What to do in Barcelona when it’s raining?

Do you know the Spanish proverb that says: “en abril, aguas mil”? (meaning that in April rains a lot in Barcelona and Spain). In Barcelona that is completely true: in spring it rains intermittently forcing you to always leave home with an umbrella “just in case”. If you have had to cancel all your plans because of a rainy weekend, don’t be upset, here are some other options that allow water to continue falling from the sky for hours and never get wet.

Museums: there are so many museums in Barcelona that, for sure, there will be some exhibition to see on a rainy day that you haven’t visited yet. Check out the online cultural agenda or a newspaper and choose one of the dozens that are in various museums. The Centro de Cultura Contemporánea de Barcelona is one of the best options for its low cost and its varied offer also in audiovisual arts, music, and lectures. You can also visit the MACBA museum, right next door, or the Picasso Museum in the Gothic quarter, but they are more expensive or more crowded.

Bus Turistic: Barcelona Tour Bus offers tours through the most emblematic places of the city, so -although perhaps get on a bus of this type is not your style-, it’s always better than to walk in the rain and get wet. Try it! You’ll be surprised how much you learn from Barcelona in these tours.

Bowling: there are several bowling alleys in Barcelona in which to spend a fun rainy afternoon with friends or family. Most of them offer other recreational games such as “futbolín”, pool or video games. Maybe you should book a bowling track before you go or when you get there and wait a bit. The best known are the Bowling Pedralbes, or Newpark Bowling at La Maquinista.

Going to the movies: what better on a rainy day that going to the cinema and watching a movie? Nothing. In La Guía del Ocio (an online cultural agenda that was on paper before the financial crisis) you will find all about the movies that you can watch on Barcelona’s cinemas, check it out for further information.

Aquarium: if you want to dive into the deep sea without getting wet on a rainy day you can do it at the Aquarium of Barcelona, located right on the city’s harbor, near the Maremagnum Mall. You can see sharks, all kinds of tropical fish, native species, etc., and also interact with them.

Ice skating: the most famous ice skating place in Barcelona is located next to the stadium of FC Barcelona, in which you can enjoy a special discount from 14th to 21st of April, the ticket will be only 5€. Don’t miss out on the chance to do some sport while you’re having fun under a ceiling, without getting wet (maybe you will get wet if you fall down on the ice but that’s more fun).

Going to the Mall: on a rainy day, you can wander around some mall that is close to your place, maybe is not the best option for your budget if you get tempted to waste some money. One of the most recommended because of its recent opening and the space it occupies is the Arenas Mall, which previously was a bullring and is located in Plaza España, a very central location and accessible from anywhere in Barcelona.