HomeDestinations Interests Top Places to Travel by MonthSearchMenuBest time to go to Barcelona Catalan answer to the carnival season is more than fun one of the city’s liveliest and most colorful events showcases a unique blend of tradition and modernity This week-long celebration transforms the city into a spectacle of parades the carnival week begins a week before the Lent that leads to Easter the carnival week is outrageously full of entertainment and good food The carnival begins with the extravagant arrival of King Carnestoltes the “King of Carnival,” on Fat Thursday (Jueves Lardero) often staged in the Gothic Quarter and other central areas kicks off the week with a burst of humor and irreverence as the king’s satirical speech sets the tone for the festivities King Carnestoltes makes an appearance at Pl The anticipated parade steps off from La Rambla at 6:45 pm takes place during the weekend in the Born district This playful “battle of oranges” (now symbolic with confetti and balloons) harks back to medieval times Families and visitors can enjoy the vibrant spectacle or "barrio," of Barcelona brings its own flavor to the carnival and Sants host community parades where locals don elaborate costumes and showcase their creativity and camaraderie make these neighborhood parades particularly memorable Many parades snake across the city's streets on Saturday The largest parade is usually planned in the Gothic Quarter Great Carnival Street is scheduled for 6 pm from Jardinets de Gracia to Placa de la Vila where festivities proceed with the confetti battle The carnival concludes with the “Burial of the Sardine” on Ash Wednesday This satirical ceremony marks the end of the festivities and the beginning of Lent A mock funeral procession humorously bids farewell to indulgence and welcomes the reflective season ahead often accompanied by music and theatrical performances The tradition has it that people bury sardines which symbolizes the approaching of the Lent Locals call it "E'Enterro" or "El Entierro" but tourists recognize it as "the burial of the sardine" No wonder most meals served on this day abound with sardines Barcelona Carnival promises an unforgettable experience for locals and travelers alike anyone can feel the vibrant spirit of Barcelona The Festa Major de Gràcia returns to crown the summer with costumes and guarnits in the streets and concerts throughout the neighborhood The Vila de Gràcia prepares to celebrate this August a new edition of its Fiesta Mayor or popular) of all the neighborhoods of Barcelona the streets of the Vil-la will be dressed up again and filled with music concerts and activities to celebrate its big week in one of the most beautiful traditions that the city has This year ‘s festivities have the objective to achieve a better coexistence and more inclusive festivities with vulnerable groups The Festa Major Foundation and the District of Gràcia have worked over the last year on new measures that seek to recover the neighborhood character of the festival as well as enhance spaces and activities aimed at groups with special sensitivities and needs from the town crier to the latest news of the Festa Major The Festa Major de Gràcia will be held from August 14 to 21. The inaugural proclamation will take place on August 14 and will be something special since it will not be made by an illustrious person of flesh and blood of the Foundation of the Festival and carried by the Colla de Geganters de Gràcia which this year celebrates its 25th anniversary The proclamation will serve to explain the history of these figures created by the illustrator Mercè Galí and the designer and builder Àngels Jutglar which represent the day and night of the Fiesta Mayor the festival premieres several new measures that aim to facilitate coexistence and return the celebration to the neighbors after several years in which the massive influx has denatured the local spirit of the festa major one of the main attractions of the Festa Major de Gràcia are its decorated streets and guarnits the streets will compete to see who has the best costume the award date has been moved to August 19 In this article we tell you all the costumes of all the streets so you can make your own tour One of the main novelties is the “quiet night” on August 18 during which there will be no concerts or activities with amplified music to reduce the inconvenience to neighbors and the influx of public the awards ceremony of the street trimming contest has been postponed to August 19 to avoid crowds during the weekend the decorated streets will reserve the time slot between 9:00 am and 11:00 am for quiet visits creating conditions that prioritize the visit of particularly sensitive groups such as people with autism or reduced mobility spaces will also be reserved for people with reduced mobility at events in Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia and Plaça Trilla the number of adapted tours and routes and other inclusive activities for people with autism deafness and blindness will be increased to 20 the experience will be repeated in some musical activities with backpacks that emit vibration so that this group can also enjoy them while translation into sign language will be maintained in certain activities the district of Gràcia has carried out an information campaign on the regulations on the sale of beverages in public spaces and has reinforced inspection services during the festivities The festamajor has always been the home of popular culture and Gràcia pending the definition of the complete Program the presence as guest colles of two of the most outstanding colles in the country The parade of colles geganteres on August 17 will be attended by the Colla Gegantera del Carnaval de Solsona The castellera day on Sunday 18 will have the outstanding participation of the Castellers de Vilafranca Although for the Festa Major the whole neighborhood dresses up and the streets are dressed in costumes there are some spaces that will have special programming the folk and roots music program in the Fiestas de Gràcia Aimed at all audiences and with an extensive musical program do not forget the Rumba with Sabor de Gràcia The space of the Plaza de las Mujeres del 36 is programmed from the Women’s Council of Gracia the Culturist or the Platform of Luis Eduardo Aute in a proposal that seeks family and children’s audiences and also adult a feminist and inclusive look the artisan fair will take place at the Plaça de la Virreina and Plaça del Diamant the Jardinets de Gràcia will once again host the funfair three spaces in the district will offer guided tours: the air raid shelter located in the basement of Revolution Square the Diamond Square shelter and the Bell Tower You can consult all the schedules of the visits at the Program of the Festivities The Festa Major de Gràcia 2024 will have a Purple Point in the Plaça de la Revolució information and support to deal with possible situations of abuse or male chauvinist and LGTBI-phobic aggression this year the Guardia Urbana and the Mossos d’Esquadra will once again establish three safe routes to prevent any type of criminal behavior and against sexual freedom: the point of attention and advice on drugs aimed at young people If last year this point consisted of a pilot test for three days this year the service is extended for the seven days of Fiesta Mayor It has been years that the crowds are repeated in the festivities so it has enabled a special device to avoid it and the council recommends the use of public transport Auxiliary one-way devices will be set up on the most crowded streets to facilitate traffic flow A measure that serves to ensure optimal safety conditions accessibility to the various spaces and improve traffic flow within the streets… general traffic circulation will be restricted within the perimeter formed by Passeig de Gràcia The Barcelona metro will run uninterrupted service two nights in a row The festivities of Gràcia are one of the most famous of Barcelona for the numerous activities that are organized but mainly for the decoration of its streets and balconies Gràcia is a neighborhood that has a great tradition of associations that still lasts The neighborhood associations work all year long to decorate the street to which they belong; first they decide the theme and then they design and create all the decorative elements The themes can be varied and so we can find a street dedicated to prehistory another to space travel and another to love Although the important thing is to participate a competition is organized among the streets and prizes are awarded to the three best decorated streets and the themes are secret until the day the festivities begin Another competition of decorated balconies is also organized in which every neighbor can participate Gràcia is filled with stages for concerts of all kinds of music orchestras play popular dance music in the squares at night bars and restaurants set up bars in the street better check the program or better yet go to Gràcia and let yourself go In the 2024 edition of the Festa Major de Gràcia will be organized cultural and neighborhood activities totally free and for all audiences traditional demonstrations of popular culture and a wide variety of activities such as workshops concerts and shows in the squares of Sol and Dones del 36 the Ateneu de Fabricació and Punt Verd Tabuenca One of the main novelties this year is the commitment to make the festival coexist with the rest of the neighbors on the 18th the "quiet night" will be held during which no concerts will be scheduled in the streets with amplified sound The inclusive will is also reflected in a program that offers activities for people with disabilities and for children and that will make visible the problem of unwanted loneliness with an exhibition in the Plaza Joanic this year there will be a lilac point in the Plaza de la Revolución to offer support in cases of harassment or sexist this year there will be a selective collection of decorations Some squares in Gràcia become thematic spaces in which various activities are developed on a theme or One of the most mythical squares in the neighborhood of Gràcia will become the Plaça del Folk This space managed by the Centro Artesano Tradicionàius will host artists such as Balkan Paradise Orchestra the workshop and combat of Glosa or the Baile de Gralles de Quatrevents Municipal space where programming revolves around feminist awareness and the fight against gender stereotypes the Festa Major de Gràcia emphasizes inclusion and sustainability There will be activities designed for people with disabilities and selective waste collection points will be set up to encourage a more environmentally friendly celebration there will be a lilac point in the Plaza de la Revolución to offer support against cases of harassment or violence This year there will be 23 decorated spaces in the Festa Major de Gràcia Streets and squares decorated by commissions of neighbors in a totally disinterested way The decoration is the distinctive feature and the essence of the Festa Major de Gràcia neighbors and merchants join the party by decorating their homes In this year's edition there will be 42 works of this type referenced in the official program of the Festa Major de Gràcia Program (PDF) This 2024 discover the magic of the decorated streets in the Festa Major de Gràcia There are 23 streets with different themes that will participate in the contest that will take place at the big summer party in Barcelona the countdown has already begun to welcome the most creative and colorful party It should be noted that it is one of the most anticipated of the city This year’s festivities of Gràcia will take place from August 15 to 21 which brings with it an extensive program of activities and concerts This means that more than twenty streets decorated in the Festa Major will be adorned to participate in the traditional contest that will choose which will be the winner of 2024 The awards ceremony is usually held on August 17 this time the edition will be held two days later in order to avoid the overcrowding of visitors and thus improve the coexistence of the neighborhood Get to know the streets decorated for this year’s Festa Major 2024 and the themes of the decorations: It is noteworthy that these streets will be decorated with their best clothes will welcome the thousands of visitors who will walk through the neighborhood This will be until the end of the festivities a contest this year will be announced which is the best it will be a recognition that last year that moved to the street Progrés with its assembly ‘Formigues’ Progrés climbed from the third position of 2022 with the initiative aimed at insects that is inspired by the protagonists of a film called ‘Bugs’ It will be a major festival with a quiet night in which the organizers of the festival have announced that due to the increase in visitors that has been seen in recent years An edition that will be a “quiet night” without concerts On August 18 during the night of the streets decorated in the Fiesta Mayor these activities of live and amplified music will not advance This in order to improve coexistence and reduce the influx of people in this strip concentrated in the squares and in some streets of the neighborhood in order to enjoy the musical activities Stock images by Depositphotos La venta de la nuda propiedad Copyright © 2022 Salirporbarcelona , All rights Reserved. Created by JEZZ Media Click here to discover all the information of the Festa Major de Gràcia 2022 During a week round the Feast of the Mare de Déu d’Agost The town of Gràcia was originally a small farming community which underwent a big transformation and became an area of workers and small traders Barcelona's growth and the implementation of Cerdà's expansion plan meant it was incorporated into the city but it has