Come Alone by Meet & Mint Events you can go to on your own

Barcelona · newcomers, expats, students · checked 3 Nov 2026

Make friends in Barcelona, one repeatable thing at a time.

A good way to make friends in Barcelona is to keep going back to the same thing. A weekly language exchange, a board-game night, a sunrise run or a library reading club puts you next to the same faces more than once. This page lists eight repeatable formats, each with the organiser’s own page and the frequency and cost it states, plus the next seven days of Barcelona events.

Pick one that fits your week, go alone, and go back a second time before you decide. Bars and cafés are part of it: several of these meet over a drink, and you can order a soft drink instead.

See the eight formats This week

Repeatable formats

Eight ways to meet people in Barcelona: each with a source

Every card comes from the pages linked on it, read on 3 Nov 2026. Where a page does not state a cost, we say so. Days and times can change, so use the link to confirm before you go.

Language exchange: Barcelona Language Exchange

What it is
A language exchange run through Meetup: people meet to practise languages over a drink. The group page says you do not need a high level, and that a host gives each person a sticker with their name, native language and the language they want to practise.
How often
Meets on several days a week at different venues. The group page lists Monday and Thursday at Space Cowboy (c/Carders 31), Tuesday at Jardinet d’Aribau (c/Aribau 133), Wednesday at Soda Bus (c/Aribau 150), Friday at the bar of França station and Saturday at Trafalgar Pizza Club. The Tuesday event is listed at 19:00.
Cost
The Tuesday event page says admission is free, with a request to support the venue with a minimum drink of 5 €.
Good to know
Signing up on Meetup is mandatory for the events, and the venue can change, so check the event page before you go.
Barcelona Language Exchange (Meetup group) ↗

Board-game night: BCN Board Games

What it is
A weekly board-game night at L’Estació Espai Gastronòmic, organised by KLEFF. The event page says the hosts explain how to play the games, that the collection includes titles such as Catan, Carcassonne, Dixit and Ticket to Ride, and that Spanish, English and Catalan are spoken.
How often
Every week, mostly Wednesdays at 19:00; some weeks it moves to Tuesday or Thursday. Example listed: Wednesday 4 November, 19:00, Av. del Marquès de l’Argentera 6.
Cost
Using the games is free, but because it is in a bar the event page says a 4 € minimum consumption, redeemable for a drink, is required.
Good to know
The page asks you to reserve a place on Meetup and to cancel if you cannot come. It says photos and video may be taken at the event; tell the organisers if you prefer not to appear.
BCN Board Games (Meetup group) ↗

Morning run or walk: Yepalo Sunrise Runners

What it is
Early-morning running and walking at the beach and in Barcelona parks. The group page says beginners, advanced runners and walkers are all welcome, and that most activities are free. The listed Barceloneta session warms up together, splits into running and walking groups, then meets again; a sea swim and breakfast afterwards are optional.
How often
Regular sessions. Example: Wednesday 4 November, 07:30, in front of Buenas Migas, Plaça del Mar 1, Barceloneta.
Cost
The Barceloneta event is listed as free.
Good to know
The event page says no level is needed. Bring swimwear and a towel only if you want the optional swim.
Yepalo Sunrise Runners (Meetup group) ↗

Day hikes and weekends away: Yepalo Hiking

What it is
A multicultural hiking group whose activities, per the group page, are led by professional guides. Besides hiking it mentions kayak, yoga and stand-up paddle.
How often
Dated trips, listed on the group page. Example: a hike and optional kayak weekend at Congost de Mont-rebei, starting Saturday 14 November at 08:00.
Cost
Varies by trip. That weekend is listed at 149 € for two days of hiking and one night with breakfast.
Good to know
Trips are paid and some are overnight, so read the price and what is included on each event page first.
Yepalo Hiking (Meetup group) ↗

Library reading clubs: Biblioteques de Barcelona

What it is
The city library network says it offers a wide range of reading clubs: spaces to meet people who want to read together and share comments on books, led by an expert. The club list includes general-reading clubs, a Barcelona-novel club, poetry and comics clubs, and language-learning clubs in Catalan and German.
How often
Depends on the club; the list page filters by topic, district, format and duration (annual or one-off).
Cost
Cost not stated on the pages we read.
Good to know
The list page is in Catalan. It mentions pre-registration for the clubs, so check the club’s own entry for current places.
Go for reading with Barcelona libraries ↗Clubs de lectura (list, in Catalan) ↗

Catalan conversation: Voluntariat per la Llengua (VxL)

What it is
A programme to practise Catalan through conversation, run by the Catalan government’s language policy department and managed locally by the Consorci per a la Normalització Lingüística. A volunteer who speaks Catalan fluently is paired with a learner who has basic Catalan.
How often
Pairs meet one hour a week for at least 10 weeks, at a time you agree together, in person or online.
Cost
Cost not stated on the pages we read.
Good to know
Learners must be adults with basic spoken Catalan. The programme page says that if you do not speak Catalan yet, you can take a course first. The site is in Catalan.
What is the VxL (in Catalan) ↗Become a learner (in Catalan) ↗

Volunteering: Voluntariat (Generalitat de Catalunya)

