With spectacular architecture, fantastic gastronomy and one of the best football clubs in the world, Barcelona has become a coastal cultural centre. Besides, it is ranked 20th of the most visited cities in the world. Barcelona is a city full of opportunities and a perfect place to start a new stage in your life and achieve your dreams. Living in Barcelona means living in one of the most important cities in the world, and if you have decided to move, here you will feel at home and that your adaptation to the city will be quick without any problems. However, to facilitate this process here is some general information that you should know before moving to Barcelona.
Climate
Barcelona is a beautiful, cultural, cosmopolitan city: it has a beach, monuments, museums, excellent gastronomy. Besides, it offers you a perfect time for most of the year. Barcelona has a pleasant climate since it's a Mediterranean city and that shows. Our temperatures are generally mild. The weather is not extreme, neither in summer nor in winter, which allows you to enjoy your visit to Barcelona at any time of the year.
Generally, although the weather is good all year round, from mid-May to the end of July are the months that you can most enjoy the climate of Barcelona. August, although it is a month full of tourists, is a month when the heat is quite intense. However, September is again a month with perfect weather to visit Barcelona.
Although in the last years Barcelona had a somewhat changeable climate, when the fall arrives, in October and November, there are some days with a light fresh, although very pleasant. Even so, it's recommended that you travel with an umbrella in case you coincide with a rainy day (it's not the most usual). From December to February winter is here, which although it is not a hard winter at all, it can coincide with some colder days. It is very rare that temperatures go below 10ºC, but even so, it's recommended to wear warm clothes. Overall, the average annual temperature is 17ºC, being somewhat lower in the peripheral areas that are not so populated and do not suffer the island heat effect. Regarding the average rainfall, it is usually distributed unevenly throughout the year, not exceeding 640 mm per year, which is quite good.
Social life
Barcelona is a cosmopolitan city, where social integration is a reality. The Catalan capital is among the best cities in the world in the classifications of quality of life, security, and equity. Barcelona is a city where everyone can find his or her own way of living. It is a great city with an exceptional Mediterranean climate, with green areas and unique gastronomy. There's no doubt that living in Barcelona is a guarantee of a good quality of life.
The locals can be very hardworking and relaxed at the same time. After the office hours, they usually leave early and meet friends, whether on a terrace, rooftop, beach or anywhere else where they can find some tapas, beer and a good atmosphere. The city has many hours of light, and people take advantage of it, so you can go out just for one drink and end up having dinner after an afternoon of chatting. However, never expect everyone to arrive early at the meeting point - give them 10-15 more minutes. Do not be a 'guiri' (foreign person who cannot adapt to the local culture) and adjust to the new scheduling. For example, the locals will eat around 2 or 3 pm and have dinner around 9 or 10 pm and even later during the weekend.
Nature
Barcelona has huge green spaces, where you can enjoy your free time all over the year. For instance, there are beaches for all tastes: some of them are more familiar and chill, far from the centre; others are more crowded and lively, close to restaurants, bars and nightclubs. There are also spaces to practice all kind of sports, do a picnic or just hang out with your friends or family. You can also go for a nice hike to one of the mountains or natural parks close to the city and make sure that you stop at the viewpoints where you can enjoy the beautiful views.
The city has amazing green parks where you can disconnect from the urban noise. These parks are the Ciutadella park, the Oreneta park, the Cervantes park, the Turó Park, the Tres Turons park and many others. You cannot miss the of Collserola park, a unique natural reserve at any time of the year, which hides unimaginable hidden spaces that are perfect for everyone. Finally, nature can also be seen and understood in other areas of the city, such as the Zoo, the Blau Museum, L'Aquàrium or the Botanical Garden. These are ideal places for children and for anyone who has a child soul inside.
We do our best to provide accurate and up to date information. However, if you have noticed any inaccuracies in this article, please let us know in the comments section below.