continued to assert its own characteristics and its own way of doing things Gràcia's festa major is regarded as the maximum expression of the neighbourhood's identity and consists of a whole series of celebrations that combine public participation with traditional and popular culture with each one responsible for its own street or square The result is almost a week of activities in every corner of the old town thanks to the contribution of the many Gràcia men and women who are involved The Fundació Festa Major de Gràcia brings together the associations that decorate the streets and squares and take part in the festival by organising the dances While the reason for holding the festa major in Gràcia is disputed — some attribute it to Sant Roc the Assumption of the Virgin Mary — most see it as the Feast of the Assumption because tradition has it that the neighbourhood is dedicated to the Virgin the Feast of Sant Roc is also celebrated: local residents pay homage to the saint and the Castellers de la Vila de Gràcia dedicate a pilar d’ofrena to him a human offering in the form of a pillar of castellers in the presence of Gràcia's festival figures The festival's origins run almost parallel to the town's urban development The first reference to it is documented in 1817 when a religious gathering at Can Trilla in honour of the Mare de Déu d’Agost was recorded It became more established in the 19th century and took on a more civic rather than a religious character with lots of associations and other organisations helping to organise it balconies and doorways can be found in the tradition of decorating public spaces with branches In the 19th century this custom gave way to the first simulated scenes the precedent for the intricate decorations we see today Presentation of the T-shirt and the festival streets On the Friday closest to the feast of Sant Jaume there is a presentation of the festival venues and T-shirt and the neighbourhood's castellers and trabucaires round the old town streets to the district town hall There the castellers build two human pillars to present the new T-shirt, The names of the streets and squares acting as festival venues are then announced and the Trabucaires de Gràcia fire off a ceremonial salvo with their trabucs from the district town hall balcony The presentation ceremony is brought to a close with a concert by the Banda Municipal de Barcelona Pregó. The festival is officially opened at 7 pm on 14 August with a pregó a speech from the district town hall balcony in the main square A different public figure is chosen each year to be the person who gives it who is usually accompanied by the authorities and the president of the Festa Major de Gràcia foundation Les Matinades. On the morning of the feast day the Matinades de Gralles and the Matinades de Foc parade round the streets and squares announcing the start of the festival The gralla players come out with the tabalers and visit the entrances to the decorated streets while the colles de foc devils and the trabucaire bandits go on a cercavila round the centre of the neighbourhood Seguici de festa major. During the feast day morning an official parade takes place with maximum representation from all the neighbourhood's festival groups and figures sets off from Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia and finishes at the Santa Maria church Missa de festa major. Although the festivities have had a mainly civic character for years including the gegantons and capgrossos while the castellers build a pillar of four. the popular retinue reforms and heads for Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia and the Matí de Festa Major (Festival Morning) This ceremony involves Gràcia's popular culture groups entering the square where they each perform various dances in two sets and in a strict order Cercavila de cultura popular. The feast day is packed with displays of popular culture a cercavila of groups from Gràcia and all over makes its way round the neighbourhood's streets is Sant Roc's feast day and the festival programme includes a host of events that pay homage to the saint One is a parade from Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia to the Sant Roc chapel (at the crossroads between Carrer de la Fraternitat and Carrer de la Llibertat) Here there are a series of performances: shooting from the Trabucaires de Gràcia and a dance from the Gegants de Gràcia while the Castellers de Gràcia mount a pillar Diada castellera i més actuacions. The castellers play a very important role in the festival programme held on the Sunday closest to 15 August in Plaça de la Vila This event is hosted by the Castellers de la Vila de Gràcia the castellers appear in events such as the festival mass and the floral offering to Sant Roc where they build specific human pillars (one person per tier) as well as featuring on two other occasions: the pilar caminat the "walking pillar" from Plaça del Sol to Plaça de la Vila an evening performance by the Castellers de Gràcia and a guest group This is held on the eve (vigília) of the festival Sunday Dia de les Colles de Cultura de Gràcia. On the third or fourth day of the festival an event is held in Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia to explain the town's origins and history This combines text readings with performances by local popular culture groups which their residents work on all year round Every year there is a big variety of themes using different materials a decoration competition is held each year with a jury made up of figures from the world of creation awarding various prizes Correfoc. On the last night of the festival there is a big correfoc involving the devils and dragons of Gràcia's colles de diables and their guests The young devils have their moment of glory a few hours earlier with a correfoc infantil round the streets in the centre of the neighbourhood Fundació Festa Major de Gràcia Festa major de Gràcia. Festes.org Protocol Festiu de la Vila de Gràcia Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy your city without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Barcelona Gràcia is a buzzing barrio that all visitors to Barcelona should make a beeline for A low-rise barrio found beyond the Eixample, Gràcia is an independent town that Barcelona swallowed as it spread but a fierce independent streak still runs through the heart of the neighbourhood today Before you make a beeline for this charming part of the city check out our area guide to Gràcia; you might as well immediately start making plans to move in Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! with its pristine white furnishings and venerable wooden chairs but thanks to the lighting they have made the most of it lunch (a special menu at a very good price) Their modest menu offers a fusion of Mediterranean and Asian cuisine with dishes such as prawn and mango curry and the tasty mushroom and foie brick 3 out of 5 starsRecommendedFantastic barbecued beef What more could anyone want from a carnivorous restaurant special Mediterranean dishes of the day and fresh auteur cuisine Chef Xavier Codina calls it ‘rumba cuisine’ 5 out of 5 starsRecommendedL’Entresol is probably the coolest bar in Gracia’s mainly because of its commitment to a clean and contemporary design a musical selection that's always updated to the latest world trends and their menu of G&Ts that will have you feeling like you've just drunk from the fountain of youth Beautiful people and some famous faces fill out the tree of this growing family Sit a spell and play chess or other table games while you have a cuppa enjoy the 'happy hour' menu of gin and tonics and other cocktails. Foto: Maria DiasÀlex González has reinvented the clothes shop Boo without leaving the Gràcia neighbourhood or losing the essence of what makes it special. They stock international brands such as Saint James, Penfield and Levis, and items from independent designers including Tuk Tuk and Plectrum. Check it out, even if just for the fun of getting changed in a 1920s Barcelona telephone cabin. A manifest, a set of ethics, a price: none of the garments or accessories found at GreenLifeStyle break the principles of sustainability, recycling and fair trade. Another unwritten rule is support for design. We love the Milch jumpsuits, the knitted pieces from Caro-e, the colours of the Maronskis and the silhouettes from Las Racines du Ciel. Dress for winter with a hat and a knit sweater from Carolina Simón. Foto: Maria DiasPinc Store is the shop, workshop and creative lab of Ana Tichy, a designer who works with and reworks sewing patterns, stretches the boundaries of the textiles she uses, and also includes embroidery in her collections. © Elan Fleisher / Time OutGaudí's brief for the design of what became Park Güell was to emulate the English garden cities so admired by his patron Eusebi Güell: to lay out a self-contained suburb for the wealthy (This English influence explains the anglicised spelling of 'Park'.) The original plan called for the plots to be sold and the properties designed by other architects the idea never took off – perhaps because it was too far from the city perhaps because it was too radical – and the Güell family gave the park to the city in 1922 The fantastical exuberance of Gaudí's imagination remains breathtaking Visitors were once welcomed by two life-size mechanical gazelles a typically bizarre religious reference by Gaudí to medieval Hebrew love poetry although these were unfortunately destroyed in the Civil War The two gatehouses that remain were based on designs the architect made for the opera Hänsel and Gretel one of them featuring a red and white mushroom for a roof walk up a splendid staircase flanked by multi-coloured battlements to what would have been the main marketplace reminiscent of the hypostyle hall at Luxor. © Scott ChasserotThe five-screen Verdi and Verdi Park have transformed this corner of Gràcia with a diverse programme of independent chaos reigns; arrive early and make sure you don't confuse the line to enter for the line to buy tickets This alternative theatre offers high-quality plays and dance performances, including some in English and an entire programme just for kids. Foto: HeliogàbalCertainly one of the best spots in Gràcia for live music and a good night out Heliogàbal Cultural Association sprang up in 1995 to provide a platform for the development and promotion of arts and cultural activities in the barrio the association has focused on displaying and promoting poetry and music projects as well as other forms of artistic expression: painting and photography exhibitions Heliogàbal is where the public and the locals meet with artists It also collaborates with other cultural platforms and artistic associations of Barcelona such as independent record labels and publishers the Heliogàbal Cultural Association has become a reference point for the revitalisation of artistic life in Gràcia This is a warehouse full of nighttime memories run by those passionate about collecting they play host to a group of others who share their nostalgia and are not satisfied with the nocturnal and musical trends of the last couple of decades facebook twitter spotify tiktok About us Contact us Time Out Worldwide bohemian atmosphere – it’s dotted with eco-shops yoga studios and vegan-friendly cafes – makes it a great neighbourhood to explore the serpent-shaped bench on the main terrace and the colonnades and corridors carved from locally sourced stone Its highest point is a stone hill featuring three large crosses from where you can enjoy panoramic views of Barcelona and spot birds such as parrots and eagles Marvel at Plaça de la Virreina Building Plaça de la Virreina is one of Gràcia’s main squares and extends northwards from Carrer de l’Or to the late 19th-century Iglesia Saint Joan It was developed at the same time as the church on the site of the 18th-century La Virreina mansion the summer residence of a Catalan aristocrat and military leader There are a few cafes with terraces out on the square and a fountain topped by a bronze statue of the biblical character Ruth by artist Josep Maria Camps as well as expressing his opinions on architecture and design Sign up to our newsletter to save up to $800 on our unique trips See privacy policy The range of products available at Olokuti – a champion of ecofriendly sustainable consumerism in the heart of Gràcia – makes it absolutely impossible to categorise Drift towards the back of the store and you’ll find yet another surprise – a small walled garden in which to enjoy a responsibly produced drink or participate in the frequently organised cultural events Featuring walls of psychedelic wallpaper decorated with FBI wanted posters, vinyl records and gothic candlestick holders, Venezuelan bar Rabipelao wears its Gràcia credentials proudly Tuck into South American dishes such as empanadas arepas (crispy discs of cornbread with a variety of fillings) and deep-fried cheese sticks known as tequeños The bar’s also sought out for its cocktails and for its shaded garden out back – a rarity in densely packed Gràcia Tiny El Col.leccionista is one of the best spots in Barcelona for live indie Artists perform their sets on a sparsely lit stage that would fit in your bedroom It’s a great spot for the midpoint of a Spanish night out – after dinner but before the nightclub where you’ll stay until breakfast – and its reasonably priced beers and copas (spirits and mixers) draw in plenty of students and travellers on a budget This non-profit studio is one of the top spots in Barcelona for learning and practising yoga especially if you’re after pre- or postnatal classes a team of volunteer instructors also lead workshops in hatha (both fluid and classic) and yin styles which can be adapted to all levels of experience stay in the chillout zone with a stroll around Gaudí’s Park Güell