Barcelona in December: Christmas Markets & Culture

December in Barcelona unfolds as a gentle holiday fantasy. The average temperature during the day is around 15 °C (59 °F), so you can walk around outside in lighter, comfortable clothes without thick winter jackets. 

The Fira de Santa Llúcia (the big Christmas market in the city) has over 200 stalls for decorations, crafts, music, and local foods. What can be better than visiting the place during the cold weather? 

The scenic view of Barcelona attracts about 12 million visitors every year. Are you planning to be one of them this year? December is not so far away; you need to start packing your bag right away!

Before that, know what you can experience there in the boundless pool of fun. Well, I am here to describe the top highlights during Christmas in this travel guide.

Hurry up! Follow me along!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Visit markets in Barcelona to experience its culture.
• Flamenco shows, football matches, and cultural exhibitions are true preserves.
• From a day trip to night Christmas lights, everything is dreamy.

Barcelona’s Christmas Markets: A Festive Shopping Experience 

The Christmas markets in Barcelona offer a lovely mix of tradition, local craftsmanship, food, and a sprinkle of magic. Try to visit first thing or mid-week to avoid larger crowds. 

Be sure to experience local foods and drinks like turrón (nougat), vi calent (mulled wine), roasted chestnuts, and churros con chocolate. Just have some money in your pocket-smaller stalls may not take a card. By the end of the end, you may rest in Rent Remote.

Catalan Christmas Traditions: Unique Cultural Experiences 

Every place has its own unique customs and traditions, which show how different every culture is from one another. In the same way, the Catalan Christmas traditions have regional ways of celebration.

1. Caga Tió (Tió de Nadal): A wooden log in a red hat and painted face. Kids “feed” it, and then on Christmas Eve or Christmas, they hit it with sticks, and it then “poops” small gifts and candy. 
2. El Caganer: See hidden in nativity scenes of a man squatting– yes, making a bowel movement. This is a Catalan symbol of good luck and fertility.   
3. Fia-Faia: In a few towns in the Catalan mountains, for example, in Bagà, on Christmas Eve, people carry torches (faies) into town from the mountains to light up the night for the town as a fire ritual.   
4. Three Kings Parade (Cavalcada de Reis): Parades with floats host a parade through the city on January 5, and children receive candy as they walk down the streets filled with music and a show from the floats.  

These traditions provide a real local flavor to a Christmas in Spain, as compared to just lights and shopping. 

Spanish Cooking Classes: Culinary Adventures in Winter 

There is nothing like a warm and cozy afternoon spent learning to cook local food in December. You can find classes for paella, Catalan stews (carn d’olla), or seafood. Some workshops include market tours, where you purchase protein and vegetables in the local market and share the cooking experience.

These culinary adventures not only help you connect with the roots, but also allow you to find out the reasons or stories behind every meal.

Flamenco Shows: Warming Up with Spanish Passion 

Feel the transition from a chilly evening air to a world of heat, color, and pure emotion. Flamenco may not be a native of Catalonia, but there are arguably some of the country’s most authentic and celebrated tablaos (venues) right here in its capital.  

Imagine a night at a traditional Flamenco show, a pure Spanish obsession. Between the spectacular foot stomping, mournful, powerful singing (Al canto), and clapping of hands (the palmas), you will experience something unforgettable and exhilarating that may leave you breathless, and ideally moderately warm.

Football Matches: Experience FC Barcelona’s Winter Season 

For a dose of vibrant local energy, purchase tickets to an FC Barcelona home fixture at the iconic Camp Nou. Or, for the first time, the temporary Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys! Regardless of whether you enjoy or follow sports, the experience of a football match in Barcelona is fantastic. 

A stadium on a winter’s night will bellow blue and red and offer a glimpse into the importance of the team to identity for the city, as well as Catalan pride. This is a modern-day cultural event driven by passion.  

Cultural Exhibitions: Art and Museums in the Winter Season 

With December’s calmer crowds, it is a great time to remotely experience some of Barcelona’s world-class culture without the summer wait.

• The Picasso Museum: Find the beginnings of the infamous trajectory of one of the world’s greatest artists in a large collection.
• The National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC): Enjoy the incredible Romanesque art collection housed in the glorious Palau Nacional on Montjuïc hill.
• Fundació Joan Miró: Walk through the exhilarating, surrealist world of Joan Miró on Montjuïc, whose exhibitions often include international artists and are always a fun treat.

Remember, it’s not about visiting sophisticated places; you may find a lot, even in charming villages near Barcelona.

Day Trip to Vic’s Medieval Market: A Festive Excursion 

If you want to explore the quieter, rural side of Catalan life, take a day trip outside the main urban area. The real festive excursion is in:

• Day Trip to Vic’s Medieval Market: It takes about an hour by train to get to the medieval market in the town of Vic, but it’s worth it. Isn’t it a better place? You can witness a whole town transform into an entertainment center for Medieval-style food, arts and crafts, and shows, all around the town center in a 15th-century effect.
• Bagà: To explore a charming medieval town without all the people, check out Bagà. It is located in the beautiful mountainous region of Berguedà, with the beautiful option of mountain scenery, about a 30-minute drop.
• Rupit: If you are searching for a quaint, stone village, Rupit owns that claim with a wooden bridge gracefully hanging across, and beautiful cobblestones scattered everywhere, giving it a feeling of being at a complete standstill. 

Christmas Lights Tour: Barcelona’s Festive Illuminations 

Christmas vacation in Barcelona cannot just be a one-day event, but an entire month-long festive celebration. During nighttime, from iconic landmarks to the dark streets, every place turn into a sparkling paradise. The best Christmas light tour can be experienced right from the last week of November. 

There, you can see over 120 km of streets decorated with lamp bulbs, string lights, and trees wrapped with fairy lights. It seems like the city forgets to sleep, especially between 5:00 PM to 2:00 AM.

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