Carnaval Time

This year Carnaval arrives in Barcelona on February 8th and will end on the 14th.

Carnaval in Catalunya is an exuberant and colorful affair. Banned during Franco’s time, this week of hedonistic fun marking the beginning of Lent was revived with a vengeance after his death. Every year, festivities kick off on dijous gras (Fat Thursday) with l’arribo, the arrival of Rei Carnestoltes, the carnaval King. A loud and cheerful advocate of all things fun and sinful, Carnestoltes leads the parades until l’enterro, his demise and burial. The funeral procession which takes place on dimecres de cendra (Ash Wednesday) is also known as “The Burial of the Sardine,” and these little fish feature heavily during the final celebrations, where residents don their best mourning clothes to honor the sombre occasion.

Carnaval is celebrated throughout Catalunya and these are our picks of the bunch:

Barcelona

The city doesn’t go overboard for carnaval, but there’s plenty going on if you know where to look. Carnestoltes arrives on dijous gras (February 8) with the arribo of Queen Belluga and her entourage in a procession along Las Rambles to Palau de la Virreina. She'll be accompanied by whirling costumed figures and the city's gegants as music fills the air. The evening's highlight is the taronjada—first documented in 1333, this unusual tradition once featured the throwing of oranges! Today's taronjada has replaced the oranges with orange confetti for a fun and considerably less "juicy" mock fight that is finished off with a spectacular fireworks display.

There are also various parades going on throughout the city on Saturday afternoon—the ones on Gran Rua on Parallell are the most spectacular—as well as fancy dress competitions in the municipal markets, masked balls, xocolatadas (featuring hot chocolate) and many other events in each district.

Don’t Miss:

The concurs de truites, or the “tortilla contest” takes place in most neighborhoods on Thursday, February 8th. Contestants are asked to enter their most inventive, imaginatively decorated tortillas, with prizes awarded to the winners.

Celebrations come to a close with the l’enterrament de la sardina (the burial of the sardine) on February 14th, with various neighborhoods hosting ceremonies. While each has its unique elements, celebrations usually feature a funeral entourage where participants are encouraged to dress in mourning. The procession culminates in a symbolic burial (of sardines) or a funeral pyre for the Carnaval King, often ending with a feast featuring—you guessed it—sardines.

For more information on the Carnaval events going on in the city: barcelona.cat.

Sitges, Barcelona Provinice

Over 300,000 people flock to Sitges to enjoy a week-long extravaganza of raucous fun. Dating back over 100 years, the town’s carnaval success is fruit of the rivalry between two local establishments, the Casino Prado and El Retiro, each one trying to outdo the other in flamboyant floats and costumes. The whole of Sitges is one big party this week with every bar and club packed with revelers in fancy dress and beating to the carnaval rhythm.

Don’t Miss:

The main parades (and party nights) are the rua de la disbauxa (debauchery parade) on Sunday, February 11th and the rua de l’extermini (extermination parade) on the following Tuesday. Be prepared for standing room only on the train from Barcelona.

For more information: visitsitges.com

Getting there: Trains leave approximately every 15 minutes from Sants and Passeig de Gràcia. On peak days Renfe will increase services between Sitges and Barcelona. The journey takes about 50 minutes. renfe.es

Vilanova i la Geltrú, Barcelona Province

February 8-14, 2024

Just beyond Sitges, Vilanova i la Geltrú celebrates a rival carnaval with a plethora of local traditions. In 1985 this carnaval was declared a festa of national interest. On the Saturday before carnaval weekend, the Ball de Mantons (the Shawl Dance) opens the festivities—bars and restaurants put on live music and everyone is invited to don a shawl and dance the night away. As in Sitges, the xató (a type of salad, made with endive, cod, olives and anchovies) is the traditional food on dijous gras followed by wild celebrations in the streets and a midnight meringue fight (yes you read that right!). Friday sees the arrival of the Carnaval King accompanied by his entourage as he parades through the streets, followed by the Ball de l’Arribo for those who want to celebrate until the wee hours of the morning. On Saturday the Ball de Malcasats sees costumed characters with paper mâché masks offering satirical performances in a type of primitive street theater.

