Christmas is already in Barcelona. Although the cold has not just arrived, the streets already smell of castanyeras that announce with their embers the arrival of the holidays and the streets boast of Christmas lights waiting to be lit.
This is one of the most beautiful times of the year in Barcelona. Hundreds of lights illuminate the streets and buildings at night transforming the city into a true Christmas paradise.
But Christmas lights are not the only protagonists of the holidays in the city. The nativity scene in Plaça Sant Jaume, the Christmas markets and villages, the big dinners or the Three Kings parade are just some of the many plans and activities that the city offers during these dates.
So that you do not miss any of these and other plans, we bring you a summary of everything you can do during Christmas 2024-2025 in Barcelona so you can celebrate as Santa Claus commands.
Enjoy the Christmas lights of the city
We said that December is the month of brilli brilli. And this includes visiting all kinds of lights and decorations in the streets. That’s why we’re going to talk, and quite a bit, about several light shows. For starters, the Passeig de Gràcia Christmas light show, which has become the official symbol of the beginning of Christmas.
So this year, as a novelty, the lights will illuminate the streets of the city until after midnight. From Sunday to Thursday they will be on until 1am and on weekends and holiday vigils until 2am! This year, although the sun, as always, leaves early, Barcelona will never be dark.
In addition, different totem poles with Christmas shapes will be installed in all districts of the city, because Barcelona wants to have its own Christmas brand that mixes the traditional with the contemporary.
Get on the Barcelona Christmas Tour, the Bus Turístic of Christmas lights.
It started a few years ago but it is already a Christmas fixture. The Barcelona Christmas Tour, the Bus Turístic that travels around the city showing the Christmas lights, returns this holiday season with a magical tour that allows you to see the illumination of the streets of Barcelona like never before. See all the information in our article.
Neither traditional nativity scene nor giant star: we tell you all the details of the immersivemapping that will dress the facades of Plaça Sant Jaume this Christmas 2025.
Christmas in Barcelona always brings with it a big question: what surprise does Plaça Sant Jaume have in store for us this year? And the fact is that the political and civic heart of the city works as a real thermometer of the festive spirit, or controversy. This 2025 the answer is an installation that premieres with the official lighting of lights of the city, has been designed to captivate friends and strangers, betting on the digital vanguard to leave behind the debates on the traditional manger or monumental ephemeral structures.
Nadal al Port 2025, the Christmas fair at the seashore
From November 29, 2024 to January 6, 2025, the Bosch i Alsina pier (Moll de la Fusta) will once again host the sixth edition of ‘Nadal al Port’. The Port of Barcelona joins, one more year, to the multiple Christmas offer of Barcelona and offers the already mythical Christmas market at the seashore that tries to promote the maritime heritage among the citizenship, consolidating the Moll de la Fusta as a meeting space that favors the relationship between the port and the city thanks to the market, the attractions and the ice rink.
This year, the fair has important new features, such as the expansion of the ice rink and the installation of new attractions such as the sled track or a flying attraction. Check all the new attractions and the dates of the fair in our article.
Moll de la fusta
Fira de Santa Llùcia, the oldest nativity market in the world.
Christmas in Barcelona doesn’t really kick off without the Fira de Santa Llúcia, which celebrates its impressive 239th edition this 2025. The Avenida de la Catedral dresses up with its 215 stalls, where you will find the purest local tradition: from caganers and tions to all the moss and crafts to assemble your nativity scene. The star plan to go with children is the visit to the Tió Gigante, a classic that awaits the little ones to sweeten the ride. An unmissable event to immerse yourself in the Christmas spirit of the city.
Avinguda de La Catedral
To slide which professional skater in all the ice rinks of Barcelona.
Source: Tibidabo
Climate change does not forgive but neither does Christmas, so the ice rinks have been reinvented to become sustainable and not depend on ice. Thus, every year there are more ice rinks in Barcelona that allow us to slide with the grace of a swan (or not) enjoying Christmas. We tell you where are all the ice rinks in Barcelona in this article.
