How to Spend the Perfect Sunday in Barcelona

Last Updated on 5th June 2024 by Sophie Nadeau

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A Sunday in the Catalonian capital involves exploring its mesmerising array of medieval streets interlaced with history and Gaudi’s breathtaking architecture, indulging in delicious Spanish cuisine and simply soaking up the magical charm of Barcelona at a leisurely pace. Here’s your guide on how to spend the perfect Sunday in Barcelona, as well as top tips to know before you go.

If you’re planning on spending a long weekend in the city, check out our suggestions for spending 3 Days in Barcelona. For even more Barcelona inspiration, be sure to check out our guide to the Best Sayings about the Catalonian Capital, which will instantly make you want to book a plane ticket!

Is Barcelona busy on a Sunday?

To be honest, Barcelona is always busy and even periods which were once considered ‘low season’ are much busier than many other parts of Europe ever get! The one caveat to this that you’ll find is that, if you head out for an early morning walk, then you’ll find the place much quieter than other parts of the week as people choose to have a lie-in on the day of rest!

Free Museum Day

Like many other major cities in Europe (including Florence, Rome, and Paris), Barcelona has a free museum day, whereby on the first Sunday of the month, many popular museums are free to anyone and everyone (just be warned as the queues to access museums on these days can be pretty long!)

Here are some popular museums you could consider checking out (please note that some of these museums also have free evenings or days during various other points of the month as well):

• Museu Picasso, Picasso Museum
• Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC), Catalonian National Museum of Art
• Museu d’Història de Barcelona (MUHBA), Barcelona History Museum 
• Palau Güell, a mansion designed by Gaudí (you have to book a time slot in advance for free entrance)
• Jardí Botànic de Barcelona, Botanical Garden of Barcelona
• Museu Marítim de Barcelona, The Maritime Museum (entrance is free every Sunday from 3 PM)
• Museu de la Música, Museum of Music

Is everything closed in Barcelona on a Sunday?

While most historical sights and tourist attractions remain open (they generally close on Mondays), the majority of shops and big department stores are usually closed on Sundays and holidays, so shopping is off the cards!

Best things to do in Barcelona on a Sunday

Head out for brunch

Brunch is a fairly new phenomenon in Europe (being most common in the UK and USA) but has since spread throughout and you’ll find a lot of places with a brunch-style menu that isn’t necessarily just Spanish cuisine. And, there’s nothing better than lazily enjoying a slow Sunday morning with some delicious food! Here’s a few suggested spots of where to brunch in Barcelona:

• Caravelle – With inspiration from England and Australia, this small café is a brunch hotspot and serves delicious homemade food, pastries and speciality coffee.
• Gringa – A Californian-style diner that serves all-day breakfast at the weekends.
• Little Fern – Laid back and casual, this café serves a New Zealand–inspired brunch.
• Morgentau – A 100% vegan brunch restaurant in the Poblenou neighborhood.
• The Florentine Brunch Barcelona – Serving almost every brunch item you can imagine, their fluffy pancakes are a popular pick!

Attend a cooking class

Is there anything more romantic than treating yourself to a cooking class? Star in your own Eat, Pray, Love movie and book a cooking class where you can learn how to cook delicious Spanish cuisine and sip on sangria! Book a cooking class and market tour like this one.

Visit a market

Sundays are a market day, and luckily there are several markets open in Barcelona on this day! The best way to spend a couple of hours in the afternoon is by mooching through the various markets and seeing what treasures you can find. Here are som suggested markets and their opening times:

• Sant Antoni Market: This is one of the biggest markets in Spain, and it has retained its traditional charm, overflowing with stalls selling the typical market treasures one would expect to find. On Sundays you’re more likely to find collectable second-hand books and stamps. Open from 9 AM – 2 PM on Sundays.
• Fira de Nautumismo (Stamp and Coin): Coin and stamp collecting is a thriving pursuit in Barcelona, and there are plenty of stalls accommodating this pursuit. This flea market is most popular amongst collectors for finding rare finds! Open from 10 AM – 2:30 PM on Sundays.
• Palo Alto Market: Described as one of Barcelona’s ‘most artistic markets’, celebrating creativity, food and music, this vibrant market only happens on the first weekend of every month.
• Lost and Found Market: A market for vintage and sustainable fashion lovers, this market only happens four times a year, but is a treasure trove of clothes, household items and plenty more. There’s even the option to bring your own second-hand things and exchange them!

Head out for tapas

Indulge in the delights of Spanish cuisine! Going out for tapas means ordering plenty of small plates which are intended to be shared with friends/ family. Typically, you’ll order a wide array of small dishes which you can then snack on while enjoying your drinks (sangria is the drink of choice in Spain). 

Here are some of the most popular tapas dishes to try:

• Gambas al Ajillo  – prawns served with a garlic sauce
• Croquetas – deep-fried croquettes which are often filled with meat and vegetables
• Patatas Bravas – fried potatoes served with a spicy red sauce
• Tortilla Española – Spanish omelette or Spanish tortilla, this is one of the country’s most popular dishes and is traditionally eggs, potatoes and onions drowning in olive oil
• Jamón Serrano – a Spanish-style slow-aged ham 
• Calamares fritos – fried calamari

Relax in a park

Sundays are a day of rest, so one of the best places you can be is away from the more hectic city centre and in the calmer pockets of Barcelona. Home to many public parks offering tranquil spots to sit, read or simply just soak up the sunshine, all of which are like creative pieces of work, filled with monuments and art.

Parc Guell – Visit Gaudís wonderland of organic-inspired architecture and vibrant colourful mosaics at Parc Guell, a beautifully designed park which overlooks the rest of the city and is fun for all ages. Explore unique installations set against the backdrop of some seriously beautiful gardens. Check prices here.

Parc de la Ciutadella – This verdant oasis is probably the greenest pocket of the city! Perfect for long walks, relaxing on the grassy expanse, or renting a boat and rowing on the lake. You may also be surprised to hear that the Catalonian capital has its very own Arc de Triomf, which was created during the 19th century and this too can be found in the green space.

Head out on a day trip

Or, if you have enough time and fancy a small getaway from Barcelona, why not take yourself out on a day trip! From mythical mountains to towns which are so picturesque that they’ve been used as filming locations for some of your favourite shows, there’s no shortage of amazing destinations you can visit as a day trip from Barcelona. Read our best day trips from Barcelona guide here, for travel inspiration!

Are you travelling solo? Read our best things to do in Barcelona on your own guide, for the ultimate wanderlust ideas and top tips!

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