10 Things to Do in Barcelona in March

Its wealth of attractions makes planning what to see and do in Barcelona quite simple. However, it is not always so easy to find specific activities for the different months of the year. In the case of March, visitors to the Catalan capital will not be disappointed.

For many, Barcelona is a city that never sleeps, something that is no different in March. During these dates you'll find open-air music, carnivals and various festivals of all kinds to round off the city's classic visits.

With the arrival of March you start to notice that the gastronomy changes with the weather and with it some typical dishes. Here are some of them so that you don't miss out on this must-do if you're visiting Barcelona and fancy a gastronomic tour of the city.

• Sant Josep's custard. It is basically a Catalan sweet made with eggs, sugar and milk. It was typically eaten on 19 March in ancient times, but nowadays it can be eaten whenever you like. It is also known as cremada.
• Calçots: They are originally from Catalonia and are onions measuring between 15 and 26 cm in length. They are eaten by roasting them over an open flame. In March, calçotadas are common among family and friends, although you can also find this dish in many restaurants in the city or if you take a trip from Barcelona to nearby towns.

Another of the essential plans in Barcelona is to relax on one of the boat trips along the Catalan coast, a great idea in the month of March, when the good weather is making its way along the Mediterranean. Imagine being able to sail aboard a sailboat and enjoy the long days of this time of year. Imagine being able to sail aboard a sailboat enjoying the long days of this time of the year.

There are tours that take you from the port along the Barceloneta beach, from where you will be able to contemplate the best views of the city. But you can also book excursions along the Costa Brava that include activities such as kayaking or snorkelling, and others for travellers who want to have a good time, where a real party is organised on the boat.

Anhour and a half from Barcelona is the town of Figueres, birthplace of the great surrealist painter and sculptor Salvador Dalí. Of great tourist interest, this pretty town in the Alt Empordà region has a walled historic quarter that still preserves medieval corners. In addition to other attractions such as the castle of Sant Ferran or the Rambla, the town is home to the Dalí Theatre-Museum, the main destination for excursions to Figueres from Barcelona, and admission is included.

In this essential museum you will find some of the most important works by the genius of surrealism such as 'The First Days of Spring' or 'Satirical Composition'. Undoubtedly, this is a dreamlike experience not to be missed on your visit to Barcelona.

As if that weren't enough, on this type of excursion, which includes transfers and a guide specialising in art, you can also visit Cadaqués, one of the most beautiful villages on the Costa Brava, which I highly recommend. What's more, at this time of year when there are fewer tourists than in summer, you'll enjoy the charm of its cobbled streets on the shores of the Mediterranean even more.

Barcelona's cultural agenda is quite extensive. From concerts, festivals, sports events to exhibitions and, of course, the city's museums. There are many museums that you should not miss in Barcelona, but if one of the days of your trip in March is a bit rainy, it is not a bad idea to visit some of the most important ones. Here is a selection of the most important ones:

• Picasso Museum: discover the life and work of the genius from Malaga and his time in Barcelona.
• Joan Miró Foundation: another of the essential contemporary art collections with the highlights of Miró's work.
• National Art Museum of Catalonia: a journey through more than a thousand years of Catalan art, with Gaudí at the forefront.
• Museum of the Spanish People: essential for understanding Spanish culture and tradition.
• Mies van der Rohe Pavilion: if you are interested in architecture, this German pavilion, inaugurated for the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition, is a key to understanding the city's Modern Movement.

Whether you're a football fan or not, you'll agree with me that experiencing a match in one of the biggest stadiums in the world and watching the greats of European football is a motivating plan. FC Barcelona is one of the best teams to experience the footballing atmosphere in their impressive stadium, the Spotify Camp Nou.

You can choose to get your ticket to watch the players battle it out for a point in one of the league matches, which also takes on a special interest at this time of year as the end of the competition is near. Here is our post where I tell you how to buy FC Barcelona tickets.

Or, if your trip doesn't coincide with any of these matches or if tickets are sold out, you also have the chance to visit the stadium and its museum with the Camp Nou Experience. You will be able to enter the impressive Barça complex to visit the changing rooms, the pitch and the museum, which houses the trophies and objects that illustrate the sporting career of the great club.

If you love good jazz, you have to go to the Terrassa Jazz Festival, which takes place in the Catalan town of the same name, in the province of Barcelona.