The battle for the biggest fir tree in the city
Christmas in Barcelona is also a race to see who has the biggest…. the decorations, of course, and this year the competition is focused on the fir trees with the City Council going all out with the tree in Plaça Sant Jaume, a luminous giant that reaches 15 meters and that, as the visual center of the political heart, is framed within the large installation of lights in the square.
However,in the Golden Mile they have responded with the installation of Casa SEAT in Passeig de Gràcia, a fir tree with a more modern and urban design that competes in style if not in size, demonstrating that elegance can also be monumental in the Eixample.
The (essential) route through the Pesebres.
If there is something that arouses more passion than the lights, are the nativity scenes, and after years of innovative and controversial proposals that came to divide the citizenship, Barcelona recovers this year its tradition with several points of interest. Although the Nativity Scene in Plaça Sant Jaume is always the most anticipated (and the one that gets all the flashes) and is the starting point of the season, there are more.
Lovers of the classic have an unmissable route that passes through the historic Manger of the Museu Marítim or the wide variety of dioramas offered by civic centers and parishes throughout the city, handcrafted assemblies attached to the Catalan tradition where the caganer is the undisputed star.
Visit Llums de Sant Pau, the great modernist spectacle of Christmas lights.
The city of Barcelona will enjoy for the third consecutive year Els Llums de Sant Pau, an experience that has established itself as one of the most outstanding Christmas events in the city. Between November 21 and January 12, 2025, the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site will be transformed into a spectacle of light and color, with outstanding new features and a completely revamped Christmas experience.
With the success of recent years, this event has already become one of Barcelona’s most outstanding Christmas traditions. In fact, after attracting more than 400,000 visitors in its first two editions, Els Llums de Sant Pau returns this year with new features, where Christmas is the protagonist par excellence.
Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167
Attending a carol concert by candlelight
Christmas cannot be understood without music and that is why Candlelight has added to its program an edition of Christmas concerts full of classics: Christmas carols, the soundtracks of the most famous Christmas movies — such as The Grinch or Home Alone — and many other compositions that cannot be missed at this time of the year. And even less if they are interpreted by classical ensembles? under the magical light of thousands of candles.
📍Various locations
Route through the Christmas villages: Bosc Encantat de Gavà, Les Barcarés, Bosc dels Somnis, Natalis al Poble Espanyol…
Escapade to the Bosc Encantat de Gavà, the viral Christmas village
Barcelona has its own Christmas village, (and by the way also its own Christmas movie), but there is a place next to Barcelona that has a forest that is the dream of Santa Claus. It is the Bosc Encantat de Gavà, a place where the story becomes reality, and that allows, fifteen minutes from the center of Barcelona, to immerse yourself in a planet where, for the time that lasts the walk, everything around us is Christmas.
The party will be in the Parc de la Torre Lluc, and it will be a free access event that will include the lighting of the tree and the opening of the Bosc Encantat. The Bosc will be open until January 7, with all its 50 thousand lights and its giant Christmas tree included.
Natalis: this is the Christmas village within Barcelona
If it is already nice to feel the winter cold and walk through a city full of Christmas lights, what to say about a whole village dedicated to snow and gifts? That’s why one of the great plans for Christmas (especially for families), is to approach the Spanish Village and soak up the Christmas spirit of a whole (small) town.
From November 30 to January 5, the Poble Espanyol will be transformed into Natalis, a magical and unique world where visitors will enter to find several worlds with lots of emotions and adventures for the whole family.
Les Barcarès, the fantasy Christmas village just two hours from Barcelona.
Le Barcarès is an idyllic fishing village, which lives from fishing in winter and tourism in summer. But, like other villages at this time of the year, during Christmas it transforms itself to welcome Santa Claus, who is installed from November 18 to January 7 in the Village de Noël Le Barcarès.
Thanks to this magical village, where you can enjoy Christmas markets, parades, attractions and shows, Le Barcarès, just two hours from Barcelona, has become one of the most visited places in the south of France and one of the best plans to enjoy this holiday season.
