Barcelona opens its doors to an amazing, magical Christmas

December 2023-January 2024

Barcelona opens its doors so you can experience an extraordinary Christmas that will take your breath away. The city is transformed into one big festive stage where you can enjoy all kinds of events and attractions for all ages and tastes. Music in the street, local food and sweet treats, traditions, lights and a magical New Year's Eve party. Do you want to know more?

AMAZE YOURSELF WITH GLITTERING BARCELONA'S CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

On the day of the Christmas lights switch-on, Barcelona is transformed into a fairytale landscape. This magical metamorphosis begins on 23rd November, an eagerly awaited dated for everyone in Barcelona. Over 4km of lights shine down on the city's streets and squares, filling them with a peerless charm. This year, the majestic Passeig de Gràcia, which is commemorating its bicentenary, takes centre stage for the Christmas lights switch-on.
Look up and let yourself be hypnotised by the unique, sustainable designs that bathe evenings in Barcelona in a special light. If you want to experience the magic up close, the Barcelona Christmas Tour invites you to hop on board one of its double-deckers to see the festive lights. Wrap yourself in the Christmas spirit and let it transport you to this glittering land of dreams.

EXPLORE LOCAL TRADITIONS AT THE CHRISTMAS FAIRS AND MARKETS

Barcelona's Christmas fairs and markets are a much-loved tradition and, when you visit, you'll immerse yourself in the festive experience!
Buying your Christmas tree is just the beginning of this adventure. The true delight of the season consists of exploring the countless smiley logs, or tions, the finely crafted figures for the nativity scene and the funny little pooping figures, the caganers. The question is, where to start? You can't afford to miss the Fira de Santa Llúcia, in front of Barcelona Cathedral. This is the city's oldest Christmas fair and invites you to step inside a charming world of traditions.
The Fira de la Sagrada Família will treat you to a Christmassy experience that will capture your heart. In the Port vell's Christmas Fair, you can enjoy a Christmas market by the sea, with a tree lit up with LED lights and a big wheel that will take you high in the sky.
At the Epiphany fair, the Fira de Reis, on Gran Via, you can wander among stalls selling wonderful costume jewellery, decorations, ceramics, magical toys, delicious sweet treats and irresistible churro fritters… And did you know, on Twelfth Night, it stays open until the early hours of the morning to give you more time to enjoy the magic of Christmas?

BECOME PART OF A MAGICAL CHRISTMAS PACKED WITH THINGS TO DO

The Christmas calendar of events in Barcelona is like a closed door waiting to be opened. Every day brings a new opportunity to experience magic moments and fill your life with unforgettable memories.
From the classical notes that ring out on the majestic stages of the opera house, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, and the concert halls, the Palau de la Música Catalana and L'Auditori, to the sweet, traditional carols that fill the Sagrada Família with the Christmas spirit. Fascinating workshops, dazzling exhibitions and visits to the city's museums and unique buildings. Fill your diary with the magic and art of Christmas in Barcelona, and get ready for an unforgettable experience.

VISIT THE CITY OF NATIVITY SCENES AND CHRISTMASSY CREATIVITY

The nativity scene is much more than a tradition in people's homes in Barcelona: it is a work of art that comes to life every Christmas with the figures that capture the beauty of Jesus' birth, the adoration of the Magi and the shepherds.
Every year, the city's Christmas markets are replete with nativity figurines that allow us to update and add to our personal nativity scene. And when the time comes to set it up in our living rooms, it becomes one of the families' most eagerly awaited activities, a time to reconnect and see the Christmas magic grow.
But the popularity of the nativity scene in Barcelona does not stop in our homes. The city is filled with examples of these works of art and devotion in places like the cathedral, Plaça de Sant Jaume, City Hall and the Museu Frederic Marès. Some of them even come to life, like the living nativity at the Poble Espanyol, and other ones in the different towns and villages around Catalonia.
So make sure you don't miss it! Discover the magic and art of the nativity scene and be inspired by the history of this much-loved and enduring tradition that we celebrate every year.

ENJOY A MARATHON OF CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS

In Barcelona, Christmas isn't just a date; it's a season steeped in legends and filled with love, traditions, celebrations and food. In addition to the big day on 25th December, the kids get ready for a magical tradition on Christmas Eve. The tió is a jolly, mythical character made from a log that the kids feed throughout December and cover with a blanket to keep it warm. To thank the little ones for looking after it, the tió rewards them with sweets and toys.
And on 26th December, after a fantastic Christmas Day, it's time for Saint Stephen's Day: a celebration that includes the famous (and delicious) cannelloni made from the Christmas dinner leftovers.

