Christmas is the most magical time of the year: the streets are decked out with lights and figures; shops display their best products in their windows; families go shopping in the malls in search of the perfect presents; and children enjoy their Christmas holidays, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus or the Three Wise Men at their homes.
It is a tradition that has spread to all countries, one of them being Spain. In the city of Barcelona, Christmas is experienced in a big way, with a wide variety of activities for all ages.
If you don’t want to miss any of the initiatives presented in this publication, the best option for getting to Barcelona from Barcelona airport, Barcelona port and Camp de Tarragona AVE train station is Shuttle2Sun‘s low-cost and sustainable private transfer services.
Lights in the streets
An essential part of Christmas is the incredible lights that decorate the main streets of the cities. In the case of Barcelona, they are up and running until the 6th of January, including Epiphany.
All the city’s main streets will be lit up, such as Via Laietana, Plaça Catalunya, Gran Via, Paral·lel, La Rambla, etc. As a new feature, Passeig de Sant Joan will also include lights with Christmas messages, with shapes inspired by manga shops, Kawaii comics and the Chinese community of Fort Pienc. In addition, the façades of the different municipal markets will be decorated with Christmas motifs.
During all the days of Christmas, they can be seen every night between 5.30 p.m. and midnight, depending on the day of the week.
The lights of Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau de Barcelona
Every year, Recinto Modernista de Sant Pau de Barcelona organises a Christmas light show known as ‘Els llums de Sant Pau‘. A show of colours, music and lights that will make you feel as if you were in a Christmas story.
Inside the enclosure, you can enjoy a video mapping (video animation on the main façade), which will tell you a story about time and faith at Christmas; as well as an indoor ice rink, where you will live a magnificent experience of lights and colours.
In total, this edition has 20 light installations, which will surprise you with their shapes and styles. During your stay, you can also take the opportunity to enjoy a hot drink in Cal Blay establishment.
If you plan to visit this space this Christmas, we advise you to book your ticket in advance. It is open until the 14th of January, from 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Please note that it will be closed on 24th and 31st of December and 5th of January.
A Winter’s Night at Casa Batlló
Casa Batlló celebrates the arrival of Christmas with a unique sensory experience, called ‘A Winter Night‘, until the 18th of February. It is a story told by the voice of a great-grandson of the Batlló family, who will guide you through the most important areas of the house to learn more about the life of the family.
In addition, the façade is illuminated every night during the Christmas season with magnificent light show and the music of Jordi Longán. This show takes place every day until the 7th of January, between 5.30 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Barcelona Children’s Festival
If you are travelling with the youngest members of the family, the Barcelona Children’s Festival, also known as ‘Ciutat dels Somnis‘ (City of Dreams), is a must-see, especially for children between the ages of 0 and 12. This event is held at the end of December and has been held since 1963.
This fair, which takes place at Fira Barcelona, in Montjuïc, from the 27th to the 31st of December, allows children to discover the different professions that exist, as well as a wide variety of sporting activities. In addition, there will be various plays and musical performances for family audiences and for young audiences. A new feature this year is the Mini Space, dedicated to babies up to 4 years old, with games and activities adapted to them, a garden and a toy library. Opening hours are Wednesday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.; and on Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Get to Barcelona with Shuttle2Sun‘s low-cost and sustainable private transfer services from Barcelona airport, Barcelona port and Camp de Tarragona AVE train station.
19th Biennial of the Catalan Nativity Scene
On the celebration of the 800th anniversary of the nativity scene, the 19th Catalan Nativity Scene Biennial is being held this year, where you can enjoy a magnificent exhibition of “dioramas” from Catalan nativity scene organisations and international associations.
It takes place from the 24th of November to the 14th of January 2024, at Reial Cercle Artístic and Capella de Santa Àgueda in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter.
Taste the best Christmas pastries
Finally, we suggest that this Christmas you take the opportunity to sample some of Barcelona’s most delicious pastry creations, such as panettones and roscón de Reyes.
On the one hand, panettones, which, although their origin is Italian, many bakers have delved into the world of this delicacy, making the best buns in the country. Some of them are Cloudstreet Bakery, Panes Creativos by Daniel Jordà, L’Atelier Barcelona, Pastelería Hofmann and Oriol Balaguer, among many others.
On the other hand, the roscón de Reyes, which is usually eaten during the Three Kings Day celebration on the 6th of January. It is a sweet bun, sometimes with cream or chocolate inside, and decorated with candied fruit. It is also part of a deep-rooted tradition in Spain: the roscón hides the figure of a king and a bean. Whoever finds the king will be very lucky, and whoever finds the bean will have to pay for the roscón.
Enjoy the best plans this Christmas in Barcelona. Remember that with Shuttle2Sun‘s private transfer services, low-cost and sustainable, you can get to your destination, without worries, from Barcelona airport, Barcelona port and Camp de Tarragona AVE train station.