Escape to Narbonne, the French Christmas village.
Sometimes, to live the Christmas spirit to the fullest, you have to jump the border, and if you are looking for a getaway plan that transports you to a winter fairy tale, the town of Narbonne, about two hours from Barcelona, is the perfect destination. This French town is completely transformed into a real Christmas village, as its market is not only full of handmade products and vin chaud (mulled wine), but the whole city turns to recreate a magical atmosphere, offering a delicious alternative if you have already exhausted the plans in Barcelona and are looking for that touch of cold, medieval architecture and Nordic atmosphere without having to take a transoceanic flight.
Le Barcarès
Known for its Christmas village since 1999, Le Barcarès opens this week the new edition of its Christmas market with a giant Santa Claus, market and ice rink. A little more than 2 hours from Barcelona.
Bosc dels Somnis: Sant Boi premiere of its immersive Christmas village
The Christmas shows are spreading throughout Barcelona, and the Kings, elves and pages have a lot of work to do to be in all the places that require them. Now, after the success of the Bosc Encantat de Gavà or the Christmas village of Les Barcarès, another Christmas village is born in Barcelona: El Bosc dels Somnis de Sant Boi.
The Bosc dels Somnis, however, has a particularity, its 4500 m2 of show are full of actors that make the walk in an immersive outdoor experience, something like the classic tunnel of terror, but in Christmas version.
Thus, the Masia de Can Julià (Carrer Bonaventura Calopa, 26, Sant Boi de Llobregat) will host an immersive tour, outdoors and unguided, where to find the Fada Garlanda, the Christmas post office, the kitchen of the best sweets, the planetarium of illusions, the toy factory or even the coal mine.
The private street turned into a Christmas spectacle of Premià de Mar
Source: 324.cat
Forget the traditional Christmas decorations. The new festive attractions are the houses of neighbors transformed into authentic Christmas scenes in the purest American style.
In Premià de Mar, Francisco García has turned his street into a light show with 300,000 LED bulbs, turning his facade and those of his neighbors into a unique Christmas attraction. For the eighth consecutive year, his decoration on Carrer Martí Casas attracts visitors and locals alike, transforming this quiet Maresme town into a true Christmas paradise.
Live an immersive adventure with Geronimo Stilton, ideal for families.
The most famous children’s reporter mouse comes to life in the new immersive adventure Geronimo Stilton LIVE: a perfect plan for families that can be visited throughout the Christmas season in a large tent at Westfield La Maquinista. Attendees will become Geronimo and his gang’s helpers as they go on a cooperative mission to save the Fantasy Kingdom from the relentless cold.
📍 Location: Westfield La Maquinista (Carrer de Potosí, 2)
🗓️ Dates: from December 12 onwards.
👪 Recommended age: from 4 to 15 years old.
💸 Price: starting at 25€.
Three Kings Parade 2026 in Barcelona
As every year, on January 6, Their Majesties the Three Wise Men will enter our homes to fill them with gifts, but not before having walked the streets of the city on the night of January 5 handing out candy.
Soon we will know all the details of the parade but, for now, you can register to participate as a page.
The Three Wise Men’s Toy Factory in Fabra i Coats
Editorial credit: Sant Andreu District Municipal Council
The best Christmas markets are already installed in Barcelona, the ice rinks where to skate with the family and the lights in all the streets of the city. But this list is missing a small enclave that marks the official start of the holidays: the opening of the Toy Factory at Fabra i Coats.
This Christmas 2025 the Factory has not yet been installed, but as every year, children will have the opportunity to witness the work of elves and magical workers as they prepare the toys, discovering the secrets behind the most anticipated night of the year. We tell you about the 2024 edition in our article.
Three Wise Men parades in the neighborhoods
Apart from the royal parade, the Three Wise Men arrive in all the neighborhoods of Barcelona. Up to 18 Three Wise Men parades are celebrated in the different neighborhoods of Barcelona. Find yours. We tell you everything you need to know about all of them so you don’t miss a single one.
