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What to wear in Barcelona in the Fall
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Fall can be a tricky season when it comes to knowing what to wear in Barcelona. While autumn officially starts on September 22, it’s still shorts-and-tank-tops season well until early October. The good thing is that the weather’s pretty comfortable and you don’t have to pack heavily. Read on to know what ot wear in Barcelona in the fall – and what else you need to bring to have a well-prepared trip!
Contents
Fall season temperatures in Barcelona
Fall temperatures in Barcelona have a moderate range. The average in October is about 18ºC / 64ºF, November is around 13ºC / 55ºF, and December is 11ºC / 52ºF. However, temps can vary wildly, especially in October.
How to dress in Barcelona in the fall
As I mentioned in my What to Wear in Barcelona in the Winter post, this is how I came up with this ensemble, which I’ll repeat again.
- This is smart, urban style. Locals generally stick to “safe” colors: neutrals like brown, gray, black, and white. For fall, I played with a red palate…it was too much fun.
- Comfort and style. If you’re visiting, you’ll probably be walking tons, going to the underground metro, having a terrace breakfast at 9am, walking around the breezy port, then maybe having tapas downtown late at night. You wanna look good too, right?
- The Pocket Stylist by Kendall Farr is my fashion friend. Miss Farr emphasizes having durable pieces, or as she calls “indispensables” made of good material that will last through seasons. They’re pieces you can mix and match with trendier items.
- The ensemble is for about 10 days, assuming that you won’t be doing any laundry. Each top or bottom would be worn about 2 times.
Drum roll please….THE COMPLETE ENSEMBLE!
Fall basics checklist
A versatile short-sleeved top
You can’t go wrong with a v-neck to make you look like you have a slim waist. If you’re conservative, you can wear a tank top underneath. Or not – wear it at night for a sexy, plunging neckline.
Check prices for this v-neck top
A light cardigan with pockets
You’ll definitely need a sweater in the fall, but nothing too heavy. This one would work and would look great layered with a printed scarf.
Check prices for this cardigan sweater
Comfortable travel pants
These stretch Zion pants are a huge best-seller among travelers! They’re comfortable, flexible, and you can wear them with casual flats, heels, or even hiking boots.
Check out these cross-functional travel pantsA dress to dress up or down
This dress works great to wear with boots or sandals. You can also layer it with a long sweater or even a moto jacket. With over 2,400+ reviews on Amazon, I don’t think you can go wrong. Choose from over a dozen colors!
Short-sleeved dress with pockets
This dress works in September and October. It’s also a fantastic dress to layer. Pair it with a cute necklace and earrings to dress it up.
Check prices for this short-sleeved pleated dress
An infinity scarf with a hidden pocket
An anti-theft purse
If you haven’t heard, Barcelona is a hotspot for petty theft. It makes me a bit sad to say. BUT, I want to be sure that you feel safe when you’re here. One way to have peace of mind is to get an anti-theft purse. The straps and body material is cut-proof so thieves can’t cut it easily. The best part? The top and front zippers lock. I own the one below, which is fashionable and functional.
This is my everyday purse.
Check out prices for this Travelon anti-theft travel purse
<< Don’t miss my post about how to avoid pickpockets in Barcelona. I’ll tell you where the hotspots and common scams!>>
A small external battery for your mobile phone
Don’t get caught with a dead phone while traveling. Try this compact battery you can carry when you’ve run out of juice – so you can keep using Google Maps and taking photos!
Check prices for this light external phone battery
An EU Type C Plug Adaptor
If you’re a US resident, you’ll need this adapter for your chargers. It’s an EU Type C Country plug adapter.
Barcelona packing list for fall
- Two short-sleeved tops. If you go out for drinks in a crowded bar, or if you’re stuck in a stuffy cafe, you can still comfortably wear short sleeves indoors. I made sure they were kinda dressy so you can wear them for a nice evening out.
- Two 3/4-sleeved tops. You don’t need a knit jumper just yet. The materials can be light and breezy.
- One light sweater. This is good to have if you just want to throw a compact cover-up in your bag if it happens to be sunny that day.
- One light jacket. You may need it in the morning (around 9am) or after 8pm, when it starts to really cool down.
- One skirt. If you’re one to go out, I’d bring a dressy skirt to wear. Some thin tights might come in handy if the temps dip, but for now, I’d omit it.
- One scarf. This is a great accessory to have if you don’t want to bring a jacket, and you can layer it on top of your sweater if it cools down. It definitely adds a warm, coziness factor. This morning when I went out, I only saw a few women are wearing them. I love to wear a bright scarf to dress up my outfit!
- A robber-resistant purse. For the love of God, please don’t get robbed in Barcelona. A purse with a long strap that you can straddle diagonally across your body is perfect. And always have a zip on it. No snap buttons for easy access!
- Casual shoes. If you’re walking around Barcelona, you’ll wanna wear something really comfortable that you can wear from day to night.
- An umbrella (optional). You can always buy one as they’re super cheap. People will start hawking them for about 4 euros downtown if the rain really hits down hard.
- You won’t necessarily have to bring extra camisoles to go underneath it all. Going for 1-2 layers at the most is sufficient.
So before coming to visit Barcelona:
Obvious Thing To Do #1: Check the weather forecast.
Not-So-Obvious Thing To Do #2: Stay away from the extreme seasonal dressing. It’s not hot enough for cotton tank tops but not cold enough for a heavy, puffer jacket. Barcelona’s fall weather wavers between cool, rainy thunderstorms and warm (about 23 degrees).
Some examples how to / how not to dress
This fashionable local lady seems appropriately dressed for fall. Light scarf, light zip-up jacket, light cotton top, and some jeans. Plus funky glasses. Because Barcelona.
If you want to blend in, Just say NO to short shorts in October. While they’re probably cozy, they’re not exactly a piece that makes you look local. But, hey, that’s your call.
The Marge Simpson top is cute though.
Again, these tourists are slightly dressed for summer here. Perhaps it’s the combo of the backpack that give away the fact that they’re not from here?
That’s it for this season! I hope you’ve found this post helpful. And enjoy Barcelona in the fall!
Have you been to Barcelona in the fall? What did you notice about how people dress?
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About the Author Justine Ancheta
California native, churro aficionado, and mom of 3, Justine Ancheta writes fervently about Barcelona and Spain. Since 2008, she's been eating burnt onions (calçots) and tripping on cobblestones in the Gothic Quarter. She shares tips on popular attractions, exposes offbeat non-touristy spots, and gives insight on exploring Barcelona with kids. Her next Catalan culture challenge: top level of a human castle (castellers).
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