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Tokischa Concert
July 1, 2026
Sala Razzmatazz
What to Do in Barcelona This July: Tour de France, Festivals & Beach Cinema
Barcelona's packed program of world-class events continues: for the first time, the city is hosting the start of the Tour de France, the anniversary edition of the Grec theatre and dance festival is underway, major music festivals are taking place, and concerts are unfolding in the open air in parks and on the beaches. La Cotorra has picked out all the most interesting things.
The Dominican rapper, who came into music from modelling and sex work, quickly became a global phenomenon: she reimagined the boundaries of dembow and Latin American trap, recorded collaborations with Rosalía, Madonna, and A$AP Rocky, and drew rave reviews for her debut album Amor & Droga. It's this album she's presenting in Barcelona. Tokischa is famous for her willingness to shock at concerts: for example, while opening for FKA Twigs, she shaved her head right on stage.
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The Art Nou Emerging Art Festival
June 25 — September 3
Barcelona and Hospitalet
The Art Nou festival launched at the end of June — it takes place simultaneously in dozens of small galleries and art spaces across Barcelona and Hospitalet. It's an opportunity for young artists from Spain and other countries to make a name for themselves for the first time. The festival will feature more than 50 exhibitions and numerous tours, talks with artists, performances, film screenings, and events. You can view the program here.
Barcelona's summer performing-arts festival marks its half-century anniversary: 99 shows, 197,000 tickets on sale, 58 venues across the city. The program includes theatre, dance, music, circus, cinema, and installations. The main venue is the open-air amphitheatre on Montjuïc.
Key events in July:
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Ophelia's Got Talent by Florentina Holzinger — the Barcelona debut of one of the most radical figures on the European stage: dance, acrobatics, and extreme performance.
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Creure en les màscares by Romeo Castellucci — a radical and minimalist stage piece without actors by one of the most well-known figures in contemporary theatre.
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"16 & 17" by TAO Dance Theatre — an abstract dance piece by the Chinese company that won the Silver Lion at the Venice Festival.
The Finnish band whose hit In the Shadows (2003) became an anthem of the MTV generation. The Rasmus play gothic rock and alt-rock with dark, melodic choruses. In 2025, they released the album Weirdo — heavier and more contemporary in sound than their early work. The set features new material and hits that many know by heart.
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Van Morrison — Barcelona Jazz Festival
July 3
Auditori del Fòrum
The Irish multi-instrumentalist known for his "growling" delivery and his hybrid of folk music with American styles — blues, soul, jazz, and gospel. At 80, Morrison continues to record music and give vivid concerts. His performance at the Auditori del Fòrum takes place as part of the Barcelona Jazz Festival, which in 2026 marks its 60th anniversary. The festival program also has other worthwhile concerts: for example, Marcus Miller will perform the music of Miles Davis.
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Barcelona Rock Fest
July 3–5
Parc de Can Zam, Santa Coloma de Gramenet
A summer festival for those who like it heavier. The lineup includes Sex Pistols (feat. Frank Carter), Megadeth (farewell tour), The Offspring, Helloween, Sabaton, Bad Religion, Accept, Testament, Breaking Benjamin, Steel Panther, and Powerwolf. The venue is Parc de Can Zam in Santa Coloma, five minutes from the metro.
Barcelona is hosting the Grand Départ — the start of the Tour de France cycling race — for the first time in history. The team presentation will take place on July 2: the cyclists will gather near Sant Pau and proceed in a parade along Avinguda Gaudí to the Sagrada Família. From July 2 to 6, the facades of the city's main buildings will be lit up in yellow.
The first stage (July 4) is a team time trial over 19.7 kilometres: from the Parc del Fòrum past the Sagrada Família and Passeig de Gràcia to the finish on Montjuïc. The second (July 5) is 168 kilometres from Tarragona to Barcelona. The third stage (July 6) runs from Granollers through the Pyrenees into France.
Those who don't follow cycling will also have to take the grand event into account: on July 4 and 5, many roads in the city will be closed.
The rock band with Keanu Reeves on bass has been around since the early 1990s, and the musicians even managed to open for David Bowie. After a 20-year break, the band reunited in 2023 and has been touring actively ever since. Their sound is guitar-driven alternative rock with melodic choruses. Tickets are already sold out, but you can join the waiting list on the official website or look for tickets on platforms like TicketSwap.
