10 Things to Do in Barcelona in June
Summer is approaching and the temperature is starting to rise in Barcelona. June is an ideal month to enjoy its parks, beaches and a wide variety of activities in the Catalan capital.
View of Barcelona | ©Enrico Perini
There's no doubt that there's plenty to see and do in the city of Barcelona at any time of year. However, as spring comes to an end and the heat starts to set in, there are more festivals, events and outdoor activities to enjoy the charms of Barcelona even more.
Jazz festivals, theatre and dance shows in different parts of the city are just some of the cultural events you can take advantage of if you visit Barcelona in June. There are also interesting gastronomic events, electronic parties and sporting competitions offering activities for all tastes.
1. Find music to suit all tastes at the Jardins del Pedralbes Festival
The Pedralbes Gardens provide a unique setting for one of the most important musical events in Barcelona. Year after year, the Jardins de Pedralbes 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's a good idea to go to the venue a while before the concert and walk around the palace gardens, which are one of the most beautiful green spaces in the city and home to a great biodiversity.
Among its paths you'll also find two works that you may have already seen if you've booked a Gaudí tour of Barcelona: a parabola-shaped pergola covered in vines and, in another corner of the garden, the Hercules fountain.
Practical info
- Where it takes place: Av. Diagonal, 686
- Price: from around €20
- When it takes place: from mid-June onwards
2. Transport yourself back to the last century with the Modernista Fair
The Modernist Fair, or Fira Modernista in Catalan, is a trade fair designed to revive the atmosphere of the Eixample at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.
During the Fair, a section of Carrer Girona becomes pedestrianised, where various stalls selling craft products and children's games are set up. On one of the days there is also an interesting parade representing the style of dress of the period.
This event also includes dances, puppet shows and other street performances, as well as workshops, exhibitions of classic cars and silent films, among other interesting activities.
Practical information
- Where: Carrer Girona
- Price: free
- When it takes place: usually held at the beginning of 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 travelled to Barcelona in June, there is one event you can't 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 festival space, for the last few editions, a restaurant area called SonarVIP by Red Bull has been set up with several restaurants in the city. The prices are not very cheap, as is the case with all events of this type.
Sónar is a festival that fans of electronic and technological music should not miss. To find out the line-up, all you have to do is visit the official website, which publishes it several weeks in advance.
Practical info
- Where it's held: Sonár by day takes place at Fira Montjuïc
Avinguda Rius i Taulet, s/n, while the Sonár by night takes place at Fira Gran Via L'Hospitalet, Av. Joan Carles I. - Price: there are different prices. Thus, to attend just one day can cost between €35 and €72, while the general ticket costs 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 midday 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, either in Parc del Fòrum, Poble Espanyol or Montjuïc Park, which you can reach by the famous Montjuic cable car.
The idea is to enjoy an electronic party with the best DJs on a Sunday afternoon, from 1pm to 10pm, while you cool off with a few cold beers and recover your energy with a delicious brunch in the open air.
Practical info
- Where: several different venues
- Price: around €25, but depends very much on the event
- When it takes place: several weekends in June, July and August
5. Relax on the terraces of the best hotels of the city
After spending the afternoon at the beach or taking a tour of the Gothic Quarter, for example, there's nothing better than having a cool drink or dinner in style on a terrace overlooking the picturesque landscape of the capital of Catalonia.
For one week in June (which can vary) Barcelona's top hotels organise a range of free activities as part of Terrace Week, including live music, cooking workshops, magic shows, dancing, wine tasting, cocktails and much more.
6. Immerse yourself in Catalan traditions at the Casc Antic Festival
The Festa Major del Casc Antic in Barcelona takes place during the last week of June and includes a series of very diverse activities in the neighbourhoods of the Ciutat Vella.
In 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 locals 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 giants walking the streets, as well as popular food, street theatre 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 and a buzz that is hard to imitate. Normally, on Friday evening, the party starts on the stage located on Avenida Reina María Cristina.
The following day, the Village is inaugurated, where numerous stalls with local products and a bar and restaurant area are set up. This is also where the most important concerts of the celebration take place.
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, from 11:00 am to 02:00 pm
8. Enjoy a delicious meal beside the sea
With the arrival of the good weather in June, seafront restaurants open their open-air terraces, practically on the sand, for those who wish to enjoy local and international dishes while cooling off in the sea breeze.
Along the Barceloneta promenade and Avenida del Litoral, you'll find many options for restaurants serving a variety of cuisines.
On the sands of Barcelona's beaches you'll also find several chiringuitos, small bars serving drinks and fast food, although the quality of service may not be the same as in a proper restaurant.
9. Light your torch at 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 the 23rd and early morning of the 24th of June, bonfires, torches and fireworks are lit all over Spain to burn away the old and the bad, leaving the way open 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 early hours of the morning.
10. Check out the latest music trends at Primavera Sound Barcelona
During the last days of May and the first days of June, Barcelona hosts the Primavera Sound festival, whose programme includes performances by internationally renowned bands and musicians as well as lesser-known artists from the alternative and independent music scene.
The event takes place in the Forum Park, where in addition to different stages there are also stalls selling records, merchandise, food and drink, so you can enjoy this festival to the full.
Special extra: Dinner with the stars at the Fabra Observatory
As the gastronomic tours of Barcelona show, the city has excellent restaurants and highly recommended culinary specialities. However, if you want your dinner to be a different experience, June sees the start of the Dinner with the Stars (Sopars amb estrelles) cycle at the Fabra Observatory in Barcelona.
The evening begins with a delicious dinner served on the observatory's terrace. There are different menus to choose from with varying prices, all including a welcome drink, starters, starter, main course, main course and dessert.
At the end of the dinner there is an informative science talk of approximately 30 minutes. After that you can tour the observatory museum and access its great dome to observe the planets of the solar system and also the most distant stars and constellations with the 1904 telescope, one of the largest and oldest still in operation in Europe.
Practical information
- Where it is held: 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 around €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 rain. 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.