What To Do In Barcelona In November
PLANNING TO BE IN NOVEMBER IN BARCELONA?
What’s Barcelona like in November? Is November a good time to visit Barcelona? Definitely! The tourist crowds are gone, and while the weather starts being chilly, it’s not really cold yet. The food scene is breaming with Autumn produce. And there’s plenty of cultural events going on. At the beginning of November you get to experience All Saints and Halloween. And by the end of the month, the first Christmas vibes start appearing.
Maybe the hotel and flight pricing won’t go that low compared to the high season, but it’ll definitely be easier to book because tickets and rooms don’t sell out. And that means you’ll have more exciting options to choose from.
Maybe the only downside is that it’ll be too cold to swim, there won’t be as many sailing and water-related activities going on, and probably eating outdoors won’t sound too appealing anymore. Some rooftop bars might be closed, too. But that’s really some minor details! Your holidays in Barcelona in November can still be great, and we’ll help you out with that!
Travel tips to visit Barcelona in November
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Weather in Barcelona in November
The weather in November in Barcelona is purely Autumn: you won't find the Summer heat, but it won't be cold Winter yet. It's still nice enough to be outside, as long as you are walking. Seating in the park or in an outdoors café for too long won't be as pleasant anymore...
- Average daytime temperature: 18ºC / 64.4F
- Average nighttime temperature: 12ºC / 54F
- Rain in Barcelona in November: 5 days. But that really doesn’t mean these 6 days will be rainy the entire time. Most of the time, it rains at night, or it’s a quick shower. Or sometimes it’s a quite light rain that still allows you to walk around… We very rarely have entire days or rain. And even more rarely it’s more than one day in a row. But if it does, here are some tips for a rainy day.
- Clouds: The sky tends to be cloudy between a 42 and a 47% of the time.
- Sunset: In November the sun sets around 5.30PM, and then there’s still another hour or so of sunlight before it gets dark.
Can you swim in Barcelona in November?
The water temperature in November is between 16-19ºC (61 to 66F). And that’s too cold for most people unless you are from Northern Europe or are used to cold waters, like some Barceloneta neighbors that will swim every single morning…
The Barcelona beaches in November are empty of sunbathers, too. But specially in the weekends (because during the week locals go to work), you’ll see people coming to practice sports such as volleyball or ping-pong. It might still be nice enough to have lunch in one of the Barcelona beach restaurants, specially those with indoor seating and large windows.
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What to pack for Barcelona in November
If it’s a hooded waterproof jacket that can double as raincoat, that’s a bonus but not super necessary. I personally wouldn’t even pack an umbrella, since many 4 and 5 star hotels will have some to lend to their guests, and there’s plenty of street vendors selling cheap ones as soon as the first drop falls. Maybe add a warmer sweater just in case, because dressing in layers is always a good move.
For the ladies, I’d avoid skirts and dresses (unless you are planning to go to a fine restaurant or attend some elegant event). Not because it’s cold, but because you’ll need panties and I hate when they break and I have no replacement.
No need for hats (either it is sun hats, caps or wool warm hats. It won’t be cold enough for gloves or scarfs yet. As for shoes, chose comfortable walking shoes, either sneakers or flats, or ankle boots.
Best things to do in Barcelona in November
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Special things to see in The Boqueria Market
But the one stall that stands out that time of the year for their spectacular mushroom offer is Petràs (bottom of the market to the left).
The other stall you shouldn’t miss is Avinova (left edge of the market, towards the middle). They specialize in poultry… and minor game. The hunting season starts mid-October, but until November you won’t start seeing the preys displayed in a window case: partridge, wood pigeon, pheasant, hare… Local minor game. They also have major game meats in their freezer: boar, deer and even kangaroo!
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November food scene
Just the list of mushroom tapas makes my mouth water! But gourmet restaurants will take the change to tempt you with more unusual finds such as ou de reig (Caesar’s mushroom).
And because it starts getting cold outside, locals will start craving hot chocolate and churros again. Thick creamy chocolate, yum! Join the tradition: here is where to find the best churros in Barcelona.
You’ll also see panellets marzipans during the first week of November in bakeries and cake shops. And roasted chestnuts and sweet potatoes being sold in street stalls by “castanyera” chestnut ladies.
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All Saints & Halloween
Instead, Halloween is an American thing, not a Spanish tradition. So if anyone celebrates it here, it’s only because they’ve seen it in the movies and it sounds like fun. But it’ll be mostly teens and young adults.
