‹ Holidays · The Barcelona food guide
Thanksgiving to New Year's · 2026-27
The holidays in Barcelona
The Santa Llúcia fair in front of the cathedral, the lights up Passeig de Gràcia, turrón from the old shops on Portal de l'Àngel, a long Christmas lunch on the 25th, canelons on Sant Esteve, and grapes at midnight on the 31st.
Photo: Jordiferrer, CC BY-SA 4.0The dates to know
- Thu, Nov 26The Christmas lights switch on (date set by the city; time and place not announced yet)From IR Barcelona
- Nov 28 to Dec 23Fira de Santa Llúcia, the Christmas fair at the cathedral (sources disagree on the start)Listed dates, check before you go · From Festivales de España, Radical Storage
- Thu, Dec 24Nit de Nadal: Christmas Eve, and the kids beat the tió for presents
- Fri, Dec 25Nadal: the big lunch, with escudella and the sopa de galets
- Sat, Dec 26Sant Esteve: a holiday here, and canelons made from Christmas leftoversFrom Forever Barcelona
- Thu, Dec 31Cap d'Any: twelve grapes at midnight
- Wed, Jan 6Reis: the Three Kings, and the tortell de Reis
The Christmas markets
Where to drink something hot and buy something you can eat on the walk.
1
Fira de Santa Llúcia
Get: A figure for the nativity scene, a caganer, and a tió to take home.
Barcelona's Christmas fair since 1786, in front of the cathedral. It's crafts more than food: eat around it.
Go in the evening, then walk to Planelles Donat for turrón.
From Festivales de España, Barcelona City Council · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo: Jorge Franganillo, CC BY 2.0
The lights
The lights worth leaving dinner for, in walking order.
The lights walk
Down Passeig de Gràcia, across Plaça de Catalunya and down Portal de l'Àngel to the fair at the cathedral, with turrón stops. About 30 minutes.
Walk it in Google Maps2A photo like it
Passeig de Gràcia lights
Look for: The lights past Casa Batlló at number 43.
Where the city switches its lights on, with the best of Gaudí along the way.
Walk down from Diagonal toward Plaça de Catalunya.
From Barcelona City Council, Barcelona Urbana · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Jordiferrer, CC BY-SA 4.0
3A photo like it
Plaça de Catalunya lights
Look for: The square lit up at the top of the Rambla.
Halfway between the lights and the fair.
Cross over to Portal de l'Àngel and walk on to the cathedral.
From Idealista, Barcelona City Council · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Jordiferrer, CC BY-SA 4.0
The holiday sweets
Where to buy the turrón and the neules. Order ahead: the good ones sell out in the last week.
4A photo like it
Planelles Donat
Get: Turrón de Xixona, the soft one, and a turrón ice cream.
A turrón family since 1850, with some of the best nougat in town at fair prices.
Expect a line in the last two weeks before Christmas.
From Forever Barcelona, Culinary Backstreets · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: La.blasco, CC BY 2.0
5A photo like it
Torrons Vicens
Get: Agramunt turrón and neules, the rolled wafers for Christmas.
Making turrón since 1775; the place for neules.
Any of its shops will do; the Rambla one is on the walk.
From Forever Barcelona, Lonely Planet · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: La.blasco, CC BY 2.0
6A photo like it
La Colmena
Get: The burnt-cream turrón, made fresh each day.
An old pastry shop by Jaume I; dearer, smaller bars, good for tasting.
Buy a small piece of a few kinds.
From Forever Barcelona · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: La.blasco, CC BY 2.0
Christmas Eve and Day
Here Christmas is lunch on the 25th, then canelons on the 26th. Book the lunch.
7A photo like it
7 Portes
Get: The classic menu: escudella i carn d'olla and the Christmas canelón.
Open since 1836, and it serves the Catalan Christmas meal for people who aren't home for it.
Book with your date and number; last year's menus were 72€ and 120€.
From 7 Portes (2025 menu), 7 Portes · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Ed g2s, CC BY-SA 4.0
New Year's Eve
Grapes at midnight, then out.
8A photo like it
New Year's Eve at Montjuïc
Get: Your twelve grapes and a bottle of cava.
The city's free show under the Palau Nacional; about 115,000 came last year.
Bring the grapes in a little cup; arrive by 11pm. Check barcelona.cat for this year's plan.
From Catalan News, IR Barcelona · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Jordiferrer, CC BY-SA 4.0
On the map
Plan your holiday trip
Tell Chef your dates and where you're staying. He puts the markets, the lights and the dinners you save into your Trips and fills the days around them. Free, no password.
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From the tree going up on November 7 to the ball dropping on New Year's Eve.
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The holidays in Paris
The Champs-Élysées lit from late November, the Christmas market by Notre-Dame, the bûches de Noël from the great pâtissiers, the réveillon dinners on the 24th, the Saint-Sylvestre on the 31st, and the galette des rois in January..
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The holidays in London
The West End lit from early November, Winter Wonderland and the river markets, the mince pies worth crossing town for, who's serving Christmas Day (the Tube doesn't run), and the New Year's Eve dinners. With our own holiday Almanac..
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The holidays in Rome
Rome does Christmas around the table.
Daniel X. O'Neil from USA13 picks · markets, lights, sweets
The holidays in Chicago
The tree goes up in Millennium Park on November 20 and the German market opens the same night. Here's the lights weekend, the Walnut Room under its tree, stollen from the old German bakeries, who's open Christmas Eve, and where to eat on New Year's Eve..
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The holidays in Vienna
The Christkindlmarkt in front of the Rathaus, Punsch at Spittelberg, the chandeliers over the Graben, Vanillekipferl from Demel, carp and a long dinner on the 24th, and the whole Innere Stadt out on the Silvesterpfad on the 31st..
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The holidays in Madrid
The market in the Plaza Mayor, the lights down Gran Vía and Alcalá, turrón from Casa Mira, Lhardy's consommé on Christmas Eve, twelve grapes under the clock at Sol, churros at dawn, and the roscón for the Three Kings on January 6..
Alf van Beem6 picks · markets, lights, sweets
The holidays in Amsterdam
The Light Festival on the canals, skating on Museumplein, oliebollen from a stall in the cold, a long Christmas with two days off, and a New Year's Eve that, from this year, moves to Museumplein..
Good to know
What are the best Christmas markets in Barcelona?
Fira de Santa Llúcia (Pla de la Seu, Barri Gòtic, About November 28 to December 23).
Where are the best Christmas lights in Barcelona?
The lights walk: Passeig de Gràcia lights, then Plaça de Catalunya lights, then Planelles Donat, then Fira de Santa Llúcia. Down Passeig de Gràcia, across Plaça de Catalunya and down Portal de l'Àngel to the fair at the cathedral, with turrón stops. About 30 minutes.
Where can you buy the turrón and the neules in Barcelona?
Planelles Donat: Turrón de Xixona, the soft one, and a turrón ice cream. Torrons Vicens: Agramunt turrón and neules, the rolled wafers for Christmas. La Colmena: The burnt-cream turrón, made fresh each day.
Where to eat on New Year's Eve in Barcelona?
New Year's Eve at Montjuïc (Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina): Your twelve grapes and a bottle of cava.
Every pick was checked on November 8, 2026 and says where Chef found it. Market dates, holiday hours and menus change, and some places haven't posted 2026 yet (each card says which year it's from): check before you go. Photos marked "a photo like it" aren't of that place. Chef Amazing isn't paid by any place here. Something wrong or missing? hello@chefamazing.com.
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