This lifestyle can be taken to extreme levels, like dumpster diving and eating expired foods. Don’t worry, though, this blog post is not about finding day-old bagels in Barcelona.

Instead, I am focusing here on free things to do and see in Barcelona this summer. Freegans rejoice, you’ll spend nothing more than the bus fare to partake in the following.

Barcelona’s beaches are beautiful, interesting and totally free! Photo: Regina W Bryan

Go to the beach

Oh yes! Barcelona has many a beach, and from May to October you can tan your toes on them gratis.

Now, this is not to say that there will not be many temptations at the beach which a weaker freegan might fall for. You’ll be offered “cerveza, beer,” massage (don’t do it), cookies, bags of chips, sun chairs, sun umbrellas and cold cocktails in beach bars.

Just bring your own water and lunch and tell the hawkers a polite, “no gracias.”

Ready to jump in? Read my other posts on where to hit the beach in Barcelona, beaches worth a quick trip outside Barcelona, and the city’s best beach-side bars.

Play “spot the pickpocket” on La Rambla

This is a fun game I like to play with my husband. He, being a local, is better at it than I am, but over the years I’ve been able to recognize groups of thieves without much effort. Jokes aside (it’s not really a joke, watch your belongings here), La Rambla and most of the center offer excellent people watching. Sit on a bench and observe the circus going on around you. You can find hours of entertainment.

Have a picnic in Park Ciutadella

This is Barcelona’s Central Park, and while it is not nearly as big as New York’s version, it certainly has its own charm.

Wander around and admire the flower beds, jugglers, fountains and pond. Although there are many tourists in Park Ciutadella, it is also popular with locals. Find a shady spot under a palm tree and have your lunch. Note that this is also where you’ll find Barcelona’s zoo, which is overpriced and small.

Spend the day on Montjuïc, Barcelona’s nearest mountain

There are several pleasant parks on Montjuïc, and you can spend quite a bit of time getting lost in them.  The one called Jardins de Mossèn Costa i Llobera is especially nice. Like Park Ciutadella, the area near the Montjuïc Castle is a sweet spot for a picnic.

Celebrate Sant Joan

Basically a summer solstice party, Sant Joan takes place on the night of the June 23, and the following day is a holiday. Bonfires line the shores of Barcelona and revelers get wild setting off fireworks. Find a party and join in the fun.

Need a place to stay?

We have tons of great hotels to recommend in Barcelona, and while they might not be free, they’re definitely Cheapo. Check out our complete list of recommended hotels in Barcelona.

The post Free summer activities in Barcelona appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

You have a coffee, munch a croissant, ride the bus and buy a postcard for your mom and BAM!…. another €10 is gone! This is a city where it is very easy to spend money at a rapid clip. Here are a few places where it pays to lay down your euro bucks:

1. Rent a bike

A bike tour with most cycle companies in the city is about €20. Instead, rent a bike for four hours for €10, get out your map and create your own bike tour! It’s best to stick to the bike lanes and paths near the beach. http://www.barcelonarentabike.com/en/

2. See a Spanish movie

Obviously there is a language issue with this idea, but if you do speak Castellano, then try out your verbs and vocabulary at one of Barcelona’s many cinemas! This can be a relaxing way to end an evening if you have been trekking around the metropolis all day. Renoir is my cinema pick for Spanish films and other original version films. Films cost about €7 each. (Watch out; popcorn will put you over €10.)

3. Visit a market

Barcelona has some fantastic markets which are, of course, all free to visit. Stop into Santa Caterina Market in the morning and spend your €10 on lunch inside the market (Plaça de les Glories Catalane, C/ Dos de Maig, 186). Or head to Encants Market (Mon/Wed/Sat from 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.) to check out Barcelona’s best flea market. You never know what treasures you may come across!

I love going to flea markets because in many ways it’s like a history lesson from the place I am visiting. Looking through people’s junk from 50 years ago, you get an idea of what life was like in Barcelona once-upon-a-time….

