Events in Barcelona
In September 2026, Barcelona builds up to La Mercè, the city's biggest festival, which fills the parks and squares from 23 to 27 September with free street arts from MAC and open-air concerts from BAM. Live music runs right through the month: Airbag play Sant Jordi Club on 18 September, Kitty, Daisy & Lewis and Fat Freddy's Drop take over the Razzmatazz halls, and candlelight concerts light up the Palau de la Música Catalana. In the museums, MACBA closes its Prisoners of Love installation on 28 September, while La Virreina keeps a major Godard retrospective open into October.
Barcelona events this September from the official listing
The festivals below are the ones on Barcelona's official events calendar for the month, and each card links straight to the organiser's own listing with the dates and venues. For the sights that are open all year round, start with things to do in Barcelona.
La Mercè Festival
When: 23 to 27 September
Where: Parks, squares and beaches across Barcelona
The city's biggest festival takes over parks, squares and the seafront with street arts, circus, dance and concerts, closing with a fireworks display.
MAC - Mercè Arts de Carrer
When: 24 to 27 September
Where: Parc de l'Estació del Nord, Parc de les Glòries and other parks
A free open-air programme of street theatre, circus and dance brings national and international companies to the city's parks.
BAM - Barcelona Acció Musical
When: 23 to 27 September
Where: Plaça de Catalunya, Rambla del Raval and Moll de la Fusta
Barcelona's free festival of new and independent music stages concerts by emerging Catalan and international acts across the city.
Barcelona gigs and festivals
Vivaldi's Four Seasons
Vivaldi's Four Seasons comes to the Basílica de la Mercè on 16 September at 20:30.
Actors
Actors plays Wolf on 18 September at 21:15.
Airbag
Airbag plays Sant Jordi Club on 18 September at 20:00.
Kitty, Daisy & Lewis
Kitty, Daisy & Lewis plays La 2 de Apolo on 18 September at 21:00.
RAINAO
RAINAO plays La Paloma on 18 September at 20:30.
Candlelight Disney love songs
Candlelight Disney love songs comes to Petit Palau - Palau de la Música Catalana on 20 September at 17:00.
Mir Nicolás
Mir Nicolás plays Razzmatazz 3 on 20 September at 21:00.
Transvision Vamp
Transvision Vamp plays Sala Razzmatazz 2 on 25 September.
only the poets
only the poets plays Sala Razzmatazz 3 on 25 September at 20:30.
Candlelight tribute to Joan Manuel Serrat
Candlelight tribute to Joan Manuel Serrat comes to Reial Cercle Artístic de Barcelona on 26 September at 17:00.
Fat Freddy's Drop
Fat Freddy's Drop plays Sala Razzmatazz 1 on 26 September at 20:30.
Events and shows in Barcelona
Flamenco at Teatro Flamenco Barcelona
Flamenco at Teatro Flamenco Barcelona on 15 September at 17:00.
Tablao flamenco at El Paraigua
Tablao flamenco at El Paraigua on 16 September at 21:00.
Magic and comedy at Bosc de les Fades
Magic and comedy at Bosc de les Fades on 17 September at 20:30.
Exhibitions in Barcelona this September
Basel Abbas and Ruanne Abou-Rahme, Prisoners of Love
Until: 28 September
Where: MACBA
A video and sound installation by the Palestinian duo, built around archives of resistance, memory and love.
The Fraternity of Metaphors, Jean-Luc Godard
Until: 4 October
Where: La Virreina Centre de la Imatge
The most complete retrospective yet devoted to the filmmaker, tracing his cinema and its place in contemporary visual thought.
Opening the Archive 08. Le gros orteil
Until: 29 November
Where: Fundació Joan Miró
An archive display at the Miró foundation built around Untitled from 1930, a recent gift to the collection.
Space Explorers, The ISS Experience
Until: 31 October
Where: Eclipso Barcelona
A virtual reality experience filmed aboard the International Space Station, shown in timed entry sessions at an immersive venue.
Barcelona tickets and tours
Keep the city and national holiday calendar in mind
Public holidays change the rhythm of a visit more than most travellers expect. Many shops and museums move to holiday timetables, public transport can run a reduced service and a day built around a market or a municipal museum can fall flat. Barcelona keeps 14 paid holidays in 2026: the 8 that apply across the whole of Spain, 4 more that only Catalonia observes and 2 that the city council adds for itself. The Catalan and city days are the ones that catch visitors out, because they are ordinary working days in the rest of the country.
National holidays in Spain 2026
- 1 January New Year's Day (Cap d'Any)
- 6 January Epiphany (Reis)
- 3 April Good Friday (Divendres Sant)
- 1 May Labour Day (Festa del Treball)
- 15 August Assumption of Mary (l'Assumpció)
- 12 October National Day of Spain (Dia Nacional d'Espanya)
- 8 December Feast of the Immaculate Conception (La Immaculada)
- 25 December Christmas Day (Nadal)
Local holidays in Barcelona 2026
- 6 April Easter Monday (Dilluns de Pasqua Florida), regional
- 25 May Whit Monday (Dilluns de Pasqua Granada), local
- 24 June Midsummer (Sant Joan), regional
- 11 September Catalan National Day (Diada Nacional de Catalunya), regional
- 24 September Feast of La Mercè (Mare de Déu de la Mercè), local
- 26 December Saint Stephen's Day (Sant Esteve), regional
The Catalonia tourist office at Palau de Mar closes on 25 and 26 December and on 1 and 6 January, and it shortens its hours on 24 and 31 December and 5 January. Turisme de Barcelona does not publish a holiday closing list, and the hours of each of its points sit on that point's own page, so a visit on one of these dates is worth checking there first.
Before you go to Barcelona
What to see in Barcelona
The Barcelona guide on Tourist Office gathers a first day itinerary, the landmarks worth booking ahead and what the city offers for free.
Tourist office in Barcelona
Where Barcelona's official tourist information points are, when they open and which public holidays change their opening hours.
Spain highlights
The Spain guide looks beyond the city to the country's great cities, landmarks and coast, with the sights worth planning a longer trip around.