Last but not least, if you happen to be in Gràcia in August, be sure to catch some of the celebrations of the Festa Major de Gràcia The largest and most popular festival of its kind in Barcelona the Festa Major is a weeklong street-party during which there are concerts and performances every night The neighbourhood completely transforms every year as each street is decorated according to a particular theme with neighbours competing for the best decorations This is an updated rewrite of an article originally by Mirva Kemppainen Guides & Tips The Best European Cities to Visit in November See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in October Guides & Tips The Best European Cities to Visit in December See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in July Architecture Spain’s Most Impressive Bullrings Food & Drink The 5 Best Food Markets in Madrid See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in September Guides & Tips How to Spend the Perfect 24 Hours in Santander See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in Summer See & Do Top Things to Do Around Las Ramblas See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in Autumn Guides & Tips How to Attend a Bullfight in Spain US: +1 (678) 967 4965 | UK: +44 (0)1630 35000 tripssupport@theculturetrip.com © Copyright 2025 The Culture Trip Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Barcelona's neighborhood of Gràcia'sstreets will be filled with decorations and celebrations for its 'Festa Major' local festivities. are the traditional celebrations that take place every August in Barcelona's Gràcia neighborhood Characterized by elaborately decorated and incredibly crowded streets this year they will take place from August 15 to 21. a procession was held in honor of the Virgin Mary Locals decorated streets and balconies to look like ballrooms the celebrations became more festive than religious. A so-called 'Party Committee' was founded in 1956 to coordinate all the celebrations and events taking place on each street. or 'castellers' are put on thanks to locals' efforts. One of the highlights of the celebrations that take place each year in Gràcia is the themed decorations that fill streets with color. This year, 23 streets will have handmade decorations, or 'guarnicions', that their residents have been working on all year. Nature inspired decorations to raise awarness about climate change and the protection of wildlife in the jungle will feature heavily on Carrer Jesús street while Pixar's "A Bug's Life" inspired decorations will set the scene on Carrer Progrés Other movies that have inspired decorations this year are Alice in Wonderland two streets will be recognized to thank the generations of residents who have helped make decorations or participated in other events for more than 100 years. Commemorative plaques will be placed on Carrer Verdi which has particpated in the Festa Major since at least 1862 The residents organizing the celebrations are committed to ensuring the festivity is inclusive and inviting for all members of the community. Concerts will be headed by both men and women and many performers will be from the LGBTIQ+ community. There will also be a stand known as 'Punt Lila' for people to report sexist or homophobic aggressions at Plaça de la Revolució square It will be partially staffed by members ofthe Observatory Against Homophobia who will be able to give legal advice to victims following the uptick in physical aggression towards LGBTIQ+ individuals Two guided tours will be organized for people with special needs: one on Wednesday, August 16 at 10 a.m. for people with autism and one on Thursday 17 at 10:30 a.m. for the visually impaired. Attendees must sign up by sending an email to subtil@subtil.cat as spaces are limited. More than 900 activities will take place in the streets and squares of Gràcia a parade with traditional Catalan big-headed 'capgros' figures and music on August 15 to celebrate the beginning of the Festa Major the award ceremony for the best decorated streets will take place at Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia square. On Saturday 19 at 6 pm, a Diada Castellera in Plaça de la Vila square will begin with different groups, known as 'colles' showing off their human-tower-building skills. performances in which people dressed as demons run through the streets setting off fireworks and firecrackers through different streets of the neighborhood starting and ending in Plaça de la Vila square to end the celebrations of Festa Major. Most evenings there will be folk music concerts by local groups and DJs take place in Gràcia's Plaça del Sol square which will be dubbed Plaça del Folk during the celebrations. organized by local concert hall Heliogabal is a series of free concerts showcasing cultural and artistic events not included in the official Festes de Gràcia program. and Pantocrator will perform on Friday 18 and Saturday 19 at Jardins de la Sedeta There are three different metro lines that go to Gràcia: L3's Diagonal and L5's Diagonal and Verdaguer stops. Keep in mind that the L4 is undergoing renovation works and is not running between Verdaguer and Barceloneta stations. The Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Gràcia train stop will also be available, as well will all the buses that pass through the neighborhood: 22, 24, 27, 39, 45, 47, 55, 87, 92, H6, H8, V17, D40, and the N0, N4, and N6 at night. Get the day's biggest stories right to your phone Already a member? Not a member? Sign up Explore our Food Tours → El Resolís has already been through several reincarnations yet completely different – sometimes opposing – social groups changing styles and menu updates and under different owners and chefs the place has never altered its name or its basic culinary M.O.: traditional Located in the heart of the gypsy Gràcia district El Resolís was founded in the late 19th century During the second half of the 20th century it became the headquarters and the social meeting point for the Falange the fascist and sole legal party of the Francoist dictatorship This extremely conservative regime repressed the official use of Catalan and other cultural expressions in Catalonia and other Spanish regions during the Spanish transition to democracy a native of Castilla La Mancha named Joaquín took over the restaurant He was a Barça supporter and a bullfighting fan and his regular gypsy customers turned the old right-wing Resolís into one of the flamenco rumba meccas of Barcelona His clientele also renamed him Payo Joaquín – payo means “non-gypsy” in Caló the language spoken by Spanish and Portuguese gypsies Payo Joaquin served the usual Catalan and Castilian tapas: tortilla de patatas pa amb tomàquet (bread with tomato and olive oil and salt) he started considering his retirement and thus the wheel of fate started spinning again L’Ateneu Independentista of La Vila de Gràcia (Vila de Gràcia’s pro-Catalan independence athenaeum) decided to move to a bigger venue with a bar and kitchen and with enough space to host its educational which was just two doors away from their venue at the time La Barraqueta’s aim was to keep the same spirit of the restaurant and it also wanted Joaquín’s regulars to continue to feel welcome there Only three things changed: the restaurant’s new name was La Barraqueta-Resolís and the menu changed from being mainly Catalan-Castilian to having a more Catalan-Valencian focus A gastronomic cooperative formed by a chef a maître d’ and other hospitality professionals started managing the new Resolís a young professional cook from Elche (Valencian Community) was especially involved in the project from the very beginning He’s also responsible for the restaurant’s wonderful rice dishes the words “Valencian” and “paella” are in fact as redundant as “white snow.” lobster and a generous dose of passion and knowledge passed down through family this dish can be eaten with a fork straight from the paella (the name of the pan used specifically for cooking paellas) as people do in the Valencian Community (and another legacy of Arab influence) the kitchen prepares other Valencian specialties such as arroz a banda (rice cooked in fish stock) The last is a traditional Arab-influenced dish from Elche and Orihuela that was very popular during times of scarcity beans or other vegetables and flour-based omelets with marzipan sweets (also Arab in origin) in fruit and vegetable shapes inside a hanky (mocador) athenaeums such as the Athénée de Paris emerged throughout Europe as literary or scientific private associations of all ideologies that hosted courses and conferences for their members The privileged classes founded most of them except in Catalonia where working-class people from different political backgrounds also established a significant number of them to improve their education and to provide their own communities with cultural access They also provided social meeting places and political debate forums the ateneus llibertaris – libertarian athenaeums – motivated the expansion of libertarian and anarchist ideas among the Catalan working class who saw how their living conditions had worsened during the industrialization of the country there were 200 registered athenaeums in Catalonia La Barraqueta is one of the few ateneu llibertari remaining in Barcelona and its aim is “to work towards the construction of united developed and feminist Catalan Countries” – the territories where the Catalan language is spoken (Catalonia the Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community as well as the French Pyrénées-Orientales region) La Barraqueta is currently linked to several left-wing community associations as well as to La Candidatura d’Unitat Popular a pro-Catalan independence party made up of autonomous eco-socialist and libertarian local assemblies whose presence in Catalonian politics has increased steadily since 2012 Who knows where the future leads for El Resolís we feel lucky to have a welcoming eatery with lots of personality in the kitchen and a convivial space that brings people together to share ideas big and small over delicious food loading map - please wait...Map could not be loaded - please enable Javascript!→ more information Many cities dread massive street festivals and block parties These celebrations usually come along with widespread clean-up efforts and struggles to keep the party from getting out of hand the neighborhood of Gràcia explodes into celebration and beautifies the city along the way. While there is an element of partying and revelry to the Festa Major de Gràcia residents of the usually-quiet neighborhood also fiercely compete for the best decorated street each block chooses a theme and works to cover every inch of the narrow street Decorations are stretched between buildings to turn streets into cave-like passages exploding with color and papier-mâché sculptures and balconies are outfitted with everything from streamers to basketball hoops and giant scissors Festa Major de Gràcia rages day and night for a week turning 20 streets in Gràcia into their own new worlds for the time dancing and partying dominate the landscape at night the festival also features cultural activities such as human castles (castellers) and a fire run (correfoc) as well as activities for children during the day allowing the entire family to enjoy the vibrant and exciting street festival The Festival runs from August 15 (Feast of the Assumption) through August 21 every year Two churches shoot bottle rockets at each others' bell towers in an unusual Easter celebration Giant kites are flown during this Day of the Dead celebration in Guatemala Japan's largest and oldest annual procession of floats the Florida Keys' Underwater Music Festival provides the best of both worlds Annual convention held by the largest pyrotechnic community in the world festivities and phenomenal street decorations during Gràcia's big neighbourhood party Get over to Gràcia and enjoy the fun and festivities any or all of the seven days of the festival Click or tap on any point or line to find out about the decorations in each street and square one of Barcelona's most known and visited boulevards The iconic wide tree-lined boulevard filled with luxury and power holds years of history in its buildings Passeig de Gràcia has undergone several changes and seen the city's most important people walk along it But how did Passeig de Gràcia become the street it is today there had been a street that connected Barcelona's walled old town with Vila de Gràcia Much of that was destroyed during the Napoleonic invasion in 1808 prompting local authorities to fix the road some years later with the restoration of Passeig de Gràcia beginning back in 1824. Along with the restoration of the emblematic street came another plan for the city: Pla Cerdà Engineer Ildefons Cerdà designed the Eixample neighborhood in the 19th century a unique grid system of octagonal blocks that surround the Sagrada Família the city's wealthiest families moved away from the old town to more spacious areas To be a person of importance at the end of the 19th century it was necessary to stand out and make yourself seen That occurred not only by wearing the finest clothes and hats but also by having a home built by the most daring and illustrious of architects The dominant art movement at the time was Catalan modernism which in architecture was characterized for being as decorative as possible and nature-inspired which is why houses on Passeig de Gràcia look so different from one another. there is even a block on the boulevard called the Block of Discord which architects considered a "competition" to outdo each other Some of its boldest buildings are Casa Batlló one of Barcelona's most-visited tourist attractions with one million visitors every year Some of the block's lesser-known buildings are Casa Mulleras and Casa Bonet