5 Christmas plans for visiting Barcelona in December
- What? Christmas activities in Barcelona
- When? December 2021 and the first week of January 2022
- Where? Barcelona
The cold is starting to arrive in Barcelona and, with it, the Christmas spirit, filling the city’s streets with lights, music and a festive atmosphere.
Barcelona has a mild Mediterranean climate, which makes this a good time to visit the city. There are plenty of activities and things to do in December, so here at Hotel Paseo de Gracia we have put together a few ideas:
- Visit the Christmas markets: one of Barcelona’s most classic and traditional activities. The main Christmas markets in Barcelona are
- Mercat de Santa Llúcia: 26 November to 23 December 2021
- Fira de Nadal de la Sagrada Família: 27 November to 23 December 2021
- ‘Nadal al Port’ fair: 9 December 2021 to 6 January 2022
- Be dazzled by the Christmas lights: more and more light installations are being set up for Christmas, and they are truly spectacular. Here are some of our suggestions for the festive season in Barcelona:
- Barcelona Christmas Tour: Barcelona’s official Bus Turístic runs a special night route to see the city’s best Christmas lights, with seasonal music and stories about Christmas traditions.
https://www.barcelonabusturistic.cat - Llums de Sant Pau: the Modernista site of the Hospital de Sant Pau has created a magical, spectacular light trail. Until 9 January.
https://elsllumsdesantpau.com/ - Life, Natura encesa at the Jardins de Pedralbes: a light trail that reinvents Christmas lights and represents life on the planet.
https://www.grupbalana.com/teatre/obres/natura-encesa/
- Barcelona Christmas Tour: Barcelona’s official Bus Turístic runs a special night route to see the city’s best Christmas lights, with seasonal music and stories about Christmas traditions.
- Warm up with a good “suizo” and churros: here in Barcelona, having a suizo means a thick hot chocolate topped with whipped cream. It is without doubt one of the traditions of this season that we all remember enjoying with our families as children. The best-known granjas (traditional cafés) we recommend, where you will find the most authentic atmosphere and the best chocolate, are:
- Granja Dulcinea, Granja M. Viader and La Pallaresa, in the Gothic Quarter
- Churrería Trébol: takeaway, very close to the hotel
- La Nena Xocolateria, also in the Gràcia neighbourhood.
- La Granja 1872, in El Born
- Visit the nativity scenes. The nativity scene (pessebre) is a deeply rooted tradition in Catalan homes, but nativity scenes are also set up in public spaces that you can visit, in every style from the most traditional to the most modern.
- Nativity scene in the Cathedral cloister: a traditional-style scene with large figures.
- Plaça Sant Jaume nativity scene: organised by the City Council, it stirs up controversy every year with its modern approach.
- Nativity scene at the Monestir de Pedralbes: a great opportunity to visit this working monastery.
- The most traditional nativity scene is the one by the Associació de Pessebristes de Barcelona, in the courtyard of the Museu Frederic Marès.
- Go to a special Christmas concert:
- Christmas carols sung by the Orfeó Català in Plaça del Rei, a unique opportunity taking place only on 4 January 2022.
- Concerts at L’Auditori: home to the OBC, the Barcelona and Catalonia National Symphony Orchestra, it offers several Christmas-themed concerts over the festive season.
- The Grand Christmas Concert and the Grand New Year’s Concert at the Palau de la Música
- Gran Teatre del Liceu: Barcelona’s legendary opera house has scheduled A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens for family audiences, The Nutcracker for dance lovers, and The Grand New Year’s Concert with ballet and music by Johann Strauss.
These are just a few of the activities we have picked, but Barcelona has much more to offer at this time of year! You won’t be able to do it all, so make the most of this season, when the city is not as crowded as in the summer months, and come and visit us. Our boutique hotel is in the centre of Barcelona on Passeig de Gràcia, one of the city’s most beautiful avenues, especially at this time of year, when it boasts the most spectacular lights in the city, both in the street and in its shops, the most exclusive in Barcelona. It is undoubtedly the best base for visiting Barcelona at Christmas.
Hotel Paseo de Gracia is a central hotel with everything you need for a comfortable and very practical Christmas stay in Barcelona. You can also stay at Hotel Actual, a 3-star boutique hotel, also on Passeig de Gràcia and overlooking Gaudí’s La Pedrera.