Fascinated with spending Christmas in Barcelona? Maintain studying for extra on what to anticipate.
Because the lights are up throughout town, and the Barcelona Christmas markets are out in full impact, there isn’t a higher time to go to the Catalan Capital! On this weblog, allow us to introduce you to a number of the finest Christmas traditions in Barcelona that may absolutely put you within the festive temper.
Winter is a good time to go to Barcelona. Temperatures are fairly delicate at round 15 levels, and there’s little or no rain within the colder months. Winter is due to this fact a good time of yr to stand up to some sightseeing. There are smaller crowds at well-liked vacationer locations such because the Sagrada Familia and Las Ramblas, in addition to much less busy public transport, making it simpler to get from level A to B.
With the delicate climate, when you’re in search of someplace to rejoice a white Christmas in Spain, Barcelona in all probability isn’t the place for you.
Nevertheless, if you wish to rejoice Christmas with blue skies, surrounded by carollers, inspiring non secular buildings, and unimaginable Christmas markets, with out feeling the necessity to shiver your manner by way of all of it, Barcelona is the place for you.
Celebrating Christmas in Barcelona like an area makes all of it that rather more thrilling, so let’s discuss you thru all the pieces it is advisable know learn how to rejoice Christmas like an area right here in Barcelona.
See additionally: Guide to Experiencing the Best of Christmas Around the World
Native Christmas markets in Barcelona
A big a part of spending Christmas in Barcelona is visiting the numerous Christmas markets.
See additionally: New Year in Barcelona
La Fira de Santa Llúcia
This is without doubt one of the largest, most well- identified and oldest markets within the metropolis, this yr will likely be its 235th version, filling the realm exterior of the well-known Gothic Cathedral with over 283 stalls promoting all the pieces from collectible figurines to vegetation, to crafts and even Simbombes.
At this unimaginable market you should make sure you hold a glance out for the cheeky ‘caganer’ determine, which is a standard catalan figurine along with his trousers down, he’s mentioned to carry luck by fertilising the earth.
This place dates all the way in which again to 1786, going down on the day of Santa Llúcia, December thirteenth, this can be a historic and thrilling place so that you can try this winter!
Opening dates: November thirtieth till December twenty third 10:00-21:00
La Fira de Nadal de la Sagrada Familia
These Christmas markets are barely smaller than the Santa Llúcia markets, however they’re positioned proper exterior the unimaginable Sagrada Familia, which you should go to when you haven’t earlier than (it’s one of many high Barcelona attractions).
They’ve somewhat of all the pieces right here, however most significantly they serve unimaginable tasty christmas treats, equivalent to roasted chestnuts, baked candy potatoes and churros with thick sizzling chocolate!
Opening occasions: November twenty fourth to December twenty second 10:00- 21:00
La Fira de Reis
This Christmas market in Barcelona surrounds the concept of the celebration of the three kings in Spain (don’t fear, this will likely be additional defined shortly), the day by which the Spanish give out their most important presents.
Stalls on the Fira de Reis promote primarily child’s toys and presents, making it a fairly best place to go discover a Reyes reward for everybody who it is advisable purchase for.
Opening occasions: twenty first December- sixth January 10:00- 21:00
Conventional Spanish Christmas Meals
Escudella
Escudella is a standard christmas hotter, a type of stew which incorporates all the pieces. It has hen, beef, pork spine, ham bone’s bouillon, veggies; carrots, potatoes, cabbage. It’s a fairly hypercaloric dish, however there’s nothing unsuitable with that when it’s chilly exterior!
The proper dish to heat you up this winter.
Sopa de galets
Sopa de galets embrace big items of pasta, with which one will fill your spoon. The galets are the big items of pasta that are crammed with veggies or meats. The soup itself is a standard soup made with bouillon, making it a really comforting chilly winter dish.
That is normally eaten as a primary course as a part of Christmas day lunch, on the twenty fifth of December.
Canelons
Canelons, or Cannelloni, is one in every of Catalonia’s favourites, normally eaten on the day of Sant Esteve, celebrated on December twenty sixth. This dish consists of Cannelloni full of both hen or meat and bechamel sauce, the distinction between this and your conventional Italian Cannelloni is that this dish doesn’t use tomato sauce.
Conventional Spanish Christmas Treats
Turrón
Turrón is without doubt one of the most well-known Spanish Christmas meals that you’ll discover in Barcelona, in addition to being present in Italy and components of South America. It dates again to the sixteenth century, and is loved all around the Catalan capital through the vacation season. Turrón tastes virtually much like malteser chocolate, it’s made with honey, sugar, egg white and toasted almonds or different nuts.
This chocolate is extraordinarily tasty and could be present in simply your common grocery store at any time throughout Christmas.
Mantecados and Polvorones
Mantecados and polvorones could be discovered throughout supermarkets and malls within the months main as much as Christmas. They’re little baked and crumbly Christmas cookies served with “Moscatel”. The distinction between mantecados and polvorones is the form, polvorones are oval and mantecados are spherical. They’re each much like shortbread, however simply are likely to crumble far more simply.
These candy treats are tremendous well-liked all through Catalonia, you’ll discover them in all places!
Crema Catalana
Crema Catalana is just about the Catalan recipe for a Crème brûlée, first present in Catalan books within the 14th century. The recipe consists of using custard cream, over which sugar is poured and burnt with a sizzling iron rod to create the trademark burnt crust.
This differs out of your common Crème brûlée by way of each its cooking methodology & consistency, in addition to its cinnamon and lemon zest flavour versus your typical French vanilla.
