Visiting Barcelona in November

Is November a Good Time to Visit?

November is pretty much nobody’s favourite month back home, especially if you’re from the UK / Northern Europe… so you may as well get away from the pre-Christmas, autumnal gloom and jet out for some sunshine on a Mediterranean city break.

Barcelona in November is warm, sunny and cheerful, with plenty to see and do, and if you would prefer to visit the Catalan capital when there are less tourists then this is one of the best times of year to book your flights, and enjoy some of the city’s attractions without the crowds. It will still be around 18 degrees by day, and culture vultures won’t care that it’s not beach weather when they’re busy admiring the handiwork of genii like Antoni Gaudi, Lluis Domenech i Montaner and Pablo Picasso (more on each below!).

The incredible columns and ceiling of Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia

Apart from fewer tourists, you should find prices of hotels and apartments more affordable in autumn, and backpackers should also be able to save a few euros on their hostel beds. Overall this might just be the most economic month to visit.

Events-wise and there’s a mix of traditional celebrations like All Saints Day, and more modern offerings like L’Alternativa Film Festival festival. And while this is not the season of street parties and music festivals, the city’s regular nightlife is stillin full flow, andalcoholicssociable folk can alwayssign up for a pub crawl.

The Weather in November

With the average November high temperature in Barcelona around 18ºC and an average low of 8º, this is usually the month where the temperatures noticeably drop in the city from the summer highs (that can stretch into October), so you’ll need to add a jacket and jumper to your packing list. The lower temperatures aren’t all bad news though; they can make a day of sightseeing considerably less sweaty! And you can still strip down to a T-shirt at midday when you find a nice bar or restaurant in the sun.

Other weather considerations to bear in mind are that the month averages five days of rain (around average in Barcelona), and that the days are also quite a bit shorter, as clocks have gone back by now. In other words, you may have to get up earlier if you want to see all the main attractions in the daylight.

You can keep an eye on the weatherhere.

17 Things To Do in November

As with any time of year, there’s more than enough to keep you occupied in the Catalan capital, day and night. We’ve rounded up a few of our favourite things to do in Barcelona in November to help you plan your trip.

1. Commemorate All Saints’ Day

November starts off with a holiday in Spain – El Día de Todos los Santos, or All Saints’ Day. It’s a national public holiday to honour and remember the dead. Flower vendors line the streets to sell floral displays to people to leave at their dearly departed’s graveside. But it’s not all sombre contemplation; this is also the day when people traditionally eat small round almond cakes called “panellets.” Look out for them on sale at bakeries around the city.

2. Celebrate the “Castanyada”

One of the traditions of All Saints’ Day is to eat hot toasted chestnuts (“castanyas” in Catalan) that come wrapped in newspaper. They start being sold by street hawkers with pop-up roasting stalls around the holiday, and they continue doing brisk business throughout the winter. They also often sell roasted sweet potatoes at the same stalls. Keep an eye for them and don’t be scared to snag a bag!

3. Visit La Sagrada Familia While You Can!

Around 3 million people visit Gaudi’s masterpiece each year, and it’s rarely less than chock-full, especially during the summer months. November is actually one of the best times to visit as its one of the city’s quieter months for tourism, and you should have a bit of breathing space as you marvel at the white forest-like interior of the nave, and possibly even ascend / descend one of the basilica’s epic towers. Check out our page for more info onskip the line tickets, tours and towersor go right ahead orbook a guided tour via Get Your Guide. Every tiny detail of this amazing basilica has a special significance – so exploring with a knowledgeable guide is a must!

LA SAGRADA FAMILIA TOURS

4. Wonder at the Palau de la Musica!

Barcelona’s unique aesthetic comes from the artistic movement known as Modernisme, also known asCatalan art nouveau. Gaudi was just one proponent of the genre (in facthis most famous workstook on a style all of his own), and his contemporaries like Domenech i Montaner and Puig i Cadafalch are held in almost the same esteem by locals for the architectural legacy they left. You can see some of Barcelona’s most beautiful façades when you visit thePalace of Catalan Music, while those with more time might also wish to visitHospital of Sant Pauand theCasa Amatller. A guided tour of the Palau de la Musica Catalana, in particular, is well worth it, as you also get to see the stunning concert hall and inverted golden dome skylight – plus the balcony offers a fantastic Instagram moment.

PALAU DE LA MUSICA GUIDED TOUR

5. Learn to Cook Paella!

You can’t leave Barcelona without trying Spain’s signature dish… but why not go one further and learn how to cook your own rice and seafood feast (vegetarian options also available!)? During this fun and laidback experience your expert chef will take you on a tour ofthe famous Boqueria food market, before heading back to the kitchen to share the secrets of a great paella. As well as contributing to this culinary masterpiece, you also learn how to mix a mean jug of sangria. At just €55 per person, this is a great activity to do instead of a restaurant lunch or dinner.More info here, or hit the button below to reserve your space on Get Your Guide.

BOOK PAELLA COOKING EXPERIENCE

6. Visit Girona & The Dali Museum

Girona is one of Catalonia’s finest gems, a large medieval town crowned by a spectacular cathedral that was used to film several famous King’s Landing scenes in Game of Thrones. Meanwhile, the Dali Theatre Museum is one of the world’s most entertaining art museums – showcasing the madcap style of the godfather of Surrealism. Getting to both by public transport is a bit of a pain, but there are several minibus tours that leave from Barcelona on a daily basis. I’d recommendthis one, which features transport, guide, and museum tickets for a pretty reasonable €82 per person. If you have to change your mind Get Your Guide offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the event.

