Barcelona

Barcelona

To live in for a few months: furnished apartments for people coming to work or study, for one month or several. Price on WhatsApp.

Where to stay · by the month →

Barcelona for a stay of weeks or months, beyond the postcard: neighbourhoods with character, markets locals actually shop at, and the practical side of living here the way someone who knows it does, not the way a tour bus crosses it.

What you'll find here

75 guides written by us. Day-by-day itineraries for however long you're staying. And, if you're staying over, our houses in the area.

Our apartments

Where to stay in Barcelona, including by the month?

In Barcelona, BOMA Experience rents out two apartments of its own, by the month, with no middlemen: you book direct, on the website or on WhatsApp.

Barcelona · monthly rental

Stylish Loft 4 Expats @ Barcelona · Loft 1

Monthly rental; price on request via WhatsApp.

Barcelona · monthly rental

Stylish Loft 4 Expats @ Barcelona · Loft 2

Monthly rental; price on request via WhatsApp.

All monthly stays →

The place
Barcelona — Streets of the old town
Streets of the old town
Barcelona — A neighbourhood to live in
A neighbourhood to live in
Barcelona — La Barceloneta
La Barceloneta
Barcelona — The city on foot
The city on foot
Barcelona — Another Barcelona
Another Barcelona
Right now

What's worth knowing right now

The practical side

The practical side of Barcelona

How to Get Around Barcelona: A Transport Guide

The encyclopedia

Everything we've learned about Barcelona

01

Barcelona's municipal gyms: what they cost, how to join and where to find an indoor pool

How Barcelona's municipal sports centres (CEM) work: joining fee, monthly fee and single entry at 2026 public prices, discounts and indoor pools.

02

Free Spanish classes in Barcelona: adult education centres, the Official Language School and what you do pay for

Where to learn Spanish for free in Barcelona if you are living in the city for a few months: state adult education centres, when to sign up, what the EOI costs and what the City Council offers.

03

T-usual: price by zone, who pays less and how to buy it

How much the T-usual costs from 1 to 7 zones in 2026, how to work out how many zones you need, who qualifies for the reduced pass and how to buy and top it up on the T-mobilitat.

04

Mirador Torre Glòries: tickets, prices, winter opening hours and what Cloud Cities is

What it costs to go up the Mirador Torre Glòries, who gets in free, which discounts exist, the winter hours with Tuesday closing, what Cloud Cities is and how to get there.

05

Booking a GP appointment in Barcelona: your CAP, La Meva Salut and the phone

How to book at your Barcelona CAP through La Meva Salut, Cita Salut, by phone or at the desk; how to find your CAP, change doctor and what to do out of hours.

06

International schools in Barcelona: the official list, what they cost and a state school place mid-year

What a foreign school legally is in Spain, where the official lists are, what the City Council says about fees and how to get a state school place once term has started.

07

The Barcelona library card: how to get one and the discounts it gives at museums, theatres and bookshops

How to get a Biblioteques de Barcelona card, online or at the desk, what you can borrow and the official list of discounts at museums, theatres, cinemas and bookshops.

08

Casa Batlló at night: Magic Nights, the night visit and A Winter Night

The three ways into Casa Batlló after dark: what each includes, the 2026 dates, times and prices checked on the official website.

09

The flag on Barceloneta beach: what each colour means and when lifeguards are on duty

What a green, yellow or red flag means at Barceloneta, where to check today's conditions, the 2026 lifeguard calendar, the Blue Flag and swimming in winter.

10

La Pedrera at night: what the Night Experience is, what it costs and what the roof is like after dark

La Pedrera's night visit, the Night Experience: what it includes, price, summer and winter times, the roof with its light show and what happens if it rains.

11

The Montjuïc cable car: where to catch it, opening hours, price and the other one, over the port

Where to catch the Montjuïc cable car, its three stations, the opening hours for each month and the fares, checked in October 2026. And how it differs from the port cable car leaving from Barceloneta.

12

The Sagrada Família at night: when it is lit, Saturday mass at eight and where to watch it from

When the Sagrada Família is lit up, which towers glow, the cross on the tower of Jesus Christ, Saturday mass at 20:00 and where to see it after dark.

13

Opening a bank account in Spain with a foreign passport: what the law says

Moving to Barcelona for a few months: which document opens an account, what the bank will ask, resident or non-resident, and your right to a basic payment account.