Barcelona is a city that is known for architect Antoni Gaudí's creations. Passeig de Gràcia is home to not one but two of his buildings: Casa Batlló and La Pedrera - Casa Milà. Even the pavement tiles are special, with sea life patterns designed by the artist. The architect's creations all over Barcelona are considered World Heritage sites by UNESCO. This includes Park Güell, Güell Palace, and the famous unfinished Sagrada Família Basilica, among others. Another one of the most important buildings on the street is Palau Robert, a historic building located where Passeig de Gràcia Boulevard meets Diagonal Avenue. Palau Robert is a great example of what the Catalan bourgeoisie was like back when Passeig de Gràcia was built. The palace was created for Robert Robert i Surís, a Catalan aristocrat and nobleman. In 1981, the Catalan government acquired the building and it is now used for cultural events. The new post-Franco Catalan government considered it necessary to have a space for their exhibitions and to transform it into a large cultural center. "At Palau Robert, we always have free activities to bring culture to the people," Eva Pomares, the government outreach official, told Catalan News in a recent interview "Passeig de Gràcia is a great artery that not every city in the world is lucky enough to have. Obviously, every city has shopping areas, sometimes with luxury brands, but Passeig de Gràcia also has exceptional architecture," Eva added. The boulevard’s most particular feature, however, is its perfect blend of unique architectural heritage and high-end shopping. Once the wealthy families started moving to the street and showing off their splendor, it didn't take very long for businesses and luxury brands to follow and open stores on the ground floors of buildings, following their clientele into the city expansion areas. Passeig de Gràcia is still home to significant wealth and power, as it did 200 years ago, but it has changed its shape: now it is mainly in the form of businesses, banks, consulates, hotels, and luxury boutiques as well as Barcelona's stock exchange. In these 200 years, Passeig de Gràcia has been through some changes, but it still maintains its essence. In the 19th century, people used to go to the boulevard to make themselves seen, but nowadays people come from all over the world to see what Passeig de Gràcia has to offer. The Gràcia 2023 festivities will be held from August 15 to 21: we offer you a guide to the main festival that will be constantly updated until then Everything is ready for the Gràcia 2023 festivities This festival is one of the most important of the summer in Barcelona which the neighborhood prepares throughout the year Are you thinking of enjoying the Gràcia 2023 festivities the themes of the decorations of each street and everything you need to know about the festival The Fiesta Mayor de Gracia is a traditional and vibrant festival held annually in the Gracia district of Barcelona This week-long celebration is one of the most anticipated events on the city’s cultural calendar attracting both locals and tourists from around the world The Fiesta Mayor de Gracia has its roots in the early nineteenth century when the neighborhood was known as an independent village outside the city of Barcelona it was primarily a farming community with a close-knit population the festival began as a religious celebration dedicated to the patron saint of the area traditions and a strong sense of community it shows the artistic and creative spirit of the Gracia neighborhood The Fiesta Mayor de Gracia offers endless activities and entertainment for all ages dance exhibitions and traditional dances such as the sardana Street performers also entertain the crowd showcasing their talent and contributing to the festive atmosphere Sports enthusiasts can participate in various competitions and games soccer and traditional Catalan sports like castells (construction of human towers) and correfocs (fire races) These unique Catalan traditions are exciting to witness and are an integral part of the festive celebration The visual artist Gina Pont has been selected as the author of the poster for the Gràcia 2023 festivities captures various aspects of the celebration The composition shows the hands and tools of the volunteers who make the festive decorations as well as emblematic elements of popular culture such as the characteristic scarf of the castellers and the expressions of Torradet and Gresca Activities and concerts will be scheduled throughout the day and sometimes into the wee hours of the morning More than 900 events have been organized for the seven days of celebration in various streets and squares we highlight some of the unmissable suggestions you can access the complete program through the FMGràcia360 application guided tours will be conducted in the air raid shelter at the Plaza Revolucion with a duration of 30 minutes and a cost of 3€ an information point will be available at the Plaça del Diamant to manage reservations a telephone number and e-mail address will be available for those interested in exploring the space at other times of the year The History Workshop website will also provide details about times and days excursions have been scheduled to the shelter of the Diamant square to the Campanar Tower A stroll through stores and corners of this neighborhood located at the end of Passeig de Gràcia and one of the most beautiful in Barcelona because in general in its atmosphere you can still breathe that calmness that small towns have It also has moments of bustle and effervescence such as seeing the squares full of terraces and people sitting on stairs Therein lies part of the charm of this neighborhood located a little above Passeig de Gràcia there is a feeling that Gràcia is Barcelona but it is not Barcelona We take a look at some of its most special corners What we know today as Jardí del silenci was a convent of nuns the real estate company wanted to build a six-storey parking lot there seven thousand signatures were collected, urged the City Council to buy the space and the neighbors turned it into an open-air civic center Here they also have a record of the books they sell and if they don’t have what you are looking for second hand A post shared by LA PUBILLA (@lapubillagracia) With that name that sounds like an ephemeris because of what the word means in Catalan La Pubilla is one of the favorite places in Barcelona to go for a lunch menu They also offer esmorzars de forquilla; something that A post shared by La Graciosa Barcelona (@lagraciosabcn) An intimate atmosphere with candles and dim lighting fosters that feeling of well-being An oasis of good alcohol in one of the most special places in Gracia A post shared by KIBUKA Goya (@kibukagoya) The cinemasVerdi are a classic They also follow the commandment of the original version to the letter and combine titles more known (but that follow a very independent style) super-releases and the most independent of the market In a neighborhood as hipster as Gracia, could not miss in this list a store that was in its streets Revolution’s clothing has American overtones and we have a theory that and Ray Ban glasses at very very decent prices The Casa Vicens was the first commission Gaudí received for the construction of a private house in Gràcia when it was still a villa with its own town hall And it is one of the things you can see in Gracia A post shared by Be (@be_thestore) The Be store is that kind of ideal place to give a gift A corner with original ideas that can surprise for many it is also a sanctuary for self-care and indulgence decoration and a very generous space dedicated to candles and everything related to energies: yoga accessories A post shared by Paral-lelo (@parallelogelato) The ice cream paral-lelo’s ice creams are made daily and with seasonal products (if you want to have a strawberry ice cream on December 15 and the following fact is enough to show the magnitude of the matter: they themselves roast the pistachios that will later become ice cream The result of fusing Spanish and Japanese raw materials by the hand of a sushi expert can only end in one thing: success The quality of Nomo is excellent and the presentation of their dishes is a must-photo (remember Syra Coffee must be something of a pilgrimage site One of the best things to do in Gràcia is to have a coffee here 📍 Carrer de la Mare de Déu dels Desemparats Anyone could define the Pietro as a bar without-anything-that-makes-it-a-special-place And that anyone would not be misguided: the charm of the Pietro lies in its essence and in the intangible (and a little in its privileged location) just ask the crowds that throng their cubic meters weekend after weekend That’s why it’s one of the best things to do in Gràcia But the one that opened relatively recently in Jardinets de Gràcia Its pink arched ticket and interior design make this store one of our favorite corners of the neighborhood the careful selection of articles does not go unnoticed either It is one of the oldest and most iconic restaurants in Barcelona Its specialty is grilled meat and esmorzars de forquilla eat on grandma’s tablecloth and remember the flavors of childhood A post shared by Bodega Quimet (@bodegaquimet) La Quimet is so small that to go you have to make reservations or play the luck factor to find a seat It doesn’t happen so often that they serve you a well-drawn beer some pickled anchovies in vinegar and a good Russian salad Neighborhood atmosphere with first class food and service A post shared by Bar Vinil (@bar_vinil) To enter Bar Vinil is to travel back to the 80’s to the hits that were played on the radio and that even today many of us listen to with nostalgia and affection but you will find good music and some cocktails to liven up the second parts of the night; which It is another of our favorite places in the neighborhood of Gràcia The red light already indicates the incandescence of this place: wildness And a generous list of natural wines (all of them are) They also offer dishes to share and good charcuterie boards with Italian salumeria A post shared by Dlirio (@dlirioshop) two) that exudes originality and good taste An ideal place to treat yourself and get lost among trends colors and ideas without leaving half your pocket in it A post shared by ANTIQUE BOUTIQUE (@antiqueboutiquebcn) one of the most beautiful streets in Gracia and is a store that does not go unnoticed when you walk around there the sum of many styles and the living reflection of the passion for retro In Gracia there are so many that we can not stay with just one, so we have made this list of wineries and vermuterías in Gracia to spend Sunday com deu mana with a vermouth in your hand and an olive between your teeth Ya we did the chronicle of the place, so we invite you to read it to make your mouth water and include it in your next tour of Gracia. That said, the Besnéta was the first vegan bakery in the city when, although it may not seem like it today, all this was a field for vegans in Barcelona. In this pastry shop that is already a classic, Daniela works, an Argentinean who has been making beautiful cakes free of animal traces and with little or no gluten content for years. In its pastry shop, with the air of a delicate French store, there is an accumulation of beautiful traditional cakes, cheesecakes, carrot cakes, cookies, muffins and all the Anglo-Saxon pastries that have made such a fortune in the city. Bar and restaurant terraces in Enric Granados street will close one hour earlier from Friday night into Saturday. Owners will have to take out of the streets their tables and chairs by midnight on Friday and Saturday nights This schedule will also be in place in Gràcia neighborhood squares of Sol and Revolució but the measure will start a day earlier than Enric Granados street These are some of the restrictions announced by the city council during summer. The administrative procedure is "slow" but "safe," Pau Gonzàlez, Eixample's city councilor, announced on Thursday during a press conference. The council's forecast back in August was that the measure would be in place at the beginning of September. Officials have been reaching out to the owners of the restaurants that have a terrace on Enric Granados street. For the councilor, the measure was necessary as the "equilibrium has broke," Gonzàlez said referring that there are 1,324 chairs across 80 bars and restaurants, while only 1,600 neighbors registered in the street. The idea of the city council is to reduce noise and improve neighbors' rest as several noise complaints have been raised in the past regarding night activities. "We cannot allow that neighbors' rest is affected," he added, as the city council will defend the residents' health but also take into account restaurants and commercial establishments. While in Enric Granados, the measure will be in place all year; it will not be the case for Gràcia's squares. Terraces will close at midnight on Fridays, Saturdays, and evenings before bank holidays, and at 11 pm from Sunday to Thursday, between April and October. Between October and April, closing hours will only be brought forward to midnight on Fridays, Saturdays, and evenings before bank holidays. When the proposal was announced, bars considered it "unfair." However, as a manner of compensating the bars, authorities will allow offering more tables on the terraces. "It's a shame!" complained Melisa back in August. She owns a bar in Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia and raised her outrage with the council's measure. In this square, the measure has already been in place since October 6. After going through a lot of difficulties during the pandemic, Melisa saw this restriction as a new obstacle to her financial recovery. She did not even believe the measure would reduce the noise at night. For the Barcelona restaurants' association, the measure is a "curfew" set by the city's council, who they blame for not wanting to make changes, only "reducing schedules by one hour." David, in charge of the Sol Soler bar in the Plaça de la Vila in Gràcia, told back in August to the Catalan News Agency that he regretted that the obligation to close terraces an hour earlier would only apply to squares and complained that there will be an "unfair competition". "It's a bit unfair because there will be competition between the bars," David said, who nevertheless agreed with the limitation on the condition that "people's mentality is changed to have dinner earlier." As a resident of the neighborhood, he believed that it is a measure that can be good to reduce the noise although it "means less profit" for the bars. "We will have to try to get people used to coming earlier for dinner," he remarked at the time. Here are the best snacking spots in the city Your Barcelona itinerary might be crammed full but we can bet tapas is pretty high on your list But though you’ll find a tapas joint on nearly every road in Barca But some of them might just serve you the best patatas bravas you’ve ever tried in your life. Whether you’re looking for a light bite with an afternoon drink or a full-blown tapas tasting menu you’ll find what you’re looking for on our list croquetas and pimientos de padron than we care to admit Here are the best places to get tapas in all of Barcelona. This article was written by the editorial team at Time Out Barcelona. