Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cavalcada dels Reis
Afternoon of Jan 5.
This is when the Three Kings (who distribute
Christmas gifts to Spanish children) arrive by sea at the port and ride into town, throwing
sweets as they go. The parade begins at about 5pm on Jan 5; the next day is a public holiday.
Festa dels Tres Tombs
Jan 17.
The first big festival of the year is the costumed horseback
parade through the Sant Antoni neighbourhood, with local saint's day festivities to follow.
Tomb
is the Catalan word for a circuit, or tour, so the riders make three processional turns of
the neighbourhood.
Barnasants
Dates vary, Jan-April
barnasants.com
.
A singer-songwriter festival (Catalan/
Spanish, plus Brazilian and Latin American artists), with more than a hundred gigs held over
three months in city clubs and concert venues.
DeCajón!
Jan-March
theproject.cat
.
Big-name flamenco starsperformaseriesofone-off
concerts in major city concert halls.
FEBRUARY
Festes de Santa Eulàlia
Feb 12
bcn.cat/santaeulalia
.
The depths of winter are interrupted
by festivities in honour of Eulàlia, the young Barcelona girl who suffered a beastly martyr-
dom by the Romans. She's a revered patron of the city, and her saint's day falls on Feb 12,
around which are held a weeks worth of celebrations with a focus on children and families -
paradesofgiants,
sardanes
,dances,concerts,
castellers
andfireworks.Lotsofhistoricbuild-
ings and museums are also open for free on the day.
Carnaval/Carnestoltes
Week before Lent, sometimes in March.
Costumed parades - where
you'reencouragedtodonamaskandjoinin-dances,concerts,open-airbarbecuesandother
traditional carnival events take place in every city neighbourhood. However, it's Sitges, on
the coast, which has the most outrageous celebrations.