14

The MNAC free on Saturday afternoons: what to see in three hours, from the Taüll apse to the rooftop terraces

How free entry works at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya and what to look at inside: Romanesque murals, the Oval Hall and the viewpoint terraces.

15

Plaça d'Espanya in Barcelona: the bullring turned shopping centre, the Venetian towers and Jujol’s fountain

What is in Barcelona’s Plaça d'Espanya and why: Arenas de Barcelona and its viewpoint, the 1929 towers and a fountain hardly anyone stops to read.

16

Free Catalan courses in Barcelona: which levels cost nothing and how to sign up with the CPNL

Which Catalan courses are free in Barcelona according to the CPNL's official 2026-2027 price table, what the others cost, the discounts, the level test, the December enrolment dates and other free ways to practise.

17

CosmoCaixa for free: who gets in without paying, the three open days and what to see inside

When and for whom Barcelona's CosmoCaixa science museum is free, what the ticket includes (the Flooded Forest, the Geological Wall, the Universe Room), what costs extra, such as the planetarium, and how to get there by public transport.

18

How many fit in the Camp Nou? Capacity phase by phase, from 25,991 to over 100,000

How many spectators fit in the Spotify Camp Nou today, how capacity has grown with each phase of the works and how many it will hold when finished, with sources from the club and 3Cat.

19

Booking an NIE appointment in Barcelona: which document you need, what to bring and what it costs

The difference between the white NIE, the EU citizen registration certificate and the TIE, how to book an immigration appointment in Barcelona, which papers to bring and which fee to pay.

20

Health card in Barcelona for foreign nationals: who is entitled, which papers and where to apply

How a foreign national living in Barcelona for a few months gets the individual health card (TSI): who is entitled, which documents the CAP asks for, how long it takes and when the European health insurance card is enough.

21

Spain's digital nomad visa: requirements, deadlines and fees for living in Barcelona

What the law asks for Spain's digital nomad visa (international teleworking), consulate visa or permit from inside Spain, deadlines, fee and the income rule.

22

Bunkers del Carmel: opening hours, the night-time gate and what stood on the summit

When the Bunkers del Carmel site opens, why it has closed at night since 2023, when the small museum opens, how to get there by bus and the story of the battery and the shacks.

23

Registering on the Barcelona padrón without a rental contract: the authorisation, the paperwork and what it opens up

What Barcelona City Council asks for to register you on the padrón if you have no contract in your name, how to do it online, by phone or by appointment, how long it takes and what the padrón gives you if you live in the city for a few months.

24

Inside Casa Batlló: the main floor, the blue light well and the attic of sixty arches

What there is to see inside Casa Batlló, room by room: hallway, main floor, back courtyard, light well, attic and rooftop, according to the house's official website.

25

L'Aquàrium de Barcelona: prices, the discounts that really exist and opening hours

How much L'Aquàrium de Barcelona costs, the official discounts (family pack, functional diversity, membership card), what happened to Carnet Jove, Club Super3, large-family and 2-for-1 offers, and opening hours.

26

Parc de la Ciutadella: the rowing boats, what they cost and what to see nearby

What the rowing boats on the Ciutadella lake cost and when they run, whether the park is free, and what to see afterwards: the Cascade, the mammoth, the Parliament, the Umbracle and the Hivernacle.

27

How to get up Tibidabo by public transport: train, bus, funicular or on foot

Every way up Tibidabo without a car, checked in October 2026: the L7 train and bus 196, the Cuca de Llum funicular, the TibiBus shuttles, bus 111 via Vallvidrera and the footpath through Collserola.

28

The Museu Picasso for free: Thursday afternoons, booked ahead, and what is inside its five palaces

When the Museu Picasso in Barcelona is free and how to book, what it costs otherwise, its winter and summer opening hours, and what you see inside: the Gothic palaces of Carrer Montcada and the Las Meninas series.

29

Mass at Barcelona Cathedral: Sunday and weekday times, in Catalan and Spanish

Mass times at Barcelona Cathedral: Sundays and holy days at the High Altar, weekdays in the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, in Catalan and Spanish, plus the crypt of Santa Eulàlia.

