Shoulder Season in Barcelona: Plan to Travel Smarter & Skip the Crowds
Cooler days, quieter streets, and long lunches in the sun... autumn is the perfect time to explore Barcelona as a respectful guest in a city working hard to protect what makes it special.
If Barcelona’s on your radar for fall, now’s the time to start planning. September to November is shoulder season, which means milder crowds and better prices. But the most desirable places to stay can still fill up fast.
Barcelona needs no introduction. Gaudí’s surreal spires, lazy beach afternoons, and tapas that’ll make you cancel dinner plans back home… yes, all of that is true.
But if you’re more into slow mornings and meaningful connections than bucket-list stampedes, you’ll want to skip the summer trip.
Seriously. Skip it.
By late June, the city swells with selfie sticks, cruise crowds, and a sun so punishing it feels personal.
Come September, Barcelona exhales. The locals reclaim their rhythm, the breeze cools down, and, if you time it right, you’ll catch La Mercè, the city’s most vibrant festival celebrating Catalan culture.
I was thankful to be there visiting Catalan and Spanish friends who knew just where to go. We had front-row seats to the human tower building and giant papier-mâché figures parading about Plaça de Sant Jaume before they headed out through the streets of the Gothic Quarter.
(See more pics on Instagram… but then come back, we’re just getting started.)
We weren’t just watching the festival; we were part of it, moving with the crowd, slipping down side streets, and knowing exactly when and where to duck out for a quick sangria (or bottle of Moritz) to chase off the heat.
As incredible an experience as it was, Barcelona is feeling the strain of its own popularity. Like many European cities, it’s facing serious challenges with overtourism, especially when it comes to housing.
Entire neighbourhoods have been transformed by short-term rentals, pricing locals out and hollowing out the communities that made these places special in the first place.
It’s a real problem, and one we need to take seriously as travellers.
If you're thinking about Barcelona, whether it's a short stay or a longer work-from-anywhere stint, there are more responsible ways to do it. Let’s talk about where to stay, how to get around, and what to do with your time once the giants have paraded past and the real city unfolds.
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