Sant Esteve, the great feast of the cannelloni
Catalan Christmas is not complete without Sant Esteve. The great feast of December 26, the one that ends the days of celebrations, is a unique celebration in Catalonia. We explain why Sant Esteve is celebrated only in Catalonia and also the curious feminist and working class history ofwhy we eat cannelloni on this date.
Gastronomic Christmas: The best gastronomic proposals to eat like queens during the holidays.
The Christmas holidays are synonymous with binge eating, binge, whims and, ultimately, a few months where to be a little more lax with the diet. That’s why, because in these months we have no mercy with ourselves (or we have a lot, depending on how you look at it), we will leave here all the great gastronomic plans for Christmas, so you always find a new treat you didn’t know you needed.
Restaurants for groups with Christmas or New Year’s Eve menus
It’s Christmas dinner season: from company dinners and invisible friends to family reunions or a special dinner to surprise a foodie. If you don’t have an invitation yet, it’s probably up to you to organize it and find the perfect place: a large restaurant with a good Christmas menu and a gastronomic offer that guarantees a memorable celebration. That’s why we have prepared a list of the best restaurants for groups and Christmas menus, ensuring that your dinner will be a success.
Indulge in a good hot chocolate
Speaking of chocolates, one of the best ways to combat the cold is by indulging in a good hot chocolate. With melindros or perhaps with churros. Few things more Catalan than that, so we leave you a list of the best chocolate shops in the city for you to enjoy Christmas com deu mana.
Go out in search of the best Roscones de Reyes in Barcelona.
The Roscón de Reyes of l’Atelier.
Christmas isn’t Christmas without a meal. And in the same way that a Christmas feast is not the same without its corresponding panettone and a lunch of kings is not the same without its corresponding roscones of kings and the search for the bean in bites among its spongy dough.
Last year in Barcelona we had, officially, the best roscones de Reyes de Catalunya, which are made in these two bakeries, but throughout the city there are many more worth trying to spend a morning of Kings of luxury.
Treat yourself to a visit to some of the best restaurants in Barcelona.
The Macarfi guide defines the 10 best restaurants in Barcelona and the 5 best openings of the year. Within the ecosystem of the most veteran restaurants, the big winner in Barcelona has been Alkimia. It has been followed by Estimar and Via Veneto, as well as the Torres Brothers Kitchen, Lasarte, Aürt, Els Casals, Gresca and two ex-aequo, Coure and Albert Adrià’s Enigma.You can also take a trip to the province of Girona and try some of the winners there: El Celler de Can Roca, Miramar, Les Cols, Bo.tic, Ca L’Enric….
But you also have the Michelin restaurants, which recently handed out new stars in the city.
Of course, if you prefer to adjust your budget, we leave you some of the cheapest lunch menus in Barcelonaso you can treat yourself to an affordable luxury. In short, don’t miss out on luxury dining this Christmas.
Several locations
Visit the Christmas markets in Barcelona and its surroundings.
Editorial credit: MarcoPachiega / Shutterstock.com
At Christmas time Barcelona is full of Christmas markets that turn the city and its surroundings into living reflections of what one expects from a city during Christmas. From markets of fir trees or Tiós de nadal, to design markets to find the most original gifts.
Or visit the largest Christmas store in Spain.
Source: Navidecor
Surely you did not know that just an hour from Barcelona is the largest Christmas decoration store in the country. It is Navidecor, a shop in Sant Fruitós del Bages with more than 1,400 m2 of exhibition and 50,000 items on display, among which you can find everything from simple Christmas tree balls to a life-size carriage of the Three Wise Men.
Take a trip to the snow (skiing or not)
December is also the month of snow and outdoor plans in the mountains and skiing. The perfect excuse to leave the city and go to one of the many snow paradises: Baqueira Beret, Vall de Núria… We tell you in detail what you will find in each of them.
Several locations