Conventional Christmas enjoyable in Barcelona
Allow us to introduce you to some Catalonian Christmas traditions you might encounter in your travels.
El Caganer
As you wander across the metropolis you’ll most certainly come into contact with a small figurine, with a naughty aspect. El Caganer is somewhat boy who, in the midst of the nativity, pulls his trousers down and does a poo. While this may occasionally appear odd at first to the typical vacationer, this humorous character is massively well-liked in Catalonia. In actual fact, he’s seen as a logo of prosperity, fertilising the soil of the land along with his poop! In Catalonia, households typically play video games with El Caganer and conceal him within the nativity scene for the others to search out, type of like a ‘The place’s Wally?’ of types.
You’ll find his presence all around the metropolis, and positively at each market you attend. Stalls typically promote movie star variations of the favored figurine, so make sure you look out on your favorite soccer gamers, and politicians doing their enterprise this festive season!
Tió de Nadal
The Tió de Nadal is another ubiquitous symbol of Christmas time in Catalonia. This Christmas log, also known as Caga Tió, has a bright red nose, smiley face and an adorable red hat on its head. As tradition goes, the hollow log is brought out on the 8th of December and, from then on, fed daily until the 25th. When the day finally comes, the log is beaten by the children of the family until it poops (we’re sensing a theme here!). After the Tió de Nadal has pooped, the children will find gifts for them to open, rather like the Santa Claus stocking tradition.
As the log poops, the children sing a song translated as:
Caga tió, hazelnuts and nougat, if you don’t want to poop I’m going to hit you with a stick, very hard, very hard
This year there will be a large Tió de Nadal outside of Barcelona Cathedral from the 3-18th of December. So what are you waiting for? Go and see him for yourself!
Nativity scene at the Museu Mares
What better way to get you in Christmas mode than seeing the nativity scene up close and personal? This year, at the Museu Mares, visit the baby Jesus in a beautiful setting and completely free of charge. You can visit from 10am-7pm from Tuesday to Saturday and from 11am till 8pm on Sundays and holidays. What fun!
Consult the Council’s website for additional info on timings and the place to search out the Museu.
La Fira de Santa Llúcia Market
On a regular basis from 10am until 9pm, go to Barcelona’s oldest and hottest Christmas market. The Fira de Santa Llúcia is the right place to absorb the Christmas environment. With loads of stalls promoting handcrafted presents, in addition to meals stands and dwell music, this isn’t one to overlook! The market is such enjoyable for all of the household, with actions going down to entertain guests of all ages. Our tip? Purchase come yummy churros and get caught in! There’s a lot to see, from the artwork and jewelry, to the enormous Tió de Nadal. What’s to not like?
Check out the market’s programme right here to see what’s on.
Barcelona is dwelling to a number of the greatest buying centres in Spain, and through Christmas there are a load of nice gross sales and offers to get you within the Christmas temper. These locations are additionally completely joyful to wrap your presents for you.
See additionally: Where to Find the Best Vintage Shops in Barcelona
The Diagonal Mar
A buying centre break up into three flooring, to accommodate their 200 shops and 17 cinema screens, and even a bowling alley. This is without doubt one of the greatest in Barcelona, and is recognised as an environmental mannequin attributable to their promoted values of environmental sustainability.
That is the right place on your Christmas buying as all the pieces is in a single place, in addition to this the buying centre is simply beside the Parc Diagonal Mar and Museu Blau, two very best areas for spending the day as a household.
Glòries Procuring Mall
The Glòries shopping center is positioned within the Plaza de las Glorias Catalanes, surrounded by the unimaginable Torre Glòries (an enormous skyscraper which adjustments color day and night time, it’s unimaginable!).
This place has 75 main shops, eating places and cinemas, with lots free parking, charging factors, they usually also have a youngsters membership play space!
Las Arenas Procuring Centre
For buying like an actual native, why not go to a buying centre that was a bullring! They’ve over six flooring, 115 outlets, a health centre, 12- display screen cinema, occasions corridor and several other bars and eating places. They also have a big terrace by which you will get a 360° view over Montjuïc.
Celebrating the Three Kings like a Native in Barcelona
In the direction of the top of December most individuals all over the world start to loosen up and finalise their Christmas celebrations, nevertheless right here in Spain, that’s not the case. The primary week of January is without doubt one of the most fun occasions to go to Barcelona. Individuals in Catalonia, in actual fact, will nonetheless be shopping for presents and making ready their Christmas dinners, while you possibly can nonetheless admire the attractive Christmas lights throughout town and put together your self for the arrival of The Three Kings or Los Reyes Magos.
These biblical characters come to Spain on the fifth and sixth of January to offer presents of presents and candy treats to the kids. On January fifth there’s a parade devoted to the three kings by which the Kings themselves arrive on the Av. Del Marquès de l’Argentera and journey 5km across the metropolis, ending on the Montjuïc Magic Fountains.
Historically, locals in Barcelona will go away meals out for the three kings and water for his or her camels, and a pair of footwear exterior their doorways or home windows for the three kings to fill with presents after the three kings parade. The morning of the sixth will present for the kids an array of presents, so long as they’ve been effectively behaved!
One other enjoyable approach to rejoice Christmas in Europe…
Try this wildly terrifying, but extremely enjoyable Austrian custom the place Krampus’ (half-goat, half-demon) run by way of the streets of Graz through the Christmas season, punishing youngsters who’ve misbehaved this yr.
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