This event promotes the development of emerging artists who are lovers of this musical genre, although there is never a lack of internationally renowned figures.

The Terrassa Jazz Festival has been held since 1982. Over time, it has consolidated as a very emblematic event with increasing strength. It is an opportunity for you to delight in exclusive performances of first-rate musicians. At the closing of the festival, the Jazzterrasman prize is awarded.

Practical information

• Where it is: Different venues in Terrassa

• Price: Depends on the performance, but the cheapest ones are usually no more than €3.

• Approximate dates: From around the 10th, lasting a couple of weeks.

Take a jazz cruise

If you like this style of music, among all the boat trips on offer along the Barcelona coast you might like the one that takes you on a catamaran with live jazz music. For an hour and a half you'll sail around the Olympic Port or Barceloneta beach enjoying the soothing sound of the saxophone on board. Doesn't it sound good?

The Sant Medir festival, held around 3 March, takes place in the village of Gràcia and is known for the large number of sweets and sweets that are thrown to the public.

If you travel to the city in March it is one of the best things to do on Barcelona's Passeig de Gràcia, one of the city's most famous promenades.

It is considered a very important celebration for Barcelona. According to legend, the peasant Medir was imprisoned and tortured to death in 303 under the Roman rule of Diocletian, who ordered the persecution of all Christians.

It is a festival where you can participate on horseback, in floats and even in trucks. The music livens up the whole day. As many sweets are thrown from the floats, you should bring a good umbrella to welcome them.

If you want, you can take part in the parade of colles, which kicks off the activity and culminates at the chapel of Sant Medir, in Collserola, where a mass is held to pay homage to the saint.

You can go back in time at the International Vintage Car Rally in Barcelona, where you can not only see classic cars, but you can also dress up as a vintage car and give it a unique and different touch.

This is the perfect opportunity to invite your family or closest friends to share a pleasant and fun time.

It is classified as a national festival of tourist interest and attracts thousands of enthusiasts who parade their cars full of history. Even if you don't own one of these cars, you will be able to enjoy watching cars divided into two categories: vintage cars built before 1921 and cars built before 1928.

The drivers of these cars wear clothing from the vehicle's era, something you can also do if you feel like it.

This is a plan that you can plan for the whole weekend because there are also exhibitions and other cultural activities.

Practical information

• Where: This rally starts in Barcelona's Plaça Sant Jaume and goes all the way to the Sitges seafront promenade.
• Price: It is completely free to watch the cars.
• Approximate dates: second half of March, around the 19th or 20th.

This celebration is also known as the Festa Major of the Pi neighbourhood. It is a religious festivity and, in addition, it is full of cultural activities, where people of all ages can attend.

The festival takes place in Sant Josep de Talaia and is also attended by people from neighbouring towns, as well as foreigners who want to learn a little more about the culture of Barcelona, as this celebration involves a very attractive cultural, gastronomic and musical programme.

This festival begins with a double ringing of bells and the departure of four giants who are native to Pi. Then Sant Josep Oriol is represented transforming a radish into gold coins, an act that is repeated every year.

In the afternoon, the Castellers de Barcelona castle festival is held. This festival dates back to 1995 when the merchants decided to remember the saint who lived in the city.

Practical information

• Where: El Pi neighbourhood, near the basilica of Santa Maria del Pi.

• Price: free

• Approximate dates: the weekend closest to 23 March.

The 17th of March commemorates the death of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, and even if you're not in Ireland, you can still celebrate the day in the streets of Barcelona, as the festival has become, in practice, international.

In general, people get together and enjoy a good beer in a pub in the city, as well as good food and excellent company.

Clubs, bars and shops also organise St. Patrick's Day activities. On this date it is common to see Irish flags, shamrocks and green decorations in Barcelona, although it is not an Irish invasion.

It is very common to see people wearing green attire, which according to tradition brings prosperity and good fortune. On this special day there is traditional Irish dancing at the Centre Artesa Traditionarius, which adds to the atmosphere and transports you to another country.

The weather in Barcelona in March is generally good and it's a great time for outdoor activities such as a visit to Park Güell.

Towards midday the heat is mild in the first days of the month and then it can increase a little. It often rains at night, so the temperature tends to drop and appropriate clothing is necessary. Temperatures can be between 17 degrees Celsius and 10 degrees Celsius, with variations as the month progresses.

To be on the safe side, I advise you to check the weather forecast when your trip to Barcelona is coming up.