Your March weather guide
MildWeather in Barcelona in March
Barcelona in March is a good choice for a mild city break, not a beach holiday. Average daytime highs of 15.5°C make walking around more appealing than sitting still in light clothes, while nights averaging 7.4°C call for a jacket. The sea is cold at 13.2°C, so don't build the trip around swimming. Go if you want time outdoors without summer heat, and can keep your plans flexible around some rain.
Long-term climate averages for Barcelona, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Barcelona, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Barcelona.
- Average daytime high
- 15.5°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 19°C
- Average night-time low
- 7.4°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 5°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +5.0°C
- London averages 10.5°C in March
- Sea temperature
- 13.2°C
- year to year: 13°C to 14°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 6.0h
- 51% of 11.7 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 7
- 41 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 76%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 23.3°C
- 2001-03-22
- Record low 1991-2020
- -1.8°C
- 2010-03-11
- Flight from London
- ≈ 2 h 6 min
- 1100 km, short-haul (estimate for a direct flight)
Records are observed extremes within 1991-2020, not typical holiday conditions. Warm-day percentages are shares of days, not day counts.
How March compares
March is the 9th warmest month of the year in Barcelona and ranks 89th of 134 destinations we compare for March - see where else is hot in March. Within Spain it is 77th of 87 (Spain in March). Against London's average high of 10.5°C in March, Barcelona is 5.0°C warmer by day and 4.1°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in March
The typical March day in Barcelona peaks at 15.5°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 18.7°C or more. Days over 25°C are rare. Nights average 7.4°C; one night in ten drops to 4.6°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings - it is genuinely cool after dark. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest March day here reached 23.3°C (2001-03-22) and the coldest night -1.8°C (2010-03-11).
Rain in March
Some rain (4-8 rainy days): about 7 days with 1 mm or more, 41 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest March was 2011 with 95 mm, the driest 2019 with 6 mm. Humidity averages 76%.
Sea temperature in March
The sea averages 13.2°C - too cold for most (under 18°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 12.6°C to 13.7°C. For the warmest sea here, come in August (25.5°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 6.0 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 11.7 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 07:03 and sets about 18:58 local time in mid-March. Average cloud cover is 49%.
Is March a good time to visit Barcelona?
March is not the strongest month here: mild days. The best months for Barcelona on our scoring are July, June, August; months averaging 25°C or more: Jul, Aug.
Milder than London, but keep your layers
Barcelona's average daytime high is 5°C above London's 10.5°C in March: a useful improvement, rather than a change to summer weather. A light jumper and jacket give you more flexibility than packing mainly T-shirts. The warmer days reach 18.7°C or more, making an outdoor lunch a reasonable option when conditions suit, but that warmth is not the everyday expectation. Colder nights can fall to 4.6°C or below, so bring something warmer if you plan to stay out late. March suits travellers who prefer exploring in mild air to managing strong heat at midday; it is less convincing if warmth is the main reason for going.
Enough sunshine to get outside, with a rain backup
About 6.0 hours of sunshine within 11.7 hours of daylight leaves room for outdoor plans, but you should not expect clear skies throughout the day. Rain falls on about 7 days during the month, so a packable waterproof is a sensible addition to your bag. Keep your schedule flexible enough to move a longer walk to a brighter spell rather than committing every day to being outside. The balance is workable for a city break: there is sunshine to enjoy, alongside a real chance of wet weather. If persistent warmth and dry-weather certainty are essential to your holiday, March is not a dependable fit.
A little perspective
Barcelona through the year
March is highlighted. See how it compares with the rest of the year.
| Month | Day | Night | Sea | Sun/day | Rain mm | Rainy days | Days 25°C+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 12.5°C | 5.1°C | 13.5°C | 4.8 | 41 | 6 | 0% |
| February | 13.2°C | 5.4°C | 12.9°C | 5.4 | 35 | 6 | 0% |
| MarchSelected | 15.5°C | 7.4°C | 13.2°C | 6.0 | 41 | 7 | 0% |
| April | 17.3°C | 9.6°C | 14.3°C | 6.5 | 54 | 9 | 0% |
| May | 20.6°C | 13.2°C | 17.0°C | 6.9 | 46 | 7 | 7% |
| Junebest | 24.6°C | 17.2°C | 20.7°C | 8.9 | 36 | 6 | 44% |
| Julybest | 27.2°C | 20.2°C | 24.0°C | 10.0 | 23 | 5 | 83% |
| Augustbest | 27.4°C | 20.8°C | 25.5°C | 8.3 | 40 | 7 | 85% |
| September | 24.0°C | 17.8°C | 24.0°C | 6.1 | 79 | 11 | 36% |
| October | 20.5°C | 14.3°C | 21.0°C | 4.8 | 92 | 10 | 4% |
| November | 16.0°C | 9.4°C | 17.4°C | 4.6 | 61 | 8 | 0% |
| December | 13.1°C | 6.2°C | 14.9°C | 4.5 | 42 | 6 | 0% |
Day = average daytime high, night = average night-time low, 1991-2020.Sun is hours per day; rainy days count 1 mm or more.
Day, night and sea
Monthly average temperatures, 1991-2020
- Day
- Night
- Sea
Best months here
On warmth, low rainfall and sunshine, start with these.
Keep exploring
Similar in March
Closest matches on daytime temperature, sea temperature and sunshine, in other countries.
A little more detail
Barcelona in March FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Barcelona hot in March?
Barcelona is mild in March: the average daytime high is 15.5°C and nights average 7.4°C. Days over 25°C are rare in March.
Can you swim in the sea in Barcelona in March?
The sea around Barcelona averages 13.2°C in March, which is cold for swimming without a wetsuit. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 13°C to 14°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Barcelona in March?
Barcelona sees about 7 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 41 mm of rain in a typical March. The wettest March between 1991 and 2020 was 2011 (95 mm) and the driest was 2019 (6 mm).
How sunny is Barcelona in March?
Barcelona gets around 6.0 hours of sunshine a day in March out of 11.7 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Barcelona compare with the UK in March?
Barcelona is on average 5.0°C warmer than London by day in March (15.5°C against 10.5°C).
What is the hottest March on record in Barcelona?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest March day in Barcelona reached 23.3°C on 2001-03-22, and the coldest night dropped to -1.8°C on 2010-03-11.
Can you swim in the sea in March?
The sea averages 13.2°C, with a year-to-year range of 13°C to 14°C. That is cold, rather than merely bracing. For most holidaymakers, March is better suited to spending time beside the sea than planning leisurely swims.
Is Barcelona practical for a short March break from London?
The flight from London is about 2 h 6 min, making Barcelona a short-haul option. March works best for a break focused on walking and time outdoors when the weather suits, rather than a trip dependent on beach weather.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid) and NOAA Coral Reef Watch 5 km sea temperatures, 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at Barcelona. Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 2 km from that point. Sunshine hours are estimated from average cloud cover.Records are the highest and lowest daily values in that 30-year period, not all-time records. These are climate averages, not a forecast for your trip. How we measure holiday weather
- Hot · 25°C+
- Warm · 20°C to below 25°C
- Mild · 15°C to below 20°C
- Cool · below 15°C