30

Palau Güell for free: the first Sunday of the month and the other open days

When Gaudí's Palau Güell is free: the first Sunday of every month, Santa Eulàlia, Sant Jordi, the Diada and La Mercè. How to get the tickets, normal price, opening hours and what you see.

31

La Barceloneta: what to see in the neighbourhood and why its houses are so narrow

What to see in Barceloneta beyond the beach: its 18th-century grid, the church of Sant Miquel del Port, the market, the Casa de la Barceloneta 1761 and the neighbourhood festival.

32

The Boqueria, what time: Monday to Saturday hours, closed on Sundays and when to go shopping

Official opening hours of the Boqueria market, what happens on Sundays and public holidays, when to go shopping, the tour-group rule and what you can eat inside.

33

Exhibitions at La Pedrera: Anselm Kiefer in the Milà apartment, opening hours and price

Which exhibition is on at La Pedrera in October 2026 and until when, opening hours and price of the gallery, whether it is separate from the building visit, and the concerts and tours around it.

34

Montjuïc Castle for free: Sunday afternoons and the history held in its moat

When Montjuïc Castle is free, what it costs on other days, its winter and summer opening hours, and the story of the fortress: from the 1073 watchtower to the execution of Lluís Companys in 1940.

35

What La Rambla is: from a sandy stream by the walls to five walks with their own names

The history of La Rambla in Barcelona: the watercourse that ran alongside the city walls, how it became a promenade, why people say «Las Ramblas» and where the name of each of its five stretches comes from.

36

Before the Magic Fountain: an afternoon on Montjuïc, from the free Saturday museum to the Mies pavilion

What to do around the Font Màgica before the show: the MNAC free on Saturday afternoons, its viewpoint terraces, the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion, CaixaForum and the Poble Espanyol, with official opening hours and prices.

37

What Casa Batlló means: the dragon, the sword and the roses of Sant Jordi

What you can read in the façade of Casa Batlló (the dragon's back, the cross as a sword, the bones and the masks), what is popular interpretation and what the house does on Sant Jordi's Day.

38

Is the Gothic Quarter fake? The Pont del Bisbe, the skull and the buildings that moved house

How much of the Gothic Quarter is medieval and how much was built in the 20th century: the 1928 Pont del Bisbe, the Casa Padellàs moved stone by stone, where the name comes from and what is true in the legend of the skull.

39

What to see in Park Güell and how long it takes: the route, piece by piece

The route through Park Güell in order, from the dragon staircase to the viaducts, how long the park itself says it takes, and what to know about tickets and entrances.

40

Is there a free area in Park Güell? What happened to the woods and what's in them

Many websites still say the Park Güell woodland is free. Since 2020 the whole park has been regulated. What's in the forest area, who gets in without paying and which rules apply.

41

The towers of the Sagrada Família: Nativity or Passion, what you see from each and who can't go up

The two towers you can visit at the Sagrada Família, the view from each, what each façade tells, what the climb is like, who can't go up and what it costs.

42

When will the Sagrada Família be finished? What's done, what's left and who pays for it

What is built as of October 2026, what is still to go up —the Glory façade, its four towers and the great stairway—, what the Construction Board says about timing and where the money comes from.

43

The Palau de la Música Catalana: the home a choir paid for together

A guide to the Palau de la Música Catalana for people living in Barcelona for months: the story of the Orfeó Català, what to look at in the hall, the 50-minute visit, the 14-euro rate for Catalonia residents and why it is worth coming back for a concert.

44

Santa Maria del Mar: the church of the bastaixos, its rooftops and winter music

A guide to Santa Maria del Mar for people living in Barcelona for months: the church built in 54 years, the bastaixos who carried the stone, the 1936 fire, the 8-euro visit to the rooftops and the Cant de la Sibil·la.

45

Passeig de Gràcia on foot: Gaudí's paving tiles, the 1906 benches and a hidden garden

A guide to Passeig de Gràcia for people living in Barcelona for months: from a road to a grand avenue, the Gaudí paving you walk on, Pere Falqués's lamp-post benches and the Palau Robert garden.

46

The Font Màgica de Montjuïc: when it runs, what lies beneath and the nights the whole city comes down

A guide to the Font Màgica for people spending months in Barcelona: the October 2026 timetable, its history since 1929, the three years it stood still during the drought, and the Mercè and New Year's Eve nights.

