25 galleries, more than 50 artists, and an entire city as the stage for contemporary art
Every September, Barcelona lives through a weekend when the boundaries between neighbourhoods blur and contemporary art takes centre stage. From September 17 to 20, the city celebrates the 12th edition of Barcelona Gallery Weekend, an event that turns 25 galleries — 23 in Barcelona and 2 in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat — into a single, diverse itinerary open to everyone.
Two cities and dozens of artists, each with their own story
More than 50 national and international artists will present their work in spaces spread across the Eixample, Gràcia, Ciutat Vella, Sant Antoni, Poblenou, the Trafalgar street axis, and the city of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat. Painting, sculpture, photography, installation, textile art and site-specific projects all come together in a programme designed for discovery and enjoyment: you don’t need to be an art expert to be surprised by what each room, and each artist, has to offer.
The simultaneous opening in both cities takes place on Thursday, September 17, between 12pm and 6pm. This session is reserved for professional visitors; from 6pm onwards, the doors open to the general public. For the rest of the weekend, common hours run from 12pm to 8pm on Friday and Saturday, and from 11am to 3pm on Sunday. Admission to all exhibitions is free.
Art to enjoy while strolling, and art to share
What sets this event apart from other art fairs is its commitment to reaching out into the street. The programme includes free guided routes — the ARCO GalleryWalks — along with visits designed specifically for families with children, plus encounters with artists and gallerists who open up and explain their creative processes to anyone willing to listen. It’s a different way of exploring the cities: unhurried, moving from one gallery to the next, discovering what’s brewing in the local art scene.
The Eixample, the natural heart of the route
Many of the participating galleries are concentrated in the Eixample, right by our Hotel Continental Palacete, along the Passeig de Gràcia axis and its iconic modernist buildings, such as Casa Milà (La Pedrera), Casa Batlló and Casa Amatller. This is no coincidence: this neighbourhood, with its distinctive layout designed by Ildefons Cerdà and its long tradition of artistic and architectural patronage, has been the heart of art and design in the city for decades.
A city with art in its DNA
The importance of culture in Barcelona is neither a recent phenomenon nor a tourism marketing label: it’s a tradition that dates back to the late 19th century. Sala Parés, in the Gothic Quarter, opened its doors as a gallery in 1877 — after operating as an art supplies shop since 1840 — and became the first gallery in Spain, the showcase where Rusiñol, Casas and Nonell exhibited during the Modernisme era. It was also there, in 1901, that a very young Pablo Picasso held his first solo exhibition. That same vocation for making art part of everyday life in our beloved Barcelona, rather than a privilege reserved for the few, is what connects the Barcelona of the Febre d’Or era with the open, free spirit of the Gallery Weekend today.
We look forward to making your stay perfect
For those visiting the city these days with a taste for art, culture and strolling, staying at our hotel means having the Gallery Weekend within easy reach.
Take this opportunity to enjoy an artistic, original September that will enrich all your senses.
Remember to make your booking directly here to benefit from the best price and conditions.
