Rowing at the the Parc de la Ciutadella

The Parc de la Ciutadella was created for the 1888 Universal Exhibition after the hated Bourbon citadel (ciutadella) was pulled down, and is a gem of a park – lawns crisscrossed with shaded walkways, ornamental gardens, playgrounds, fountains, a grandiose waterfall (the young Gaudí had a hand in its design) and some splendid buildings. At the heart of it all is a charming lake, home to ducks, moorhens and a fleet of creaky rowing boats for hire.
• Passeig de Pujades entrance, barcelona.de/en/barcelona-parc-ciutadella.html, for 30 minutes' rowing boat hire – €6 for two people, €9 for three people, €10 for four/five. Open 10am-dusk

Skateboarding at MACBA

Despite a fairly feeble attempt by the authorities at a crackdown in 2010, the Barcelona skating scene is still very much alive (and even, some would say, legendary). The epicentre is the square in front of the MACBA in the Raval, and the streets around it throng with kids from around the world discussing switch ollies and half-cabs in skater shops such as Free (Carrer de les Ramelleres 5, +34 93 301 6115, freeskateshop.com), in certain bars where hoodies are all but obligatory – try Bar Manolo (Carrer de Lancaster 3), and even a favoured hotel, the Hostal La Terrassa (Carrer Junta de Comerç 11, +34 93 302 5174, laterrassa-barcelona.com).
• Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA), Plaça Angels 1, macba.es

Urban safaris

The Jane Goodall Institute is behind this series of eco-safaris and workshops, aimed principally at children but just as enjoyable for adults. There is no charge (unless public transport is involved) and the aim is to make the public more aware of the flora and fauna in their midst. You could, for example, take the Urban Birds or Marine Birds tours; familiarise yourself with the amphibians living in the ponds up on Montjuïc, or inspect the biodiversity of the Parc del Castell de l'Oreneta through a magnifying glass.
• Tours last an average of two hours – email info@biodiverciudad.org to book, biodiverciudad.org

Beaches

Before the 92 Olympics, Barcelona famously "turned its back on the sea", with no real beach to speak of. That's unimaginable now, with more than four miles of sand stretching from the reflective, sail-shaped W Hotel at the southern tip, all the way to the Parc del Fòrum to the north of the city. Along the way you'll world-class sculpture on a grand scale, from Frank Gehry's Fish to Rebecca Horn's Wounded Star, along with volleyball, beach-side dominoes, water sports, the Biblioplatja ("beach library", where you can borrow books in English and beach toys for kids), climbing frames, exercise circuits and every manner of itinerant hawker.

Climbing at Montjuïc

Montjuïc is the setting for the largest "rocòdrom" in Europe. On the part of the hill known as La Foixarda, Climbat is a newly opened climbing centre, with 800m² of scalable surfaces, a cafe and specialist bookshop. Both beginners and aficionados can take courses and hire equipment. Near the centre there are two 50-metre climbing walls and a disused tunnel studded with colour-coded holds, free for the public to use.
• Camí de la Foixarda 14-18, Montjuïc, +34 93 292 5480, climbat.com, day pass €10, opening hours during spring/summer – Mon-Fri 11am-11pm, Sat 11am-7pm

Outdoor cinema at Montjuïc castle, 4 Jul-5 Aug

Every summer in July and August the moat at Montjuïc castle is transformed into a huge outdoor cinema and concert venue as hundreds head up here to escape the heat. The repertory of films runs from classic to the best of recent months and in 2011 this means that Some Like it Hot follows A Prophet, and Nosferatu follows The Ghost Writer. Before the movie starts there is live music, which this year includes bossa nova, flamenco, R&B and fado. Bring a blanket (or there are deckchairs to hire) and a picnic.
• Montjuïc Castle Gardens, +34 93 302 3553, salamontjuic.org, entrance €5, deck-chair rental €3. Screenings Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 10pm

Windsurfing at Base Nàutica

Catalunya is not Hawaii, and serious surfers need to head to the Atlantic coast north-west of the country for any serious waves, but the gentle waters of the Med are ideal for everyone else. The Base Nàutica, between Bogatell and Mar Bella beaches, runs ten-hour courses for €178, spread over two weekends or four weekdays, or you can hire equipment from €23 an hour if you'd rather go it alone. The centre also runs sailing classes and hires out kayaks.
• Base Nàutica de la Mar Bella, Avenida Litoral, + 34 93 221 04 32, basenautica.org. Jul/Aug 10am-8pm, Sep/Oct 10am-7pm

Sardanes

The national dance of Catalunya, the sardana is a gentle affair that involves bobbing up and down in a circle while holding hands (boy-girl-boy-girl if numbers permit) to the reedy sounds of a cobla band. It's favoured by the grey and the apparently infirm, but don't be fooled – the infinitesi–mally delicate footwork is actually fiendishly difficult and can take years to master. To join in, head to the Santa Eulalia cathedral or the Plaça de St Jaume and choose a circle at a lower level. This isn't always obvious, but footwear is a good clue – serious dancers will be wearing beribboned espadrilles.
• Santa Eulalia, Capellans 4, +34 93 319 7637, fed.sardanista.cat. Saturdays 6pm, Sundays 11.15am; Plaça de St Jaume, Sundays 6pm

Música als parcs

A series of outdoor concerts that takes place every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night over the summer in some of the city's loveliest green spaces, from Jean Nouvel's ferociously futuristic Parc Central del Poblenou to the bosky Turó Park. There are two programmes running side by side – jazz and classical – with around 30 groups in each, selected by a jury from the most promising young musicians around. The most central location is the Parc de la Ciutadella, which has classical performances on its bandstand every Friday in July, and then jazz every Wednesday in August.
• parcsijardins.cat. Concerts on Wednesdays-Fridays 10pm, until end August

Table tennis

The Spanish are keen aficionados of el ping-pong, and you're as likely to find a public table in a park as you are a slide. There are more than 40 to be found in various gardens and squares around town, including many in small green spaces such as the underappreciated Parc de l'Estació del Nord, next to the bus station. If you don't happen to have your own, cheap paddles and balls are readily available in the ubiquitous Chinese-run shops still known as todo a cien ("everything at 100 pesetas").
• Carrer de Nàpols 42

• Sally Davies is a Barcelona-based writer and travel expert