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Classical Music on the Beach
July 8 and 9
Platja de Sant Sebastià (Barceloneta)
Free evening symphony concerts right on the beach — an initiative of the Gran Teatre del Liceu, L'Auditori, and the Palau de la Música Catalana. On July 8, the Liceu theatre's orchestra will perform Brahms, Dvořák, Tchaikovsky, and Ravel. On July 9, the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra and National Orchestra of Catalonia will play Rachmaninoff, Dvořák, and Tchaikovsky. The concerts begin at 9:00 PM. Bring chairs or blankets and come at least an hour early.
Barcelona's most eclectic festival: rock, pop, electronic, hip-hop, and Latin American music in one space. Among the headliners are David Byrne (ex-Talking Heads), Pixies, Suede, Halsey, Two Door Cinema Club, and Garbage. Tickets are still available, and the prices, compared to Primavera Sound, are budget-friendly — 160 euros for four days.
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Sala Montjuïc — Open-Air Cinema
July 10 — August 5
Fossat de Santa Eulàlia, Montjuïc Castle
Annual summer film screenings with concerts in the moat of Montjuïc Castle, which offers panoramic views of the city. All films are shown in the original language with Spanish subtitles. This year's program: "Marty Supreme," "Bugonia," "Hamnet," "One Battle After Another," "Fargo," "Thelma & Louise," and a surprise film whose title you can only find out at the screening.
The film screenings begin at 10:00 PM, and the concerts at 8:45 PM. A ticket without a deckchair costs 9 euros, with one — 12 euros.
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Cinema Lliure — Free Cinema on the Beach
July 16 — August 6
Platja de Sant Sebastià (Barceloneta)
Free film screenings on the beach — documentary, auteur, and festival cinema in the original with subtitles. Each screening includes a short film and a feature film. Besides Barcelona, this festival also takes place in other towns in Catalonia: Sitges, Palamós, Tossa de Mar, and Tarragona.
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Concerts in the Pedralbes Gardens
All July
Jardins del Palau de Pedralbes
All July, concerts by top-tier stars take place in the gardens of the Pedralbes royal residence. For example, on July 2, Mika will perform there, on July 7, Sting, and on July 1,3 the French singer ZAZ. In addition, we recommend keeping an eye on the Canadian jazz singer and pianist Diana Krall (July 19) and the legend of Spanish pop, Raphael (July 9).
A month of pride and solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community has already begun in the city: concerts and other events are held regularly around the city, and they're covered on Pride's official account. The main march will take place on July 18, starting at 6:00 PM near Plaça Universitat. The procession, with 60 floats, will pass along Gran Via and descend to the Arc de Triomf, where an evening program is planned.
A daytime electronic music festival in a picturesque park in the Sant Andreu district: it starts at 1:00 PM and ends at 10:00 PM. On July 12, you'll be able to hear Laurent Garnier and Job Jobse, and on July 19, The Martinez Brothers and Carlita. The most powerful lineup, in our view, will be on July 26 — with Disclosure and HAAi performing.
A two-day pop and urban festival at the Parc del Fòrum. Performers include Myke Towers (Puerto Rican reggaeton and trap), Lola Índigo (Spanish pop with a dance bent), and Dellafuente (Granada neo-flamenco and trap). For lovers of urban Latin American and Spanish pop music.
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Festa Major de Poble-sec
July 17–26
Poble-sec district
In July, a series of neighbourhood festivals — festes majors — begins in Barcelona. The annual festival of the Poble-Sec district is one of the best in the city. The streets turn into dance floors, each block decorates its own area, and street bars and stages with live music operate. Poble-Sec is famous for its "pinchos street", Blai, and during the festival,l it becomes the epicentre of street entertainment. For those living in Barcelona, festivals like these are one of the best ways to get to know city life outside the tourist context. Poble-Sec is especially good for a first experience: the district is compact, friendly, and has good food.
The neighbouring Raval will also hold its own festa major — July 9–12. Details and program on the website.
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The "Out of Focus" Exhibition at CaixaForum and Minor White's Work at KBr
All July
Various locations
In July, the exhibition of work by Minor White, a key figure in 20th-century American photography, continues at KBr Fundación MAPFRE, as does "Out of Focus" — a joint project of CaixaForum and Paris's Musée de l'Orangerie, dedicated to the technique of blur as an artistic tool. We wrote more about them in May and June.
