10 Things to Do in Barcelona in June
Summer is approaching and the temperature begins to rise in Barcelona. June is an ideal month to enjoy its parks, beaches and a great variety of activities in the Catalan capital.
View of Barcelona | ©Enrico Perini
There is no doubt that there is plenty to see and do in the city of Barcelona at any time of the year. However, when spring ends and the heat starts to set in, there are a greater number of festivals, events and outdoor activities that allow you to enjoy the charms of Barcelona even more.
Jazz festivals, theater and dance shows in different parts of the city are some of the cultural proposals that you can take advantage of if you visit Barcelona during the month of June. There are also interesting gastronomic events, electronic parties and sports competitions that offer activities for all tastes.
1. Find music for all tastes at the Jardins dels Jardins del Pedralbes Festival
The Pedralbes Gardens are a unique setting for one of the most important musical events in Barcelona. Year after year, the Pedralbes Gardens Festival brings together national and international artists of all genres: jazz, pop, rock and much more.
This festival starts in June and lasts until the end of July, so you can also include it in your plans if you visit Barcelona in summer.
It is a good idea to go to the place a while before the concert and walk through the gardens of the palace, which is one of the most beautiful green spaces in the city and is home to a great biodiversity.
In addition, among its paths you will find two works that you may have already seen if you have hired a Gaudí tour in Barcelona: a parabola-shaped pergola covered with vines and in another corner of the garden, the fountain of Hercules.
Practical info
- Where it takes place: Av. Diagonal, 686
- Price: from about 20 €.
- When it takes place: from mid-June onwards
2. Be transported to the past century with the Modernist Fair
The Modernist Fair or Fira Modernista in Catalan, is a trade fair designed to revive the atmosphere of the Eixample of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.
During the Fair a section of Girona Street becomes pedestrian and there are several stalls selling handicrafts and children's games. In addition, one of the days you can see an interesting parade in which the way of dressing of the time is represented.
Within the framework of this event you will also find dances, puppet theater and other street shows, as well as workshops, exhibitions of classic cars and silent movies, among other interesting activities.
Practical information
- Where: Girona street
- Price: free
- When it takes place: usually held in early June.
3. Surprise yourself with the electronic music and technological novelties of the Sónar Festival
If you are a lover of electronic music and have traveled to Barcelona in June, there is an event you can not miss for anything in the world: Sonar.
It is a festival of advanced music, electronic music and a Congress of Technology and Creativity that takes place every year in Barcelona during a weekend in June.
Due to the significant increase in the number of visitors in recent editions of the festival, it has been held in different parts of the city to adapt to the volume of attendees.
Within the space of the festival, since a few editions ago, is installed in called SonarVIP by Red Bull, a restaurant area with several restaurants in the city. Of course, their prices are not too cheap, as happens in all events of this type.
Sonar is a festival that fans of electronic and technological music can not miss. To find out the line-up, you just have to visit the official website, which publishes it several weeks in advance.
Practical info
- Where it is held: the so-called Sonár by day takes place at Fira Montjuïc
Avinguda Rius i Taulet, s/n, while the Sonár by night is held at Fira Gran Via L'Hospitalet, Av. Joan Carles I. - Price: there are different prices. Thus, to attend only one day can cost between 35 and 72 €, while the general voucher is around 200 €.
- When it takes place: a weekend in mid-June.
4. Keep the party going with Brunch in the Park
If you've been getting to know what Barcelona has to offer at night on a Saturday and if on Sunday at noon you wake up wanting to keep the party going, the Brunch in the Park events are for you.
During the month of June there are usually two such events, in the Parc del Fórum, in the Poble Espanyol or in the Montjuïc park, which you can reach by the famous Montjuic cable car.
The idea is to enjoy an electronic party with the best DJ's on a Sunday afternoon, from 1pm to 10pm, while you cool off with some cold beers and recover your energy with a delicious brunch outdoors.
Practical info
- Where: several different venues
- Price: around 25 €, but it depends a lot on the event
- When it takes place: during several weekends in June, July and August
5. Relax on the terraces of the best hotels in the city
After spending the afternoon at the beach or taking a tour of the Gothic Quarter, for example, there is nothing better than having a cool drink or dinner on a terrace overlooking the picturesque landscape of the capital of Catalonia.
During one week in June (which may vary) the most important hotels in Barcelona organize various free activities as part of the Terrace Week, including live music, cooking workshops, magic shows, dances, wine tasting, cocktails and much more.
