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Primavera Sound vs Sónar: Which Barcelona Festival to Pick
Primavera Sound or Sónar? What each was like in 2026, the 2027 dates and tickets announced so far, and how to choose, from the festivals' own pages.
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In this guide · 8 sections
The short version
- 2027 dates: Primavera Sound is 2–6 June 2027 at Parc del Fòrum, with the main days on 3–5 June. Sónar is 17–19 June 2027.
- Primavera Sound puts rock, pop, hip-hop and electronic acts on one bill, on the seafront. Its 2027 line-up, out on 5 October 2026, includes Doechii, Phoebe Bridgers, Fontaines D.C. and Massive Attack. A full general-sale ticket is €360 plus fees.
- Sónar is electronic music, creativity and technology. In 2026 the music ran on one site, Fira Gran Via, from 5 PM until 7 AM on Friday and Saturday. Its 2027 venue and line-up aren't announced yet.
- The 2026 record: Primavera's main days were 4–6 June, and it sold out; Sónar ran 18–20 June.
Barcelona runs two of Europe's big music festivals two weeks apart in June: Primavera Sound, then Sónar. If you can only do one trip, they're different enough that the choice matters.
The short version
| Primavera Sound | Sónar | |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 2–6 June (main days 3–5 June) | 17–19 June |
| 2026 | Main days 4–6 June; city concerts 1–7 June | 18–20 June |
| Where (2026) | Parc del Fòrum, on the seafront | Fira Gran Via, L'Hospitalet; Sónar+D at Llotja de Mar |
| Music | Rock, pop, hip-hop and electronic on one bill | Electronic music, with Sónar+D for creativity and technology |
| 2027 tickets | €360 plus fees at general sale; VIP €560 plus fees | SonarPass presale €155 (ended); general sale "after the summer" |
From each festival's own site, read on 8 October 2026.
Primavera Sound 2026: what to know
Primavera Sound puts its headliners and its smaller acts on more than five stages at Parc del Fòrum. Parc del Fòrum is on the Mediterranean, at the east end of the city.
2026, the record. The 24th edition's main days were Thursday 4 to Saturday 6 June, with city concerts across the week, from Monday 1 to Sunday 7 June. It sold out: 287,000 people from 145 countries, and about 320 performances. On the Thursday a storm, with gusts of up to 80 km an hour, cancelled sets including Massive Attack and Doja Cat, and Thursday tickets were refunded.
2027, so far. The 25th edition runs 2–6 June 2027 at Parc del Fòrum, with the main days on 3–5 June. The line-up was announced on 5 October 2026, and Primavera's line-ups mix rock, pop, hip-hop and electronic acts: the 2027 bill includes Doechii, Phoebe Bridgers, Fontaines D.C. and Massive Attack. A fan sale at €295 plus fees ran until 9 October; general sale starts on 9 October 2026, at €360 plus fees for a full ticket and €560 plus fees for VIP.
The city concerts come with the ticket
Primavera a la Ciutat, the city-venue concerts on the Monday to Wednesday before the main days and on the Sunday, is included in the festival ticket. In 2026 that meant music from Monday 1 June, three days before the main site opened.
The weather. Early June can turn: in 2026 a storm on the Thursday cancelled several headline sets. Pack a jacket.
Sónar 2026: what to know
Sónar used to split into Sónar by Day at Fira Montjuïc and Sónar by Night at Fira Gran Via. In 2026 the music festival ran entirely at Fira Gran Via in L'Hospitalet: 5 PM to 3 AM on the Thursday, and 5 PM to 7 AM on Friday and Saturday.
2026, the record. Sónar ran Thursday 18 to Saturday 20 June: "three days and two nights of music, creativity and technology", in its own words.
- One ticket per day: a day ticket covered the whole session. Thursday was €49, and Friday or Saturday €99.
- Entry: 18 and over. The gates closed an hour before the end, so there was no entry after 2 AM on Thursday or 6 AM on Friday and Saturday.
- Paying: by card everywhere, with cash at the Cash Points.
- Food: one food court with 17 vendors, each with at least one vegan and one gluten-free option, plus a VIP food area.
- Sónar+D, the creativity and technology side, was separate, at Llotja de Mar in the city centre on 18 and 19 June, from €15 a day. Its 2026 programme included AI and music.
2027, so far. Sónar 2027 is 17–19 June. A presale for a SonarPass at €155 ran in June 2026 and has ended; Sónar says general sale "will begin after the summer". It hasn't announced a 2027 venue or line-up.
Moog, the club in El Raval, opened on 21 June 1996, just after one of the first Sónars, and the two teamed up in 2026 for Moog's 30th anniversary.
Which one's right for you?
- Do you listen to mostly electronic music? → Sónar.
- Do you want a big headline act (rock, pop, hip-hop) as one part of a broader festival? → Primavera.
- Is your group musically mixed? → Primavera.
- Do you want very late nights? → Sónar: in 2026 its Friday and Saturday ran to 7 AM.
- Do you want a seafront festival? → Primavera: Parc del Fòrum is on the water.
- Do you want the festival to spill into the city? → Primavera, with its city concerts across the week.
If the answer was "both" for most of these, you're the person who goes to both. They're two weeks apart, so it's possible, but it's a long and expensive trip.
Practical: tickets, accommodation, logistics
Tickets
- Buy from the official sellers only. Primavera's terms say resale isn't permitted, and Sónar allows transfers only where an authorised sales channel enables it.
