Stuff to Do in Barcelona: Sights, Weather and Getting There

Barcelona is Catalonia's capital and a seaside city at the same time, which is what makes it such an easy holiday choice. Most of the big sights sit within a couple of miles of the centre: the Basilica of the Holy Family, the Gothic Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Sea and the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pine Tree. Art lovers can fill days between the Museu Picasso, MACBA, the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya and the Fundació Joan Miró.

If you are drawing up a list of things to see and do in Barcelona with children, the Aquarium in Port Vell and Barcelona Zoo are both close to the centre, and the Museu d'Història de Barcelona is a good rainy-day option. For views, head up to Montjuïc Castle or out to the National Expiatory Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, about 3 miles from the centre.

Most British visitors stay in Barcelona itself, where the vast majority of the sights are. A few neighbouring towns make sense as alternatives. Badalona, about 6 miles up the coast, and Montgat, around 8 miles away, are both coastal and quieter than the city. El Prat de Llobregat, roughly 6 miles out, sits right beside the airport, which suits short stays and early flights.

Inland, Sant Cugat del Vallès lies about 7 miles from the centre, and the small town of Santa Coloma de Cervelló about the same distance, both handy if you have car hire and prefer somewhere calmer to come back to in the evening.

The best time to visit Barcelona for warm, settled weather is May to August. Highs climb from 21°C in May to 26°C in June and 29°C in July and August, and July is one of the driest months, with around four rain days. If you are checking the Barcelona temp for a summer break, expect overnight lows of about 21°C at the height of summer.

Spring and autumn are good for sightseeing without the heat. March and April bring highs of 16°C to 18°C, though April is fairly showery. September stays warm at 25°C but is wetter, with about 12 rain days, and October is the wettest month by rainfall. Winter is mild by British standards, with January highs of 13°C and only around four rain days in December and January.

Three airports have direct flights from the UK. Barcelona airport (BCN) is the obvious choice: it sits beside El Prat de Llobregat and is about 11 minutes by road from the city and 17 minutes from Sant Cugat del Vallès.

Girona (GRO) is further out, around 55 minutes from Montgat, 58 minutes from Badalona and just over an hour from central Barcelona. Reus (REU) lies to the south-west, roughly 66 minutes from Santa Coloma de Cervelló and 71 minutes from El Prat de Llobregat. Both are worth checking when flights into BCN do not suit your dates. The ferry port is about 2 miles from the centre.

Many British travellers book Barcelona as a package, with flights, hotel and airport transfers bundled together. From BCN the transfer into the city is short, while arrivals at Girona or Reus mean around an hour on the road. Packages usually let you choose a board basis, from room only to bed and breakfast or half board, and prices tend to rise during UK school holidays, so it pays to compare dates.

On this page you can compare package deals from Jet2holidays, TUI, loveholidays and On the Beach, check hotel prices, browse tours and tickets for the main sights, and compare car hire if you plan to explore beyond the city.