How To Plan The Perfect Weekend In Barcelona For Primavera Sound

Forbes

02-06-2025

The 2025 edition of Barcelona's iconic Primavera Sound music festival is taking place June 5-7.
Some say it is one of the top music festivals in the world. Others call it the best weekend of the year in Barcelona. What is undeniable is that Barcelona's iconic Primavera Sound is one of the most exciting annual events for music lovers, famed for championing diversity, with an eclectic lineup that sees big-name legends performing alongside edgy indie acts, top DJs and the hottest rising stars of the international music scene. It is also one of Barcelona's largest annual tourist draws.
No other festival can compete with Primavera Sound's urban beachfront location.
Unlike other festivals that involve camping in a field that inevitably transforms into a mud-fueled frenzy (looking at you, Glastonbury), Primavera Sound is almost always sunny. Add an enviable waterfront setting on the edge of central Barcelona and plenty of dry, clean, air-conditioned hotels just a short cab ride away, and you'll begin to see the appeal.
With headliners including last year's breakout star, queer pop princess Chappell Roan, alongside fan favorites Charli XCX and Sabrina Carpenter, supported by acts like Troye Sivan, LCD Soundsystem, and Jamie XX, it will come as no surprise that all the tickets for the 2025 edition sold out five months ahead of time.
If you happen to be one of the lucky 100,000 or so ticket holders (last year's event was attended by 130,000 unique visitors), here's the skinny on how to make the most of what is arguably the best weekend of the year in Barcelona.
Primavera Sound: "From Barcelona to the world".
Unlike other music festivals, you don't need to take a coach or know how to pitch a tent to attend Primavera Sound. The El Maresme | Fòrum metro stop (take the L4/yellow line from Passeig de Gràcia or from El Borne/the Gothic Quarter at Jaume I) is a short walk from the Parc del Fòrum festival space (although the Selva de Mar stop may be a better bet at busy times). Getting back is trickier. The metro stops running at midnight on weeknights and 2 a.m. on Fridays–although it operates throughout the night on Saturday–and the line for taxis seems endless, but your best bet is still to get in line and wait. Night buses also operate from Fòrum to Plaça Catalunya every night until around 5 a.m. Walking is not advised unless you are staying nearby.
"Midwest Princess" Chappell Roan is one of the most anticipated acts at Primavera Sound 2025.
The first rule of Primavera Sound is this: wear comfortable shoes. No matter how cute your outfit, the festival area is huge and nobody wants to see you do 20,000-plus steps in anything other than your comfiest sneakers. You can bring your own food into the festival area, but no drinks. Although, with vendors selling everything from burgers to pizzas, Spanish omelettes, dumplings, and açaí bowls–with lots of veggie options on offer too–there really is no need. More importantly, don't forgot to pack sunscreen, a sweater in case it gets chilly after dark, and a power bank.
There are two main stages at Primavera Sound: Estrella Damm and Revolut. This is where you will want to base yourself if your musical tastes are more mainstream. Over the three days, these two stages will host the likes of FKA Twigs, Jaime XX, Charli XCX and Troye Sivan on Thursday 5 June, Wolf Alice, HAIM and Sabrina Carpenter on Friday 6 June, and Chappell Roan and LCD Soundsystem on Saturday 7 June.
Troye Sivan, seen here performing at Primavera Sound in 2024, will be back again this year. (Photo by Xavi Torrent/Redferns)
The Amazon Music stage, with performances from Parcels, Stereolab, Carolina Durante, and Turnstile, will preside over the entrance esplanade.
Under the solar panel, another iconic Parc del Fòrum photo opportunity, the Trainline and Schwarzkopf stages will take turns delivering more than twelve hours of music every day. Kelly Lee Owens, The Dare, The Jesus Lizard, Los Campesinos! and Yung Beef will perform here.
