This post covers things to do during October in Barcelona 2023, including family-friendly, nighttime, and free or cheap activities.
For more activities, be sure to look at our master post on things to do in Barcelona as well.
TOP 10 THINGS TO DO IN OCTOBER
This top 10 list contains big concerts, sports, theatre, tours, free activities, and other events to attend in Barcelona during October.
Take a look at our other popular Barcelona posts:
1. Attend a Concert
Some well-known artists will be performing in Barcelona in October.
Concerts
- Blink 182 | October 4th
- The Hives | October 4th
- Louis Tomlinson | October 6th
- Vanesa Martin | October 7th
- Miguel Rios | October 28th
Music Festivals
- Barcelona International Jazz Festival | October dates TBA
Opera
- La Traviata | October 21st
Check here for other concerts in Barcelona in October.
In addition to hearing live music, Barcelona has loads of great things going on after dark.
See our post on things to do at night in Barcelona for more ideas.
2. Attend a Sports Event
European Football (soccer) is quite popular in Spain and the Barcelona team is aptly named FC Barcelona.
Taking a tour of Camp Nou, FC Barcelona's football stadium, would be a fun thing to do for any football fan.
Another football team you might try to get tickets for is RCD Espanyol.
If your interest is in basketball, there's FC Barcelona Basquet, a team that's seen player Pau Gasol go on to become a six-time NBA All-Star.
For more fun ideas, check out our family-friendly post.
3. Take a Sightseeing Tour
In October, when the temperatures have cooled down a bit, taking a bus tour is a comfortable way to see a lot of the city without getting chilly.
Many tours are in the hop-on-hop-off style, which means you can jump off at the sights you want to visit and jump back on when you're ready to go to the next stop.
They're also a nice way to get an overview of the city.
You can see other bus tours available to you by reading our detailed post on which Barcelona Bus Tour is best.
If you prefer to explore the city on foot, join us for our pay-what-you-wish guided walking tour of Barcelona.
We also have self-guided tours for your use:
- Self-guided Barcelona Gaudí Tour
- Self-Guided Gothic Tour of Barcelona
- Self-Guided Barcelona Food Tour
4. Celebrate Halloween
It just so happens that Halloween - October 31st - falls at the start of the Spanish 3-day holiday.
As you tell from the names, they fit well with Halloween.
The three days are:
- Día de las Brujas (Day of the Witches) | October 31st
- Dia de Todos los Santos (All Saints Day) | November 1st
- Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) | November 2nd
If you're looking for some spooky activities, you can take a walking tour of Barcelona's Dark History.
Or you could try a Halloween Ghost Hunt.
If you are traveling with children, they might enjoy the family-friendly Halloween Party at the Poble Espanyol.
On November 1st, visit one of Barcelona’s cemeteries and join the locals as they pay respects to their dearly departed.
Note that the day is a public holiday so be aware of any closures at museums and attractions.
If you want to get outside Barcelona, try the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia.
This annual fantasy and horror film festival runs October 5th-15th.
5. Open House Barcelona
This annual event gives the public free access to over 200 of the city’s architecturally, culturally, and historically significant buildings, dwellings, and places.
A broad range of sights are participating and you can see styles from Neoclassic, Modernist, and Gothic-style buildings.
Open House Barcelona is on October 21st and 22nd. Many locations offer guided tours.
Another way to learn about Barcelona's architecture and history is to take a pay-what-you-wish guided walking tour of Barcelona.
6. See La Sagrada Familia
One building that, sadly, will not be accessible for free during Open House Barcelona, is La Sagrada Familia.
It is, however, well worth buying a ticket to this must-see Barcelona gem.
La Sagrada Familia is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site and is famous for its stunning architecture.
Its architect, Antoni Gaudi, started the church in the 1880s but died ten years later.
The construction is still not done! It is planned to be completed in 2026, which is 144 years after construction began.
Even in a non-peak season like October, you may encounter long lines to enter La Sagrada Familia, so we recommend a skip-the-line ticket.
7. Mercat de Mercats
The annual Mercat de Mercats (Market of Markets) is a three-day party for food and wine lovers.
While technically a trade fair, it has a party atmosphere.
You go from stall to stall sampling small plates (tapas), wines, beer, cheeses, desserts and so much more.
Entry is free, though you do have to pay for samples.
You can never have enough good food in Barcelona. You might like to try a tapas walking tour.
You can also use our self-guided Food Tour of Barcelona to find the best of what the city’s markets have to offer.
8. Oktoberfest Barcelona
You don’t have to be in Germany to enjoy this traditional festival. Barcelona has its own version of Oktoberfest.
Plus it’s free to attend!
The festival is held in a massive 6,000-square-meter tent. There will be live Bavarian music and German beer (for purchase).
It takes place from October 4th to 5th at the Plaza Universo de Fira Barcelona Montjuïc (next to Plaza España).
Visit the Oktoberfest Barcelona website for more details.
Don’t care for beer? No problem! See our post for things to do at night in Barcelona.
9. Visit a Museum for Free
Traveling to Barcelona in October has some real advantages.
It is an off-peak season, so you won't be angling for space in a crowded museum.
Better still, on Sundays, several museums offer free entry after 3:00 pm.
If you are in Barcelona at the start of the month, catch First Sunday, when many museums off free entry all day.
If you aren't here on a Sunday, there are other ways to save on museums.
See how a tourist discount pass can save money while seeing many of Barcelona's best museums.
10. See and Save More with a City Pass
There are multiple major attraction passes that can help you get the most out of your time in beautiful Barcelona.
If you go for an all-inclusive pass, you’ll get free entry into multiple attractions in addition to discounts on more activities and tours.
Other passes are designed to let you pick a specified number of attractions and get up to 40% savings on entry to those.
Attractions Available for Discount Include:
- Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus Tour
- Barcelona Bike Tour
- Camp Nou Tour
- Barcelona Zoo
- L’Aquarium Barcelona
- Picasso Museum
- Park Guell’s Monumental Zone
- Montserrat Morning Tour
- Hard Rock Cafe
If you’re really looking to maximize the time you have in Barcelona, using a tourist pass is the best way to do that.
See our Barcelona Tourist Pass comparison here.
11. Celebrate on Les Rambles
At the Festa Major de la Rambla the patron saint of Barcelona's La Rambla, Mare de Déu del Roser.
Les Rambles is a tree-lined pedestrian boulevard (made up of a few different streets) in the heart of Barcelona which is home to monuments, meeting spots, markets, museums, and more.
There are all sorts of activities in the area, many free of charge!
You'll also find discounts at some shops and restaurants, tours, music, and lots and lots of flowers.
Events take place on October 7th.
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