What to do this Christmas in Barcelona and Catalonia

The Christmas season is back, bringing crisp winter air, twinkling lights, and a warm festive spirit to brighten the shorter days.

Across Catalonia, the calendar is packed with enchanting markets, lively fairs, and an array of family-friendly events to celebrate the season. 

Dive into the magic of Christmas with these handpicked activities perfect for sharing with your loved ones.

Christmas markets

Barcelona's main Christmas market has been held in front of the cathedral since 1786. At the Fira de Santa Llúcia, visitors will find decorations for the home as well as nativity scene figures. Open until December 23, the festive fair has over 200 small shops dedicated to Christmas.

Other Barcelona markets include the Sagrada Família market, open until December 23, and the Fira de Reis on Gran Vía, focussing on children's toys, opening on December 15 until January 6.

Girona's Christmas market takes place in Plaça de la Independència between November 29 and January 5, in Tarragona you can find decorations, toys, and treats for sale on Rambla Nova between November 29 and December 23, while in Lleida, you can enjoy the Christmas market from December 5 to January 5 in Plaça Catedral.

Sant Pau Hospital light display

A special lights display at the UNESCO-recognised modernist enclosure of the Sant Pau Hospital will get even the grumpiest of grinches into the holiday spirit. Enjoy the opportunity to take wonderful photographs in one of the most scenic places in Barcelona, specially designed for the holiday season, between November 21 and January 12.

Barcelona Christmas Festival 

Barcelona's central Plaça Catalunya square will be hosting a range of activities to celebrate the festive season between December 20-30. Mornings will see various family activities planned, while the afternoons and evenings will be reserved for musical and various other street art performances. The most extravagant show will take place each evening (except for the 24th) at 8pm, combining opera and circus. As part of the program, digital arts installations will also be set up in Plaça Universitat. 

Visit Sant Jaume square star

For the first time in many years, Barcelona's Plaça Sant Jaume, located in the Gothic Quarter and home to the city council and the Catalan government, will not have a nativity scene. Instead, this year there will be a 20-point star, each point measuring four meters in length, for a total of nine meters in diameter. The spectacular display will take place at night, accompanied by a stunning light show, with a five-minute immersive audiovisual performance every 30 minutes from 6.30 pm to 10 pm each night. The star is open to the public until January 5.

Enjoy Christmas lights 

Covering 111 km of public roads throughout the city, the decorations officially kicked off the holiday season in the Catalan capital in late November. This year the Christmas lights will stretch an additional six kilometers and will stay on longer, shining until 1 am from Sunday to Thursday and until 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays Some 24 illuminated seasonal figures, such as reindeer, will be placed around the city, and there will be a design inspired by the film 'El 47.'

Bus Christmas tour

Despite the cold temperatures, a tour on a double-decker bus will be the fastest way to enjoy Barcelona during Christmas. To enjoy all the lights and spectacle around the city, a 80-minute bus tour passes through the main streets and avenues and in front of the city's most emblematic buildings with a live guided tour in Catalan, Spanish, and English. The tour runs daily, with two buses departing at 6 pm and 8 pm, except for on Christmas day when there will be no service, and on November 25 and December 31 when there will only be a 6 pm bus.

Three Kings parade

Kids will be able to see the Three Kings around their towns and cities once again on the evening of January 5.  Barcelona will, once again, open the ‘Kings’ factory’ in Fabra i Coats, an old factory, between December 27 and January 4, for children to see how their gifts are being prepared before they arrive at their homes. 

Ice skating 

Girona boasts one of the biggest ice rinks in Catalonia, with nearly 800m2 of surface to skate on in the Fira de Girona congress hall open from December 21 to January 6. Another ice rink has been set up in Tibidabo in Barcelona and another one in the Port Vell Christmas market.