Things to do in Barcelona in the rain – 14 great indoor activities for rainy days

Rain in Barcelona? With an average of 300 days of sunshine, it takes a stroke of bad luck to visit Barcelona when it rains. But unfortunately, it can happen to any of us. So, if you’ve caught one of those Barcelona rainy days and are now asking yourself, “What are the best things to do in Barcelona in the rain?” you’ve come to the right place.

After a few years in the Catalan capital, I have already experienced the occasional rainy day in the city. So, I have collected the best Barcelona rain tips for you.

No matter whether Barcelona indoor activities or other fun things to do on a rainy day in Barcelona – with these tips, your trip won’t be a washout.

When is the highest chance of rain in Barcelona?

In general, the Catalan capital is a very sunny city with little rain. On average, there are only 57 rainy days in Barcelona per year. This means that it rains only about 4-5 days every month.

Here, the months of April, May, October, and November stand out, with an average of 6 rainy days each.

The best things to do in Barcelona in the rain

Visit Sagrada Família

Whether the weather is sunny or rainy, the Sagrada Familia is a must-see for any visitor, even if you’re only in Barcelona for a day.

While the famous basilica is still a construction site – because the Sagrada Familia has not been completed even after more than a hundred years – you can already visit it today.

Due to its roofing, the Sagrada Familia can and should be visited simply in any weather. Spend as much time as you like within the walls of one of the most fantastic buildings in the world. Because this extraordinary building is full of unique structures, colors, and features.

Extra tip: If you want to learn more about the Sagrada Familia and its creator, Antoni Gaudí, an audio guide or a guided tour is worthwhile.

Casa Batlló

Let’s move on to Gaudí’s next masterpiece, which you can visit in Barcelona even in bad weather: Casa Batlló. Starting from the outside, this building, located on the popular Passeig de Gràcia, is already really impressive.

After all, the facade of the imposing house represents the history of Sant Jordi, Catalonia’s national saint. Therefore, it is particularly on Sant Jordi Day, April 23 each year, that Casa Batlló is decorated with red roses.

However, since you probably don’t want to spend too much time looking at the exterior façade in bad weather, we recommend reserving your ticket online ahead of time. The best way to do this is via the Spanish website or GetYourGuide.

By the way, recently, you can experience the impressive 10D Experience in Casa Batlló, where you can learn more about the building, Gaudí, and Barcelona in a new technical and modern design.

La Pedrera (Casa Milà)

To complete the series of impressive Gaudí buildings that you can visit in Barcelona in bad weather, Casa Milà should not be missed. However, most people know this magnificent building by the name of La Pedrera (the quarry).

The name La Pedrera comes from its peculiar shape, which actually seems a bit reminiscent of a quarry. This is because the shapes and structures of the building are definitely not comparable to other buildings.

And that’s what makes a visit to La Pedrera so incomparable. I could spend hours inside, as it seems that around every corner of this building, you can find new extraordinary shapes and structures.

Visit one of Barcelona’s Museums

If there’s one thing you truly can’t complain about in Barcelona, it’s that there wouldn’t be an incredibly wide selection of museums. Even if it rained every day of your Barcelona trip, there would be plenty of interesting museums for you to explore, regardless of what you’re interested in.

From meaningful art museums like the Picasso Museum or the National Art Museum, MNAC, in the Palau Nacional at Plaça d’Espanya, to cultural museums like the CCCB, Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona, or the Maritime Museum near the Old Port, to alternative museum ideas like the Hash and Marijuana Museum, the Erotic Museum or the Chocolate Museum in Born.

As you can see, there is a huge selection of museums in the city. And to list them all here is beyond the scope of this article. But I promise to add a new article about Barcelona’s museums soon.

Extra tip: If you want to visit several museums, you should definitely think about buying a Barcelona pass. The tourist passes allow you to save a lot of money on the entrance fee.

CosmoCaixa

Even though CosmoCaixa is also a museum, I wanted to include it as a single item on this list. We are talking about the city’s Natural Science Museum, where both young and older visitors can learn more about their environment in a fun way through fascinating experiments.

