Christmas is coming to Barcelona: Santa Llúcia market

As Christmas approaches, a jolly feeling fills the streets of every city in the world and of course, Barcelona could be no less. La Fira de Santa Llúcia takes place at this time of the year, gathering a huge amount of stands in the cathedral area for three weeks long, and up until Christmas Eve.

While not being the only christmas market in the city, it is indeed the oldest as it’s been celebrated ever since 1786, becoming a tradition as well as a must-see for both citizens and tourists alike.

One can find all kinds of items around the market, such as the most traditional Christmas ornaments here in Catalonia (Christmas trees, crib figures and the famous caga tió, as seen below) and a wide range of gift items (costume jewelry, puppets, artisan toys and Christmas sweets).

We highly recommend strolling around the market and visiting la Plaça de Sant Jaume, where the main hall is located, and where you can witness the most famous living nativity scene in the whole city. However, this year, the crib gives off a rather contemporary vibe as it’s presented within inflatable balls.

This year the market opens its doors on November 25th until December 23rd, from 10:30 to 20:30 on working days and 10:30 to 21:30 on public holidays. We recommend a night visit to dip yourselves in the most magical side of the city that is Barcelona.

How to arrive: The market occupies la Plaça Nova, where la Catedral de Barcelona is located. The closest underground stops are Liceu (L3) and Jaume I (L4) (see map).