For electronic music buffs, the brand-new Plenitude by Nitsa stage can be found en route to the main stages. At the bottom of the amphitheater, the Cupra stage is back in its traditional location by the sea, ready to close each one of the three main days with acts including Armand Van Helden, Amelie Lens and Danny L Harle. This year will see the debut of the new CUPRA Pulse stage, a club within the festival, that reinforces Spanish automotive brand CUPRA's commitment to the most cutting-edge sounds on the planet, with performances from LSDXOXO, DJ Playero, Crystallmess, La Chat, DJ Caio Prince, and Big Ang, among others.
Primavera Sound is famous for its eclectic lineups, and for championing diversity and inclusivity.
Additional stages include The Levi's Warehouse, home to some of the festival's most elusive sounds; The Levi's Plaza, a new space that will mix international and local talent; The 501 Club, a new musical mystery to be solved; an invitation to dance by Revolut Club; and the Barcelona Sona by Estrella Damm and Aperol Island of Joy stages, featuring concerts and DJ sets on the Primavera Sound promenade.
Primavera Sound has long been a champion of diversity and sustainability, as it continues to work according to the Nobody is Normal protocol, which stands against sexism, transphobia, homophobia, lesbophobia, and any other attempt to influence the festival experience of any attendee. The protocol was first implemented in 2019 , the year Primavera Sound set a precedent with the first gender-equal lineup in its history. Further, up to seven stages at this year's festival will be powered by clean energy thanks to the technology of Plenitude, Primavera Sound's sustainability partner, while sustainable mobility will be facilitated thanks to an agreement with TRAM Barcelona, a shuttle bus service and a free bicycle parking rank next to the venue.
You can't visit Barcelona without going for a swim in the Mediterranean.
The Primavera Sound action is not restricted to the three main days at Parc del Fòrum. Alongside the main programming, Primavera a la Ciutat program offers a series of concerts and DJ sets taking place around the city throughout the week, in venues such as Razzmatazz, Apolo, and Paral.lel 62. Some require advance ticket purchase, while others are free to attend. All this before grand finale on Sunday, June 8, at the Parc del Fòrum: an open-air, beachfront, daytime dance floor brought to you by Primavera Bits x Nitsa.
But there is more to Barcelona than music. While in the Catalan capital, you won't want to miss an opportunity to check out the progress at la Sagrada Família (allegedly on track to be completed in 2026), hike up the green hill of Montjuïc to the Joan Miró museum and Mies van der Rohe Pavilion, go for a swim in the Mediterranean, indulge in some retail therapy in Passeig de Gràcia, get lost in the winding alleyways of El Borne and gorge yourself on tapas and cava.
Barcelona is one of the world's top eating and drinking destinations and, while bookings for the world's best restaurant, Disfrutar, sell out faster than Primavera Sound tickets, you can still bag a table at the current number three bar in the world, Sips, or one of the hottest new restaurants in town, serving everything from tapas to paella to Mexican-Catalan fusion food.
SLS Barcelona is the place to see and be seen this summer in Barcelona
If you are in Barcelona for Primavera Sound and want to avoid the inevitable public transport and taxi chaos at the end of the night, your best bet is to stay near Fòrum. In the past, that meant choosing one of the rather tired high-rise hotels that dominate this neighborhood but, as of this year, there is a brand-new hotel in town and it's less than a five-minute walk from the festival area.
Open since April 2025, SLS Barcelona is upping the glam factor in this part of town. Colorful, quirky and full of fun, this new urban resort is home to no fewer than 471 rooms and suites, three swimming pools, six brand-new food and drinks venues—including Kyara, a retro-futuristic cocktail lounge, Lora, a superb Mediterranean restaurant and grill, and L'Anxova Divina tapas bar (the latter two of which are great options for anyone looking to enjoy a top-notch lunch or dinner before heading to the venue). Opening later this summer, Cósmico, will be the hotel's rooftop playground, complete with a pool, bar and nightclub. At the time of writing, you can still snag one of SLS Barcelona's last Primavera Sound packages: a spectacular waterfront suite with VIP access to the festival included.