When the summer season comes, Barcelona overflows with outdoor music and performances to suit all tastes.
Concerts, theatre, comedy, gastronomy... Barcelona's summer festivals are a must if you're visiting the city between June and September.
These are the best summer festivals in Barcelona
Get ready for a summer of culture and entertainment in Barcelona with these eagerly awaited summer festivals - we're sure you'll find the right one for you!
Primavera Sound Festival
If there's one festival in Barcelona that all music lovers are waiting for, it's the Primavera Sound Festival, already one of the most prestigious in the world. The 2023 edition will feature Kendrick Lamar, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, Blur, Skrillex, FKA Twigs, Calvin Harris, Halsey and Rosalía as headliners of an ever more diverse and exciting line-up.
Dates: 29 May – 4 June
Location: Parc del Fòrum
Sónar Festival
Barcelona's legendary electronic music festival returns for its 30th anniversary to present the best of music and multimedia art with artists such as Bad Gyal, Fever Ray, Laurent Garnier, Eric Prydz, Little Simz, Black Coffee and Bicep. In total there are more than 100 confirmed artists in a programme that includes workshops, conferences, and the exhibition of artistic projects.
Dates: 15 - 17 June
Location: Fira Gran Via
Cruïlla Festival
Alternative music fans can't wait for the return of the Cruïlla Festival, a festival that brings indie and gastronomy together. Franz Ferdinand, Sigur Rós, The Offspring, Alt-J and Placebo headline an exciting line-up that's joined by comedy shows, art exhibitions and a wide range of gastronomy.
Dates: 5 - 8 July
Location: Parc del Fòrum
Grec Festival
This music, theatre, dance and circus festival is undoubtedly the biggest cultural event of the summer in Barcelona. The best of the performing arts will be on show at various theatres and stages around the city, with its epicentre at the Teatre Grec, a century-old open-air amphitheatre. Some of the highlights of 2023 include Life is a Dream, Ink, David Lang: Prisoner of the State, Who Killed My Father and the circus show The Pulse.
Dates: 29 June - 30 July
Location: Teatre Grec
ALMA Festival Jardins de Pedralbes
This decade-long classic in the city moves to a new venue with a line-up of prestigious national and international artists including Chris Isaak, Anastacia, Bastille, Fito Páez, Zahara, Soft Cell and Gustavo Santaolalla, among many others.
Dates: 10 - 27 July
Location: Poble Espanyol
Guitar BCN
Despite the guitar being the main protagonist, this festival manages to mix local, Spanish and international artists of all kinds of musical genres from flamenco to pop, with acoustic or electric guitar, in concert halls all over the city. This year's highlights include Judit Nedderman, Joe Satriani, Bob Dylan and Silvia Pérez Cruz.
Dates: May 29 - June 4
Location: Parc del Fòrum
Enjoy the summer festivals in Barcelona
To complement your experience at the summer festivals in Barcelona, we invite you to experience music in the open air at the Skybar rooftop bar Skybar DJ Sessions.
All you have to do is go up to the rooftop of the Grand Hotel Central to enjoy DJ sessions with the city skyline in the background. We are open Wednesdays and Sundays from 6pm to 9pm and Saturdays from 7pm to 10pm. Come and try our signature cocktails!
Located in the heart of the Gothic Quarter, right in the cuty centre, our 5-star hotel in Barcelona has the best location to get to the summer festivals. Not only can get around easily by public transport or taxi to the concert venues, but you'll also be within walking distance of Barcelona's best tourist attractions.
Along with the Skybar, you can't miss the gastronomy proposal at our Bistro Helena restaurant, where you'll taste traditional Mediterranean flavours with a cosmopolitan touch, and the Único Spa, a place where you can relax and enjoy massages and treatments.
