Christmas will be a few days earlier this year in Barcelona. The traditional Christmas lights will be celebrated 4 days earlier than usual, still in ple November.
This has been announced by the city council, which has advanced details and news of the Christmas lights switch-on 2025 in Barcelona.
When will the Christmas lights be switched on?
Barcelona’s Christmas lights will be turned on four days earlier than last year, on Friday, November 22 from 18.30h.
The location of the lights switch-on ceremony will be the same as last year, on Passeig de Gràcia. The lighting will mark the official start of the lighting throughout the city.
The change of date is due to the international agenda of Mayor Jaume Collboni, who will travel with other members of the municipal government to the Guadalajara Book Fair (Mexico), where Barcelona will be the guest of honor in its 39th edition, between November 29 and December 7.
Days and times of the Christmas lights
The Christmas lights will be active until January 6, 2026, from 5:30 pm to 1:00 am from Sunday to Thursday, and until 2:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays. On special dates – December 24, 25 and 31, and January 5 – they will also remain on until 2:00 am.
All the lighting, both municipal and promoted by merchants’ associations, uses LED technology, with lower energy consumption than usual. The creative projects are signed by five design studios that won the contest promoted by the City Council and ADI-FAD:
- ARTEC, in Plaça de Catalunya.
- APO, on Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes.
- SMLXL + MA-MA, in carrer d’Aragó.
- Esther Pujol (Nahtrang Studio) and Marta Cerdà, in via Laietana.
In addition, in Passeig de Sant Joan will remain the proposal of Brosmind, released in 2023.
3.8 million euros and 39 illuminated markets
The municipal budget for Christmas lighting increases by 15%, reaching 3.8 million euros. Of this figure, 1.3 million will be used to subsidize up to 75% of the lighting proposals promoted by the merchants’ associations of the different neighborhoods.
The program includes the lighting of 28 sections of streets in districts such as Ciutat Vella, Sants, Horta-Guinardó, Nou Barris, Sant Andreu and Sant Martí, with an additional investment of 135,455 euros. The façades of the 39 municipal markets, more than fifty ornamental fountains and the Mestral and Gregal moll at Port Olímpic will also be relit.
Open competition for the 2026 designs
The City Council has already opened the competition for the new 2026 signature light designs, aimed at industrial, graphic, space or architectural design professionals with experience in lighting projects.
The call expands the areas of intervention and will include categories dedicated to urban lighting, singular elements, installations in public spaces and architectural lighting. Proposals may be submitted until the end of October, and the selected projects will be developed in early 2026 to start production.