Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Carnestoltes/Carnaval
Celebrated in February or March, this festival (
www.bcn.cat/carnaval/en
) involves several
days of fancy-dress balls, merrymaking and fireworks, ending on the Tuesday before Ash
Wednesday. Over 30 parades happen around town on the weekend. Down in Sitges a wilder
version takes place.
Festes de Santa Eulàlia
Around 12 February this big winter fest (santaeulalia.bcn.cat) celebrates Barcelona's first
patron saint with a week of cultural events, including parades of
gegants
, open-air art in-
stallations, theatre,
correfocs
(fire runs) and
castells
(human castles).
April
Spring arrives with a flourish, complete with wildflowers blooming in the
countryside, Easter revelry and school holidays, although April showers can
dampen spirits. Book well ahead if coming around Easter.
Día de Sant Jordi
Catalonia honours its patron saint, Sant Jordi (St George), on 23 April. Traditionally, men
and women exchange roses and books - and La Rambla and Plaça de Sant Jaume fill with
book and flower stalls.
May
With sunny pleasant days and clear skies, May can be one of the best times
to visit Barcelona. The city slowly gears up for summer with the opening of
the chiringuitos (beach bars).
L'Ou com Balla
On Corpus Christi (late May or June), L'Ou com Balla (the Dancing Egg) bobs on top of
flower-festooned fountains around the city. There's also an early evening procession from
La Catedral and traditional Catalan folk dancing.
