Barcelona kicks off the Christmas season

The entertainment that will light up Barcelona

This year, Barcelona's Christmas lights will be bigger and better than ever with a new design that puts the city's creativity in the spotlight. The lights in Plaça de Catalunya, and on Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes and Carrer d'Aragó, will be the first to be switched on as part of the new project. Don't miss the Christmas lights switch-on on 24th November which will be accompanied by a 30-minute show that will pay tribute to the city's lights and its people in seven scenes showcasing Barcelona's shops, local community, young people and creativity. It will feature elements of theatre, circus and music that will light up the Christmas spirit.

The night-time Barcelona Christmas Tour on a double-decker bus, will take you through the city's streets and immerse you in its spectacular festive lights. Make yourself comfortable and bathe in the glow of the Christmas lights!

The big Christmas celebration

Plaça de Catalunya and Plaça de la Universitat will be the focal points of the festive celebrations. From 18th to 30th November, they will be hosting lots of activities to suit all tastes and designed to let you experience Christmas through fun, music, circus acts, art and memories.

In Plaça de Catalunya, you can enjoy family mornings with different thematic areas where the kids can explore and experiment; concerts to get the whole family moving; afternoons devoted to the performing arts and the circus; live music featuring some of today's leading women vocalists; cinema and a film, So Many Christmases, which will take us on a journey to different Christmases in Barcelona and will also feature a live soundtrack.

Plaça de la Universitat will be serving up Happy Christmas(es), a festive, state-of-the art, hands-on installation that invites passers-by to interact with the space and create a collective Christmas poem.

Christmas sounds and rhythms

It just wouldn't be Christmas without music. It's an intrinsic part of Christmas and brings us all together to fill our hearts with the Christmas spirit. During the festive period you'll be able to enjoy music in a wide variety of styles at a wide variety of venues: a programme featuring more than 100 live performances across the city, with jazz, carols, cover versions and much more besides. Sònar, Primavera Sound and Cruïlla will be handing out early Christmas presents showcasing ten performers who they say epitomise Barcelona and provide the perfect soundtrack with a cocktail of musical styles. You'll be able to enjoy classical music and operatic favourites at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, the Palau de la Música Catalana and L'Auditori. We'll also be able to move our bodies to the performances by Barcelona's main music academies.

A Christmas star

Another new attraction is the 12-pointed star that will be shining from the top of the Virgin Mary tower of the Sagrada Família to guide us as we walk through the city. Perched more than 400 feet above the ground, it will be visible from anywhere in the city. The tower is the first of the six central spires to be completed.