Guide
What to see and do in Barcelona in May?
May is one of the most beautiful months of the year: it is not summer yet, spring is already in full swing and life is at its height. We tell you what is interesting about spending this month there, and where to go alone, with friends or with family in May.
In this guide
49 listed
- Japanese cultural festival «Matsuri Barcelona»
There are events one visits out of curiosity and others one ends up returning to every year almost out of tradition. Matsuri Barcelona clearly belongs to the latter category. What began as a cultural proposal to bring Japan closer to the people of Barcelona has become one of those gatherings capable of transforming, if only for a few hours, the city’s usual rhythm.
- «Balloon Story Barcelona» Exhibition
feverup.com «Balloon Story Barcelona» is not limited to filling a space with balloons: it rethinks it completely. From 21 May, the city hosts this installation which turns a lightweight material into architecture, landscape and play all at once.
- Bad Bunny concert
Bad Bunny will perform in Barcelona on 22 and 23 May 2026 as part of his new world tour DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOTOS, in what promises to be one of the musical events of the year. The concert will take place at the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc, a venue worthy of the planet’s most influential urban artist.
- International Museum Day and Museum Night
In Barcelona, 16 May becomes a festive day for culture lovers with the simultaneous celebration of International Museum Day and Museum Night.
- Fira Modernista de Barcelona
Discover the fascinating history and legacy of Catalan Modernism by immersing yourself in the next edition of the Feria Modernista de Barcelona. This annual celebration invites you to take a virtual journey through time, transporting you to Barcelona in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the artistic movement of Modernism was at its height.
- Magic Nights at Casa Batlló
Drinks, music and friends, truly magical nights. Enjoying a concert under the stars is always a pleasant option for going out with friends. Magic nights happen when moments cease to be fleeting and last a lifetime.
- Series «Following the sun. Uncovering the gaze»
At Museu Tàpies, looking ceases to be an automatic gesture and becomes a practice. In its third edition, «Following the sun. Uncovering the gaze» proposes an uncomfortable yet necessary exercise: dismantling what is taken for granted.
- TWICE concert
ticketmaster.es When the lights go down at the Palau Sant Jordi, it is not just a concert that begins: a universe of its own gets under way. TWICE comes to Barcelona with a show that turns the stage into a moving narrative, where every choreography, every costume change and every flash of light sets the rhythm of a night designed to remain in the memory.
- Comic Barcelona 2026
Every year, one of the most anticipated events for comic-strip lovers in Spain is held; we invite you to take the opportunity to explore this visual art and take part in interesting days.
- Spring Festivities in La Barceloneta
The Spring Festivities in La Barceloneta stand as an essential cultural spectacle, offering everything from theatre and poetry to workshops and talks. This event not only celebrates the arrival of spring, but also exalts Barcelona's rich cultural heritage, making La Barceloneta a meeting place for art, history and community.
- Exhibition “The Nabis: from Bonnard to Vuillard”
Between 1888 and 1900, a group of young French artists decided to look at painting from another perspective. They called themselves the Nabis, a word of Hebrew origin meaning “prophets”. They did not intend to predict the future, but they did imagine a new way of understanding art. The exhibition “The Nabis: from Bonnard to Vuillard” presents in Barcelona the first exhibition devoted entirely to this movement.
- Feast of Santa Rita at Casa Vicens
Every 22 May, Casa Vicens recovers one of the most singular traditions in the Gràcia neighbourhood: the feast of Santa Rita of Cascia, patron saint of impossible causes.
- Music festivals in Barcelona not to miss in 2026
- Exhibition «We Are Seventeen Years Old. A Collective Portrait»
What do you see when someone aged seventeen looks at the world? The exhibition «We Are Seventeen Years Old. A Collective Portrait» proposes listening to that question without filters. More than three hundred young people build here a mosaic of images, videos and texts that speak from direct experience: friendships, neighbourhoods, uncertainties, desires and small scenes of everyday life.