So if you’re in town with kids and not sure what this is the right activity to do on a rainy day in Barcelona, CosmoCaixa is definitely a great alternative for you.

With interactive experiments and exciting main and special exhibitions, CosmoCaixa has become one of the most respected museums in the city since it opened in 2005. With over 30,000 square meters of space, there’s definitely a lot to discover.

L’Aquàrium Barcelona

Even if swimming in the sea is probably is not the best idea when it’s raining, you can still get a glimpse of the fascinating marine life.

Barcelona’s aquarium is located in the old port (Port Vell) and has a very high reputation. Some ocean lovers even cite the aquarium as a major reason for their trip to Barcelona.

With more than 11,000 sea creatures in over 6 million liters of seawater, there is truly plenty to discover here. The big highlight of the visit is the Oceanarium. This is a huge tank under which you can walk through. This way, you get the unique opportunity to see the animals up close without diving into the tank yourself.

The aquarium also takes care to recreate special natural habitats for the animals to ensure they have an appropriate living environment.

A city tour to your taste – Hop-on-Hop-off

The Hop-On Hop-Off city tour concept is used in nearly all major tourist cities nowadays. If you are not familiar with it, here is a brief description of the principle:

The tour buses each follow a set route, stopping at all the major sights in the city. With your ticket, you can use all the buses for a certain period (e.g., one day). You can enjoy the ride as a guided tour and listen to the audio guide (available in several languages) included in the price, which will explain more about each attraction and the city in general.

Whenever you want, you are also free to get off at any of the stops to explore the individual sights. This way you have the opportunity to see the most important places of the city at your leisure from the dry bus.

The Hop-On Hop-Off bus is also a great option for those with limited time on-site or those traveling with mobility-impaired individuals.

Extra tip: We highly recommend reserving your hop-on hop-off bus tickets online ahead of time to save money and be ready to go on the day of your tour. You can book your ticket through GetYourGuide.

Plan your escape – Escape Rooms

A somewhat different kind of fun, but certainly anything but boring, is a visit to an Escape Room. Together with your fellow players, you will be “locked” into a room. By solving puzzles and tasks, you have to find your way out again within a certain period of time.

Escape rooms have become increasingly popular worldwide in recent years. It is hardly surprising that there is already a huge selection of different rooms in Barcelona on various topics.

Of course, the language is also crucial – after all, you want to understand the tasks to be solved. But don’t worry, there are also several international Escape Rooms in the city.

Shopping Day

With dozens of shopping streets and numerous shopping malls, Barcelona is simply a shopper’s paradise. Unsurprisingly, many visitors schedule an extra shopping day while in town.

And what better day to stroll through the city’s stores than one when it’s raining anyway? While you can wander through the alleys of the Barrio Góticos and around Plaça Catalunya to explore some of the most popular stores and small boutiques, if it’s raining, it may also be worth visiting one of the shopping malls.

Two of the most popular options for this are the Las Arenas and Maremagnum shopping centers.

Las Arenas is a relatively new shopping center that has opened its doors to you in the former bullring on Plaça d’Espanya. By the way, there is a beautiful free observation deck on the roof.

Maremagnum is also one of the most visited shopping centers in the city. It is located at the old port (Port Vell).

Feast your way through Barcelona

What’s better on a rainy day than a hot chocolate while watching the rain from the window? Now, if you have some fresh churros to dip into your hot chocolate, the Barcelona rain breakfast is already perfect.

But also more delicious dishes in Barcelona are waiting to be tested by you. There are just so many great restaurants, bars, and cafes in the city that serve tasty delicacies.

Whether it’s typical Spanish dishes like paella and tapas or Catalan cuisine dishes like botifarra or calçots. During a rainy day in Barcelona, you definitely don’t have to return to your hotel hungry.

A stroll through the city center

I know, I know, when it’s raining, you can surely think of better things than walking around the city, but let’s face it – as long as it’s not pouring down, such a rainy day in the city certainly also comes with its advantages.