47

La Boqueria before the juice stands: eight centuries of market and the renovation to come

The history of La Boqueria market, from the 1217 meat table to the 1914 iron roof, the families still behind the counters and what changes with the renovation starting in 2026.

48

La Pedrera without the rush: the Milà house, its neighbours and the 2-for-1 for residents

A guide to La Pedrera-Casa Milà for people living in Barcelona for months: the story of Pere Milà and Roser Segimon, what to look at on the roof and in the attic, prices, the 2-for-1 for Catalonia residents and autumn and winter hours.

49

Camp Nou half-built: what you can see in 2026, what it costs and how to get there

The Spotify Camp Nou is still under construction: current capacity, what's left to build, the museum and stadium tours with prices, and how to get there by metro, tram or bus.

50

La Rambla under construction: what changes before February 2027 and what's worth seeing in the meantime

Barcelona's La Rambla finishes its makeover in February 2027. What changes, the Canaletes legend, the history of the Liceu and how to visit Palau Güell for free on the first Sunday.

51

Casa Batlló without the rush: when to go, what it costs and the block around it

A guide to Casa Batlló for people spending weeks in Barcelona: prices from 29 euros, the afternoon slot the house recommends, the 2018–2026 restoration and the neighbouring houses.

52

The Barri Gòtic one Sunday at a time: the cathedral, Roman Barcelona under Plaça del Rei and the museums that don't charge

How to get to know the Barri Gòtic if you live in Barcelona for a few months: cathedral hours and prices, the Roman Barcelona of the MUHBA and the Sundays when the city's museums are free.

53

The Sagrada Família when you live in Barcelona: the nine o'clock mass, half-price tickets and a newly finished tower

How to visit the Sagrada Família if you're spending months in Barcelona: 2026 prices, the 50% resident discount, the free international mass and the new Tower of Jesus Christ.

54

Park Güell for locals: free with the padrón, at seven in the morning or eight in the evening

How to get into Park Güell for free if you're registered on the Barcelona padrón, what it costs if you're not, the residents-only time slots and the history of the housing scheme that failed.

55

L'Ou com Balla: The Egg That Dances on Barcelona's Fountains at Corpus Christi

At Corpus Christi, an empty egg spins on the jets of fountains in Barcelona's cloisters and courtyards. What l'ou com balla is, how long it has been done, what it means and where to see it.

56

Santa Eulàlia: Barcelona's Winter Festival and the Thirteen Geese of the Cloister

Every February Barcelona celebrates its co-patron saint with giants, correfocs and castells. Who Eulàlia was according to tradition, why there are thirteen geese in the cathedral and what the festival is like.

57

Castellers: Eight Colles in Barcelona, and a Way of Understanding the Neighbourhood

Castells in Barcelona: the city's eight colles, UNESCO's 2010 declaration, and what a diada is, with the Vila de Gràcia as an example.

58

Sant Medir: A Baker's Promise That's Rained Sweets for 200 Years

The Sant Medir festival in Gràcia: baker Josep Vidal i Granés's 1828 promise, the first pilgrimage on 3 March 1830, and why sweets are thrown.

59

The Festa Major de Gràcia: A Full Year of Work for Nine Days of Street

The decorated streets of the Festa Major de Gràcia: a competition that began in 1920, more than 200 years of tradition, and residents' committees working by hand for months.

60

Carrer Petritxol: 129 Metres, Three Wide, and the Smell of Chocolate

Barcelona's Carrer Petritxol: the city's first pedestrian street (1959), its historic granjas — Dulcinea and La Pallaresa —, the suís with cream, and why only two chocolate shops remain.

61

The Eixample's Beach: The Secret Garden of the Torre de les Aigües

The Jardins de la Torre de les Aigües, an open block interior in Barcelona's Eixample: the 1867 water tower, the pool nicknamed 'the Eixample's beach,' and why it closed in 2018.

62

Herboristeria del Rei: The 1823 Apothecary Hidden Beside Plaça Reial

Herboristeria del Rei, on Carrer del Vidre since 1823: royal herbalist to Isabel II, an Isabelline interior by Soler i Rovirosa, a marble fountain, and a bust of Linnaeus.

63

Casa Beethoven: 30,000 Scores Holding Out on La Rambla Since 1880

Casa Beethoven, on Rambla de Sant Josep since 1880: the oldest still-operating shop on La Rambla, with more than 30,000 scores and the only historic music shop left on the boulevard.

