Barcelona Winter WalK: 10 urban and cultural plans to experience the warmth of the city

If you’re a fan of art history and, in particular, the 20th century avant-garde, check out this show that brings you face to face with the creative scene of the past 100 years or so. Until 22 February 2026, the Fundació Joan Miró is focusing on one of the most international facets of the eponymous artist: the exhibition Miró and the United States brings together work by more than 40 international artists who had a discourse with the vision of the Barcelona painter and sculptor. A curious, one-off event, created as part of the celebrations to mark the foundation’s 50th anniversary. 

The exhibition establishes an intergenerational dialogue between Joan Miró and the US artists, showing how their creative practices mutually enriched each other and contributed to the development of art in the 20th century. What’s more, you’ll find out all about Miró’s adventures on the American continent, which he visited on seven occasions. 

And if you want to round off your visit with a walk in nature, the location of the foundation, at the heart of Montjuïc park, makes it the ideal place to discover historical gardens and enjoy breathtaking views over the city and sea. Ready to be inspired by Miró?

A visit to the Gran Teatre del Liceu is always both surprising and a great pleasure, with its grand marble staircase adorned with a plush red carpet, the historical Mirror Room, where audiences gather before and during the interval of a performance, and the spectacular horseshoe-shaped auditorium itself, where elegant boxes surround the stage and light gleams from golden, modernista-style lamps; where metalwork dragons are on show, along with ceiling paintings by Catalan artist Perejaume and a stage curtain design by Antonio Miró. It is, without question, one of the most beautiful and emblematic theatres in the whole of Europe. 

Since it opened its doors in 1847, the Liceu has hosted opera performances almost continuously, overcoming fires and undergoing renovations to maintain its original style, which combines the bourgeois splendour of the 19th century with more modern and up-to-date traits. 

If you want to enjoy this great musical venue at its very best, don’t miss the staging of ‘L’elisir d’amore’ (22 November to 15 December), an entertaining, romantic opera by Gaetano Donizetti, here given a modern touch by director Mario Gas. The story of a love affair doesn’t disappoint: Nemorino, a naïve and lovestruck peasant, tries to win the heart of Adina, a wealthy young woman who plays with his feelings while flirting with a certain Sergeant Belcore. And, to complicate matters further, a travelling salesman appears with a so-called love potion (the elixir of the work’s title), giving rise to hilarious situations. 

It’s a perfect opportunity to enjoy a memorable night out or a romantic evening à deux, surrounded by the brilliance and charm of a theatre with almost 200 years of history behind it and which is found at the very heart of the city. Before or after the show, make sure to stroll along the renowned Rambla, the street on which the Gran Teatre del Liceu sits, one of the most popular thoroughfares in Barcelona – although it’s currently being revamped, La Rambla continues to be an essential, historical place to see and be seen. 

The Palau de la Música Catalana is another of Barcelona’s great architectural and cultural jewels. The work of Lluís Domènech i Montaner, it’s a leading example of the Catalan modernisme movement, and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. When it was inaugurated, it was described as “a creation so daring, symbolic and richly decorated that nothing in Barcelona could surpass it”. We don’t know if anything does surpass it but it’s certainly a must-visit in the city!

In winter, the Palau’s Christmas programme is the perfect excuse to head inside this wonderful venue, with a richly adorned stage that fits the seasonal schedule like a glove. On 19 December, there’s a one-off performance of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio: a magical opportunity to enjoy classical music in one of the world’s most stunning auditoriums. What’s more, there are special New Year concerts that will provide a sumptuous way to welcome the start of 2026. 

But in Barcelona, classical music during the winter season is not just enjoyed in the Palau de la Música and the Gran Teatre del Liceu. The perfect triangle is completed by L’Auditori, which can be reached by a pleasant walk from the city centre, passing through parks such as the Ciutadella and the one by the Estació del Nord. These three temples to music together make up the Barcelona Obertura venture, which promotes the city at a global level with a first-class programme of concerts and recitals.

Barcelona is a city of connections, not least through art and photography. El monte análogo (Mount analogue) is an exhibition at the Palau de la Virreina that brings together the perspectives of Michelangelo Antonioni and Luigi Ghirri, two artists who found renown in the 1970s, both born in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, and who shared a way of embracing nature through imagination and abstraction. 

Although they never met, something unites these two artists, and this exhibition demonstrates how they did this in silence: Antonioni, filmmaker of the invisible, and Ghirri, photographer of the unseen. They both discovered beauty in the fleeting details of the everyday, and their images may not be spectacular but they invite us to pause. 

As Georges Perec said, it’s in what happens when “nothing seems to be happening” that we find the most profound truths. If you want to explore this universe of static images, head to the Palau de la Virreina, Centre de la Imatge, from 29 October to 15 February 2026. Entry is free and, what’s more, you can discover the interior of this baroque-style urban palace located on La Rambla.

This is a place where art and thought go hand in hand. The Museu Tàpies doesn’t just host works of great visual strength, it also invites you to enter the mind of an artist who converted matter into language and textures into reflection.