Or maybe some the American society will be organizing an event, or a British pub could be organizing a themed party. Actually, some nightclubs might be throwing scary parties, too. And the Port Aventura amusement park will be celebrating Halloween until mid-November.
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Thanksgiving?
So what can you do if you are in town during Thanksgiving and can’t imagine not celebrating it even if you are abroad? Well, if you are staying in an apartment and are ready to cook, you can order a full turkey from Flora in the Boqueria Market (front entrance, to the left). And you can buy your ingredients from the Taste of America shops.
And if you prefer to celebrate it in a restaurant, book a table in Hard Rock Cafe, head to the O’Flaherty’s Irish Bar. Or you can book a seat for the Thanksgiving Dinner organized by the American Society every year in a hotel.
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What about Black Friday?
So if you are looking for good deals during the last Friday and Saturday of November, the best place to go will be the shops on Passeig de Gracia, Pelai and Portal de l’Angel. And of course, the many Barcelona shopping malls.
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Barcelona November events and festivals
- MID-OCTOBER THROUGH MID-DECEMBER. Voll Damm Jazz Festival. World class jazz festival featuring Spanish and International artists.
- LATE OCTOBER AND BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER. In-Edit Documentary Festival. The most popular film festival in Barcelona, and most important music-themed documentary in the world.
- MID-NOVEMBER TO EARLY DECEMBER. L’Alternativa Film Festival. The Barcelona Independent Film Festival, featuring Spanish films as well as international feature and short films.
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Trade shows taking place in November in Barcelona
Would you consider visiting a trade show during your vacation? Maybe, if it revolves around your favorite hobby! So we made a selection of our favorite, but for the full list check the Fira de Barcelona website.
- FIRST WEEK OF NOVEMBER. Expo Sports. The biggest sports show in Spain, with a special focus on everything running.
- MID-NOVEMBER. Handmade festival. A must for anyone into crafts, scrapbooking, needlework and the like.
- LAST WEEK OF NOVEMBER. Salon Ocasion. The nearly new used cars show, attracting car lovers as well as people looking to buy a vehicle.
- END OF NOVEMBER – BEGINNING OF DECEMBER. Construmat. Maybe more of a professional rather than a hobby show, but I had to mention it because it’s one of the largest celebrated in Barcelona. If you work in construction, architecture or building, don’t miss it even if you are on vacation!
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Soccer
You can see who is in good shape and who isn’t. And soccer fans are already complaining about X player or trainer, or enthroning someone else. And that can be felt in the matches!
The Spanish League, La Liga, is advanced enough for moods to be thrilled… or angry depending on how the FC Barcelona team is going. Even if the end of the league is still far away, soccer fans are already complaining about X player or trainer, or enthroning someone. And that can be felt in the matches!
Check the FC Barcelona calendar to see if there’s any match at home during your trip. Or at least plan to visit the Camp Nou Stadium. Alternatively, you can also attend one of the matches of the RCD Español, whose stadium is in the suburbs.
And there’s always the option to watch a match from one of the many sports bars in Barcelona!
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Day trips in Barcelona in November
but in November the clouds tend to be very low, covering most of the mountain. It can be foggy, or wet, or cold.
So instead we recommend day trips to warmer destinations. A Tarragona day trip from Barcelona is a great idea, because being further South it tends to be warmer, its Roman ruins are spectacular and you’ll feel like in Italy without the crowds.
Another warmer destination is the seaside town of Sitges. We love combinig it with other destinations such as Montserrat or Tarragona. But our favorite choice is our Penedes Sitges Tour, combining a wine cellar with lunch in Sitges.
Of course, another option for the chilly months are indoor sites. If you love booze, consider one of our winery tours from Barcelona. And if you are an artsy person, don’t miss our Dali Museum tour.
And finally... Can you already feel Christmas in the air in Barcelona in November?
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Is November too early for Christmas?
The traditional skate rings are also set up towards the end of the month, and that’s also when turron bars, the Christmas Spanish nougat, start being sold in the supermarkets (but for better places where to buy turron in Barcelona go here). Unfortunately, for most Christmas markets you’ll have to wait until December… Still, you’ll at least get a little taste of the holiday season!
I hope we gave you lots of ideas for what to do in Barcelona in November!
Marta
Marta is the founder of ForeverBarcelona. She is a passionate tour guide that loves Barcelona and loves writing too. She is the main author of our Blog, and is committed to sharing her knowledge about Barcelona and her best tips with our readers.
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