December is right around the corner and soon it will be time to celebrate Christmas, the end of the year and the Three Kings Day. These are the great holiday events that permeate or even inspire other events.

Days of family union, peace, meditation, the Christmas spirit may be a universal thing, but traditions are not the same in every country and city. In Barcelona you will surely be surprised by a whole series of different and unique customs. The festivities kick off with the turning on of the Christmas lights. Arteries of the city and iconic places light up and create a magical atmosphere, inviting you to stroll and get lost in the city’s glowing streets.

Here are some of the best things to do in Barcelona at Christmas and during Spain’s Three Kings celebrations.

 

 

Christmas Lights in Barcelona Streets

Christmas lights are responsible for giving color and joy to the streets of our cities, and in Barcelona you can enjoy them in many places. Every day from 6 p.m. to midnight, you can find the main streets of Barcelona full of Christmas lights. Some of the illuminated streets are Passeig de Gràcia, Gran Vía de las Cortes Catalanas, La Rambla or Portal del Ángel, so don’t forget to walk there after dark.

These streets are the perfect setting for walking and it is also possible to enjoy several Christmas trees scattered throughout the city. A total of 100 kilometers of illuminated streets will be lit up. Not only that, the famous Torre Agbar offers a daily lighting show at the same time as the lighting is on. The Paseo de Gracia is where some of the most beautiful lights of the city are concentrated and the Corte Inglés of Plaza Catalunya also offers a very beautiful animation of lights on its facade.

>Passeig de Gràcia

 

Visit the factory of the Reyes Magos de Oriente

During Spain’s Three Kings festivities, The Three Kings Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar strive to be able to respond to the thousands of letters from children that reach them! And so that the little ones know how to appreciate the work that all this involves and can also deliver these letters directly, in Barcelona families can visit the Fábrica de los Reyes de Oriente. There is a magical post office which has a direct line to the factory where the toys are made.

At the end of the tour, you can see what the warehouse looks like where the dreams of hundreds of thousands of children from around the world are kept. This activity, which already has several years of history and in which long queues tend to form, will be open between December 27 and January 4,

>Fabra i Coats

 

Route through Barcelona’s Christmas Nativity sets

Many nativity scenes are exhibited throughout Barcelona by L’Associació de Pessebristes de Barcelona. The most famous is that of Plaça de Sant Jaume, where the entrance is free and can be visited on the ground floor of the town hall. There are many others worth seeing, like that of the parish of Nuestra Señora de Belén, that of Casa dels Estremesos, or the nativity scene from Poble Espanyol.

One of the most beautiful and typical nativity scenes is the one that is made in the courtyard of the Frederic Marés museum where they decorate it as if it were a forest of Pedraforca. Last year it was even more special because it was created during the difficult and closed months of confinement. The montage reminded us of a Mediterranean village, and connected the two very different extremes Tossa de Mar and Palestine because with a social message. Entrance is free but requires an appointment, which can be booked on the link below.

>L’Associació de Pessebristes de Barcelona

 

Ice Skating in Barcelona

It is one of the most typical activities of this time of year. Until 2015, one of the meeting points was the track in Plaza de Cataluña, but recently Barcelona City Hall did not install it. Alternative? Don’t panic: you can go to Hospitalet, to the La Farga exhibition center, where the frozen surface that prevailed; or you can go to FC Barcelona’s ​​facilities. Rinks are open to the general public from Monday to Sunday, including public holidays.

We recommend that you consult the schedule and price on the website of each rink.

>FC Barcelona Skating Rink

 

Christmas at the Palace Hotel

The hotel industry reinvents itself as a place of leisure for the local public at Christmas. An example is the Palace Hotel, which promotes its special Christmas in its Rooftop Garden with an extensive program of events and gastronomy. The Palace helps you travel to another world without leaving the city.

With free access, the hotel has also built an outdoor cinema room with the possibility of watching a movie by booking in one of the wooden cabins equipped with a blanket where you can also enjoy popcorn, hot drinks like chocolate, wine and Christmas treats.

>Hotel Palace Barcelona

 

Christmas at Poble Espanyol

In the Poble Espanyol of Barcelona they set up a space and turn it into a large Christmas theme park. It’s a tribute to Santa Claus and the Three Kings of the East in the Plaza Mayor, with a large tree as a centrepiece.

There are daily concerts and outdoor shows, dance and acrobatic performances, as well as Christmas workshops. The price is normally 10 euros on weekends and 7 euros on weekdays.

>Poble Espanyol

 

Are you planning to spend Christmas in Barcelona? During the Christmas season, the illuminated streets of the city will give you all the holiday energy you need to have the best time! Take note of all the things you can’t miss and add a tour like our Montjuic Segway Tour as the cherry on top.