December in Barcelona

It is the most beautiful month of Barcelona because streets and buildings are decorated and lighted with christmas decorations and meanwhile waiting for this special day to come, the first saturday is celebrated “we love cats market”. The name brings confusion because in fact, it is a benevolent fair of local hand made products which a part of the income will be given to the jardinet dels gats, an association promoting the adoption of abandoned cats. If you are looking for something original, go to the MOB (Makers of Barcelona, calle bailen 11). For more information, check its official website (no english). The next day, it is the no hunger festival dedicated to

the independent music starting from 19h at Razzmatazz (calle almogavers 122). The goal of this party is to collect money for the NGO Action against the Hunger. To know the full program, go to its official website (no english).

Every year, at the sant jaume square, there is the nativity scenes exhibition, a tradition dating from the 13th century representing the birth of Jesus. Normally, during the weekend, there are a lot of people making the line to see it so my recommendation is to discover it during the week and during the day. To know more, check its official website (no english). And near to it, the Santa Llúcia fair in front of the cathedral where you can buy everything to decorate your house for Christmas (trees, nativity scene, caganers...), if you want to know more, read Merry Christmas Barcelona.

From the second thursday, don’t miss the primavera sound festival in its winter edition called primavera club festival, 3 days of music and concerts. To know the full program, check its official website.

Montjuic Revival is for lovers of old cars and bikes and if you want to see them, you have to be at Barcelona the second weekend. There is also a race but normally only on saturday. To know more, check its official website.

The third weekend is dedicated for the board games festival called DAU Barcelona. The event is focused for families and it will offer workshops, round tables, tournaments and presentations. To participate, go to the Fàbrica de Creació Fabra i Coats (calle sant adrià 18-24). For more information, check its official website.

The same weekend, there is the festivalet event taking place at the FAD (Foment de les Arts i del Disseny, calle àngels 5). If you are still looking for a gift, go there, to find bags, clothes, accessories, jewelry, delicatessens, toys… in fact, every kind of original handmade items. For more information, check its official website.

From the third saturday, during one week, until the next sunday, the christmas solidarity fair is celebrated offering to everyone a good range of solidarity gifts at the Salvador Espriu gardens (passeig de gràcia 118). To know more, go to its official website.

The funniest celebration of the month is done on the third sunday called buff epic run at the Montjuic castle. It is a race of obstacles which everyone can participate with a fancy dress if they want !!! It is about 8 kilometers that include, for instance, a mud pool, foam, rope maze… To know more, check its official website.

Another alternative to the christmas fair, it is the king fair taking place at the gran via de les corts catalanes street between rocafort and muntaner streets from the fourth thursday until the 6 of january. If you want to know more, click here (only catalan).

If you like chocolate, don’t miss the chocolate solidarity festival celebrated at the chocolate museum the fourth saturday but only during the morning. Different actitives are scheduled and to know them, the best is to check its official website.

Do your children ask you to bring them to a music festival ??? If so, you can bring them to the sonarkids festival the fourth weekend. Don’t worry, concerts are replaced by musical activities, for that, you have to go to the CosmoCaixa (calle isaac newton 26). More information, click here.

OK, your kids prefer to play, in this case, bring them to the childhood festival celebrated at the Fira of Montjuic the last thursday during one week. Here, they will find more than 150 activities related to the health food, sport, culture, fashion... To know everything, go here.

And I will end with the most important night, the new year’s eve. No need to tell you that it will be celebrated the 31 so what you can do ??? The tradition is to buy 12 grapes and to go to the catalunya square before midnight. When you hear the first bell, you have to eat 1 grape, the second bell, the 2nd grape, the third bell, the 3rd grape and so on. At the 12th bell, you should have the 12th grape in your mouth, if so, you will be lucky for the full new year. After that, most of the people will go to nightclubs to keep celebrate it so you can do the same thing or do whatever you feel best, the goal is to have fun until you can’t stand it anymore.