10 Things to Do in Barcelona in Winter

Barcelona is one of the most beautiful cities in Spain. In every corner there is a monument to admire and, in winter, the patron saint festivals present a continuous cheerful atmosphere. In addition, street markets multiply around the city and traditional festivities, such as the arrival of the Three Wise Men or carnivals, fill the city with light and color.

The biggest Christmas market in Barcelona is the Fira de Santa Llúcia. It takes place in the square outside Barcelona's impressive Gothic cathedral in the old town. The event has been repeated since 1786, you tell if this is not tradition.

At the Fira de Santa Llúcia artisans and vendors are distributed among 170 stands dedicated exclusively to Christmas. My recommendation? Take a tour of Barcelona's Gothic Quarter and, afterwards, take the opportunity to stroll through the fair at your leisure.

It will be full of Christmas trees, nativity displays, gift items, and lots of good seasonal food to bring the Christmas spirit to its visitors.

The city has ice rinks in various locations, sizes and styles. Here are three top ice rinks in Barcelona:

• Skating Club Barcelona. Whether you are an amateur, star skater or beginner and want to enjoy with your family, the Skating Club Barcelona is a great option. They offer classes in all types of skating, the service is friendly, the prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is fun.

Location: They have three locations. Calle Nàpols, 42; Calle Prat d'en Rull, 6; Calle Andrade, 40.

• Illa Diagonal Ice Rink. This rink is a tradition that is repeated annually at the Illa Diagonal shopping center. Despite its modest dimensions, every winter it is renewed as a perfect alternative for hanging out and shopping. In addition, they offer a good service and their prices are the cheapest.

Location: Av. Diagonal, 557. Les Corts neighborhood.

• Barça ice rink. Barça or not, if you are going to skate in Barcelona, this is a safe bet. It is part of the FC Barcelona complex, its dimensions are almost Olympic, they have a skating school and you can visit the club's attractions.

Location: Av. de Joan XXIII.

By the way, if you choose this last rink, you can take advantage of the Camp Nou Experience, an immersive experience in which you will relive the history and achievements of one of the most important soccer teams in the world.

Since 2011 the Barcelona City Council through the Barcelona Design Museum promotes an international benchmark of contemporary art, the Llum Light Festival. At least a dozen floats, buildings, sculptures and streets are illuminated redrawing the urban landscape at night.

During the festival, art, technology and design are successfully combined to experiment with the relationship between light and space. Emerging artists and veterans of international stature come together to offer a luxury show that you can not miss because, in addition, the activity is free.

If you like contemporary art but, unfortunately, your stay does not coincide with the Llum Festival, my recommendation is to visit the Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona (MACBA). You will not be disappointed.

In Passeig de Gràcia you will find Casa Batlló, the last work of the famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and in winter it is special because of the care, luxury and detail with which the seasonal decorations are arranged.

Every winter, those who buy tickets to Casa Batlló are greeted by a huge light show to celebrate Christmas.

For a month, Passeig de Gràcia, with more than 5 million lights and projections, illuminates the iconic house with a display of colors, shapes and figures drawn from Gaudí's architectural repertoire.

Are you traveling to Barcelona in December and want to surprise your children with a farewell to the year that they will never forget? Book your tickets for Port Aventura, which also include access to Ferrari Land, and give them the surprise of your life.

If you have children and you want to have fun with them, you can not miss the most incredible attractions:

• The highest roller coasters in Europe, such as Shambhala or Dragon Khan.
• Great water attractions like the Tutuki Splash.
• Attractions with a free fall of 86 meters high.

In addition, on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve the park dresses up and organizes even more special activities, such as gala dinners with cotillion. Planazo!

Calçots are delicious roasted onions that are then bathed in a thick romesco sauce, originally from Catalonia. These vegetables are also known as "Calçotades" or "Arbós de la Primavera". They are harvested in late autumn and cured in the ground until they can be used in January and February. It is said that their flavor is the result of exposure to the cold.

In winter, calçots appear on menus as the undisputed kings of Catalan gastronomy. They are accompanied by a grilled rabbit, pork or chicken, butifarra sausage and a good glass of local wine.

If you want to know all the dishes of the rich Catalan gastronomy, do not miss a gastro tour in Barcelona, you will live a unique foodie experience!

Sitges, one of the most popular seaside towns in Barcelona, presents a seasonal cultural proposal always rich and diverse.

Among them, there are three events that I recommend:

• The International Wine and Cava Film Festival, MOST. Lovers of the seventh art, cava and wine will feel in paradise.
• The Sitges Christmas Festival. It's colorful, fun and irreverent; even if you've visited it before, you'll find a surprise every year. The celebration lasts two days and starts right after Christmas Day.
• The Sitges Carnival. The best European version of the Brazilian octavita. The energy there is amazing, plus cultural activities are the order of the day.

Book an excursion to Sitges from Barcelona, which also includes a visit to Tarragona, and discover how much this city has to offer also in winter.

If you are traveling with children to Barcelona and you are there on January 5, it is obvious that you can not miss the Three Wise Men Parade.

And if you are in Barcelona in December, you must take them to the Factory of the Kings of the East, in the district of Sant Andreu. Their Majesties' helpers will accompany them on a tour that starts at the Magic Post Office, after the third week of December. The activities delight the kids and access is easy by metro.

By the way, I think I haven't told you yet that by buying the Barcelona Card Express you have free and unlimited access to all public transport in the city, among many other advantages. So you have no excuse, get out of the city center and take your kids to a magical experience.

La Laia, Santa Eulalia or the Winter Festival. By these three names you can know a festival that is celebrated every year the week of February 12 and in which the people of Catalonia and tourists enjoy the sardana dances, dancing devils and the correfoc in honor of its patron saint.

During this week, there are also open days at museums in the city and numerous events in the civic centers of the neighborhoods.

Are you interested in art but your stay does not coincide precisely on these dates? Don't be disappointed. Book the Barcelona Articket and get access to the six most important museums in the city:

• Museu Picasso de Barcelona.
• Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.
• Joan Miró Foundation.
• Center of Contemporary Culture of Barcelona.
• Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art.
• Antoni Tàpies Foundation.

The combined visit to the Sagrada Familia and Park Güell is one of my recommendations in Barcelona during the winter. At this time the park recovers its green carpet. The paths are reopened and it seems that no one goes there, as you can walk freely without worrying about crowds.

In addition, the lower rate of tourists (although, to be honest, nowadays Barcelona attracts thousands of people at any time of the year), makes winter also a better time to enjoy the Sagrada Familia.

In short, if you travel to Barcelona in winter, remember that it is the ideal time to make the combined visit to the two great works of Gaudí.

My sweet sin of the season is hot chocolate. There is no pre-established hot chocolate tour, but if you travel in December and you like chocolate, I invite you to have a good cup of hot chocolate in at least three different places:

• Granja La Pallaresa you find it in the Gothic Quarter and it is a delight, the chocolate tastes like home and the attention is top notch.
• Petritxol Xocoa is a block away from the previous one, but the churros here are out of this world.
• La Nena Chocolatería when you make the tour of the Barrio de Grácia. The chocolate with cream there is very rich and the playful decor is charming.

Regarding the weather, you should know that winter in Barcelona is cooler than cold. The average temperature is 15 ºC, although in January and February temperatures are lower. It is best to keep an eye on the weather forecast.

Take some time to enjoy Barcelona. You can take a bike tour, book a fully customized walking tour or get an Explorer Pass to visit as many attractions as possible and save a lot of money. The options are almost endless, the choice is yours!