64

Cereria Subirà: 1761, Barcelona's Oldest Shop Still Sells Candles

Cereria Subirà, open since 1761 on Baixada de la Llibreteria: Barcelona's oldest still-operating shop, its imperial staircase, and the candles that light the Sagrada Família.

65

Casa Gispert: The 1851 Wood-Fired Oven Still Roasting Almonds in the Born

Casa Gispert, on Carrer dels Sombrerers in the Born: open since 1851, with a Roman-style wood-fired oven still roasting nuts, which didn't even stop during the Civil War.

66

Colmado Múrria: The 1898 Shop That Still Smells of Coffee

Colmado Múrria in the Eixample, opened in 1898: a protected Modernista façade, coffee roasted in-house, and the history of Barcelona's colonial grocery shops.

67

Plaça del Diamant: A Square, a Novel, and a Shelter Underfoot

Plaça del Diamant in Gràcia: the jewellery origin of its name, Mercè Rodoreda's novel, the statue of la Colometa, and the 1937 air-raid shelter.

68

Cafè del Centre: 150 Years of History at a Marble Bar

Cafè del Centre, opened in 1873 in the Eixample, was a bourgeois club, a beer hall, and a refuge for anti-Franco intellectuals. Today it's still open, and award-winning.

69

Forn Anglada: The Bread That's Come Out of the Same Oven for 150 Years

In Ullastrell, on the outskirts of Barcelona, the Anglada family has been baking sourdough bread in their original wood-fired oven for more than 150 years. It's worth the trip.

70

Bar El Roure: 136 Years, Three Families, and a Recovered Name

The history of Bar El Roure in Gràcia, opened in 1889: the name lost under the dictatorship, only three families in 136 years, and its sandwiches named after footballers.

71

Learning to Vermut in Gràcia: Three Bars with History

Casa Pagès, La Vermuteria del Tano, and Bar Canigó: three historic vermouth bars in Gràcia (1922, 1927, and the late fifties) where the midday aperitif becomes a neighbourhood routine.

72

Quimet i Quimet: A Tiny Temple in Poble Sec

Quimet i Quimet, opened in 1914 in Poble Sec and in the hands of the same family ever since: tinned-fish sandwiches, 500 bottles on the walls, and not a single chair.

73

Barcelona with Kids: A 3-Day Plan

A family guide to 3 days in Barcelona: Park Güell, Ciutadella and the Zoo, the Aquàrium, Tibidabo, and CosmoCaixa. 2026 hours, prices, and stroller logistics.

74

Seasonal Rentals in Barcelona: Requirements and the Law in 2026

What a seasonal rental is, what changed with Law 11/2025 in Barcelona, and what documents you can be asked for in 2026. Explained without the jargon.

75

Day Trips from Barcelona by Train, Line by Line

Eight day trips from Barcelona by train, organised by Rodalies line: what the R2 Sud gives you, what the R4 gives you, what the R1 gives you, and how to plan the way back.

Whatever time you have

How many days are you coming for?

2days · see the itinerary → 3days · see the itinerary → 4days · see the itinerary →
Before you come

Frequently asked questions about Barcelona

How much is the tourist tax in Barcelona?

€5 per person, per night, since April 2026, on top of the accommodation rate.

What's the cheapest way to get around for a multi-week stay?

The T-usual travel pass, which costs €22.80/month in zone 1 and covers the metro, buses and Rodalies trains within the city.

When is the Festa Major de Gràcia?

From 15 to 21 August: streets decorated by residents, free and out in the open.

When is La Mercè?

From 23 to 27 September: the city's biggest festival.

Where to stay in Barcelona?

In Barcelona, BOMA Experience rents out two apartments of its own, by the month, with no middlemen: you book direct, on the website or on WhatsApp.

Can you rent by the month in Barcelona?

Yes. Stylish Loft 4 Expats @ Barcelona · Loft 1: monthly rental; price on request via WhatsApp. Stylish Loft 4 Expats @ Barcelona · Loft 2: monthly rental; price on request via WhatsApp.

Have a question?

Write to us and we'll reply ourselves, no middlemen. Also on WhatsApp if you prefer.

We only use your details to reply to you. No marketing. Privacy.