GIRONA & DALI MUSEUM TOUR

7. Lock Yourself in an Escape Room

A hot craze in Barcelona right now, and indeed the rest of the world, escape rooms offer participants the chance to pit themselves against the clock in a battle of wits. By solving a series of puzzles, one after another, you have to move closer to finding the key or the code that will allow you to exit the room before the time is up. Each room has its own theme, and you might find yourself doing anything from rescuing Gaudi’s blueprints for La Sagrada Familia to infiltrating a secret society known as the ‘WD’. Read a list ofsome of our favourite rooms here. The perfect activity on a wet autumnal day.

8. Eat Tapas and Watch Flamenco!

An extremely popular activity, the Tapas & Flamenco experience is a great one for fans of Spanish culture who want to sample two of the country’s most typical traditions, both of which have strong roots in Catalonia as well. First you get to watch a passionate 40-minute flamenco concert in a centraltablao, before sampling some authentic dishes served up and down Spain. The activity runs every night and you can findmore info here. To reserve your tickets, click the button-link below.

RESERVE FLAMENCO & TAPAS TICKETS

9.Take a Wine Class with a Sommelier

Spanish wines are both very affordable and extremely underrated. Inthis fun workshop that takes place in the city centre, you will taste five local Catalan wines in the company of an expert sommelier, who will first introduce you to several smell and taste challenges to train your palate. The wines are paired with gourmet cheeses and by the end of the session you’ll leave with a firm appreciation of the local vintages, and a better understanding of wine in general.

RESERVE WINE TASTING CLASS

10. Sailing & Wine Cruise

Spoil yourself with this two-pronged pleasure cruise that combines sailing with wine tasting at a nearby vineyard! It doesn’t get much better than setting off in a luxury yacht from Barcelona’s Port Olimpic and cruising up the coast to one of the region’s charming urban wineries. Here, in the town of Alella, you get to tour an ecological vineyard and taste three unique wines in the company of a sommelier, together with an array of delicious appetisers. Afterwards a luxury minivan will whizz you back to Barcelona city centre. You can book this activity securelyvia Get Your Guide.

RESERVE SAILING & WINE CRUISE

11. Discover Picasso’s Barcelona Legacy

Picasso spent his formative years in Barcelona, and hislegacy in Cataloniais marked bythe museum that bears his name, as well as by a number of places he frequented during his time here. Naturally, you can explore the museum, where 3,500 of his works are exhibited – with a focus on his early life and the evocative Blue and Rose periods – by yourself; however real art aficionados are advised to consider booking a guide tour,such as this one, to get a full insight into the mind and works of the 20th century’s most important artist.

BOOK PICASSO MUSEUM TOUR

12. Make New Friends on a Bar Crawl

The Catalan capital is as lively by night as it is by day, andtaking a bar crawlof some of the city’s best nocturnal venues is a great way of experiencing the local nightlife. There are several awesome tours to choose from, but pretty much all of them will take you on winding exploration of the old town streets to several charismatic bars, before ending the evening in a late night venue. A great way to meet people, especially if you’re travelling solo.

RESERVE BARCELONA BAR CRAWL

13. Buff Up on the Year’s Best Films

Both theIn-Edit film festivalfeaturing musical documentary films andL’Alternativa Film Festivalfor independent films typically take place in November in Barcelona. If you like films, this is the perfect time to check out what the city has to offer for cinephiles.

14. Celebrate Thanksgiving in Good Company!

Held on the fourth Thursday in November every year, Americans abroad tend to head straight down tothe nearest Irish barto eattheir traditional Thanksgiving dinner.Flaherty’sdo a great one every year if you’re looking to get your fix of turkey and stuffing for the year with some fellow Statesiders and other good company.

15. Get Brainy at the “Barcelona Pensa” Festival

Barcelona’s very own philosophy festival is held in mid-November every year. It’s promoted by the Department of Philosophy at the University of Barcelona, in a bid to get the city more involved in philosophical thinking. It takes place at multiple locations around the city and features talks, presentations, workshops, and debates (naturally). You may need to brush up on your Catalan though to make the most of it.
www.barcelonapensa.cat

16. Visit The Camp Nou…

…eitherto watch the mighty FC Barcelona in action, or if not then you can still sign up for the Camp Nou Experience, when you’ll take a tour of the legendary 99,000 seater stadium, pitch, dressing rooms and of courseFC Barcelona Museum– with one whole room to dedicated to Messi! Tickets cost €28 and you can reserve them in a couple of clicks on Get Your Guide. Just hit the button-link below.

BUY CAMP NOU EXPERIENCE TICKETS

17. See the Start of the Christmas Season

In late November,the first signs of the Christmas seasonstart to appear on the streets of Barcelona, like holiday markets and festive lighting displays. The exact dates vary from year to year, but you’ll definitely start to notice some of the Christmas cheer descending on the city by the month’s end. Catalonia has some frankly bizarre traditions at this time of year, so read up about thecaganerand grab yourself a celebrity pooper at one of the markets.

More Autumn Inspiration!

So there you go… plenty of things to see and do this November! But if for some reason you haven’t filled your agenda yet then check out thislong list of fun and unusual activities.