BOOK A TABLE AND LET YOURSELF BE CAPTIVATED BY OUR LOCAL CHRISTMAS DISHES

Barcelona's Christmas dishes celebrate a tradition that fills the city's hearts and tables. Classic fare, like the hearty broth, escudella, and cannelloni, take centre stage on every table over the festive period. And when it's time for dessert, a true feast awaits with delicious turrón nougats, tubular wafers called neules, and the traditional ring cake eaten at Epiphany, the tortell de Reis, washed down with the finest cava.
Make sure you don't miss this special menu. It's a unique opportunity to enjoy the essence of our local Christmas food: whether it's at home and prepared by you, with all the traditions and memories it brings, or at a special banquet at one of the restaurants and hotels that serve up exquisite menus for Christmas, Saint Stephen's Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

FIND THE PERFECT GIFT FOR EVERY TASTE

At Christmas, the city's shops are decked out with elegance and sophistication, showing off their windows that are beautifully adorned with all kinds of decorations. Every neighbourhood has its own retail district, decorated for the occasion to create a magical, cosy atmosphere. The shopping centres and department stores recreate the spirit of Christmas with great originality, and they organise activities too. And if you're looking for that special gift, the city has the most authentic and amazing shops that will make your Christmas shopping an unforgettable experience.

JOIN IN A CHRISTMAS FULL OF FUN AND SPORT

For sports lovers, Christmas in Barcelona isn't just a break; it's an opportunity to inject their passion for sport with an extra dose of fun. On 25th December, the swimming club, the Club Natació de Barcelona, celebrates the Christmas cup, the Copa de Nadal, in the old harbour, the Port Vell. It is the oldest open-water race in Spain and takes place on a thrilling 200-metre route that will put your endurance to the test.
On 31st December, it's time for the Cursa dels Nassos, the race named in honour of the mythical character, the Home dels Nassos (Man with the Noses) who has as many noses as there are days of the year. The following day, you can continue measuring your fitness levels when the Club Natació Barceloneta organises a community swim in the Mediterranean. A cooling, revitalising dip that symbolises the spirit of the start of the year. And 5th January sees the beginning of the International Epiphany Hockey Tournament, a thrilling competition that attracts the world's top players. As you can see, Christmas in Barcelona is a time for sport and fun as well as an opportunity to stay active and connect with other sports lovers in a festive, friendly atmosphere. So are you ready for an active, fun Christmas?

HAVE FUN ON A CAPTIVATING NEW YEAR'S EVE

Tick-tock, tick-tock, here we are again getting ready to welcome in the New Year. And there could be no better place than Barcelona's Avinguda Maria Cristina: a place steeped in history and tradition where Barcelonians throng together in their hundreds to eat the traditional twelve grapes, one on each stroke of midnight, and raise a toast to their wishes and promises for the New Year with a glass of cava. And when the hands of the clock point to the eagerly awaited hour, the sky lights up with a spectacular firework display. Barcelona's hotels and restaurants also open until the early hours to celebrate the New Year. And the next day, you can replenish your energy levels with a comforting breakfast of churro fritters and a cup of thick hot chocolate at one of the city's churro shops and the stalls at the Epiphany fair, the Fira de Reis. A small, sweet pleasure to start the year with renewed energy.

A PARADE OF DELIGHTS: FOLLOW THEIR MAJESTIES, THE THREE KINGS

We're getting to the high point of the magical Christmas season in Barcelona, the most eagerly awaited event: the visit of the Three Kings. These three friendly characters, Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar, travel from the Orient by camel and arrive in Barcelona harbour by boat on the evening of 5th January to bring toys and smiles to every home. The Three Kings parade through the streets on spectacular floats, accompanied by royal pages and fairytale characters, transforming every corner of the city into a dreamlike spectacle.
And since the Three Kings' visit is quite an event, on the days leading up to their arrival, the little ones can visit their workshop to see the exact spot where the magic takes shape and the toys come to life.

Barcelona opens its doors to a Christmas wonderland and invites you to enjoy a unique experience you will never forget. Let yourself be transported by its wonderful, magical atmosphere. Are you ready?