4. Tour Catalunya Caixa’s Casa Milà

Believe it or not, this one is FREE. So you just saved €10, which means more Spanish Rioja wine for you later. One of the best deals in the city, Catalunya Caixa’s Casa Milà houses rotating art exhibitions. Check ahead to see what’s on but know that their shows are always top quality. Casa Milà is also one of Gaudí’s most important buildings (but you’ll have to pay more to go into the Gaudí Museum part). http://www.lapedreraeducacio.org/

5. Groove at a Jamboree Jazz Concert

In the Gothic Quarter, I adore Jamboree and its fabulous line-up of jazz, blues and soul concerts nightly. The best part about it is that almost all their shows are €10. Sometimes they bring in a Big Dog in the jazz scene and tickets shoot up to €15 or €20, but this is an exception to the rule. See their line-up ahead of time and get your tickets in advance to save. http://www.masimas.com

6. Wander Park Guell

Another freebie! Well, almost free, seeing as you have to pay for the bus ticket up to the park. If you are in good shape do yourself a favor and don’t take the bus. Instead take the Metro to “Lesseps” and walk up, up, up to the park’s main entrance. Then walk some more inside this weird Gaudí wonderland. If you do take public transportation, you’ll only pay about €3 for transportation there and back. Use your remaining €7 to get a drink in the park and tip the many musicians who play along the pathways. http://www.gaudiallgaudi.com/

Update 2013: Sadly, the city announced that they will start charging €8 to visit Park Guell as of October 2013.

7. Jam Sessions at Jazz Si

This place is great and I would go there a lot more often if their concert times weren’t so early. By early I mean the Saturday Night Jazz Jam session begins at 7:45 p.m. Not early in most parts of the world, but basically the afternoon in Spain. Still, for €5 a concert, Jazz Si is a steal. Also consider their Rock-Pop-Blues-Funk Jam Session on Tuesdays. (Note: Get there early, as this place is popular!) Address: Club del Taller de Músics, C/ Requesens, 2 – Barcelona.

8. Picnic in the Park

On a sunny day, pack yourself a picnic of bread, cheese, ham and a bottle of Rioja and head to Park Ciutadella in Barcelona’s city center. Walk around the park taking a peek at the Zoo (warning: expensive to get in), the gardens, the palms, the man-made lake and the elaborate fountain.

On certain evenings in the summertime there is free live music at the gazebo in Park Ciutadella, one of my favorite Barcelona perks! The cost is in the food for this outing, as a visit to the park is free. If you want to take a boat out on the pond, that’s a bit more, and not really worth it.  http://www.bcn.es/

9. Castle on the mountain

Take the zipper train up the mountain to the Castillo de Montjuic. Again, the cost for this outing is in the transportation, as getting into the castle, which dates back to the early 1600’s and has a dark past, is free. Honestly, there are some fabulous views to be had from the castle and it’s well worth the trip to get an idea of how the city is laid out. There is a small restaurant inside the castle offering snacks and lunch, but not much else. http://www.castillomontjuic.com/

10. Tours with Runner Beans

Runner Beans offers free tours of Barcelona’s old city center every day at 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The guides take you on a two-hour tour and you tip them at the end depending on the experience.

Obviously, this is how the guides make all their money, so it is important to tip. I have not been on one of these tours, but have heard a lot about them, as this is a new concept in Barcelona. Would you tip your guide €10? Maybe. Or maybe €7 with €3 leftover for a cafe con leche. http://www.runnerbeantours.com/

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This bad news is reflected in the large cuts in the public sector in Spain. June was rife with protests held by civil servants upset over pay cuts to come in July. Times are hard for the Spanish, and one could say that this is no time for a party, no time for a holiday.

Then again, maybe just now, when things are looking grim and the economy is swan diving into the Mediterranean, is precisely the time to celebrate. Why host a pity party, when the sun is shining, the sea is warm, the tomatoes are ripe and summer is here?

I think in many ways, that this attitude is the right one to have. After all, what better cure for the unemployment blues (over 4 million unemployed) than a concert on a cobblestone plaza or a picnic at the free outdoor theater?

For summer 2010, join in the fun at some of these free (or inexpensive) festivals and parties held in Barcelona. Here’s the summer “anti-crisis” scoop:

GREC Festival
June 13, 2010 to the first week in August 2010
Various venues
Web site

Dance, theater, music, circus and family fun! Grec is one of the best summertime Barcelona festivals because it has something for everyone. Unlike alternative Primavera Sound, or the post-rave-scene Sonar Festival, Grec is something you could go to with your mom or with the kiddies, or with a group of rowdy friends.