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines Time Out Market Barcelona sees 14 award-winning chefs bring local cuisine to the city all under one roof (including two with Micheiln stars) – find it at Port Vell, on the terrace-viewpoint of Maremagnum. Packed to the rafters with dusty bottles of wine, this classic but minuscule bar makes up for in tapas what it lacks in space. The specialities are 'conservas' (shellfish preserved in tins), which aren't always to non-Spanish tastes, but the 'montaditos' (sculpted tapas served on bread) are spectacular. Try salmon sashimi with cream cheese, honey and soy, or cod, passata and black olive pâté. Get there early for any chance of a surface on which to put your drink. aristocrat and libertine who predated the Marquis de Sade is a tapas bar inspired by a traditional corner shop The house tripe and capopita are a wonderful gelatinous delight with just the right hit of spice La Cova Fumada is said to be the birthplace of the spicy potato and mince meat 'bomba' his grandmother Maria Pla invented this local delight. Think of it not as a trek to the less-than-central neighbourhood of Nou Barris, but as a quest; queues outside are testament to the great value of the tapas. On especially busy nights you'll be asked to take a number, supermarket-style. Waiters will advise first-timers to start with 'chocos' (tender battered squid rings), patatas bravas with alioli, 'llonganissa' sausage and 'tigres' (stuffed mussels). After that, the world is your oyster, cockle or clam. Foto: Maria DiasThe district of Font de la Guatlla lies on the side of Montjuïc in the shadow of the old Casaramona factory (now CaixaForum) which stood almost alone here until the early 20th century One of the photos in the bodega reminds us of this: it’s an aerial view of the early work done for the International Exposition when there were only the factory and Puig i Cadafalch’s four columns The bodega is also a testament to the past of this old neighbourhood one of the few brick-built examples that still exist in the city © Ivan GiménezEl Cañota is a Galicia-inspired seafood tapas bar It's the younger brother of the renowned Rías de Galicia one of the greatest Galician restaurants in the city and the country El Cañota serves traditional dishes: fried fish and seafood and served in a laid-back venue that's perfect for a celebratory meal or for dinner after taking in a show at the Teatre Lliure Recommended© Maria DiasThe restaurant gets its name from a series of dishes from around the world that you'll find on the menu the fresh and fun tuna tataki with Asian aromas; octopus with Iberian 'tocino' (bacon fat) in thin slices and saffron rouille sauce; or the skewer of Duroc pork and hummus with turmeric If you love more typical tapas you'll also find cold tapas and the usual tinned accompaniments And you'll find a good selection of meats that are smoked in-house Recommended© Ivan GiménezIt's worth getting to know Balius a cocktail bar that specialises in top vermouth and cocktails made with vermouth and when you're feeling peckish you can order from a repertoire of cured foods tapas and small dishes that have their origins mainly in Aragon and Castilla the 'lomo de orza' is finely cut pork loin marinated with 'alioli' (garlic mayonnaise) and lemon and the 'atascaburras' is a salted cod dish that has the fame of being mentioned in 'Don Quijote' © Ivan GiménezEx-financier Jaume Muedra has come home, and brought his mother's kitchen with him. He's set up a top-notch tapas bar featuring calamares, Russian salad, oxtail, fried fish... all first-class. It's a seaside tavern in Barceloneta with all the comforts of the 21st century. ©ElisendaPons/ElPeriódicoLa Xula Taperia presents us with a high-spirited offering that Madrid's renowned for in the shape of a draught beer and a tapa – that's a free bite with each drink – and mixes it with creative cuisine. Their beers are poured to perfection, and their small and casual tapas are well-suited to their creative style. Examples include the tuna tataki and mustard tart, and the 'pringa' burrito made with Andalusian grilled beef, spinach and cheese. this Galician bar might look like it's about to crumble down at any minute – in fact so you might never even think about crossing the threshold and at the bar is where you'll find all the action you can sample dishes made from excellent products and brilliantly executed including an out-of-this-world Galician octopus and a ridiculously fresh hake You'll also be happy with dishes that are more Barcelona's versions of pub grub tapas © Maria DiasOwner Ivan Castro has managed to make this into one of the most popular bars among the city's gastronomy lovers. What makes Mont Bar special is creative cooking – with inspiration and experimentation from the chef and Castro's wife, Ana Merino. What sets Mont Bar apart from gastrobars is that they really go all out with the recipes. The menu includes 25 items that you can consider separately, or put them together for an incredible tasting menu. © Scott ChasserotXampanyet cava and vermouth help to wash down their simple but effective tapas chiefly functions as a little slice of Barcelona history and has been in the hands of the same family since the 1930s Can Comalada was a Gràcia institution: it closed in 2008 and left a void in the hearts of Gràcia locals It wasn't until August 2015 that the place came back to life reincarnated as Bar La Rovira by the owners of other Gràcia spots The Comalada family had looked over other offers So what's so attractive about La Rovira can give you the info you need before you spend your money. They'll even let you try a finger so you can be sure of your choice you can also get delicious grilled sandwiches with names of surrounding streets: the Reig i Bonet have a beautiful jukebox with great singles and at midday they offer a good lunch combo Explore our Food Tours → As you might expect from a city whose weather forecast tends to be sunny Barcelona has plenty of excellent ice cream options like most of the world’s food-loving metropolises this town has its share of internationally loved Italian-style gelaterias – many even run by real Gelaaatti di Marco and Amorino sell gelato that is licked and loved by the most discerning tongues in the city But if you want a frozen treat with more local flavor Sirvent and Tío Che are old classics that continue to deliver but there are (relative) newcomers on the frozen treats scene too is a small chain (there are three shops in Catalonia) that specializes in organic ice cream The cream they use comes fresh from cows or goats in Extremadura You can customize your flavor selection with many combinations and toppings of various grains or fruit as well as with traditional temptations like crema catalana (similar to flan) and the bestseller All their products are completely natural and certified organic a shop with strong ties to Catalan terroir that offers profoundly flavorful which is where many of his ingredients come from A farming cooperative there produces superb made from milk that is just half-pasteurized to better retain those aromas honey and even olive oil and balsamic vinegar from the mountains all the shops we’ve mentioned offer your more basic flavors in addition to the unusual ones (blue cheese there’s plenty of opportunity to try them all and there will also be a day of 'castells' (human towers) in honour of the saint with groups of castellers from the Barcelona neighbourhoods of Sants Click or tap on any point or line to find out about the decorations in each street and square! Kids can cool off in Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia every day at noon with a fiesta of water games. Every Festa Major worth its salt starts off with a bang. So Sunday the 14th at 6.30pm, drummers mark the beginning of the party in a parade that starts in Plaça de la Vila, where local journalist Imma Sust also reads the opening speech, at 7.30pm. If the heat's getting to you, head to Plaça de la Vila from noon for water games, or to C/Mozart at the same time for a big water fight. Dine on grilled sardines and delicious 'pa amb tomàquet' (tomato bread) at 9pm in Plaça de Sant Miquel, or enjoy a night of outdoor cinema and brushing up on your language skills with 'La rumba de Barcelona' (1992) and 'Triana pura y pura' (Ricardo Pachón, 2013), from 10pm in Plaça del Poble Romaní. But the big castellers party of this year's Festa Major is on Saturday the 20th at 6pm in Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia, featuring the casteller groups Xiquets de Reus, Castellers de Vilafranca and Castellers de la Vila de Gràcia. If you want to see how the Xiquets de Valls do their thing, check them out also in Plaça de la Vila, from 5.30pm. Fans of dancing should head to Plaça del Diamant at 7.30pm for some traditional dance, and there will also be an open class for salsa and bachata (7pm) in Travessia de Sant Antoni. In the same street, at 11pm, there's a big party with Chica B, the session DJ from hugely popular local club parties Churros con Chocolate and La Ká, who'll play '80s and '90s electropop tunes. It's the last day of the festival, but there's plenty of sparks flying still, with the 'correfoc' (literally 'fire run) on today. First there's a correfoc for kids at 6.30pm in Plaça del Diamant, which heads along C/Astúries, Plaça de la Virreina an Torrent de l'Olla, among other streets, and ends up in Plaça de la Vila. The 'big' correfoc lights up at 9.30pm and goes from Plaça Trilla along Gran de Gràcia, Maurici Serrahima, Torrent de l'Olla, Bellver, Plaça del Nord, Rubí, Torrent d'en Vidalet, Terol, Diluvi and Plaça de la Vila.But there's much more going on in the day as well. At 10am you can check out the giants parading along the decorated streets, and at 3.45pm the gymkhana gets underway in Plaça de la Vila. If you've got kids, you might want to head for the puppet show in Plaça del Diamant at 11am. And then at 12.30pm and 6pm in Espai Joanic you've got two more chances to adopt an animal that needs a loving home.If you fancy lunch in the neighbourhood, join in on the big fideuá (similar to paella but with noodles instead of rice) feeding fest in Espai Joanic at 2pm. The Catalan version of the Buena Vista Social Club brings to the Gràcia festival their 'dream' ('son' means dream in Catalan) to fill the festival with guaracha don't miss Son de La Rambla and it'll all become clear This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page By Jacqueline Raposo Plan a trip to Barcelona and chances are you’ll receive a short list of recommendations about places you have to see: the Picasso museum and of course the Boqueria market—the Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria the sprawling Boqueria is a more than worthy destination with centuries of history and lane after lane of stalls selling virtually everything you can eat in Spain And as one of the most tourist-trafficked markets in the world chef Mauro Ciccarelli of Arola at the Hotel Arts admits that many chefs stop there to load up when their suppliers fall short The same isn’t the case with Barcelona’s 40 or so other public markets which date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries and compared to the impressive-if-forbidding Boqueria many of the smaller ones are steeped in even more local charm Ninot Ous de Calaf.In the middle and late 20th century many of Barcelona’s public markets fell into disuse as mass-produced food and supermarkets became the norm But with the greater demand for organic produce at the turn of the 21st century Spain progressively set aside what is now the largest area dedicated to organic farming in the European Union With a big economic push from city officials to revitalize the aging structures many markets underwent facelifts to become renewed and vital neighborhood centers Ciccarelli guides us toward one such market—Mercat Del Ninot—where locals shop lazily on a quiet Monday morning he points out commonalities in the market scene today Ham at Ninot on display.Each market has several fish and meat stalls where products are labeled with area of origin Astounding varieties of dry beans and lentils sit in massive bags and baskets Legs of jamon Iberico hang from hooks or await slicing at many a stall smoked sausage lay alongside in abundance (all in the chorizo vein) There's