The Art Lover’s Guide to Barcelona – Free Things to Do

Ah, Barcelona, the fairytale city of art and architecture. As a lot of you know, I recently moved to just outside Barcelona, which means I have been taking short trips to the city every now and again to get my art fix.

You know what? Every time I go I discover something new and this is the thing I love most about Barcelona. It has so many layers just waiting to be discovered.

Luckily for art lovers it has a cracking creative scene, too. It’s perhaps one of the most recognisable cities in the world for its architecture by Antoni Gaudi, plus the new-age design-led atmosphere that has taken over the city in last few decades means that there are plenty of other arty things to do in Barcelona. The best thing about it, though? A lot of them are free, which means you don’t have to spend a single penny to be inspired by some of the world’s greatest art.

Here are just a few free arty things to do in Barcelona to tickle your fancy.

Be awe-struck by the architecture

You can look at as many pictures of La Sagrada Familia or Gaudi’s houses as you like, but nothing quite prepares you for seeing them in person. They are absolutely breath-taking with their detailed craftsmanship and unique shapes and lines. Most of the best architecture in Barcelona will cost you a pretty penny to go inside, but you can still admire them from the outside for free – and I’d argue that the outside is the best part of them!

Stroll along the Modernisme route, which takes you along the Passeig de Gracia, home of the Casa Mila and the Casa Amatller (both of which look like they’ve been pulled straight from a fantasy novel), before heading towards the great oracle that is La Sagrada Familia.

Admire the Art of Joan Miro

Joan Miro is one of Barcelona’s most famous artists (I’m personally a big fan of his work), and the Fundacio Joan Miro was set up to honour his contributions to the art world. However, the Fundacio costs a small price to get into, but there are plenty of other pieces of Miro’s work dotted throughout the city. You can visit the Parc de Joan Miro to admire some of his brightly coloured sculptures, look out for his mosaics on the busy Rambla, and don’t miss his huge wall mural at the airport.

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Museums on a Sunday

Like with most European cities, Barcelona offers visitors a small chunk of time where they can visit a few museums for free. In Barcelona, this tends to be on a Sunday. After 3pm you can check out the Picasso Museum, the National Museum of Catalonia, the contemporary CCCB gallery, and the Born Cultural Centre for absolutely nothing.

Soak up the street art

Barcelona is a very artistic city with hundreds of creatives setting up home in the narrow streets of the Gothic quarter or the hip town houses in El Born. But to see some of the best street art, head to El Raval, where there is an exciting array of huge stencil-art and impressive, abstract wall murals. There are also a number of installations dotted around the city, including Frank Gehry’s Peix on the seafront and an unusual 15m high sculpture by Roy Lichtenstein.

Find culture for free

Because it’s such an arty city, there is usually always something happening somewhere in the city – whether that’s a street performance, an outdoor exhibition, or a beachfront film screening. Check out what’s going on in the city during your trip to really get stuck into the local art life.

Find gold at flea markets

I always say flea markets are a great way to get to know a city. Often, they’re full of locals looking for cheap buys, and a lot of the stuff on show offers a glimpse into the styles and fashions that the city has gone through. The Els Encants Vells flea market is the perfect example of this in Barcelona. Sure, there might be a lot of rubbish to sift through, but if you look hard enough you can find some great treasures, from handmade crafts to local works of art. This market also has a top-notch vintage clothes section, if you’re interested in fashion.

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Check out CaixaForum

CaixaForum is such a great concept and I wish that more cities would have something like this. It’s essentially a cultural centre housed in the rustic remnants of a restored factory at the foot of Monjuic mountain. There are a series of regularly changing exhibitions showcasing the works of local and international artists and there’s also usually a cultural programme that runs alongside this shows, offering events like performances, workshops, and talks.

These are just a few of the free arty things on offer in Barcelona, but as you uncover each layer of the city, you’ll keep finding more and more.

Have you been to Barcelona? What arty things did you get up to there?

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