It get’s hot in BCN.
Real hot.
So as you prepare to leave the gray skies of London or the busy streets of New York to visit our beloved city, take a look at our list of five things you can do in Barcelona to beat the heat and enjoy your summer getaway.
1. Granizado!
Once the cool temperatures of spring burn off and give way to the searing heat of summer, restaurants and bars around Barcelona start offering granizados, delightfully chilly drinks which combine flavored syrup and slushy ice.
These delicious little heat-busters usually cost between 2€ and 4€. While some bars and cafes have a granizado machine or two, don’t forget that ice cream shops serve them as well. Find a flavor you like, take a sip and relax under the summer sun!
2. Get Shady in Ciutadella Park
If sugary drinks aren’t your thing, you’ll be happy to know that Barcelona’s Ciutadella Park is home to a legion of trees that are happy to offer the cool confines of their sun-shielded domain.
Find a patch of shade-laden grass, lay out a blanket and pass the midday heat with a bottle of ice-cold cava and some queso y jamón! If you feel like getting some sun, head to the park’s main pond and rent a boat. Row out onto the water and soak it in!
3. Jump Into the Mediterranean!
We have a love-hate relationship with Barcelona’s beaches, mainly because they’re insanely crowded during the summer. However, that’s not stopping us from recommending the beautiful blue waters of the Mediterranean on a hot day.
The sea averages temperatures of between 75 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit (24-26 C) during the summer, which is a full 20 degrees cooler than the ambient temperature. And mind you, things feel a lot hotter when you’re sitting on the sand along with hundreds of other sun-seekers. Once you jump into those cool azure depths, you’ll never want to come back out. But if you do …
4. … Lunch at the W
Barcelona’s W Hotel is a fantastic place to stop for lunch. It’s air-conditioned spaces and variety of single-word restaurants (Salt, Wave, Bravo) make it the perfect place to feel cool.
You’ll get great views of the beach and a great selection of tasty local dishes that will tide you over while you enjoy the chilled air pouring over you. Stop by renowned local chef Carlos Abellan’s Bravo for tapas.
5. Swim in the Olympic Pool!
Have you ever had the chance to take a swim in what many consider the most breathtaking diving facility ever created for the Summer Olympic Games? If you’ve answered no, you aren’t alone. But you are missing out.
Barcelona’s Montjuic Municipal Pool was the site of the diving competition for the 1992 Summer Olympic Games. Those days are long gone, but rather letting the facility fall into disrepair, the local government has kept the pool open during the summer for local residents and visitors as well as events during the year.
For €6.50, you can enjoy a lazy afternoon poolside taking in the spectacular views which made the diving location an instant favorite.
The pool is open 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. every day of the week from June 29 to Sept. 6.
TIP: Bring your own towel…there are no deck chairs or umbrellas (the ones you see in the photo are part of a small cafe)!
Granizados Photo Credit: Cocinatipo
Ciutadella Photo Credit: Andrew, Flickr Creative Commons
W Barcelona Photo Credit: W Barcelona
Pool Photo Credit: Roger Braunstein, Flickr Creative Commons
