Casa Batlló mapping, Candelera fair and free museums: what's on this weekend in Barcelona and Catalonia

From concerts to cultural festivals, events and nightlife, there are countless things to do in Barcelona and around Catalonia this weekend.

Here's a selection of some of the best plans and what's on this weekend.

Casa Batlló mapping | Audiovisual show | February 1-2 | Barcelona

The façade of the iconic Casa Batlló will once again come alive with its annual mapping show, a highly anticipated event that has become a global highlight in the world of audiovisual art. This year, the projection will be created by Italian visual artist Quayola, known for his innovative and immersive digital creations. Quayola will present a spectacular projection titled 'Arborescent,' where nature, as in the work of architect Antoni Gaudí, is the source of inspiration. The event is scheduled for February 1 and 2, 2025, and will take place every 30 minutes on February 1 and 2 from 7.45 pm to 10.45 pm.

Fira de la Candelera | Traditional fair | January 31 - February 2 | Molins de Rei

Molins de Rei, on the outskirts of Barcelona, hosts the annual Fira de la Candelera, one of Catalonia’s most iconic fairs, celebrated uninterrupted for 173 years. With over 300,000 visitors expected over the three days, the fair features a wide range of activities, primarily focused on food but also celebrating rural life. Children will have the opportunity to interact with and visit various animals, including rabbits, ponies, donkeys, sheep, goats, and calves.

Free museums | February 2 | Barcelona

As every first Sunday of the month, many museums in Barcelona offer free entry. Notable ones include the Mies Van der Rohe Pavilion, Picasso Museum, CCCB, Design Museum, National Art Museum, and MACBA, among others. Check the full list here. 

Playmobil fair | Collectibles show | February 1-2 | Cotxeres de Sants, Barcelona

The 9th edition of the Playmobil Fair will take place this weekend at Cotxeres de Sants in Barcelona. It’s a must-visit event for collectors and families alike, especially those who love these iconic toys. Fans will have the chance to explore an impressive collection of figures and sets, as well as enjoy contests, raffles, and other exciting activities.

Pantalla Barcelona | Cinema screenings | Through March | Local cultural centres across Barcelona

Pantalla Barcelona is a cycle of cinema screenings taking place from October 2024 through to March 2025. The festival screens films for free in local cultural centres all over the Catalan capital. Among the titles showing are As Bestas, Robot Dreams, Nomadland, and plenty more. Check the full calendar of screenings here.

Festival Oui! | Theatre in French | January 23-February 5 | Various theatres

Francophones, there's a theatre festival for you in Barcelona! All seven French plays are being seen for the first time in Spain and can be enjoyed with subtitles. 

Ramón Masats. The silent photographer | Photography exhibition | January 16 – May 25 | Foto Colectania, Barcelona 

Ramón Masats stands as one of the most influential photographers of Spain’s 1960s generation. His reputation was built upon a unique combination of instinctive compositional talent, a sharp and ironic lens on post-war cultural clichés, and an unwavering commitment to photographing with absolute freedom. The exhibition focuses on the early creative period of Masats’ career, spanning from his beginnings in 1953 to 1965. The exhibition begins with his early experimental works, where he alternated between abstract photography and documentary reportage. 

Romeo and Juliet | Theatre in English | January 25, February 1 | La Tinta Roja theatre, Barcelona

A tale of love and fate and hate and death. One of William Shakespeare's best known classics is offered in English in the La Tinta Roja theatre in Poble Sec, Barcelona. Tickets are €10 when purchased in advance online, or €12 on the door on the night.

Tradicionàrius International Folk Festival | Music festival | January 10 – April 11 | Centre Artesà Tradicionàrius, Barcelona

The  38th edition of the Tradicionàrius International Folk Festival promotes folk music in all its forms and fosters artistic and musical alliances among traditional folk artists. 

During the first months of 2025, there will be plenty of activities, featuring traditional folk music from all over the world.

Amazonia | Photo exhibition | December 4 – April 20 | Barcelona

Showcased in Barcelona in Drassanes Reials from December 4 to April 20, the exhibition 'Amazonia' derives from 9 years of work of the Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado. From large works of Amazon biodiversity to portraits of indigenous peoples, this exhibition has more than 200 photographs and seven films that will take visitors to the heart of Amazonia.