cheese aplenty, too. And stands of fresh melon, plums, tiny pears, peaches, and tomate de ramallet—the small, grainy tomatoes used only for pa amb tomaquet (Catalan tomato toast)—are particularly hearty in the late summer months Choosing meats at Concepció is an exercise in communication well worth the experience.But each market contains its own gems as well be it a particular stand or an experience of Catalonian culture that has survived modernization And while it may be hard to determine whether the first language spoken will be Catalan or Spanish most vendors open up to friendly inquiry or give you the space to flounder until you finish your order Hanging tomatoes at Concepció.Word to the wise: Some of these markets close for a few hours mid-afternoon so make sure you have your watch synchronized Bring cloth bags—you won’t be offered plastic And don’t expect whole-bean coffee stalls or a quick iced coffee to be found anywhere; for a country with a rich coffee culture and if requesting something cold you’ll be given a cup with an ice cube alongside your espresso or latte Here are five great local markets to visit for a taste of Barcelona beyond the Boqueria Local cheeses catch the eyes of buyers at Mercat del Ninot.Built in 1933 on land used as a market since the late 19th century the Mercat del Ninot underwent a massive and stunning revitalization in 2015 it still retains some of its original purveyors like the xarcuteria Alonso Andres Stop at Ous de Calaf for an impressive collection of eggs from quail find a colorful variety of dry goods like dehydrated fruit or roasted nuts for snacking While many markets are flanked by small restaurants and bars that serve market fare Ninot was rebuilt with these spaces in mind so come hungry and grab a bite at Restaurant la Cuina del Ninot Eating at one of them exceptional way to meet locals Fresh fruits at L'Abaceria Central.Built in 1892 the L’Abaceria Central is one of the city’s oldest markets and retains a more roughshod look in a working-class neighborhood passed over by most tourists taking a break for a sip of coffee or breakfast at Bar Parera before wandering outside for clothing Take in the market’s relaxed energy and pretend you live nearby La Libertat is way less crowded than the Boqueria but still has plenty to offer.Opened in 1888 and now completely modernized the Mercat de la Llibertat sits in the Vila de Gracia stock up on thin slices of meat and cheese at xarcuteria Bragulat where the patient purveyor takes his time with you Then run like a kid in a candy store to La Grana a third-generation family stall that sells a dizzyingly colorful variety of candied and dried fruit Cured meats and Iberico Ham from Concepció.Set within the Modernist-style buildings of the upscale La Dreta de l'Eixample neighborhood built in 1888 and stunningly revitalized in the late 1990's Concepció is such a community staple that it's hard to find meat or good produce in any major supermarket nearby with several xarcuterias offering a plethora of sliced cured meats to order and stalls that specialize only in fresh cuts of chicken wander through the flower stalls to lunch at Sopa de Pedres where you can get a daily three-course prix-fixe meal of fresh market finds At markets like Mercat de Santa Caterina and Lagrana displays of candied fruit entice shoppers with a sweet tooth.Nestled in the Old Town part of the city Santa Caterina (named after the Dominican convent that once stood there) was the first covered market in the city and has been continually revitalized with Guadi-esque mosaic roof tiles and a vaulting interior of warm wood beams set high in the ceiling three reserved for olives and canned vegetables There's also a modern supermercat inside for household items More Barcelona information available at Mercats de Barcelona. Ham at Ninot on display.ADVERTISEMENTADADEach market has several fish and meat stalls Hanging tomatoes at Concepció.ADVERTISEMENTADADWord to the wise: Some of these markets close for a few hours mid-afternoon More Barcelona information available at Mercats de Barcelona ADVERTISEMENTADADWant more SAVEUR?Get our favorite recipes Articles may contain affiliate links, which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use. Members of “Colla Joves Xiquets de Valls” form a “Castell” or human tower during the 29th Human Tower Competition in Tarragona Members of “Castellers de Sant Cugat” react after successfully completing their “Castell” during the 29th Human Tower Competition in Tarragona Members of “Moixiganguers d’Igualada” form a “Castell” or human tower Assistants look as members of a “Castellers” form a human tower Members of “Colla Jove de Tarragona” form a “Castell” or human tower Assistants look as members of “Castellers Jove de Barcelona” form a “Castell” or human tower Members of “Castellers de la Vila de Gracia” form a “Castell” or human tower Members of “Colla Joves Xiquets de Valls” react as they form a “Castell” or human tower Member of “Castellers de Vilafranca” form a “Castell” or human tower reacts after climbing to the top of a “castell” or human tower during the 29th Human Tower Competition in Tarragona Members of “Colla Jove de Tarragona” fall before completing a “Castell” or human tower Assistants react as members of “Castellers de Vilafranca” try to form a “Castell” or human tower Members of “Sagals d’Osona” form a “Castell” or human tower reacts after performing next to members of “Castellers de Vilafranca” completing a “Castell” or human tower Members of “Castellers de Lleida” celebrate after successfully completing a “castells” or human tower Members of “Colla Joves Xiquets de Valls” fall as they try to form a “Castell” or human tower Members of “Castellers de Vilafranca” celebrate after completing a “Castell” or human tower The torn shirt of an assistant is photographed after completing a “Castellers” or human tower during the 29th Human Tower Competition in Tarragona Spain (AP) — Dozens of people squeeze together the less likely their human tower will collapse gritting their teeth to keep their backs straight and their legs from buckling dates to the 18th century and forms an essential part of Catalonia’s culture compete to build the tallest and most complicated towers at festivals often held in village squares across the region in northeastern Spain receding hairlines and the burliest bodies are seen on the ground floor The increasingly nimble are tasked with creating the final stages with each level sliding down the backs of lower ones Or the tower crashes on the heads and shoulders below the most important competition for human towers is held in Tarragona an old Roman city on the Mediterranean coast It now invites the 42 best teams to compete Newcomers and foreigners alike now take part in this practice that’s included in UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage her husband and their two children participate in a human tower troupe “I am part of Catalan culture and I am proud.” —Iain Sullivan in Madrid and Joseph Wilson in Barcelona contributed Barcelona is a city that has it all: beaches there is plenty of time to soak up its essence and make unforgettable memories This guide is designed to help you enjoy the city without rushing The best way to start getting to know Barcelona is to explore its historic center so reserve the morning to get lost in the narrow streets of the Gothic Quarter This neighborhood is the heart of the city where the City Hall and Generalitat buildings are located On this tree-lined promenade you’ll find everything from street performers to flower kiosks and stores and it’s a good place to stop for fresh fruit or an Iberian ham sandwich It’s a lively place and perfect for a gastronomic break If you’re wondering what to do in Barcelona cross the neighborhood of El Raval to get to the Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona (MACBA) This neighborhood is a hotbed of creativity with alternative cafes and a mix of cultures Take the time to stroll through its streets and discover some second-hand stores or independent art galleries the mountain that overlooks the city and offers some of the best views of Barcelona take the path that starts near the Plaza de España especially for its views of the harbor and the Mediterranean Montjuïc is also known for its rich cultural offerings, so if you are looking for events in Barcelona this weekendyou are likely to find something interesting in this area You can visit the National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC) or the Joan Miró Foundation which houses some of the best works of the famous artist go to the Magic Fountains of Montjuïc to enjoy the spectacle of lights and water This is one of the city’s most popular shows and its combination of music and lights is the perfect end to a day of exploring You can’t come to Barcelona without exploring the legacy of Antoni Gaudí the architect who left his indelible mark on the city Start your day by visiting the iconic Sagrada Familia its imposing facade and interiors will leave you speechless We recommend you book your tickets in advance as it is one of the most visited attractions in Spain one of Gaudí’s most emblematic buildings it’s time to think about restaurants in Barcelona to recharge your batteries Paseo de Gracia is full of gastronomic options from tapas bars to more exclusive restaurants don’t miss dishes like escalivada or calçots if it’s in season Plaça del Sol or Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia are perfect for enjoying the local atmosphere and mingling with the locals There is no better way to end your weekend in Barcelona than enjoying a dinner by the sea in La Barceloneta, the maritime district of the city. Here you will find a wide range of restaurants in Barcelona where you can taste fresh fish and paella take a stroll along the beach and enjoy the unique atmosphere of Barceloneta The sound of the waves and the sea breeze are the ideal backdrop to close your visit to this vibrant city The problem with gentrification hasn’t got to do with what’s being changed: the substitution of local traditions – cupcakes instead of ‘ensaimadas’ 'baos' instead of ‘entrepans’ – is something you may or may not welcome but it’s hardly going to segregate neighbourhoods or cities Where the discrimination lies is in the prices The problem with a lot of these newest and coolest spots is that they’re expensive: where you used to be able to stop in for an afternoon snack with the whole family now you’ll be lucky if you can afford a flavoured water The wealth gap is growing faster than ever with the ever-inflating cost of living and the locals are being forced to move from neighbourhoods where they’ve lived their whole lives.Lucky for us Bar Salvatge is an innovative and popular spot with the aim of sharing the culture of natural wine with everyone They offer wine by the glass at fabulously refreshing prices ranging from €2 to €6 The wine is served out of eight rotating tapped barrels plus one filled with Rubén Parera vermouth Parera also happens to be responsible for the interior design and a wild neon sign on the ceiling that bathes the place in light They do offer snacks to keep something in your belly and you can even bring your pets if you’ve got them with you bottle in hand and fennel between its teeth The District Municipal Archive of Gràcia (AMDG) presents a new interactive resource though which citizens can access the records of private works licenses in the territory. The new map geolocates 3.831 digitized files. This interactive map is a pilot that will allow the identification of private works licenses in the rest of the districts of the city of Barcelona with the aim of making it easier for citizens to access the documentation Gràcia had just over 13,000 inhabitants at the time it was established as an independent municipality in 1850 it was annexed back to the city of Barcelona the population had grown to 62,000 inhabitants consequence of the industrialization process profoundly transformed the urban fabric of the Vila Thanks to the series of private works licenses from the collection of the old Gràcia Town Hall we can learn in detail how this phenomenon developed: we can access the original plans of the buildings and master builders who participated in the construction that the Municipal Archive of Gràcia burned down during the Quintas revolt of 1870 which is why the documentation prior to this date has not been preserved Publicado por Andrea | Abr 25, 2023 | 0 The Cambra del Llibre de Catalunya, an institution that brings together the guilds and associations of publishers, booksellers, distributors, and graphic communication of Catalonia, announces that the next Book Day will be bigger and makes an invitation to enjoy it throughout the country on Sant Jordi If a few weeks ago the Cambra stated that the implementation of a professional model made foresee a Sant Jordi that equaled the pre-pandemic days both in citizen participation and promotion of reading the forecasts of increase have been fulfilled -and exceeded- The fact that the festival falls on a Sunday will surely facilitate movements throughout the country an element that the Cambra wants to highlight since the festival is celebrated in absolutely all the municipalities of Catalonia it had been anticipated that the Gremi de Llibreters de Catalunya would send to the municipal entities a document of recommendations and good practices for the celebration of the festival and stresses the importance of valuing the profession of bookseller and provide spaces and measures that dignify it and represent an advance in the enjoyment and safety of the day according to the reality of each population: it is urged to favor the dialogue between local administrations and the city’s bookstores: from the dialogue and agreement between the knowledge of the population and the reality