Fun Christmas Activities for Kids in Barcelona 2023

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Celebrating Christmas in Barcelona is a unique experience. For one thing, where else can get presents from the Catalan Christmas log, the tió de nadal? Without further ado, here are FUN Christmas activities for kids in Barcelona 2023!

You must reserve in advance for many of these activities, starting on December 14 or 15. Set your phone reminders! Double-check if they’re still being held also.

Have a Barcelona Christmas! During this festive season, enjoy activities like the Barcelona Christmas market, hitting the tió de nadal, shopping for a caganer, and seeing the Christmas lights.

1. Hit up the multiple events at Plaça Catalunya.

6504259053_44f6f95b2a_z
Photo by Ajuntament Barcelona via Flickr

This year, Plaça Catalunya is holding different activities. They have tons of family activities like  parade of capgrossos (papier mache “big head” figures), which will turn the whole square into a Christmassy forest of wondrous animals. There’s also a workshop for makign fanzines, DJs, and more. It is packed with activities for every day during the Advent and Christmas season!

Info: Nadal at Plaça Catalunya. SCHEDULE: from December 16 to December 29.

2. Check out the Santa Llúcia Christmas market.

The best and largest Christmas market in Barcelona, the Santa Llúcia market is the place to get you drunk on the holiday spirit. This year marks the 237th year! You’ll find rows and rows of holiday-laden stalls in Plaça de La Seu, the plaza of the Barcelona Cathedral. Kids will love looking at the nativity scenes with miniature utensils and chairs, dazzling ball ornaments, and Christmas trees and hand-weaved wreaths. And who can’t not chuckle when we see the caganers and tiós de nadal?

Caganer at Feria Santa Llúcia, the best Barcelona Christmas market-
Santa Llúcia Christmas Fair

Come early – because by 12pm, this place gets crowded on weekends.

Info: Santa Llúcia Fair website. November 23 – December 23.

3. See the Carassa de Nadal.

One of my favorite activities is to check out the Carassa de Nadal procession on the weekends. This “big head” on wheels parades around the Santa Llúcia market, followed by a music band and some friends throwing confetti. And watch kids run to the floor when he spits out candy.

The best Christmas activities in Barcelona with kids.
Confession: I am obsessed with the Carassa.

Info: La Carassa de Nadal. SCHEDULE: Novermber 30; December 1, 14, 15, 21, and 22 at 12 noon.

4. See the giant Tió de Nadal in Santa Llúcia and Tió in Sant Antoni.

At the Santa Llúcia Fair, kids can beat the huge tió de Nadal, or caga tió. If you don’t know who he is, he’s a traditional Catalan figure — a log perched on two sticks with a happy face on it. And he poops presents for kids on Christmas Eve. To find the tió gegant, climb the steps that lead up to the Barcelona Cathedral — on Santa Llúcia fair side.

This year, there will also be a tió in Sant Antoni market. Kids can sing in his year, and projection of nativity scenes light up behind them. It’s a different approach!

tiogegant
The usual tió gets a get-out-of-jail-card from being beaten this year.

Info:

Tió gegant of Santa Llúcia website. Schedule: December 2-17

5. Go to the Sagrada Familia Christmas market.

Visit the holiday stalls at the Christmas fair at the Sagrada Familia church. Not a bad backdrop for your holiday shopping, right? It’s similar to the Santa Llúcia fair, where they sell nativity scenes, Christmas trees and decorations, and handmade gifts like jewelry or warm slippers. Or try warm crepes or sugar-covered nuts.

Christmas at Sagrada Familia

Info: Official website. TBD

6. Enjoy New Year’s Eve fireworks throughout Barcelona’s districts.

If your kids can stay up past midnight, check out the special New Year’s Eve show. Since this year’s pyrotechnic show at Plaça Espanya fountain is canceled, the Barcelona City Council is putting on “decentralized” shows. Twelve palm tree fireworks will be set off in the different districts of Barcelona. It will be a citywide 15-minute fireworks display. It will also be broadcast on TV.

Celebrate your Barcelona, Spain, Christmas with these fun activities.
Let’s hope for next year, right?!