What it is
The Catalan government’s volunteering site, with a way to find a volunteering organisation, a census of volunteering organisations and a training catalogue for volunteers. The site is in Catalan.
How often
Depends on the organisation you choose; the page gives no single schedule.
Cost
Cost not stated.
Good to know
A regular volunteering role puts you next to the same people week after week, which is why it works for meeting people. Start from “Troba una entitat de voluntariat”.
Voluntariat, Generalitat de Catalunya (in Catalan) ↗

ESN Barcelona (for international students)

What it is
ESN Barcelona is part of the Erasmus Student Network, which its page describes as one of Europe’s largest non-profit student associations. Its site has an events section and the ESNcard, its membership card.
How often
See the events section of the ESN Barcelona site for dates.
Cost
Cost not stated on the page we read; the page says the ESNcard gives access to ESN’s activities and discounts for 12 months.
Good to know
Built for exchange and international students. If you are not a student, the other formats fit better.
ESN Barcelona ↗

Left out on purpose. Free-entry days at Barcelona city museums and coworking or community spaces: we could not read an official page with current terms and schedules, so we state nothing about them. Online-only groups are not listed. Meetup groups are run by their organisers; we have not verified who attends. If you run a regular group in Barcelona, tell us the page and we will check it.

This week in Barcelona

Next 7 days: free events first

Computed from our Barcelona listings when this page was built (Wednesday 4 Nov 20:44); each card links to the official page. Up to eight shown.

Thursday 5 NovFree
16:00–17:30

Round table on AI, reality and fiction, Fabra i Coats, Barcelona

Fabra i Coats - Fàbrica de Creació
Official page ↗
Thursday 5 NovFree
16:00–17:30

Richard Matheson round table, Festival 42, Fabra i Coats, Barcelona

Fabra i Coats - Fàbrica de Creació
Official page ↗
Thursday 5 NovFree
17:00–18:30

Talk Les mestres del Prado, Cívic La Sagrera, Barcelona

Centre Cívic La Sagrera La Barraca
Official page ↗
Thursday 5 NovFree
17:15–18:45

Round table on romantasy, Fabra i Coats, Barcelona

Fabra i Coats - Fàbrica de Creació
Official page ↗
Thursday 5 NovFree
17:20–18:50

Opening talk on Albert Monteys at Fabra i Coats, Barcelona

Fabra i Coats - Fàbrica de Creació
Official page ↗
Thursday 5 NovFree
18:00–20:00

Recital El rebost poètic, Casal de Barri Can Carol, Barcelona

Casal de Barri Can Carol
Official page ↗
Thursday 5 NovFree
18:00–19:30

Workshop Worldbuilding: imperis galàctics, Fabra i Coats, Barcelona

Fabra i Coats - Fàbrica de Creació
Official page ↗
Thursday 5 NovFree
18:30–20:00

Elles per elles exhibition opening, Vil·la Florida, Barcelona

Centre Cívic Vil·la Florida
Official page ↗

All Barcelona events

How to go alone the first time

  • Start with the easiest format. A group run, a walk or a board game needs little conversation to begin with, and gives you a natural line afterwards: “how did you find that game?”
  • Arrive a little early. In a small group it is easier to join before it fills. Our tip, not an organiser’s rule.
  • Have two openers ready. “How long have you been in Barcelona?” and “what brought you here?” work at language exchanges, because everyone there is practising speaking.
  • Set a time to leave. Deciding in advance (“I’ll stay an hour”) takes the pressure off; you can always stay longer.
  • Go twice before you judge. The second visit is when faces start to repeat, which is what turns an event into a circle.
  • Bars and cafés are fine. You can order what you like, including a soft drink. We can’t vouch for any event or for who attends; choose public places, tell a friend where you are, and plan your own way home.

Sources

Where this comes from

Checked 3 Nov 2026. We show no time, price or rule that we could not read on an organiser page. Event cards come from our own listings, each linking to its official page.

Questions people ask

How do I make friends in Barcelona as a newcomer?

Go to the same repeatable thing for a few weeks: a language exchange (the Tuesday one at Jardinet d’Aribau is listed at 19:00), a board-game night (mostly Wednesdays), a sunrise run or walk, or a library reading club. Seeing the same faces is what turns a first chat into a friendship. Each format on this page has an organiser page.

Do I need to speak Spanish or Catalan?

Not for the language exchange, which is built for practising languages, or the board-game night, where the event page lists Spanish, English and Catalan. The library club list and the Catalan volunteering and conversation sites are in Catalan, so a little helps there.

What is free in Barcelona?

The Tuesday language exchange says admission is free with a 5 € minimum drink, the board-game night says use of the games is free with a 4 € minimum consumption, and the Barceloneta sunrise session is listed as free. Hiking trips are paid. Our events list marks which events are free.

Is it okay to go to these on my own?

Yes, they are open events and you can go alone. We can’t promise who will be there or vouch for any event, so pick public places, and read the organiser’s page for the current time and rules.

Where can I see what is on this week?

The “This week in Barcelona” block on this page is rebuilt from our Barcelona listings. The city’s own agenda at barcelona.cat, our Barcelona events page and the new-in-Barcelona guide go further.

More for Barcelona

New in Barcelona: your first month · Events in Barcelona · Barcelona answers · Board-game nights in Barcelona · Walks and hikes in Barcelona · Run clubs in Barcelona · Book clubs in Barcelona

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