It’s almost the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas bells are already ringing from afar. Are you ready to enjoy Barcelona’s Holiday traditions? Here’s a list of our favorite things to do in the city during the Christmas holidays. Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
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Walk around and enjoy the Christmas decorations
Starting on November 24th, Barcelona will once again deck the streets with millions of lights, igniting the holiday atmosphere in the city. This year, Paseo de Gracia has undergone a total makeover and you will be able to take advantage of the illumination that was first installed in Plaza Catalunya, Gran Via or Aragó Street last year. The busiest shopping streets will also have a number of Christmas trees planted.
You can enjoy the well-known nativity scene at Plaça de Sant Jaume, and the mayor has promised that this year’s version would be more interactive and audiovisual. The Frederic Mares Museum, the Parish of Our Lady of Betlem, the Palau Mercader, the Museu-Monestir de Pedralbes and the Associació de Pessebristes de Palau-Solità i Plegamans will also have nativity scenes installed, as is tradition.
Christmas in Poble Espanyol
Poble Espanyol will transform into a massive advent calendar from December 3 to December 11; December 17 and 18; December 22 to December 29; and from January 3 to January 8th. The Christmas spirit will enliven the streets of Poble, and you’ll discover a lovely route lined with numerous decorations inspired by holiday wishes and following a similar theme based on letter combinations that create emotive phrases.
Prior to December 24 or beginning on December 26, the children of Barcelona will have the option of delivering their letters to Santa Claus’s residence or one of the Kings. In addition, Christmas in Poble Espanyol will be celebrated at night this year for the first time. Along with Christmas, the magic of music will be added to its daytime programmes. The iconic venue, Vespres de Nadal, will be packed with live Gospel, Blues and Opera performances by well-known groups. These performances will include Christmas-themed variations. Every day will feature new concerts, including Blues Thursdays, Opera Fridays and Gospel Saturdays, all in a distinctive setting with plenty of holiday decorations and magic.
Visit a Christmas Market
There is no Christmas in Barcelona without visiting one of its wonderful markets and enjoying the festive and magical atmosphere that surrounds them. You can buy new tree decorations, some figurines for the Nativity scene, a Flor de Pascua and more. At these markets you can see Christmas fires, lights, shows, concerts, attractions and activities for the whole family.
A very popular place is the Sagrada Familia Christmas Market. This market was born when there was no longer any space in the Santa Llúcia market. It has around fifty stalls including figures from the manger, Christmas trees and plants, decorations, gift items and spaces with food products such as sweet potatoes, chestnuts, nougat and churros. In addition, they also organize workshops so that the neighborhood is filled with the Christmas spirit. Be there from November 27 to December 23.
The Fira de Santa Llúcia is the city’s Christmas market par excellence, not only because it is the oldest in the city, this year being its 236th anniversary, but because it is the most iconic. Located on Avenida de la Catedral, it has 175 stalls full of nativity scenes, trees, crafts and zambombas. Every day, from November 25 to December 23.
New Year’s Eve Fireworks and Bell Chimes
People will either stay at the party they are at or go to a location where New Year’s Eve parties are hosted. On the street is where most people congregate, either because it is customary to do so or because the city hosts an event there. In the case of Barcelona, Montjuïc has served as that space for a while. Around the Font Màgica, a fantastic spectacle is presented that finishes with the discharge of fireworks supported by music and the dancing waters of the fountain. Even though we’re not sure of the origin, the tradition of eating 12 grapes at midnight is widely practiced in Barcelona, and most people will sip their grapes to the beat of the chimes whether they are at home, in a restaurant or on the street.
If you want to celebrate the New Year’s Eve dinner in a more posh style, one of our favorites and iconic hotels, The W Hotel, prepares an unforgettable experience. An evening in the purest W style, with an intoxicating culinary experience, shows and surprising unexpected twists, to bid farewell to 2023 as it deserves. Let’s toast the new year!
Parade of the Three Kings
All the children of the city on January 5 at 6 in the afternoon will take to the streets of the city to welcome their majesties from the East, receive their good candy on the head and enjoy the show that leads up to a magical night.
The parade begins at 6:00 p.m. on Av. Marquès de l’Argentera and ends at 9:00 p.m. on Av.. Queen Maria Christina. Not only that, there are 24 spots throughout the city where you can write a letter to the kings, who are eagerly awaiting the letters from millions of boys and girls who have been very good throughout the year.
We invite you to get lost in Barcelona’s carefully adorned streets and take in the festive lighting, store windows, and other wonderful Christmas decorations and festivities during the holidays. Pair this along our Barcelona Segway Tour for an amazing time in the city during the festive season.