For the full Christmas schedule, visit Barcelona’s New Year’s eve event! Schedule: 11 pm to 12.15 am approximately

7. See the Three Kings at the Forùm.

You can visit the famous Magi via a route lasting 30 minutes. Discover the magic secrets of the royal entourage while discovering the magic machines, floats, costumes, and fantastic creatures! You’ll also be able to deliver your Christmas wishlist and put in the postbox! Bookings can be made starting on December 15.

Info: Magic of the Orient at the Forum. TBD

8. Check out the Nativity scene in Plaça Sant Jaume.

Every year, a huge Nativity Scene is set up in the Plaça de Sant Jaume by the Barcelona City Council. And every year, they have modern interpretations of the Nativity. People always have their opinions about it when it comes out. IMHO, they haven’t impressed me the last few years. But check it out for yourself!

Christmas in Plaça Sant Jaume 2023. What’s your opinion?

Info: Plaça Sant Jaume pessebre website. SCHEDULE: NOW

If you want to see a traditional Nativity Scene, go to Frederic Mares Museum, where you can see it at the museum terrace. (IT’S FREE!) SCHEDULE: November 29, 6:30 pm (inauguration) to February 2. Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 7pm.; Sundays and holidays 11am to 8pm. December 24 – January 6, it closes at 9pm. Museu Frederic Mares official website here.

9.  Visit the Three Kings Workshop at Fabra i Coats.

It is on this year! We all know that Santa has a workshop in the North Pole. Well, the Three Kings have their factory and warehouse right here at Fabra i Coats. See the workers prepare the gifts to be delivered on the Twelfth Night. From the outside, three floors will be decorated with colorful lights. And you can see the presents move across a conveyor belt, ready to be shipped and delivered come the Eve of Three Kings’ Day. It’s free, and prior registration is required.

Fabra i Coats Reyes Workshop
See your toys being made live. Seriously. So cool.

Now someone help me explain. “Mommy, why does my toy say ‘Made in China’?”.

Info: Fabra i Coats website. Schedule: December 27 – January 4, 2024

10. See a living Nativity scene or visit Santa or the Three Kings at Poble Espanyol.

If you’ve never been to Poble Espanyol, you’ll love seeing a small world of the villages of Spain. But for Christmas, they’ve got events throughout the holiday season.

Photo courtesy of Poble Espanyol

Poble Espanyol gives kids a fun time with the caga tió, a Christmas market, swing dancing, music, and Santa’s house. It also has a pessebre vivent, or a living Nativity scene. Real people dress up in character as Joseph, Mary, Jesus, and the usual cast of the three Kings, shepherds, and even goats and donkeys. And it’s all set in a realistic agrarian backdrop, stable and blocks of hay included.

Info: Poble Espanyol official website.  Free for kids ages 4 and under.

11. Celebrate the citywide Barcelona Three Kings’ Parade.

At this highly anticipated event, the Three Kings and their entourage usually parade on a large, elaborate float and wave to the crowds of excited children. In the floats before them, we’re greeted by hundreds of beautifully costumed characters, magical creatures, dancing and singing their way through the streets of Barcelona.

You can watch the Three Kings in Barcelona on TV this year. Tune in on RTVE, beteve, and TV3.

Info: Three Kings parade in Barcelona. From 6pm

13. See the Christmas fair at Fira de Nadal in Port Vell.

For the second consecutive year, Port Vell will hold a Christmas event at Moll de La Fusta. It also has a show of lights to the rhythm of the music each afternoon, a beautiful aquatic nativity scene, and the arrival of the Three Kings. Take a photo of the largest Christmas tree in Catalonia, towering 31 meters!

Info: Fira de Nadal at Port Vell, schedule December 5 – January 4, 2024

Map of Christmas Activities for Kids in Barcelona

Things to do in Barcelona during Christmas

Kid-friendly Christmas things to do in Barcelona

Think you’ll be doing any of these activities in Barcelona? Have you been to Barcelona during Christmas?

By Justine Ancheta

California native, churro aficionado, and mom of 3, Justine Ancheta writes fervently about Barcelona and Spain. Since 2008, she's been eating burnt onions (calçots) and tripping on cobblestones in the Gothic Quarter. She shares tips on popular attractions, exposes offbeat non-touristy spots, and gives insight on exploring Barcelona with kids. Her next Catalan culture challenge: top level of a human castle (castellers).

1 comment

  1. The Christmas at Sagrada Familia must be amazing but I like the little markets with the traditional things, and I saw this app with all the Christmas events in Barcelona, very useful

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