The ballerina of hopes and dreams has signalled the start to the Christmas festivities. She did so at the official ceremony for switching on Barcelona’s Christmas lights, an event that also included a new sound and light show featuring hope-filled boxes, right at the junction between Avinguda Paral·lel and Ronda Sant Pau. The actress Mercedes…

This Christmas, if you buy gifts in your local neighbourhood we’ll wrap them up for you in eco-friendly paper and solidarity clothing. Let’s give our neighbourhood a present this Christmas. The city’s commerce and Barcelona City Council are launching a campaign entitled “An authentic Christmas wrap” to promote local commerce while raising awareness of the…

Christmas is in the air again. The cold weather is here and the Christmas lights have been hung in the streets, but the clearest sign is that the Santa Llúcia Fair is here, now in its 230th edition. The nativity scene is in place in Pl. Sant Jaume, this year dedicated to the poem Ho…

‘Ho sap tothom, i és profecia’. The nativity scene based on the poem by J. V. Foix and performed by the artists Domene i Toronell will fill Plaça Sant Jaume with magic. Quim Domene and Toti Toronell will be performing daily poetry verses in which the poet J.V.Foix describes various scenes of an everyday Christmas,…

To mark the 150th anniversary of the publication of Alice in Wonderland, The Shopping Night Barcelona will be transforming Passeig de Gràcia into a fantasy universe on the night of 1 December. Adopting the slogan “Eat me, shop me, live me”, the event will be signalling the start to the Christmas campaign along this iconic…

Whether you’re calling Barcelona home for now or you’re on holiday, it’s always great to take some time out with a good book. Maybe you prefer reading in your native English, or you’re improving your English skills. Either way, in these Barcelona bookshops that have sections of books in English or are completely dedicated to…

The Catalans love to have a dessert, cake or pastry for most of their holidays. If you’re a pastry connoisseur or just love trying new desserts, then look no further than these traditional pastries you can find all over Barcelona when the time is right. Treat yourself to some of the sweets that the Catalans…

Catalans work hard to differentiate their culture and energy from the rest of Spain. The quirky customs in Catalonia are no exception. Celebrating with human towers, dancing eggs and fire runs, Catalans are proud of the traditions that have stood as symbols of their robust country for generations. http://www.timeout.com/barcelona/things-to-do/11-quirky-catalan-traditions

The Women’s Fun Run fills the city with pink again this year. The money raised will help in the fight against breast cancer. http://lameva.barcelona.cat/capdesetmana/en