- Discounts: Primavera gives 10% off to residents of the Barcelona metropolitan area, and has reduced tickets for 13- to 17-year-olds. Neither festival lists a student discount.
- When they go on sale: Primavera announced its 2027 dates at the close of the 2026 festival and put tickets on sale in October. Sónar's 2027 presale opened on 22 June 2026, right after that year's festival.
Where to stay
- Primavera: Parc del Fòrum is in Sant Martí, east of the centre, so Poblenou or El Born are closest. The metro runs until midnight Monday to Thursday and until 2 AM on Fridays, so the last train is the main constraint.
- Sónar: Fira Gran Via is in L'Hospitalet, south-west of the centre. In 2026 the L9 Sud metro ran to Fira (all night on the Saturday) and FGC trains to Europa | Fira, and the official SonarBus (€5) ran from Fira Gran Via back to Plaça d'Espanya after the festival. Staying near Plaça d'Espanya keeps the trip home short.
Getting home from Sónar
The SonarBus only ran one way in 2026: from Fira Gran Via to Plaça d'Espanya, at €5 a journey. VIP ticket holders had a free bus both ways.
What to skip
- Resale sites. Primavera doesn't permit resale, and Sónar only allows transfers through its authorised channels.
- Assuming Sónar+D is in your festival ticket. In 2026 it was separate, at Llotja de Mar, from €15 a day.
- A flight home the morning after. Sónar's last night ran to 7 AM on the Sunday, and Primavera's closing party was on the Sunday itself. Fly on the Monday or later.
Questions
Is Primavera Sound better than Sónar?
Neither is better; they're different festivals. Primavera puts rock, pop, hip-hop and electronic acts on one bill at Parc del Fòrum, on the seafront. Sónar is electronic music, creativity and technology, and in 2026 ran from 5 PM until 7 AM on Friday and Saturday at Fira Gran Via. If you listen to mostly electronic music, Sónar. If you want a broad line-up, Primavera.
When are Primavera Sound and Sónar in 2027?
Primavera Sound runs 2–6 June 2027 at Parc del Fòrum, with the main days on 3–5 June. Sónar is 17–19 June 2027; its venue hasn't been announced.
How much are tickets for 2027?
Primavera Sound's general sale starts on 9 October 2026, at €360 plus fees for a full ticket and €560 plus fees for VIP. Sónar's €155 SonarPass presale has ended, and its general sale will begin 'after the summer'.
When were Primavera Sound and Sónar in 2026?
Primavera Sound's main days were Thursday 4 to Saturday 6 June 2026, with city concerts from 1 to 7 June. Sónar ran Thursday 18 to Saturday 20 June 2026.
Can I go to both Primavera and Sónar on the same trip?
Yes: they were two weeks apart in 2026 and will be again in 2027 (main days 3–5 June, then 17–19 June). That's a long, expensive trip, so use the week in between to see the city, rest and take a day trip.
One last thing
Doing both is possible, but expect to sleep through most of the days in between. One festival plus a couple of nights out in the city is plenty for most trips. For the nights in between, our nightlife guide has the weekly programmes at Razzmatazz, Apolo and Moog.
Related guide
Places in this guide
All of BarcelonaBars and nights out in Barcelona
- Razzmatazz Club · Poblenou
- Moog Club · El Raval
Things to do in Barcelona
- Primavera Sound Festival
- Parc del Fòrum Venue
- Sónar Festival
- Primavera a la Ciutat Festival
- Apolo Venue
marks a Citorah Pick.
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About this guide
Written by Jordan Gilbert, who edits Citorah. Last checked . Prices, hours and timetables change, so check anything you’re booking against the operator’s own site. Something out of date? Email hello@citorah.com.
Corrections
- : Rewritten as a record of the 2026 festivals, with the 2027 dates and tickets. In 2026 Sónar’s music ran on one site from 5 PM, so there was no separate Night with 1 AM doors and no Day-to-Night bus. A day ticket covered the whole session (€49 Thursday, €99 Friday or Saturday), and Sónar+D was separate, at Llotja de Mar. The SonarBus ran from Fira Gran Via back to Plaça d’Espanya, not from it. Primavera’s city programme starts on the Monday of festival week, not the Wednesday, and the festival closed on the Sunday. Neither festival allows open resale or lists a student discount, and Primavera’s resident discount is for the Barcelona metropolitan area, not all of Catalonia. Primavera announced its 2027 dates in June and its line-up on 5 October, not in February, and its 2027 fan sale was about 18% below general sale, not 30–40%. Sónar 2026 had a 17-vendor food court. Removed the pass prices, the Cupra stage description, resale and hotel mark-ups, and claims about back-loaded line-ups, which no source states.
- : Sónar 2026 ran on one site, Fira Gran Via, not split between Fira Montjuïc by day and Fira Gran Via by night; its hours and the SonarBus are corrected. Primavera's Auditori Rockdelux is a seated auditorium, not a 4 AM techno stage; the seafront stage is now the Cupra stage, not Ray-Ban; and Primavera a la Ciutat is included with a festival ticket, not free.
- : Removed claims of going to every Primavera Sound since 2015 and every Sónar since 2017: the guide is research-led. Removed a quote credited to “a Barcelona promoter who books both”, an unnamed source that couldn’t be checked, and a closing line about buying tickets through the site, which Citorah doesn’t sell.