Christmas markets 2023

When will the Christmas markets be arranged in Barcelona this year? Where are the biggest and most famous Christmas markets located? What should you buy if you decide to visit the Christmas markets in Barcelona?

People come to big cities all across Europe to discover the amazing Christmas markets every single year. Many people have heard about the giant Christmas markets in cities such as Lübeck, Prague, Vienna, and Budapest, but what about Barcelona? Can you expect amazing Christmas markets in Barcelona as well, or is this more like a minor version of the giant Christmas markets we often meet and see in other big cities?

The Christmas market tradition in Barcelona

Barcelona has a long tradition when it comes to Christmas markets. The city still isn’t especially well known for its Christmas markets, but it does have some very nice markets worth visiting.

Christmas market by the Barcelona Cathedral (La Fira de Santa Llucia)

The most famous Christmas market in Barcelona is located in front of the Barcelona Cathedral, and it is called La Fira de Santa Llucia. This is the oldest market and it dates back to the end of the 18th century or the start of the 19th century.

At the market, you can buy all sorts of souvenirs, gifts, and also a lot of religious pictures and nativity scenes (like Jesus in the manger), and similar objects. It normally opens at the end of November and remains open until December 23rd.

There are more than 300 stalls at the festival and as you visit the market you can buy Christmas trees and decorations, food and snacks of different sorts, and handmade toys, jewelry, puppets, and more.

Christmas market at Gran Via (Fira de Reis)

Gran Via is a long avenue, but in the area around Placa de la Universitat, you can find the market named The Fira de Reis. Here you can buy toys for kids, and this is, first of all, a children’s fair (or a fair for adults who buy presents for their kids). The fair was first introduced in 1877, and has since then grown in popularity. You can now buy much more than just sweets and toys at the market, but you will still see that the focus is mainly on toys and sweets.

There are approximately 200 stalls at this fair, and besides toys and sweets, you can also buy food, clothes, and other handmade objects at the festival.

The most important thing to eat at the Christmas market (Fira de Reis) is Churrerias, a sweet dough with a sweet taste that smells so good making them impossible to resist.

Christmas Market by Sagrada Familia

Honestly, I probably wouldn’t travel to Barcelona to see and experience the Christmas market by Sagrada Familia. But then again, I would definitely visit Sagrada Familia during my trip to Barcelona. As a result, I would visit the Christmas market by Sagrada Familia as well. This market has many similarities with Fira de Reis and La Fira de Santa Llucia, only that it isn’t as big as the big brothers.

At this Christmas market, you can buy the traditional stuff, including food, toys, decorations, and Christmas trees. The Christmas market is normally open from around 10:00 until 20:00. The easiest way to get to the market is by using metro line L2 or L5 and traveling to the Sagrada Familia metro stop.

Christmas market dates in Barcelona in 2023

Dates for Fira de Reis

December 16, 2023 – January 6, 2024

Dates for La Fira de Santa Llucia

November 25, 2023 – December 23, 2023

Dates for the Sagrada Familia Christmas market

November 25, 2023 – December 23, 2023

Want to live close to the Christmas markets?

Now that you know when you should come to Barcelona to visit the Christmas markets, the next important question is where to stay. You can save a lot of time by living in a central hotel not far from Barcelona Cathedral, La Rambla, Gran Via, and other central locations. Look at the map below and if you choose a hotel from within this radius, you are guaranteed a good location, and hopefully also a great hotel or apartment at a low price.

Booking.com

Would you like to read more about other events, happenings, and festivals in Barcelona? You can find this and other information in our Barcelona calendar.

Christmas markets in Barcelona in 2019

Posted on October 21, 2019October 21, 2019 by Barcelona Guide

When will the Christmas markets be arranged in Barcelona in 2019? Here you will find the Christmas market dates and everything else you want to know.

Before you continue, check our page dealing with general information about the Christmas markets in Barcelona.

Christmas markets dates for Barcelona in 2019

The most famous Christmas market in Barcelona can be found in front of the Barcelona Cathedral in the Gothic part of the city. This is a beautiful area. The Christmas market here will open on November 29th in 2019 and it will remain open until December 23rd.

The Christmas market by Gran Via, will most likely open around December 20th and remain open until January 6th. The dates haven’t been 100% fixed yet, but those were the dates in 2018, so we guess they will look quite similar also in 2019.

There will also be a Christmas market in front of Sagrada Familia, but the dates for this market haven’t been set yet.

If you want to discover and see even more Christmas market in 2019, why not extend your trip and go to Prague as well? You can read more about Prague and the beautiful Christmas markets in the city at http://www.praguepraha.com/

Merry Christmas and enjoy your stay in Barcelona!