6. Immerse yourself in Catalan traditions during the Casc Antic Festival
The Festa Major del Casc An tic of Barcelona takes place during the last week of June and includes a series of very diverse activities in the neighborhoods located in the Ciutat Vella.
Along the streets of Sant Pere, Santa Caterina and La Ribera you can see decorated balconies, town criers announcing the activities scheduled for the festival and musical vermouths with neighbors playing from their balconies while others serve vermouth in the street.
It is an ideal opportunity to enjoy the folklore of the region with its castells, correfocs, and its giants roaming the streets, as well as popular foods, street theater shows and much more.
7. Celebrate diversity at the Gay Pride Parade
Pride Barcelona is the name given to the Gay Pride parade in the Catalan capital. Although it is a celebration that lasts several days, the main activities are concentrated in a single weekend in June, usually at the end of the month.
Of course, the inclusive and participatory parade of the entire LGBTIQ community is the most important and most anticipated event of Pride Barcelona.
During this activity there is a party atmosphere, hustle and bustle that is difficult to imitate. Normally, on Friday evening the party starts on the stage located on Avenida Reina Maria Cristina.
The following day the Village is inaugurated, where numerous stalls with local products and a bar and restaurant area are set up. Here also take place the most important concerts of the celebration.
Practical information
- Where: Avenida de la Reina Maria Cristina, in the Eixample Esquerra area.
- Price: free
- When it takes place: the Village is open all day long, from 11:00 a.m. to 02:00 p.m.
8. Enjoy a delicious meal next to the sea
With the arrival of good weather in June, beachfront restaurants open their open-air terraces, practically on the sand, for those who wish to enjoy local and international dishes while refreshed by the sea breeze.
On the promenade of Barceloneta and Avenida del Litoral you will find many options of restaurants of different cuisines.
In addition, on the sand of Barcelona's beaches you will also find several chiringuitos, small places that serve drinks and fast food, although the quality of service may not be the same as in a proper restaurant.
9. Light your torch at the Verbena de San Juan
Undoubtedly one of the most important celebrations of the month of June is the Verbena de San Juan. On the night of June 23 and the early morning of June 24 all over Spain bonfires, torches and fireworks are lit to burn the old and the bad, leaving the way free for new desires and opportunities.
Both in Barcelona and in other coastal cities, during the Verbena de San Juan, groups of friends go down to the beach, light bonfires, torches and firecrackers, listening to music until the wee hours of the morning.
10. Get to know the latest musical trends at Primavera Sound Barcelona
During the last days of May and the first days of June the Primavera Sound festival is held in Barcelona, whose program includes the performance of internationally recognized bands and musicians as well as lesser known artists of alternative and independent music.
The event takes place in the Forum Park, where in addition to different stages there are also stalls selling records, merchandising items, food and drinks, to enjoy this party to the fullest.
Extra special: Dinner with the stars at the Fabra Observatory
As the gastronomic tours of Barcelona show, the city has excellent restaurants and highly recommended culinary specialties. However, if you want your dinner to be a different experience, in June begins the cycle of Dinner with the Stars (Sopars amb estrelles) at the Fabra Observatory in the city of Barcelona.
The evening begins with a delicious dinner served on the terrace of the observatory. There are different menus to choose from with varying prices, all including a welcome drink, starters, first course, main course and dessert.
At the end of the dinner there is a 30 minute scientific talk. After that you can tour the observatory museum and access to its great dome to observe the planets of the solar system and also stars and more distant constellations with the 1904 telescope, one of the largest and oldest that are still in operation in Europe.
Practical information
- Where: Camí de l'Observatori
- Price: there are different prices depending on the menu. The cheapest is around 75 €. There is also a children's menu for about 38 €.
- When it takes place: it takes place on different days during the month of June. The activity starts at 20:15h
What to expect from the weather in June in the Catalan capital?
In the month of June temperatures start to rise slowly in Barcelona. The average daytime temperature is around 24 to 25°C and days with temperatures above 29°C or below 20°C are rare.
Generally most days are sunny, with little rainfall. Even on cloudy days, the temperature is usually pleasant.
June is therefore an ideal month to visit Barcelona, enjoy its parks, beaches and outdoor activities, as well as taking advantage of the good weather to attend all kinds of festivals and cultural events during the day or at night.