From Pickleball to Tapas: Your Guide to Barcelona
By Alexandra Sinopoli • September 23, 2026 • 9 min read
The PPA Spain P250 Barcelona Open brings pickleball to Barcelona, with plenty to explore beyond the court.
BARCELONA ALREADY HAS plenty of reasons to visit. There are the beaches, the architecture, the tapas, the late nights, and, of course, more than enough places to get lost while exploring the city.
Now, pickleball fans have another reason to add Barcelona to their travel list.
From September 23 to 27, the PPA Tour will head to Barcelona for the PPA Spain P250 Barcelona Open, held at Tennis Despí in Sant Joan Despí, just outside the city. The tournament will officially kick off the new PPA Spain series, giving players and fans a chance to be part of an important moment for the sport’s international growth.
If you’re already thinking about making the trip, the tournament doesn’t have to be the only thing on your itinerary. Spend the day watching pickleball, then head into Barcelona for good food, sightseeing, beaches, and everything else the city has to offer.
Here’s how to make the most of a pickleball-filled weekend in Barcelona.
Pickleball Comes to Spain
The PPA Spain P250 Barcelona Open isn’t just another tournament stop. It is the first event of PPA Spain’s inaugural seven-tournament season.
The PPA announced the Spanish tour in May, with the series set to include two PPA125 events, three PPA250s and two PPA500s. The points earned at these tournaments will count toward the global PPA Tour ranking system, creating another pathway for players in Spain and across Europe to compete at a higher level.
Barcelona gets the honor of hosting the first event.
The tournament has already attracted an international group of players. As of September 11, 239 players were registered, representing 91 locations. While the majority are coming from Spain, there are also players from Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, the United States, Venezuela, Argentina and several other countries.
And you don’t have to be a touring professional to be part of the weekend.
The tournament includes professional divisions as well as amateur divisions organized by skill level and age. There are also junior divisions, bringing a wide range of players together on the same courts.
For fans, that makes the tournament especially interesting. You can watch the pros compete for PPA points and prize money while also seeing the amateur side of the sport happening around them.
A Day at Tennis Despí
The tournament will be held at Tennis Despí in Sant Joan Despí, located just outside central Barcelona.
The five-day event begins Wednesday, Sept. 23, with singles competition. Doubles competition continues throughout the weekend, with the professional competition building toward championship Sunday on Sept. 27.
The event is expected to have a little of everything throughout the week, from amateur divisions to professional matches and junior competition.
For spectators, admission is currently listed as free, making the tournament an easy addition to a Barcelona vacation.
If you’re traveling specifically to compete, you’ll obviously want to build your sightseeing around your match schedule. But if you’re attending as a fan, consider spending a full day at the venue before heading back into Barcelona for dinner.
And that’s part of what makes this trip different from a typical tournament weekend.
You aren’t just traveling to a venue, watching matches, and going home.
You’re in Barcelona.
Explore Barcelona Between Matches
Once you’ve had your fill of pickleball for the day, it’s time to explore.
One of the easiest ways to enjoy Barcelona is to avoid trying to see absolutely everything. Pick a neighborhood or a few nearby attractions, walk around, and let yourself have some unplanned time.
You can always come back.
Start With Gaudí
You can’t visit Barcelona without seeing some of Antoni Gaudí’s work.
The Sagrada Família is probably the city’s most recognizable landmark, and seeing it in person is worth the hype. Even if you’ve already seen hundreds of photos, the scale and detail of the basilica are difficult to appreciate until you’re standing in front of it.
If you have more time, head to Park Güell. The colorful mosaics, unusual architecture, and views across Barcelona make it one of the city’s most recognizable attractions.
Casa Batlló and La Pedrera are also worth considering if you want to see more of Gaudí’s work.
One thing to keep in mind: don’t leave the major attractions until the last minute. Popular sites such as Park Güell use timed admission, so planning can save you from spending part of your vacation standing in a ticket line.
Get Lost in the Gothic Quarter
Not every Barcelona activity needs to be planned down to the minute.
Set aside an afternoon to wander through the Gothic Quarter, where narrow streets, historic buildings, small plazas and local shops make it easy to explore without much of a plan.
