Festive Fun in the City, Barcelona at Christmas

1. Away In a Manger: Start Your Own Pessebre

Many Catalan homes have a pessebre (nativity) that is lovingly curated and added to each year, and the traditional scene is also depicted in various locations around town. From the end of November until the beginning of January, Plaça Sant Jaume offers its own modern twist on it, while the Associació de Pessebristes de Barcelona presents its diorama at the Museu Frederic Marès. If you fancy making one yourself, the Santa Llúcia Christmas Market is well-stocked with all the materials and decorations necessary, including the all-important caganer—a defecating figurine that adorns all Catalan nativity scenes.

2. Wonderful Christmas Time: Handmade Goodies

Prepare for the festive feasts by sharpening your kitchen skills. On December 21st Cooking Area offers an all-day Christmas tapas course where you'll learn to make—and taste!—fideuà negra, steak tartar and more. For the younger family members, the Centre Cívic Vil·la Urània will hold a family-friendly workshop to make and decorate gingerbread cookies on the 22nd. The city's markets are abuzz with holiday activities as well. Head over to the Mercat de Galvany on December 23rd and 30th for a demonstration of how to make neules (those delicate rolled cookies) followed by a tasting and the Mercat de Lesseps will have a cava and torron tasting on December 24th and 31st. If crafting is more your thing, the Centre Cívic Vil·la Urània has a workshop on handmade Christmas cards on December 22nd and the Centre Cívic El Coll-La Bruguera will hold a workshop on how to create Christmas decorations from recycled materials on December 23rd.

3. Deck The Halls: Decorate Your Tree

While the Christmas tree is still a relatively new tradition in Spain, each year it is becoming more popular. The Sagrada Família and Santa Llúcia Christmas markets are bursting with evergreen conifers, and most garden centers outside the city also stock them. If you don’t fancy a floor full of pine needles, visit Plantasymas in Sarrià for an artificial tree as good as the real thing. In the city center, Christmas lights bring some cheer to the main thoroughfares, as well as building facades on Passeig de Gràcia and Portal de l’Àngel. This year, the city's most magnificent boulevard, Passeig de Gràcia, celebrates its bicentenary, and to mark the occasion the centerpiece is a replica of the star on top of the spire of the Virgin Mary at the Sagrada Família.

4. Caga Tió: No Home is Complete Without One

Beating a decorated log until it defecates gifts may sound strange, but the gift-bearing Christmas log—el Tió de Nadal—is a common figure in Catalan folklore. In homes across Catalunya, the tió is given a little bit to "eat" every night in the days leading up to Christmas Eve. If well looked after, the log will deliver sweets, nuts and turrones (nougat) when beaten with a stick while singing a traditional song that begins with the imperative, "caga tió!" ("shit log!"). You can buy your tió at most Christmas markets, and for a larger-than-life experience children under 12 can hit the giant Tió at the Santa Llucía Christmas market until it "delivers" presents and excrement excitement.

5. Welcome the Three Kings

On January 5th at 18:00, the Three Kings arrive in Barcelona by boat. They dock at Port Vell and make their way across the city in a vivid parade of music, dancing, bright costumes and uniquely decorated floats. Enjoy the spectacle from the sidelines and prepare to catch the sweets that are thrown into the crowd. In preparation for the kings’ arrival, head to the Three Kings Toy Factory at the Fàbrica de Creació Fabra i Coats from December 27th to January 4th for a behind-the-scenes look at how the kings make all their toys. 

Originally published December 1, 2015, updated December 17, 2022.