutes by high-speed train) — Salvador Dalí designed his own Theatre-Museum in his home town: a red building topped with giant eggs, holding the Mae West Room, the Rainy Taxi and his crypt.
- Tarragona (About 1 hour by train) — Ancient Tarraco was a capital of Roman Hispania, and its seaside amphitheatre, circus vaults and city walls form a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Barcelona?
It is a trade-off: Mild and often sunny but too cool for swimming, with Christmas markets, calçot season and the lowest hotel prices outside trade-fair weeks. The best months overall are May–June and September–October.
+What is the weather like in Barcelona in winter?
Highs of up to 15°C (59°F) and lows around 8°C (46°F), with about 13 rainy days over the season.