11 Things to Do in Barcelona in October

Your list of things to see and do in Barcelona is sure to be full, but there's even more to do when you discover all that October has to offer. During this month, the city recovers a more local atmosphere thanks to some major festivals and festivals with a lot of history, but also others that are a little scary.

If you want to get to know Barcelona, you've chosen a great month to go. The good weather is still good for enjoying the outdoors at events such as Viu Montjuic, but you'll also have the chance to see the interior of buildings of great architectural value and to discover Catalan gastronomy. If you want to know in detail what I mean, read on!

Are you thinking of taking a gastronomic tour of Barcelona? Without a doubt, food is the best way to get to know a city. If you're going to be there the first weekend of October you can take advantage of the Tast a la Rambla (Taste the Rambla), a great event where the best restaurants in the area offer their dishes in the form of tapas to visitors to Barcelona's famous street.

With this gastronomic celebration the city wants to showcase its culinary offerings. The food stalls are spread all along the Rambla, although they are mainly concentrated in the area closest to the Columbus Monument. In total, more than 20 restaurants are taking part.

El Tast de la Rambla is an eating event, but many other gastronomic activities revolve around it, such as workshops and food and wine pairings. Of course, there are musical performances to liven up the atmosphere. It's the perfect place to go for lunch or dinner during your stay in Barcelona.

Interesting facts

• When: the first weekend in October. The stalls are open from 12 noon to midnight approximately.
• Where: on the Rambla (especially near the Columbus Monument).
• Price: free admission and drinks for approximately €4.
• Recommended if: you like eating and the good atmosphere generated around gastronomy.

Also known as the Festas del Roser, La Rambla's main festival takes place on 7 October, although there are things to see and do during the days before and after, when this touristy street takes on a more local feel.

Join in and take part in the guided tours, workshops, music shows and other scheduled activities (most of which are free). One of the best things about this festival is that it coincides with the start of the mushroom season, so there are lots of tastings (especially at the Boqueria Market).

Whatever age you are, you'll enjoy La Rambla's biggest festival, although if you're travelling to Barcelona with children I recommend you go even more. There are many activities designed for them.

Useful information

• When: days before and after 7 October.
• Where: La Rambla.
• Price: free.
• Recommended if: you are travelling to Barcelona with children and are looking for plans for the whole family.

Barcelona is one of the cities with the most impressive architecture, so strolling through its streets and looking at the facades from the outside is a luxury. But it's even better to see these places from the inside, something that if you're in the city on the last weekend of October you can do for free thanks to the Barcelona Architecture Festival.

For 48 hours the interiors of various houses and buildings will be open to the public, with architects and volunteers giving guided tours. In this activity you will discover hidden treasures of Catalan modernism and other emblems of the city such as the Arc de Triomf or the old prison of La Modelo. Unfortunately, the Sagrada Familia and Casa Batlló are not part of the Festival, so if you want to see them in depth you'll have to book a guided tour.

In general, you don't need to register in advance, although I advise you to check the programme beforehand to find out the opening hours and how to get to each site. The best thing to do is to learn the secrets and wonders of Catalan architecture from experts, so it's also a good option to go inside each building while you take advantage of the opportunity to tour Barcelona.

Interesting facts

• When: last weekend in October.
• Where: different locations around Barcelona.
• Price: free.
• Recommended if: you want to find out about Barcelona's architecture from experts.

Every neighbourhood in Barcelona has a market; in fact, some of them are very famous and could be considered a tourist attraction, as is the case with the Sant Antoni Market. To demonstrate its cultural value, every year in mid-October, the Mercat de Mercats gastronomic fair is organised, which is free to enter. However, you will have to pay if you want to take home a culinary souvenir from the many stalls set up around Barcelona Cathedral.

In Barcelona, markets are much more than just places to buy and sell. They are meeting points for local people and the city council always tries to promote them and encourage people to buy from them, thus promoting fresh, local produce.

As well as selling, the traders also organise other activities, such as cooking and cocktail workshops and even wine tastings. To do this they have the help of chefs from the city, who prepare dishes that you can eat on the spot.

Useful information

• When: mid-October.
• Where: Barcelona Cathedral and surrounding area.
• Price: free admission.
• Recommended if: you want to try fresh produce from Catalonia and feel like a local.

During the month of October in Barcelona, specifically in the middle of the month, Viu Montjuic is held, an opportunity to experience this mountain and the surrounding area. The entire site, which includes several buildings and places dedicated to leisure (such as gardens, museums and theatres), is used to organise a variety of leisure activities. In total, there are 22 facilities that are open to the public for two days in October to offer a series of workshops, conferences and musical and theatrical performances.

For example, here you will find some of Barcelona's best museums, such as the Archaeology Museum, the National Art Museum of Catalonia or the Caixaforum, but also historic buildings such as the Olympic Stadium.

This event is also a great opportunity to enter places that are otherwise closed to the public, such as the Espai Bombers, or to discover places of great beauty and cultural interest, such as the Botanical Gardens or the Teatre Lliure. Exhibitions and guided tours are organised in all of them.

Useful information

• When: mid-October.
• Where: Montjuic.
• Price: free admission, although sometimes you have to register in advance on the event's official website.
• Recommended if: you are interested in culture and want free admission to some museums.

One of Barcelona's most iconic races is its Cursa de Bombers (Firefighters' Race ), which is held on a Sunday at the end of October. It's 10 kilometres long and the terrain is fairly flat and uneven, so in a way it's more accessible and popular, which brings thousands of people together every time.