I was surprised not to see as many big-name acts as I have in years past on the Grec roster, but nevertheless it will be good. Musical acts include Toni Zenet, Corrine Bailey Rae, Dee Dee Bridgewater and more.

Theater performances could be daunting unless your Catalan or Spanish is excellent. Consider seeing a dance performance instead: Look for Buto/Ko Murobushi (July 10) and Dunas (July 15).

See the full line-up online. Most performances go for €10 to €40. However, there are also many free events associated with Grec.

Sala Montjuic
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from July 5 to August 8, 2010
Montjuic Castle Gardens
Bus: TMB buses from the Towers on Plaza Espanya
Doors open at 8:30 p.m.
Web site

Sala Montjuic is an open-air film festival at the Montjuic Castle. The film selection includes both Spanish and English titles. (See the schedule for exact info.) There’s usually live music before each film screening.

Though the event is popular, it is a bit hard to get to. If you don’t have a car, you will need to take the special bus provided by the city to get up to the top of the mountain (leaving from Plaza Espanya). Despite the fact that 2,000 people can fit at the castle cinema, lines for the bus are long. Being the early bird will get you a place, otherwise, you’ll miss out. Or take a cab up to the show, but this may be expensive.

If you manage to get up to Sala Montjuic, you will be in for a treat. Pack dinner and a blanket to lay over the grass. Tickets to the movie are €5 and a rental chair is €3.

Gandules 2010
August 3-26, 2010
C/ Montalegre 5
Metro: lines 1, 2 and 3 (Catalunya and Universitat) FGC and RENFE
Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m.-p.m.
Admission: Free
Web site

In August, pack your picnic basket with wine, a baguette, and a block of Manchego cheese and head over to Gandules 2010, the outdoor alternative cinema held each year at the CCCB.

As of now (June 11, 2010), the movie schedule is not yet up, but I am sure it will be interesting, whatever they decide to show. In years past they have shown music documentaries and documentaries about rural life in Tibet. It is free, so get there early or you will be sitting on the floor.

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Barcelona’s Palau Nacional. Photo: Paula Funnell

Undaunted by the setback, Eiffel had better luck with Paris and, despite some opposition from local residents, the structure was constructed for the 1889 World Fair (Expo) – with the understanding that it would be dismantled thereafter. In the end it stayed, and few are the visitors to the Paris icon today who remember that the tower was initially designed to be merely a temporary addition to the Paris skyline.

World-class architecture in Barcelona

The general idea with Expos is that landmark buildings are constructed for the event, and then dismantled after the exhibition has concluded. And that is just what happened to the German pavilion for the 1929 event in Barcelona. It was demolished in January 1930. Later, Mies van der Rohe commented that working in Barcelona had been a high point of his professional life, and such was the enthusiasm for the lost pavilion that in 1986 it was reconstructed. Today it rates as a world class piece of European architecture.

A pavilion reborn

It is a wonderful building, a temple to the appeal of the Modern Movement. Sleek, textured and cool, the pavelló is an oasis of polished travertine and marble in lovely Montjuïc, southwest of Barcelona’s city center. From Montjuïc, there are super views over Barcelona and an opportunity to see the architectural legacy of the 1929 Expo and the 1992 Olympics – which were both based on and around Montjuïc.

Famous Expo leftovers

Hannover’s large mailbox. Photo: Photocapy

Some other buildings from that Barcelona fair won a reprieve from demolition. The Palau Nacional is a beautiful palace that was constructed as the centerpiece for the 1929 Expo. Original plans to demolish it met with fierce opposition from Barcelona citizens and the building found new life as home to a museum devoted to Catalan visual art.

Many European cities have World Fair leftovers that escaped the post-event bulldozers. The Oceanarium in Lisbon, a leftover from Expo 1998, is one. In the Heysel area of Brussels, the Atomium is another. It was built for the 1958 World Fair and celebrates the achievements of a generation that had – for better or worse – developed a fuller understanding of the atom.

Our favorite Expo relic, however, is in Hannover, where a 150-foot-high mailbox is a quirky reminder of the 2000 World Fair in Hannover – probably the most lackluster Expo event of all time, but that outrageous mailbox always raises a smile.

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