In Europe, the off-season for travel is from November to March. While most people imagine summer trips to Barcelona, being here in the off-season has been such a special time. While we may not be spending our days laying on the beach or swimming, we’ve been able to enjoy most of what people love about Barcelona minus the huge crowds. And being here to see everything decorated for the holidays has been especially magical. Whether you want to make the most of a winter break, skip the crowds, or save money on a trip to Barcelona, here is a guide for coming in the winter:
What to Expect
More Bang for Your Euro: Because it’s the off-season, you may be able to book hotels or Airbnb’s at a much lower rate than in the summer. We were able to find an apartment in a prime location that would have been out of our budget had we come in peak season.
Mild Weather: While it is definitely a bit chilly and continues to get colder as we enter the winter months, the weather is still fairly mild without varying temperatures throughout the week. For example, this December the weather has been a high of 58 degrees and a low of 45 degrees almost everyday for the past two weeks. Coming from Washington DC where the weather is already in the low 40s, we find the weather to be perfectly comfortable.
Less Crowds: Everywhere we’ve visited, I have the slightly annoying habit of turning to my husband and saying “Imagine how busy this must be in the summer!” But it really makes me appreciate the fact that we can enjoy most things, such as Sagrada Familia or Park Guell, without being surrounded and squeezed in by hundreds (if not thousands) of people.
Favorite Attractions
Sagrada Familia: Before we visited, I truly didn’t understand just how big Sagrada Familia is. The architecture is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, the amount of detail in each corner can have you wondering the massive church for hours. Sagrada Familia is beautiful no matter what, but Sagrada Familia during Christmastime is pure magic. One of the oldest Christmas markets in Barcelona is right outside (Sagrada Familia Christmas Market, easy to remember), and you can enjoy seeing the different Catalan nativity figurines while eating a huge chocolate stuffed churro.
Park Güell: One of the most stunning views of Barcelona, walking through the park is much more enjoyable when you’re not sweating. The 50-degree days make it the perfect temperature to enjoy the stunning views and architecture without getting fatigued (or heat stroke).
La Boqueria: One of the oldest food markets in Barcelona dating back to 1217, it is one of the largest markets in the city. Inside, you’ll find everything ranging from fresh seafood and meat to snack and restaurants. My husband and I are looking forward to finding all of the ingredients here for our Christmas Eve dinner.
Where to Eat
El Quim: Inside La Boqueria, their squid and egg breakfast dish was not only delicious but something I’ve never seen anywhere else.
Can Ramonet: A small restaurant in Barceloneta, it’s the perfect place for an intimate dinner splitting lightly fried anchovies, papayas bravas, and seafood paella.
El Nacional: Five restaurants all under one roof, you can choose from meats to seafood to specialty cocktails.
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