What to do in Barcelona in September: Your ultimate guide

Barcelona is magical year-round, but September is a particularly special time to visit. The summer crowds have thinned out at major attractions like the Sagrada Familia and Park Güell, and events like La Mercè Festival bring energy to the city’s streets.

Visiting in September allows you to explore Barcelona’s top sights at a relaxed pace, and you’ll be met with lively cultural celebrations and the last of the summer sun. From wine-tasting in Catalonia’s sprawling vineyards to nail-biting soccer games, here’s your guide to what Barcelona is like in September.

Why go to Barcelona in September?

In September, the city erupts with festivals

The city exuberantly demonstrates its Catalan identity in spectacular ways — from city-wide celebrations like La Mercè to under-the-radar festivals like Festa Major del Poblenou.

Fewer tourists at major attractions

As the summer tourism rush starts to slow down and the locals trickle back into the city from their August vacations, you get a genuine peek into daily life in the city. Visiting Barcelona in September means you’ll have shorter wait times at top attractions, including the Picasso Museum and the Sagrada Familia.

Sample Catalonia’s seasonal cuisine

September is an excellent time to sample tasty Catalan specialties. Local markets overflow with wild mushrooms, fresh seafood, and the last of the summer vegetables, and these ingredients are heavily featured in Barcelona’s local dishes, such as Suquet de Peix (fish stew).

What’s the weather like in Barcelona in September?

Barcelona’s weather in September is pleasantly warm and dry during the day, with cooler nights and a moderate breeze. That means there’s still time to enjoy the outdoors and get in a few final beach trips before the cold weather arrives.

• Average day temperature: 77 F (25 C)
• Average night temperature: 66 F (19 C)
• Average days of rain: 4 days
• Average days of sun: 26 days

Top things to do in Barcelona in September

1. Experience La Mercè Festival

Ask any local why you should come to Barcelona in September, and their first answer will most likely be this behemoth of a festival.

La Mercè Festival serves as an ode to Mare de Déu de la Mercè (Our Lady of Mercy), one of the city’s patron saints, with over 600 free events held across the city, including outdoor concerts, parades, and traditional dances. Keep an eye out for the famous castells — human towers that reach up to 10 levels high.

Near Via Laietana and Plaça Sant Jaume, you’ll find the correfoc, or fire run, featuring a group dressed as devils running through the streets and setting off fireworks among the spectators.

Festival dates

Events typically run for a few days on either side of September 24 — the day of the Feast of La Mercè.

2. Go wine tasting in El Penedès

Taking full advantage of Spain’s wine culture stands among the best things to do in Barcelona in September, especially as the grape harvest season begins in early fall.

Head 40 minutes from the city on a day trip to the famous wine region of El Penedès. Sip on some artisanal Cava, Catalonia’s natural sparkling wine, which is full of zest and crisp acidity thanks to the region’s limestone-rich soil. What better way to enjoy the picturesque bucolic hills and vibrant autumn sunshine than with a local vintage in your hand?

3. Celebrate La Diada Nacional de Catalunya

La Diada Nacional de Catalunya, known in English as the National Day of Catalonia, is celebrated annually on September 11.

The holiday commemorates the end of the Siege of Barcelona during the 1714 War of the Spanish Succession. La Diada is a day of reflection but also one full of festivity and joy. Expect to see peaceful pro-independence marches and rallies, with participants draped in Catalan flags. Concerts and traditional dances like the Sardana highlight Catalonia’s unique identity and the region’s continued fight for independence.

4. Get a taste of Spanish soccer culture

FC Barcelona is one of the most well-known soccer clubs in the world. Past players include superstars like Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho, and as the La Liga season kicks off in August, September is the perfect time to catch the team in action. Even if you’re not a soccer fan, the electric atmosphere makes each game an incredible spectacle.

If you can’t get a ticket to a match, tour the iconic Spotify Camp Nou stadium, where you’ll learn about the club’s history and see an extensive collection of silverware, including several Champions League trophies.

5. Head to Festa Major del Poblenou

During the first two weeks of September, the neighborhood of El Poblenou erupts in festivity and revelry for its Festa Major, or “Major Festival.” Once known as the “Catalan Manchester” due to its role in Spain’s industrial revolution in the 20th century, El Poblenou fell into disrepair, and only in the past couple of decades has it blossomed into a dynamic area full of art, culture, and its own unique identity.

El Poblenou comes together in September to put on an array of musical, gastronomic, artistic, and sporting events. Don’t miss the raucous parade of the gegants, or giants — huge wood or papier-mâché representations of historical Catalan figures such as kings, queens, and mythical creatures.

Festival dates

Typically held in the first half of September.
Dates vary from year to year.

6. Visit Barcelona’s most impressive landmarks

The summer crowds dissipate in September, making it easier to visit Barcelona’s landmarks, many of which were designed by Antoni Gaudí, a modernist architect renowned for his surrealist and vivid designs.

Start your tour admiring the unfinished spires of the Sagrada Familia basilica. Wind through the medieval streets and squares that punctuate the Gothic Quarter and grab a bite to eat at one of the area’s many restaurants. Wrap up your day in Park Güell, a tree-lined green space home to some of Gaudí’s most stunning mosaic works.

7. Visit the Montserrat Monastery

Around an hour from the city by train is Montserrat, the “serrated mountain." The mountain is home to the Benedictine Montserrat Monastery, where you can come face to face with the famous Black Madonna statue. You’ll also get breathtaking views of the Catalan countryside and the Holy Mountain of Montserrat, known for its dramatic pink-and-white stone face.

Montserrat is the perfect jumping-off point for some gorgeous hikes. Most hikes start from the top of the mountain, which you can reach in less than 10 minutes on the Sant Joan funicular.

Address

Montserrat, 08199 Montserrat

Opening hours

Daily, 7:00 AM–8:00 PM