Cruïlla Hivern 2025 | Music festival | January 11 – March 15 | Across Barcelona

Maria Becerra, Flashy Ice Cream, Sidonie, Hard Gz, Shunk Anansie, Trueno, and Sexy Zebras are among the many artists playing at the Cruïlla Hivern 2025 music festival. Shows will take place across several sites in Barcelona, including the Heliogàbal bar, the La Paloma party hall, Razzmatazz, and even the Sala Apolo and Sant Jordi Club concert hall. Tickets are on sale online, and some artists have already sold out.

Paul VI's contemporary art | December 13 – March 2 | Art exhibition | Museu Diocesà, Barcelona

Dealing with transcendence and spirituality, Pope Paul VI's art collection arrives in Spain at the Barcelona Diocesan Museum. The exhibition consists of 20 art pieces from diverse artists such as Salvador Dalí, Henri Matisse or David Hockney. The collection originally exhibited in the Italian municipality of Concesio was put together after the death of Pope Paul VI in the late 1970s. For the first time, it is presented outside of its original museum.  

Picasso Museum's new exhibition | November 22 – March 30 | Barcelona

The Picasso Museum in Barcelona is hosting groundbreaking exhibition dedicated to Catalan artists who lived and worked in Paris during its artistic heyday in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The exhibition showcases 200 works by more than 80 artists, from the iconic Pablo Picasso to lesser-known talents.

Amazons. The Ancestral Future | November 2024 – May 2025 | Barcelona 

The new CCCB exhibition explores the challenges that the Amazon rainforest and its biodiversity are facing as the planet's temperature continues to rise. The exhibition seeks to break from the Western colonial understanding of the world and defends the profound knowledge that the indigenous people of the Amazon have of the nature that surrounds us all. 

Beyond Images. Miró-Matisse | October 25 – February 9 | Art exhibition | Fundació Miró

A new exhibition in Barcelona's Miró Museum explores the relationship between Joan Miró and legendary French Fauvist artist, Henri Matisse.

On display are dozens of works from Matisse placed alongside Miró paintings, showing comparisons and contrasts in their art. 

Alice in Wonderland exhibition | October 18 – February 16 | Exhibition | CaixaForum Barcelona

Venture down the Rabbit Hole, enjoy tea with the Mad Hatter, and explore century-old originals of Alice in Wonderland in a new exhibition depicting the iconic history of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. The exhibition, curated by London's Victoria & Albert Museum, focuses on the origins, adaptations, and artistic reinventions of the story, and features 312 objects and artworks, ranging from originals to 21st-century-inspired elements.

DHUB Vinçon exhibition | October 17 – February 23 | Exhibition | Design Hub, Barcelona

Barcelona's design museum DHUB will host a new exhibition bringing together furniture from IKEA and Barcelona's iconic store Vinçon. Vinçon was a well-known household goods store in the heart of the city, which closed its doors in 2015 after almost 75 years.  

Comic. Dreams and history | October 8 – February 23 | Exhibition | Tarragona

The exhibition in Tarragona's CaixaForum shows the original version of historical comics such as Tintin, Mafalda and Marvel with more than 140 creations by authors like Quino, Richard Felton, Outcault, and Hergé displayed in an "unprecedented" exposition.

Barcelona Jazz Festival | October 10 – March 23 | Music festival

The 56th edition of the festival brings in new talents on the jazz scene, as well as consolidated artists in a variation of concerts, lectures, meet ups and many other activities. 

Concerts with artists such as Judit Neddermann, the Liceu Big Band, Fred Hersch, and other artists will be in Barcelona up until March 2025. 

Pixar World | September 26 – March 12 | Virtual exhibition | Westfield La Maquinista, Barcelona 

Visit Pixar's largest immersive exhibit where you can step into the sets of some of your favorite movies such as Toy Story, Coco, Up, Finding Nemo or Inside Out. Mundo Pixar comes to Barcelona after its success in Madrid, with more than 600,000 visitors in only 5 months. General admission is €16.90, with VIP and discount options available. 

Interior Berlanga | July 17 – April 20 | Exhibition | CaixaForum, Barcelona

'Interior Berlanga' exhibition proposes to discover the work of this filmmaker and his international scene. Berlanga created his own universe that combines unexpected elements with satire, and caricatures. Tickets cost €6, but CaixaBank clients can access the exhibit for free.