- Gilipojazz Concert
Gilipojazz’s live show does not fit entirely into any label, and that is part of its appeal. With the “Progresa Adecuadamente World Tour”, the band enters a new stage after appearing on stages such as the Jazz de Montreux Festival and touring half of Europe and Mexico.
- Candlelight concerts in Barcelona: a season of melodies by candlelight
- Immersive exhibition “Beyond the Façade”
“Beyond the Façade” is the new immersive exhibition inaugurating Casa Batlló Contemporary, the space dedicated to contemporary art on the second floor of Gaudí’s iconic building.
- Show «La llibreria màgica»
Teatreneu opens its doors to a story containing magic, adventure and the struggle to preserve the essence of classic tales: the show «La llibreria màgica».
- Fira Literal 2026
Fira Literal 2026 is shaping up to be the epicentre of critical thought and committed literature, celebrating its tenth edition at the Fabra i Coats venue. This fair of radical ideas and books will focus on exploring the transformative impact of feminism on society.
- Show «Pare nostre que estàs en el sostre»
«Pare nostre que estàs en el sostre» is Charlie Pee’s new one-person show, a proposal that begins with an everyday gesture — staring at the ceiling unable to sleep — to create a comedy show as absurd as it is recognisable.
- Immersive exhibition “The Last Days of Pompeii”
feverup.com The story of Pompeii stops being a still image in books and becomes an experience to be explored with the senses. “The Last Days of Pompeii”, recognised by National Geographic as Best Historical Exhibition 2024 and seen by more than 850,000 people worldwide, arrives in Barcelona with a proposal that blends historical rigour and immersive technology.
- Eric Clapton concert
On 10 May 2026, Eric Clapton will return to Barcelona after more than twenty years without setting foot on a stage in the city. The Palau Sant Jordi will host one of only two dates in Spain on a tour that marks a new chapter in the career of one of the most influential figures in popular music of the 20th century.
- Basketball Champions League Final Four
feverup.com The Basketball Champions League Final Four turns Badalona into the epicentre of European basketball during a decisive weekend. After months of competition in more than 16 countries, with dozens of teams and matches behind them, the top four arrive at the Palau Municipal d’Esports de Badalona to contest the season’s conclusion.
- Fira Modernista de Terrassa
Take a trip back in time in Terrassa to discover Modernist trends, taste traditional gastronomy and create your own costume.
- Poblenou Open Day
Poblenou Open Day is an unmissable opportunity to immerse yourself in Barcelona's vibrant cultural and creative scene.
- Castle Market
Castle Market comes to Castelldefels intending to turn a historic space into a meeting point for contemporary creativity. On 27 September, from 11:00 to 20:00, Castell de Castelldefels opens its gardens for a Fantastic Flea Festival where vintage and emerging things coexist without hierarchy.
- Suite Festival
- Mostra Internacional de Films de Dones de Barcelona
The Mostra Internacional de Films de Dones de Barcelona is not just a film festival, but a space that reviews and reorders history from another perspective. Born with a feminist vocation and a critical spirit, the showcase recovers works, women authors and discourses that for years have been left outside the dominant narrative, proposing new ways of seeing and thinking about cinema.
- Festival “In Other Words”
The festival brings together leading creators such as Sara Mesa and Carme Riera. It offers diverse activities such as concerts and poetic vermouths, highlighting the richness of the word in contemporary culture.
- Musical performance ‘I Love Rock and Roll’
A passion for rock will reach audiences of all ages with ‘I Love Rock and Roll’, a production combining live music, humour and staging designed for family enjoyment.
- «Ballet of Lights: Cinderella» show
feverup.com Cinderella has never shone so brightly. The classic tale comes to new life in «Ballet of Lights: Cinderella», a stage experience that fuses the elegance of ballet with the magic of light. After the international success of «Peter Pan», the company returns with a proposal that dazzles with its originality and beauty.
- «Más vale solo que ciento volando — Revolution» show, by Edu Soto
Teatre Borràs in Barcelona becomes the stage for Edu Soto, a master of humour and improvisation. With his talent, the artist presents a new version of his successful trilogy, promising laughs, surprises and countless characters.