In the 1940s, during the so-called grey years of Spain, Antoni Tàpies was part of the Dau al Set artistic group, together with Catalan poet and playwright Joan Brossa, with whom he sought to shake up culture through visual poetry and creative freedom. Years later, Tàpies became the master of informalism, a movement where the figure disappears and matter speaks: earth, wood, rope, cracks… Everything has a meaning. 

The museum is located in the former publishing house of Montaner i Simón, another modernista building designed by Domènech i Montaner, which holds a dialogue with the radical work of Tàpies from its walls, not least because it’s crowned by a gigantic sculpture of iron that represents a cloud and a chair. 

Barcelona pays homage to the artists that have marked its identity, not only with streets and statues, but also with museums that enhance the singular personality of each one of them. That’s why it’s unique: a city that dedicates spaces to three of the greats of modern art – Picasso, Miró and Tàpies – so that their legacy continues to speak with power.

Design, art and innovation come together at DHub, the Design Museum. Located in a striking building in Plaça de les Glòries, it connects the past with the future through iconic collections and explorations of contemporary creativity. 

Its archives preserve and highlight fashion, graphic design, and industrial and decorative arts, and encourages visitors to discover the city from a creative perspective. As well as the exhibitions, it promotes talent through talks, festivals and awards. It’s a living showcase for design and innovation in Barcelona. 

Currently, it has several permanent exhibitions, such as Matter Matters. Design with the world, that considers the big challenges faced by design now and for the future, especially in relation to the environment and sustainability. 

It’s also possible to take a journey through the vibrant period known as the “design boom”, with the show titled Do you design or do you work? New visual communication (1980-2003), which shows how graphic design transformed communications during those years of extraordinary activity. 

Fashion and the body also have a dedicated space with The dressed body. Silhouettes and fashion (1550-2015), an exhibition that analyses how clothing has compressed, released and moulded our bodies down the centuries. 

And once you’ve explored the inside, it’s worth doing the same outside, to take in the building designed by David Mackay in the shape of a stapler, and get to know the surroundings, which are a surprising mix of contemporary architecture, such as the Torre Glòries, designed by Jean Nouvel, and others that date from the industrial age and reflect the neighbourhood’s long history.

What do you most fancy eating in the winter? Definitely a bowl of hot soup! In Catalonia, there’s a traditional soup recipe that everyone falls in love with: escudella i carn d’olla (carn d’olla means meat from the pan), the oldest recorded dish of its kind in Europe. And there’s no better accompaniment to your wintry journey than a concoction rooted in a land and its people. Escudella is prepared using different kinds of vegetables and meat, such as chicken, beef, black and white sausage (botifarra negra and blanca), etc., which, once cooked, are served on a separate plate. And the broth is then used to make a delicious soup to which are added noodles or the popular galets, a type of pasta shaped like a snail’s shell. 

Escudella used to be an everyday dish, but nowadays it’s the star dish of a Catalan Christmas meal. You can find it in traditional restaurants that serve it for both lunch and supper throughout winter, using either the original recipe or a version modernised by exponents of local haute cuisine. Seek it out while wandering the streets – you’re bound to find it on the menu of many classic and contemporary Catalan eateries.

Around 800 years ago, King Jaume I asked his cooks to prepare a special sweet to celebrate the wedding of his daughter. The result was torró (nougat), a delicacy made with almonds, honey and egg. 

Nowadays, torró is the preferred Christmas treat by far in Catalonia. You should try both the most traditional varieties and more avant-garde creations from innovative chefs. Find them in historical local cake and confectionary shops like Foix de Sarrià, La Colmena and Mauri, as well as specialised spots such as Vicens and La Campana. Keep your head high and your sense of smell on alert to detect these emporiums of sugary deliciousness: you’re bound to come across one or two along your way, where you can stop to savour this gastronomic pleasure.

On 5 January each year, Barcelona is absorbed by magic, dreams and tradition with the arrival of the Three Kings. The whole city is transformed to celebrate one of the most anticipated nights of the year, when these magical wise men fill homes with gifts. And the big party in their honour is the Cavalcada, a parade packed with colour, fantasy, acrobatics and emotion that passes through the main streets and avenues of the centre. 

It all starts at the Port of Barcelona, where Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar, the three miraculous majesties, arrive by boat and disembark before a huge crowd of children and their families, who receive them with eyes shining with excitement. From there, the procession sets off: spectacular themed floats, performing groups, fantastical creatures, dancers, acrobats, drums, lights, music… and, of course, a shower of sweets that turns the passing of the parade through the city into a real party for young and old. 

This is a living and deeply rooted tradition, which marks the end of the Christmas festivities in Catalonia, and will fill you with light and emotion.

Can you imagining running to the backdrop of the wavy silhouette of Casa Batlló, and passing by the Casa de les Punxes and the imposing Sant Pau Art Nouveau site? Well, it’s all possible with the Modernista Circuit, a running route that takes in the best of Barcelona’s architecture from that era. Every step connects you with history, art and design, making each kilometre a cultural immersion on the move. 

If you prefer running to walking, this is your route! Although you could also opt to follow it at a slower pace, strolling along at your own rate. 

So what’s stopping you from enjoying all these city marvels? It’s clear that in Barcelona you won’t be bored for even a second, and that although it’s winter, that’s no obstacle to having fun. Make the most of its mild climate!