Beat the Heat

1. Put your skates on

If your aim is to escape the sun altogether, why not seek refuge at one of Barcelona’s indoor ice skating rinks? Skating Club de Barcelona (Roger de Flor 168) opens its rink to the public every Monday and Tuesday (4.30pm-8.30pm) during the summer months. Admission and skate rental is €15, with penguin supports available in three different sizes for €6. For a more unique experience, try FC Barcelona’s Olympic-size ice hockey rink (Av. de Joan XXIII). Admission is €8.70 for members and €12 for the general public, including skate hire. Open Monday-Friday 10am-2pm, with evening sessions on Fridays and weekends. Note that gloves are obligatory and can be hired for €3 at both rinks. 

2. Slip ‘n slide

Make the most of the summer sun by sliding, diving or plummeting into one of the three giant pools at Illa Fantasia Water Park (illafantasia.com). Situated in Vilassar de Dalt, 23km from Barcelona, the park includes 22 outdoor slides and rides of all shapes and sizes. The ‘Wave Pool’ and ‘Garden of Earthly Delights’ provide the calmer and younger crowds with cooling waters and 12-metre-high water sculptures, while the ‘Kamikaze’ sends thrill-seekers hurtling down an 18-metre drop at 60km/h in less than five seconds. The park also has a variety of restaurants and cafes, and a shady picnic area for those who want to bring their own lunch. Open seven days a week from 10am-7pm (July 1st - August 31st), tickets start at €17. 

3. Ice, ice, baby

Opened in November 2007, Icebarcelona (Ramon Trias Fargas 2) is the first ice bar in the world to be located right by the sea. Swap a swimsuit and the scorching midday sun for a puffer jacket in this sub-zero lounge. The bar has been designed by internationally renowned artists with ice sculptures and cocktails served in sculpted-ice glasses. Should the freezing temperatures get too much, thaw out with an al-fresco cocktail on the terrace. The current theme pays homage to the city and features sculptures of its most iconic landmarks. Open seven days a week, 45-minute slots cost €16 and include a jacket, gloves and a complimentary cocktail.  

4. I scream, you scream

For a quick fix, nip into Eyescream and Friends (Pg. de Joan de Borbó 30) in Barceloneta and cool down with a selection of shaved gelato. Each flavor is mascotted by a little monster, with names like Brown Ed (chocolate), General Mimi (cheesecake) and Wild Willy (wild-berry). The store opened in Barcelona in 2012 and won a prestigious Restaurant and Bar Design Award (RABDA) in 2013. Since then, this famous ice cream, each portion served with a pair of sugary eyes on top, has traveled as far as Southeast Asia and Saudi Arabia, with branches in Singapore, Dubai, Malaysiaand Kuwait.  

5. Dive in

This chilling virtual reality experience reveals a world at the mercy of climate change. The Zone of Hope (Arcs 5)—Europe’s first immersive exhibition—will take you deep into the underwater world of Barcelona in the year 2068. By combining Hyper Sense technology, Hyper VR and Hyper Screening, you will see and feel how familiar landmarks and places could be transformed by the excess of CO₂ in the Earth’s atmosphere. The exhibition aims to bring people face-to-face with the dangerous realities of global warming, as well as raise awareness of individual consumption and the capacity for change. Open seven days a week until January 2019, 10am-7.30pm. Tickets available online for €15.