- Talents Jazz at La Pedrera
Discover the charm of jazz at the Talents Jazz festival, set on the iconic rooftop of La Pedrera.
- “Una història de... Picasso a Barcelona” course
The course “Una història de... Picasso a Barcelona” proposes returning to the years when the artist was not yet a myth, but a young man beginning to look at the world from the city. Framed within the “Territorio de creación” programme, the route focuses on the period Picasso lived in Barcelona, between the ages of 14 and 23, a decisive period in the construction of his identity.
- 11th Diagonal DiR Guardia Urbana Race 2026
Get ready to join the twelfth edition of a sporting event that will run along Barcelona’s famous Avinguda Diagonal, from the mountains to the sea.
- Flea Market Gavà
Flea Market Gavà celebrates its twelfth edition with an event that transforms the city into a journey of discoveries and encounters. On 21 November, from 10:00 to 18:00, three spaces — Rambla Maria Casas, Parc de Torre Lluc and Plaça de J. M. Batista i Roca — are connected to create a market that goes beyond shopping.
- Show «Aladdí»
Enjoy the show «Aladdí», a family musical comedy. The show is a journey of adventure and hidden treasures. Directed by Albert Pueyo and performed by Oriol Clemente, this play promises excitement, romance and fun for all ages.
- Game through the streets «Street Escape: "Gaudí and the Hidden Treasure"»
casabatllo.es Gaudí and the Hidden Treasure, a game through the streets of Barcelona to find the mysterious treasure. Discover the secrets of the architect Gaudí, the leading exponent of Catalan Modernism.
- Mercat de la Terra
Mercat de la Terra in Barcelona, active since 2015, promotes sustainability and responsible consumption. It offers local products and educational activities every Saturday, supporting the circular economy and food sovereignty. It is an evolving project aligned with ecological goals.
- Debates «Morocco: a contemporary cartography»
CCCB presents the debate series «Morocco: a contemporary cartography», a proposal that moves away from closed narratives to explore the complexity of a country in transformation. Across several sessions, the project traces a moving map that takes different cities as starting points for understanding the tensions, changes and cultural vitality of present-day Morocco.
- Palo Market Fest
Barcelona’s Palo Market Fest is an original event bringing together the best of culture, music and gastronomy.
- Family workshop: “Paisatges vegetals”
What exactly is a landscape? And how is plant life represented? The family workshop “Paisatges vegetals” begins with these questions to propose an experience that combines observation, exploration and creation.
- 1-day tour of 3 countries: Andorra, France and Spain
getyourguide.com Some journeys are measured in kilometres and others in crossed borders. This one-day route proposes the latter: leaving Barcelona in the morning and, before night falls, having passed through Spain, France and Andorra.
- Món Llibre Festival
Once a year, the Món Llibre festival turns children's literature into a territory to explore. Promoted by the Institut de Cultura de Barcelona together with CCCB, Biblioteques de Barcelona and MACBA, it offers an open gathering where books, imagination and play intertwine.
- «Hora Bruixa» musical
In «Hora Bruixa», Macbeth's witches leave whispering behind and turn up the volume. They are no longer figures in the shadows: they appear as a punk band taking the stage to tell their version, crossing past and present without asking permission.
- Show “Amazing Michael Jackson”
“Amazing Michael” is a show designed to share with the family and reconnect with the legacy of one of the most influential artists in the history of music.
- Show “The Jury Experience: Crime at Sea: The Wreck of a Friendship”
feverup.com In The Jury Experience: Travesía Mortal, the audience does not just observe the trial: they have the final say. The event turns the room into a courtroom and each attendee into a member of the jury, responsible for listening, doubting, and deciding the fate of the accused.
- Workshop and debate series «Conversaciones Feministas»
In April and May, the Born. Museo de Historia de Barcelona and the Biblioteca de Sant Antoni will open their doors to shared reflection with the Conversaciones Feministas series, sessions conceived as a meeting point to rethink the present and chart new paths towards real equality.
- Free things to do in Barcelona in April: more cultural activities
Entries with their own DondeGo page show its English title. The rest appear as the guide lists them, in Spanish.