of behavior in Sant Jordi will come out with the most optimal solution The president of the Gremi de Llibreters de Catalunya wanted to emphasize «the enormous effort of booksellers every Book Day so that everyone can have that book they want to read or give as a gift and that the party is perfect» «Without a capillary network of bookstores like the one we have in Catalonia a day like Book Day would be impossible to organize,» he added highlighted «the diversity of the publishing offer that people will find throughout Catalonia a sign of the creative and industrial power of the sector and which defines it as one of the most important in culture the Ramblas have been recovered for their symbolic value and for being the cradle of the festival It follows the pattern of other areas of the city with a professional area that will go from Canaletes – making a node with Passeig de Gràcia – to the entrance of the Plaça Reial This recovery has made it possible to absorb part of the growth in demand for safety reasons and given its configuration it will present a lower and more fluid density than it had until 2019 In the line of creating new poles of attraction and providing air for people to stroll Plaça Reial is consolidated as a professional space together with Passeig de Lluís Companys which stretches from the Arc de Triomf to the Ciutadella and connects with the specific space of Passeig de Sant Joan The traditional Plaça de la Vila is left behind and the professional area is moved to Gran de Gràcia from the connection with the Jardinets de Gràcia to before the Gràcia crossing an area from which there will be entities and stores until Rambla Prat This move provides a more spacious area to accommodate more bookshops in the district it creates a vertical axis with Passeig de Gràcia and Las Ramblas which brings books and flowers even closer to the citizens in the commitment to the proximity that we want for this model Gràcia will also maintain the circuit of bookstores scattered throughout the district and the bookstore and illustration activities of Pla de Salmerón which will connect the promenade with Rambla de Catalunya in an area that will be almost entirely closed to traffic (except Aragó a section of Carrer Còrsega and Diagonal has been added to the Rambla de Catalunya which in turn reinforces the walking circuit between the Rambla and the central area of books and other roads with the idea of spreading out this large space as much as possible has received more requests than it can absorb and is presented as an area of potential growth children’s and young adult literature and family audiences; a space that was recovered last year after two years closed due to the pandemic will also host more book stalls than in previous years Growth of this area of the city on the Diagonal both in the number of stalls and activities a model of symbiosis that also works in Poblenou The bookstores are concentrated in two sections of the Rambla close to most of the establishments and reflect the cultural and associative power of this neighborhood Another example of coordination with the commercial and neighborhood axis is the orderly and coexistent implementation of Sant Jordi which can be extended to other areas of the city without professional spaces or other populations which on this day gives pride of place to the rose and the book with three bookstores in the heart of the neighborhood as the neuralgic point of the neighborhood expands along the lines mentioned above with the aim of bringing the festival closer to the people so that they rediscover the local bookstores The Gremi de Llibreters de Catalunya will create a list of all the bookshops in these spaces to make it easier for the media and the general public to consult them This information will be available on the guild’s website Lo siento, debes estar conectado para publicar un comentario Diseñado por Elegant Themes | Desarrollado por WordPress Utilizamos cookies para ofrecerte la mejor experiencia en nuestra web Puedes aprender más sobre qué cookies utilizamos o desactivarlas en los ajustes Esta web utiliza cookies para que podamos ofrecerte la mejor experiencia de usuario posible La información de las cookies se almacena en tu navegador y realiza funciones tales como reconocerte cuando vuelves a nuestra web o ayudar a nuestro equipo a comprender qué secciones de la web encuentras más interesantes y útiles Las cookies estrictamente necesarias tiene que activarse siempre para que podamos guardar tus preferencias de ajustes de cookies Si desactivas esta cookie no podremos guardar tus preferencias Esto significa que cada vez que visites esta web tendrás que activar o desactivar las cookies de nuevo We've selected some of the top happenings during this essential event that makes August in Barcelona Every district in Barcelona has a 'Festa Major' that commemorates its patron saint organized by the locals after months of preparation Gràcia's Festa Major dates back to the mid-19th century and is a highlight of Barcelona's summer agenda For a whole week the district is transformed squares and balconies are dressed up for the festivities with neighbourhood associations competing to win prizes for the most spectacular and original creations Giant papier-mâché figures and imaginative themed decorations attract admiring crowds - as do the many café terraces and outdoor feasts There's live music until late into the night and during the day there's a full programme of activities for children - from creative workshops to outdoor games and chocolate treats Bear in mind that the festival is so popular that Barcelona Metropolitan Transport sends in reinforcements in the way of customer service staff, security and cleaning services in the name of bringing you closer to the barrio (see the map) via several metro lines: Diagonal (L3 the days with the most revellers thronging the streets This should help to give you an idea of the magnitude of the event.From 15 to 21 August Here are a few tips and a selection of activities to help you make the most it but on Monday you can still follow the 'gegants' around the barrio and check out a bunch of concerts Electro-pop duo The Pinker Tones present music from their book/CD for the little ones Els Catarres play tunes from their second album (10pm Oriol Roca & Sabina Witt take the stage in Plaça de la Revolució (10.30pm) and Festigàbal kicks off (11pm the festival brought to you by Heliogàbal one of Gràcia's favourite spots for live music with a mix of bluegrass and jota Spanish music from Los Hermanos Cubero and surf music with Los Tiki Phantoms. Happy news: the Tasta Gràcia space (Manuel Torrente gardens) hosts another Festa Major vermouth (12.30pm) because the good things in life are worth repeating and in the evening get a bit of learning done with the 9th Celebration of the Colles de Cultura de Gràcia (7pm where you'll learn about the history of the village of Gràcia and its annexation into Barcelona via texts and performances by different cultural groups from Gràcia At 7.45pm the Assemblea Nacional Catalana makes a human chain and parades toward Plaça Joanic where the closing ceremony of the Festa Major will take place (8.30pm) See short pieces at La Caldera (9pm) starring the instructors of Barcelona Dance and Scenic Arts International Meeting Point up through the 30th of August and the Tradicionàrius Plaça del Folk as well as the Festigàbal host two of the biggest shows of the week: the double bill of Rumba All Stars and Arrels de Gràcia (10pm Plaça del Sol) and the meeting of British punk pioneer Vic Godard (Subway Sect) and Catalan band Mates Mates in addition to the highly recommended vàlius (11pm and as much as we'd like to keep everyone who lives in Gràcia in a state of total insomnia for another week the Festa Major must finally come to a close Start the last day with some jazz with the Andreu Zaragoza Quartet (1pm At dusk things pick up with the Tabalada Infernal the procession of drummers of the groups participating in the 'correfoc' that goes from Plaça de la Vila and many opt for a damp scarf around their head or other important bits if they plan on getting really close so don't get burned.Bid 'adeu' to the Festa Major with live music from the Inxa Impro Quartet (10pm who depart from traditional music to improvise a little and De Mortimers Gang Live Karaoke Band (11pm a sort of anti-karaoke with a live band playing the music for your performance that would make Simon Cowell weep This menu requires arrow keys to be able to use it The new Mercado de l’Abaceria already has a definitive proposal for the design and distribution of spaces It incorporates all viable neighborhood and merchant input The Barcelona Municipal Institute of Markets (IMMB) will proceed to process the approval of this basic project for the equipment and the necessary urban instruments and the team will continue to draft the executive project necessary for its adjudication and execution This proposal incorporates more living space for the surrounding neighborhood floor -3 will become a new storage area for the neighborhood’s associative and commercial fabric The structure will be replicated by one that responds to the needs of the equipment and the renaturation of the environment this modification of the initial project will make the Mercat de l’Abaceria a new public space for the Gràcia district A market conceived as a new public space for the district of Gràcia The modifications incorporated into the basic project will make the new Mercat de l’Abaceria a new living area for the Gràcia district a large space is recovered throughout the city and through the whole of the Gràcia squares with an area of about 1,500 square meters becoming the Plaza del Mercado Central de l’Abaceria And it is that with this new distribution space is recovered around the perimeter of the market and in the area of Calle de la Virgen de los Desamparados where the end result is a public space of similar sizes in the square of the Revolution the communication nuclei that could become a visual obstacle from this “new square” to the interior of the Market are minimized making it compatible with a space for energy efficiency Ceramic pieces and flush photovoltaic panels will be alternated with a colorful treatment as appropriate for a protected building of these characteristics it generates power without the need for large dust jackets or visually aggressive parts The roof in the “Nova Plaça” area will have large openings and allow light to pass through In the same line of making the market a large public space that is permeable so that citizens can cross it a new access to the facade of Calle Torrijos is created which previously did not have due to the presence of the access ramp in the basements From the market This access makes the establishment of cooperative self-service or other social uses in this plant not viable it will enable a large lobby area for temporary activities of all kinds the engineering teams have detected that the current structure could not bear the load of the future roof due to a lack of quality of the metal alloy of the same the rehabilitation of the structure necessarily involves its disassembly and the construction of a new one that exactly replicates the current one but with a material that meets the technical requirements in the Barceloneta Market and partially in Sant Antoni the debate process has led to establish that plant -3 will become a space for logistical use for the entities of Gràcia although in this phase a complete description of the global urbanization of the surroundings has not yet been made the project already includes a significant presence of green in the new square The Abaceria market with the agreed reform proposal The entrances to both the attic floor and the floor -3 for entities have been designed avoiding interferences between the different uses All these spaces will have their own accesses that will allow the installation to work at the same time The same will happen with the outdoor non-food stalls The self-service can also have independent hours of the market’s own operation on holidays of special opening of the trade Regarding the vertical communication between the different levels of the building all the floors will be connected by 6 mixed lifting devices The remodeling proposal foresees the market floor plan a two-storey loft and three underground floors Mezzanine floor (1,050 m2) divided into two heights: Double height space (parallel to floors -1 and -2) The possibility is contemplated that carriers that take merchandise to the shops in the perimeter closest to the market can carry out loading and unloading operations in the logistics area of the market A new Market with the incorporation of new fresh operators The definitive market will have a constructed area of 14,350 square meters and foresees the incorporation of new operators that complement the market’s fresh offer and provide the equipment with the services and logistics that the vast majority of markets in the city already have to facilitate the various activities that are developed in the heart of the neighborhood since the 19th century the market of l’Abaceria has been a reference for local commerce Dynamic engine of commercial activity and social life it is the largest commercial facility within the Travessera de Gràcia Commercial Hub proposals and a broad participatory process with the neighborhood the Barcelona Municipal Market Institute and the Market Vendors Association signed the market remodeling agreement with a spectacular majority ratification by the Sellers Assembly In December 2017 the construction of the provisional market of the Paseo Sant Joan began the merchants moved to the provisional market with a very good response from the neighbors as the vendors themselves and the market vendors The deconstruction of the old building ended last January