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What to do in Barcelona this weekend without leaving the city
Barcelona reaches the last weekend of July with concerts, clothing markets, open-air cinema and cultural proposals spread between Fòrum, Poblenou, Montjuïc, Pedralbes and the centre. The agenda lets you choose between major festivals, free activities and quiet plans to escape the heat.
Parc del Fòrum hosts one of the largest gatherings with the Share Festival, which takes place this Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th. Myke Towers, Lola Índigo, Dellafuente, Dei V and Omar Courtz are among the names on a line-up dominated by urban music, rap and Latin pop.
Those who prefer to look for low-priced clothing can head to Central Poblenou's special clearance market. Over the weekend, garments are sold for five and ten euros, while on Sunday Nau Bostik hosts another day with thousands of second-hand items at reduced prices.
Brazilian culture will take over the area around Arc de Triomf this Saturday with Brasil al Carrer. The programme combines concerts, samba, forró, dance activities and food in a free event that will bring some of the atmosphere of Brazilian festivities to paseo de Lluís Companys.
On the nights of 24, 25 and 26 July, the cloister of Monestir de Pedralbes will change appearance with Lumina Divina. The installation uses light and sound to take in arches, columns, gardens and fountains between 22:00 and 00:00, with free admission and entry subject to capacity.
Montjuïc maintains another of Barcelona's summer traditions. Sala Montjuïc combines live music, picnics and open-air films beside the castle, an especially appealing option for those looking to extend the afternoon and take in the city from the mountain before the screening.
Contemporary art also offers refuge during the hottest hours. Art Nou keeps exhibitions by emerging creators open in galleries and independent spaces in Barcelona and L’Hospitalet, with proposals that allow visitors to explore different neighbourhoods without relying on a single major venue.
The weekend leaves a city with very different atmospheres just a few kilometres apart: urban music by the sea, racks crammed with clothes in former industrial warehouses and a Gothic cloister lit up at night. The choice will depend on budget, the desire to dance and tolerance for the heat, but it is worth checking access and arriving in good time for free events.