Because as soon as the sun appears in the sky, the streets of Barcelona are filled with people. Sometimes, it’s not so easy to see the facades and walls of the city’s fascinating architecture in its full beauty. And this is where the rain comes in….

On rainy days, you have these busy places in the city almost all to yourself. So you can look around in peace, without the jostling and standing in the way of other visitors. This way, you can experience the city’s attractions in a whole new light.

Visit Barcelona’s Market halls

If you’re not a shopper and don’t feel like spending the whole day in the city’s cafes either, you can combine these two activities and immerse yourself in Catalan culture with a visit to the market.

In Barcelona’s market halls, you’ll find plenty of delicious offerings and learn more about the region’s typical products at the same time. From Spanish candies and spices to fresh fruit, meat, and fish. But also ready-made snacks and souvenirs are waiting for you here.

You can visit the most famous market, the Mercat de la Boqueria, located on the popular boulevard Les Rambles in the heart of the city. Or you can head to local markets and Barcelona insider tips like the Mercat de la Sagrada Família or the Mercat de Sant Antoni.

If you don’t feel like eating, the Mercat dels Encants in Glòries is also a good choice. This is a typical local Sunday market (except that it doesn’t take place on Sundays). In the covered hall, you can find a lot of treasures on several floors – whether second-hand, souvenirs, or just a nice memory of your trip to Barcelona.

Note: The Encants market is only open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Even more indoor sights

Besides the typical sights of the city, which have already received their own point in this list, there are plenty of other places that are worth visiting in the rain ( In fact, they are also worth a visit when the sun is shining).

So some city’s attractions are buildings. Accordingly, you will be well protected from the rain when you visit them. Such attractions could be the typical sights of the city, like Barcelona Cathedral or a guided tour of Camp Nou, the stadium of Barça.

Or perhaps you would prefer to visit less touristy places like Casa Amatller, Casa Vicens, or Casa de les Punxes, which are also excellent alternatives.

A visit to the cinema or theater

You may share something in common with Eduardo and are a true cinema and film buff. In the past, we have visited cinemas on several continents while traveling. Especially on a rainy day, you will be able to experience the world of cinema in Barcelona.

There are various cinemas all over the city that show movies in the original language. This way, you can understand them even if you don’t know Spanish.

Many of these cinemas also show smaller and lesser-known productions, including local movies. So if you don’t have any plans for your rainy evening in Barcelona, a visit to the cinema could be a great idea.

Barcelona Transport on a rainy day

Admittedly, to get from one point to another in Barcelona when it’s raining, walking, which I usually recommend at this point, is unlikely to be the greatest option.

It’s just as well that the Catalan capital has a well-developed public transport system that allows buses and trains to take you quickly and easily to almost any point in the city.

I recommend you avoid buying single tickets because they are usually far more expensive than if you buy the tickets in a pack. At every station and metro station in the city, you can buy the so-called T-Casual ticket (ticket for 10 trips by public transport for 12.15 €).

If you want to make more trips per day, especially in the rain, you can also buy the Hola BCN ticket, which gives you unlimited access to the city’s public transport.

Another option is the aforementioned Hop-On Hop-Off ticket, which takes you by bus to the main attractions of the city.

Where to stay in Barcelona

Hotel Santa Marta

If you’ve already read more of our Barcelona articles, you’ve probably heard of the Hotel Santa Marta. The hotel is located near the city center, but it is also not too far from the city’s beaches. It convinces its guests with friendly staff and great cleanliness.

Moreover, the price-performance ratio of this comfortable accommodation is simply unbeatable.

Check Hotel Santa Marta on Booking.com

FAQ about Barcelona in the rain

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What is your personal favorite activity in Barcelona when it rains? Feel free to let us know in the comments below!

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About the AuthorVicki

Hi, we are Vicki & Eduardo, an international travel couple on a mission to help you save money for priceless travel experience. Follow us through the miracles of this world and you will be rewarded with a bunch of practical travel tips.

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