The festivities on Sunday begin early, the whole town is bedecked in brilliant colors and music fills the air as musicians parade through the streets. After an awards ceremony the comparses begins where everyone joins in on the fun in a good humored sweets fight in the Plaça de la Vila. The party ends on Wednesday with the Carnaval King's funeral procession and the traditional burying of a sardine to signify the beginning of Lent.

Don’t Miss:

The merengada (meringue fight) on Fat Thursday (February 8). After a traditional meal of xató at home, locals take to the streets for a chaotic meringue fight. Wear old clothes and be prepared to get covered head to toe!

For more information: carnavaldevilanova.cat

Getting there: Trains leave approximately every 15 minutes from Sants and Passeig de Gràcia. The journey takes 40 minutes. renfe.es

Tarragona, Tarragona Province

February 2-13, 2024

Local crafts, traditional food and political satire are the flavor of the Tarragona carnaval. Events start with the building of a huge barrel and a sermon from Carnestoltes in which he invokes freedom and criticizes a cast of local people. Effigies of the Carnaval King and Queen are then placed in the barrel, which is set on fire. Carnaval ends with the procession of the dying King in which one Doctor Mistela tries to revive the moribund Carnestoltes with alcohol. The Saturday and Sunday parades are a visual and auditory extravaganza of music and percussion bands, devils and a fire-breathing dragon, masked groups, dancers and animal figures.

Don’t Miss:

The intricately decorated floats, folkloric characters and spectacular artisanal costumes in the Disfressa d’Or, on February 4, make this carnaval an eye-popping event. 

For more information: tarragona.cat

Getting there: Regional express trains leave twice per hour from Sants and take an hour and 10 minutes. renfe.es

Solsona, Lleida Province

February 3-14, 2024

In 1971, after being banned for over 30 years, the residents of Solsona decided it was time to defy Franco and revive their carnaval celebrations. The event was a big success and has continued ever since. It is one of the longest celebrations in Catalunya, with over a week of street events, traditional dances and concerts. Since 1978 carnaval has included “crazy giants,” a twist on the traditional gegants, as they dance together and pursue revelers with their articulated arms and legs. On Fat Tuesday, aiguardent, figs, coca and white wine are given out to revelers in the afternoon to mark the last day before Lent, followed by a correfoc in the evening.

Don’t Miss:

Locals are called mata-rucs (donkey killers), a derogatory moniker given to the townspeople because, according to legend, a donkey was hung from the bell tower so it would eat the grass that grew on it. In parody of the tale, a local group got the idea to hang a cardboard donkey from the church tower in 1985 and it has been a popular feature of the celebrations since. On Saturday, February 10th, amidst much fanfare and pomp, a mock ceremony takes place in which a stuffed donkey is hung on the top of the tower and pees on the crowds below by way of a water pump.

For more information: carnavalsolsona.com

Getting there: Driving is the best option, it's about an hour an a half by car from Barcelona's city center. Otherwise, Alsa runs two buses a day from Estaciò del Nord. The journey takes about two and a half hours and is €15 to €20 each way. alsa.es

Platja d'Aro, Girona Province

February 3-14, 2024

The best-known carnaval celebration on the Costa Brava, Platja d’Aro pulls out all the stops with glitzy processions that attract over half a million visitors. For over a week the town fills with costumes and music as well as lots of family-friendly activities for visitors to join in, such as the botifarrada popular (February 1), xocolatada general (February 4) and the arrossada general (February 8). The huge parade in Saturday has seemingly endless floats, with dancers and marching bands from all over Europe.

Don’t Miss:

Food is big part of Girona’s festivities, and local neighborhood feasts take place throughout the week. Make sure you try the traditional egg botifarra on February 8th, the final Thursday before lent known as dijous gras (“Fat Thursday” in English).

For more information: platjadaro.com

Getting there: Sarfa buses leave approximately every two hours from Estaciò del Nord. The journey takes just over an hour and a half. sarfa.com