Grab a coffee, browse a store, or stop for a snack. You might intend to walk around for an hour and somehow end up staying for three, which is part of the fun.
The Gothic Quarter is also a good choice after a long tournament day. If you’ve spent hours watching matches, you probably aren’t going to want to race across the city trying to check ten attractions off a list.
Sometimes walking around and seeing where you end up is the better plan.
Trade the Court for the Beach
After spending hours around pickleball courts, a trip to the Mediterranean sounds pretty good.
Head toward Barceloneta for some time by the water. Walk along the waterfront, grab some food, and find a spot to relax on the beach.
After a long day of matches, sometimes the best recovery plan is sitting by the water and putting your phone away for a little while. Be careful not to leave belongings unattended on the beach, and make sure someone is always with your things.
Eat Your Way Through Barcelona
Barcelona is a great city for anyone who likes to try a little bit of everything. Instead of ordering one giant meal, make an evening out of sharing tapas and trying several different dishes.
Look for classics like patatas bravas, jamón and croquettes, and, of course, try some sangria. And if you’re still hungry afterward, churros are always a good idea.
If you’re traveling solo, consider a food tour. It’s an easy way to try several local dishes while getting to know the city and meeting other travelers.
Barcelona After Dark
One thing to know before visiting Barcelona: dinner at 6 p.m. probably isn’t going to make you feel very local.
The city is known for its late-night culture, which means you don’t have to rush from the tournament straight to dinner.
Go back to the hotel. Take a shower. Change. Then head out.
Spend the evening exploring El Born or the Gothic Quarter. Find a tapas restaurant or check out a rooftop bar. If you’re looking for something different, Barcelona also has plenty of live music and flamenco performances.
Stay a Little Longer
If you’re already flying to Spain for the tournament, consider adding a few extra days.
Barcelona is a great starting point for exploring more of Catalonia.
Montserrat offers mountain views and the famous Montserrat monastery, while Sitges gives travelers a chance to spend more time along the coast. You could also look toward Girona or the Costa Brava if you want to turn your tournament weekend into a longer Spanish adventure.
And if this is your first trip to Spain, don’t feel like you need to pack every possible destination into one vacation.
Barcelona has enough to keep you busy for several days on its own.
Why This Tournament Matters
The PPA Spain P250 Barcelona Open arrives at an exciting time for pickleball.
The sport has grown far beyond its American roots, and Spain is now becoming another part of that international story.
The PPA’s announcement of the new Spanish tour described Spain as an important market for the continued international growth of pickleball. The seven-event series is intended to give both professional and amateur players more opportunities to compete while helping introduce the sport to new audiences.
Barcelona is a fitting place to start. The city already has a huge sports culture, from soccer and basketball to tennis and beach sports. Now, pickleball is getting its own spot on the calendar.
And because the tournament includes both professional and amateur competition, the weekend isn’t just about watching elite athletes. It’s also about growing the community.
Pickleball Meets Barcelona
The PPA Spain P250 Barcelona Open is a good excuse to book a flight.
For players, it’s a chance to compete in a new country and be part of the beginning of PPA Spain. For fans, it’s an opportunity to watch the sport continue to grow internationally. And for anyone who simply loves traveling, it’s a reason to combine a pickleball tournament with a few days in one of Europe’s most recognizable cities.
Watch matches at Tennis Despí in the morning. Wander through Barcelona in the afternoon. Eat tapas at night. Spend the next day at the beach. Then come back for championship Sunday.
You don’t have to choose between a pickleball trip and a Barcelona vacation.
You can have both.
Pack the paddle, leave a little room in your suitcase for souvenirs, and get ready to experience pickleball somewhere new.
Barcelona is waiting.
About Alexandra Sinopoli
Alexandra Sinopoli is a media and communications student in her senior year at Arizona State University and an editorial intern with The Pickleball Weekly. Originally from Southern California, she has always enjoyed reading, traveling, and learning about new people and places. Alexandra previously wrote for The Moorpark Reporter, where she covered the performing arts, and has experience in journalism, social media, and content creation through her social media accounts. She especially enjoys travel and lifestyle writing and finding ways to make a story feel relatable to the people reading it. Outside of work and school, she’s usually planning her next trip, exploring somewhere new, or spending time with friends and family.
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