Of course, firefighters take part in this race, dressed in their regulation costumes, but also amateur and professional athletes. On their website they define this route as a running festival, something that you will see when you go (either to run or just to watch). A stage with a screen is set up at the start so that no one misses anything and there is also music to cheer on the runners and the public.

If you like to travel in your running shoes, I recommend you sign up for the Cursa de Bombers. You don't have to be a professional (in fact, the start is divided among elite athletes). It's also a great way to get to know Barcelona, as you'll pass through Plaça Catalunya, Via Layetana, La Rambla and Parc de la Ciutadella.

Useful information

• When: a Sunday at the end of October.
• Where: Barcelona city centre.
• Price: registration as a runner for approximately €17 (spectator access is free).
• Recommended if: travelling and getting to know cities for you means running through them.

Sitges is very close to Barcelona, about an hour away by public transport. This coastal town is a good place for a getaway. In the first fortnight of October is also the Sitges Film Festival. If you like horror and fantasy films, you have to go to one of the screenings, as the best international films are presented there.

Besides the films, other activities are organised that fill the town with zombies. This happens especially during the Sitges Zombie Walk, a parade of very well characterised people who are a bit scary and go through a large part of the city.

The Sitges Horror and Fantasy Film Festival has been organised since 1968. Over the years it has become a world-renowned event and attracts many film lovers and stars, so why not take a trip from Barcelona to check it out?

Interesting facts

• When: first fortnight in October.
• Where: Sitges.
• Price: approximately 10€-15€.
• Recommended if: you like fantasy and horror films.

Thinking of going to Port Aventura from Barcelona? It's always a good time to take a day trip and enjoy this theme park, which is only an hour away from the capital, but in October it's even better. Why? Because the whole park is getting ready to celebrate Halloween.

Houses of terror, attractions decorated and decorated to be even scarier, concerts and shows... This is what Port Aventura looks like throughout the month of October, although obviously the big day is the 31st. Of course, it's the park's event of the year, so it's usually very crowded; if you want to go, buy your tickets well in advance.

Would you rather not leave Barcelona but have a good time on Halloween night? All the city's nightclubs organise themed parties (for which I recommend you dress up). What's more, the Poble Espanyol ( an open-air museum that represents a life-size village) is also decorated and decorated for the occasion.

Interesting facts

• When: throughout October (especially on Halloween night).
• Where: Port Aventura.
• Price: approximately 50€.
• Recommended if: you want to spend a different and very complete Halloween.

If your heart is blaugrana or if you simply love football and don't want to miss the experience of watching one of the biggest teams in the world play in their own stadium, the Camp Nou, October is a good month to do it.

In October La Liga is more or less halfway through the season, so the excitement is palpable in the air. The Spanish first division teams are not only playing for the title (Barça, by the way, have already won 27 league titles), but the best teams also earn a place in the following year's European competitions.

My advice is that if you are travelling to Barcelona in October and dream of seeing the team you love play, book your tickets as far in advance as possible and always on official websites, because tickets fly and scams are rampant. Oh, and if you want to save a bit of money, choose a less important rival (for example, tickets for the Clásico are much more expensive) and look for the cheapest areas.

Interesting facts

• When: In October La Liga is halfway through the season.
• Where: Camp Nou.
• Price: from 70€.
• Recommended if: your heart is blaugrana and you are passionate about football.

Do you like jazz? Then you're in luck, because in October the Voll-Damm Jazz Festival opens in Barcelona, a headline festival attended by some of the most important artists who are benchmarks in this style.

This event, which lasts several weeks, brings together the best international musicians, who play in the city's major venues and theatres. Tickets vary in price, but generally cost around €20. Of course, they tend to sell out, so be on the lookout for them.

Most of the stages are usually in Barcelona and are in fact important venues in the city's artistic culture (such as the Sala Apolo, the Sala BARTS or even the Palau de la Música). However, the theatre in Sant Cugat, a nearby town that can be reached in less than an hour, is also used.

Interesting facts

• When: throughout the month of October.
• Where: different locations and stages in Barcelona.
• Price: approximately €20.
• Recommended if: you are a lover of jazz and live music.

That's right, the beer festival is also coming to Barcelona. The Barcelona Oktoberfest is one of the great celebrations of the month of October. For two weeks, the Montjuic exhibition centre is filled with litres and litres of beer, long tables, Bavarian cuisine and German music.

Admission is free, although the price of a litre of beer is approximately €10. Be careful, although it is a very large space (about 5000 square metres) it tends to fill up, so I recommend you book a table online.

As if this were not enough, there are also attractions for both adults and children, which means that the entertainment never stops.

Interesting facts

• When: throughout the month of October.
• Where: Montjuic exhibition centre.
• Price: free admission (drinks for approximately €10).
• Recommended if: you like beer and the atmosphere of big festivals.

Some people say that Barcelona always has good weather, and they're partly right. In October temperatures still reach 20ºC (and above) during the day, although at night it cools down (around 15ºC) and you'll need a jacket. In any case, the weather is good for being outdoors.

However, the rainy season is starting and it is more than likely that you will have to use an umbrella or a mackintosh during your trip.

As for daylight hours, you will have approximately 10 hours a day; bear in mind that at the end of the month the time changes and therefore these will be reduced to 8 or so.

Although the weather is still pretty good in October, you can tell that the summer season is over in Barcelona, so the city is quieter and there is less tourism. This means that you will be able to take advantage of offers and lower prices on hotels and flights.

Although there are fewer people in the streets of Barcelona, it is still a very visited city, so it is not advisable to leave your reservations until the last minute (neither for very important tourist attractions, such as Park Güell or the Sagrada Familia).

What plans are you going to make during your trip to Barcelona in October? I hope I've given you some ideas.