9 highlights in Barcelona in 2023

Concerts, exhibitions, important activities that will take place in Barcelona. Here are some dates to keep in the calendar.

Again and again works in town

The works of the Rambla have already started. As for those of Via Laietana, they will leave more space for pedestrians and less for vehicles. The objective is to modernize the Rambla, by offering a greener, friendlier and more comfortable promenade, in order to reactivate local commerce at the same time. In addition, the “superilla” that will occupy all of Eixample, starting from Consell de Cent, Girona, Rocafort and Comte Borrell, will also become a reality: one in three streets will become a green axis.

Celebrations to celebrate Picasso

Picasso was not from Barcelona, ​​but he lived and painted there for a long time. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of his death, the Picasso museum celebrates the year of Picasso with a exhibition on Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler, the artist’s art dealer. Furthermore, the Miro Foundation will unveil the relationship between Miró and Picasso through a major exhibition.

Work also continues for Barça

For the 2023-2024 season, the culés (Barça supporters) will not go to the Les Corts stadium, but to Montjuic. Indeed, the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys will temporarily host Barça matches next season, due to the works of Espai Barça, which started in June 2022.

Twenty major concerts already announced

Big international stars will be in Barcelona this year. It will be possible to see for example Coldplay, May 24-28 at the Olympic Stadium. But that’s not all: in 2023 we will have concerts by Harry Stylesof the Whoof Maroon 5 by Elton Johnof Bruce Springsteen and Bad Gyal, among many other big stars.

Furthermore, the Cruilla festival will bring us Franz Ferdinand, Placebo, Sigur Rós and Antònia Font. On his side, Primavera Sound (May 29-June 4) has already unveiled its program with names like Depeche Mode, Rosalía, Blur and Kendrick Lamar, and Sonar (June 15-17) will organize a big party to celebrate its 30th anniversary with Bicep, Fever Ray and Laurent Garnier, among others.

Also international comic stars

Of March 31 to April 2, the Fira Barcelona Montjuïc will once again host Comic Barcelona, ​​three days dedicated to comics, with the usual commercial area, exhibitions, round tables, meetings, screenings, concerts and many parallel activities. This time we will have great international authors, whose French Anne Simon (“Boris, the potato boy”) and Aude Picault (“Goddess”); but also Zerocalcare (“The armadillo prophecy”), Barbara Stok (“Vincent”), Rosemary Valero-O’Connell (“Laura Dean ends with me”, “Don’t leave without me”), Igort (“Kokoro” ), Léa Murawiec (“The big void”) and Sammy Harkham (“Everything and nothing”).

“La vuelta” will pass through Barcelona

After ten years without the cycling event passing through Barcelona, August 26, 2023, La Vuelta will take to the streets of the Catalan capital. During the first three days, the Tour of Spain will visit the most emblematic points of the city, and the second day will end in Montjuïc.

El Bulli reopens and becomes a museum

The best restaurant in the world is not reopening. In contrast, a museum dedicated to ElBulli will take up much of ElBulli1846 (the restaurant’s new incarnation as a center for interdisciplinary creativity, named after the sum of all the dishes they have created). The new Elbulli will have a space of approximately 4,000 m2 which will reproduce the dining room and the kitchen of the original restaurant.

Obligation to have your dog on a leash

From December 2023, taking your dog off-leash outside designated areas will result in a fine of varying amounts. Barcelona City Hall initially approved the decree that establishes a total of 219 areas for off-leash animals. This means a total of 103 new spaces that will be added to the existing 116 (recreational) areas where dog owners can walk their dogs off-leash.

Farewell to the cardboard transport card for young people

Since January, the T Jove will be the first ticket that can only be used with T-Mobilitat. In other words: goodbye, cardboard T-Jóvenes! During the months of January and February 2023, it will no longer be possible to purchase the traditional cardboard card and, therefore, young people aged 25 and over are encouraged to register for the T-Mobilitat system if they haven’t already, online or in person.