Christmas markets in Barcelona 2017

Posted on September 18, 2017September 18, 2017 by Barcelona Guide

Barcelona is not a Christmas city with Christmas markets like Vienna, Bratislava, Prague, Krakow, Budapest and similar cities. But, there are still some Christmas markets worth visiting.

The most famous Christmas market in Barcelona is located in front of the Barcelona Cathedral. The market is titled Fira di Santa Llucia, and this is the biggest market as well. It isn’t a giant market, but you will be able to find local products here that might be nice to bring with you home as souvenirs.

Dates for this Christmas market: might be, but not sure….. November 24th – January 6th

Christmas market Barcelona 2017 — There is also a small Christmas market available in front of the Sagrada Familia

The fact about Barcelona is that the bigger events take place between Christmas and January 6th. In this period you better visit Gran Via, as this is the place for a market quite similar to the German/Austrian/Eastern European markets, except for the food and the drinks.

Do you like the sound of this? Or would you rather visit Barcelona in the spring or autumn, and visit Prague for Christmas and some Christmas shopping instead? It is entirely your choice!

Christmas Markets in Barcelona in 2016

Posted on October 4, 2016October 4, 2016 by Barcelona Guide

Are you in the mood for some Christmas shopping in Barcelona? Want to know more about the Christmas markets in Barcelona in 2016?

There are two Christmas markets that are well known in Barcelona. Here we will give you some basic information about those and also tell you when they will open and when they will close in 2016.

Fira de Santa Llucia Christmas market 2016

This Christmas market in Barcelona is arranged just in front of the big and famous Cathedral in Barcelona. At this market there are around 300 stalls from which you can buy all sorts of Christmas effects. It has its origin back to a celebration of Santa Llucia on December 13th, but has since then developed into a big and full-time Christmas market.

Christmas market dates in 2016: November 27th – December 23rd

Fire de Reis Christmas market 2016

This Christmas market isn’t as big as the Fira de Santa Llucia, but it is growing every year. As you visit this you can expect to meet around 200 stalls from where you can buy all sorts of stuff. This was first of all a market where children could buy presents and toys, and it has kind of preserved that feeling. If you bring children you should be warned that they will find lots of toys and objects to play with here.

Christmas market dates in 2016: December 18th, 2016 – January 6th, 2017

More about the Christmas markets in Barcelona

At the Spanish Christmas markets – counter to the Christmas markets in cities such as Prague and Budapest – you can mostly buy Christmas trees and other Christmas effects at the markets in Barcelona. Another important object to buy is the so called “Cagatió”. What is Cagatió? It’s a piece of wood with a painted face. A few weeks before Christmas everz family place it in the house and then cover it with a cloth. As the children look to this creature they know that Christmas is approaching.

Top events in Barcelona in 2015

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Barcelona Guide

In this short article we will list the top events in Barcelona in 2015. Barcelona is the capital city of the autonomous community of Catalonia in Spain and it is also the second largest city in Spain.

Barcelona is among the most visited cities in whole Europe so during the whole year there are countless programs such as the different exhibitions, concerts, markets and various festivals as well. So in this article we will just go through some of the nicest programs in Barcelona.

If you like sport events and if you are especially interested in marathons then the ‘Barcelona Marathon’ is the perfect choice on a holiday in Barcelona. The annual ‘Barcelona Marathon’ is one of the most popular events in the life of the city and each year thousands of people from different countries attends the race. The route of the race changes every year and usually it leads through some of the most beautiful spots of the city. The goal is to finish the 42km less than 6 hours. This year the ‘Barcelona Marathon’ will take place on 15th March.

Another popular sport events is the ‘Trofeo Conde de Godò de Tennis’ which is a tennis tournament. This year the tennis tournament will be held from 20th April to 26th April. Another awaited event in the city is the ‘La Diada de Sant Jordi’ which is the Lover’s Day. On this day the city commemorates the death of Sant Jordi and in this occasion men give women roses and women give men a book. The best place to celebrate this day is at La Rambla. The ‘La Diada se Sant Jordi’ will be held on 23rd April in 2015.

One of the best reasons to visit Barcelona in the summer is the ‘Barcelona Summer Festival’ (Grec). At the festival you can experience the best concerts, theatre, music and dance performances. The ‘Grec’ is usually held some time in July but the exact dates are not confirmed yet.

In the winter when the weather cools down and Christmas is just around the corner the various Christmas markets open in the city. Usually just like in the other big European cities they are open from the end of November until the end of December. It is one of the highlights of the city in the winter and it is a perfect place to get into the festive spirit and do some of your pre-Christmas shoppings as well.

Apart from these events in the city there are plenty of concerts in Barcelona through the whole year. Visitors can attend the most famous artists concerts such as Katy Perry, Robbie Williams, Roxette, AC/DC, Maroon 5, U2, Nickelback and so on.

If you want to know more on the programs such as the festivals, concerts and various events check tour Barcelona Guide for more information and advices!