leaving only the spectacular metal structure The forecast is that the works of the new market begin in the summer of 2022 the Mercado de l’Abaceria is located in a temporary tent on Paseo Sant Joan between Indústria and Sant Antoni Maria Claret streets since they moved on July 11 The Abaceria market originated at the end of the 19th century with the installation of stalls in the Plaza de la Revolució where the market was covered and inaugurated with the name of Santa Isabel Later the market name of the Revolution was recovered until it was called Abaceria central it has a metallic architectural structure with a closed brickwork and is made up of three sections the interior of the market looked very different from today Instead of the current stalls there were wooden or marble tables so that you had an overview of the entire market The old market had a constructed area of almost 4,000 m2 where the cold rooms were exclusively located As has already happened to other markets in the Barcelona network it became a facility with precarious and outdated facilities and an anti-commercial distribution from its origin (*) Aquest text ha estat traduït automàticament bars tend not to have very imaginative names It would be great if someone took the opportunity of opening a new place to call it something like 'The happy cockle' ('L'escopinya alegre') 'The two-headed dog' ('Els gos de dos caps') or 'The hole in the wall' ('El forat a la paret') the custom of naming bars after their location looks set to continue like in the case of this one that's found in Plaça Raspall is one of the prettiest squares in the city one that's little-known and hasn't been taken over by the crowds. the Raspall gets a lot of clients every day drawn particularly by the offer of a free tapa with a glass of small beer ('canya') you can accompany your drink with: a mini burger with topping croquettes and I'm going to have to stop there because I'm running out of space local gypsies fill the place as if it was their home documentary-makers who have their office just opposite passersby looking for a place to sate their hunger and anyone who has a radar for finding places with something special to offer. The lights of this bar are made with copper pipes and bulbs of blown glass At the entrance there's a small bar where smokers can rest their drink; there's also a barrel for the same purpose The sign at Raspall is made of small beer bottles (you can only see the neck like a green circle) Don't miss out on Sant Medir events planned for the whole month of March is the dream come true of two bearded Venuezuelan cooks with experience in the USA and in Catalan haute cuisine The concept is simple: sandwiches with American recipes that go beyond the hamburger To give you an example of the sandwiches on offer there's a magnificent pulled pork sandwhich with grilled pork that's marinated for 12 hours and served with barbecue sauce and carmelised onions You might have to fight your way through a few homesick Americans to get a seat the free-admission Gaudí-built park changed its rules Tickets are on sale at the box office machine outside the park and in the Lesseps and Vallcarca metro stations You can buy up to nine tickets per person; entry is limited to 400 people every half hour.As for the schedule the 'monumental' area is open 8:30am to 6.15pm or 7pm in autumn-winter Consult the park's website for exact timetables The rest of the park operates regular hours from 5am to midnight Dorin Visotsky faces three challenges: survive the competition from big chains adapt to the changeability of the universe of fashion and find brands with artistic value as well as those that are more basic with pieces that are easy to combine and can be set at affordable prices Visotsky (along with the collaboration of his sister) has managed to overcome all obstacles This is not a concept store nor is it a total look shop but rather a hybrid where a contented clientele There are always some punters who purchase a couple of new looks at the start of the season but it's easy to go back for jewellery (Sew a Song Don't forget the irreverent T-shirts from Carne Bollente Marco and Francesco) employ an impeccable artisan ethic when it comes to their ice creams 'We are artisans in the strict and traditional sense of the word: we do not receive or use any finished product like processed hazelnut paste; we roast the hazelnuts and make the paste ourselves.' Craftsmanship and proximity are top priorities and they use the best local product they have on hand such as hazelnuts from Reus and pistachios from Lleida Also of the utmost importance is seasonality: they make ice creams that evoke the sensations of each season for summer 2020 it was a pine ice cream made with pine nuts from Castilla (at €80 per kilo!) and green pineapple that they travelled to the Costa Brava to pick up The intention was to reproduce the aromatic notes of the Mediterranean forest Matteo adds that the milk and fresh cream they use are local from the Cal Porta farm. In summers past they've made a seawater sorbet infused with pine needles and pine cones to bring to mind taking a dip in the Mediterranean Sea off a small tree-covered cove Parallelo opened in 2017 and has become one of the great artisan ice cream parlours in Barcelona And whether you're looking for experimental out-of-this-world flavours and textures (they did a limited-edition yuzu ice cream with caviar!) or high-def classics like the lemon or strawberry (from Barcelona) This is one of those corners with a lot of character: in front of the L’Abacería market and at the intersection of Travessera de Gràcia and Carrer de Torrijos Il Café di Pietro is very well situated Just look at those very central establishments where the atmosphere is so fake and icy that you’re almost too scared to enter This is not the case with Il Café di Pietro where you're always welcomed by the lovely people who run the place a heavy metal fan with an easy smile and ability to whip up delicious sandwiches who better to take over than loyal customers with great drive When Quiem and Guillem decided to get involved they gave Il Café di Pietro a bit of an overhaul They’ve kept the Estrella Galicia at €1.60 a glass and added the Red Vintage double malt and 1906 tells me that the best thing about working there is the thousands of endearing characters Eugenio and María have been coming since the first day and are always treated like royalty; and then there's Ramón they serve dishes such as the Germinal sandwich with ham and the ‘coins and clubs’ (apple and anchovies) Quim makes In the morning you'll hear jazz and at night including tracks by the likes of James Brown At the weekend it's perfect for having vermouth under the rays of the sun the towers symbolize the pride they feel for their land Newcomers and foreigners alike now take part in this practice that's included in UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage Iain Sullivan in Madrid and Joseph Wilson in Barcelona contributed The torn shirt of an assistant is photographed after completing a "Castellers" or human tower during the 29th Human Tower Competition in Tarragona Members of "Castellers de Vilafranca" celebrate after completing a "Castell" or human tower Members of "Colla Joves Xiquets de Valls" fall as they try to form a "Castell" or human tower Members of "Castellers de Lleida" celebrate after successfully completing a "castells" or human tower reacts after performing next to members of "Castellers de Vilafranca" completing a "Castell" or human tower Members of "Sagals d'Osona" form a "Castell" or human tower Assistants react as members of "Castellers de Vilafranca" try to form a "Castell" or human tower Members of "Colla Jove de Tarragona" fall before completing a "Castell" or human tower reacts after climbing to the top of a "castell" or human tower during the 29th Human Tower Competition in Tarragona Member of "Castellers de Vilafranca" form a "Castell" or human tower Members of "Colla Joves Xiquets de Valls" react as they form a "Castell" or human tower Members of "Castellers de la Vila de Gracia" form a "Castell" or human tower Assistants look as members of "Castellers Jove de Barcelona" form a "Castell" or human tower Members of "Colla Jove de Tarragona" form a "Castell" or human tower Assistants look as members of a "Castellers" form a human tower Members of "Moixiganguers d'Igualada" form a "Castell" or human tower Members of "Castellers de Sant Cugat" react after successfully completing their "Castell" Members of "Colla Joves Xiquets de Valls" form a "Castell" or human tower conservative leader Friedrich Merz ’s bid to become Germany’s 10th chancellor since World War II failed in the first round of voting in parliament on Tuesday by six votes a stunning defeat as he had been widely expected to win smoothly A candidate for chancellor has never failed to win on the first ballot since the end of the war Merz needed a majority of 316 out of 630 votes in a secret ballot He only received 310 votes — well short of the 328 seats held by his coalition The parties were now to regroup to discuss the next step but it was not immediately clear how long the process could take The lower house of parliament — called the Bundestag — has 14 days to elect a candidate with an absolute majority but other lawmakers can also throw their hat in the ring There is no limit to the number of votes that can be held within the two-week period If Merz or any other candidate fails to get that majority during the period of 14 days the constitution allows for the president to appoint the candidate who wins the most votes as chancellor or to dissolve the Bundestag and hold a new national election Merz is seeking to take the helm of the 27-nation European Union’ s most populous member after outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government collapsed last year Germany has the continent’s biggest economy and serves as a diplomatic heavyweight Merz's portfolio would include the war in Ukraine and the Trump administration’s trade policy on top of domestic issues such as the stagnant economy and the rise of a far-right Tuesday's vote was held on the eve of the 80th anniversary of Germany’s unconditional surrender in World War II The ballots are secret and cast in the restored Reichstag where graffiti left by Soviet troops has been preserved at several locations in the building Merz's failure in the voting adds to the challenges ahead — whoever is elected chancellor will face questions about the future of the far-right anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany party Mainstream German political parties refuse to work with it citing the so-called “firewall” they’ve upheld against cooperating with far-right parties since the end of the war the German domestic intelligence service said it has classified AfD — which placed second in national elections in February — as a “right-wing extremist” organization making it subject to greater and broader surveillance Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution described the party as a threat to the country’s democratic order saying it “disregards human dignity” — in particular by what it called “ongoing agitation” against refugees and migrants The federal office's decision prompted blowback from U.S Germany’s Foreign Ministry hit back at Rubio after he called on the country to undo the classification The domestic intelligence service's measure does not amount to a ban of the party which can only take place through a request by either of parliament’s two chambers or the federal government through the Federal Constitutional Court Merz has not commented publicly on the intelligence service’s decision Germany's new coalition is led by Merz’s center-right Christian Democratic Union and its Bavarian sister party and joined by the center-left Social Democrats All three parties previously approved the coalition deal The coalition aims to spur economic growth take a tougher approach to migration and catch up on long-neglected modernization The Union and Social Democrats have governed Germany together before and then in three of the four terms of former Chancellor Angela Merkel Merz’s party last month announced its proposed government team including senior lawmaker Johann Wadephul as foreign minister — a position the CDU last held in the 1960s Friedrich Merz walks in the plenary after he was not elected new Chancellor in the first voting process at the parliament Bundestag in Berlin Friedrich Merz reacts after he was not elected new Chancellor in the first voting process at the parliament Bundestag in Berlin Friedrich Merz casts his vote during the election of a new Chancellor at the parliament Bundestag in Berlin talks to outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the parliament Bundestag in Berlin Lawmakers wait for the beginning of a session were Friedrich Merz is supposed to be elected new chancellor at the parliament Bundestag in Berlin German Chancellor of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) are pictured in tv studio ahead of a debate in Berlin the Fiestas de Gràcia are back to normal in Barcelona There will be more than 900 activities in streets and squares and 23 decorated streets The idea is that the festivities will return to the usual format of before the pandemic adding other novelties in the programming of the 2022 edition color and joy in August in one of the most awaited celebrations by the locals former president of the Fundación Fiesta Mayor de Gracia He will read the proclamation from the balcony of the headquarters of the District of Gràcia next August 14 in the afternoon on August 15 will be held from the Plaza de la Vila the parade of Fiesta Mayor on August 19 and 20 will be the Diades castelleres On August 21 and as the closing of the celebration the traditional correfoc route will take place through all the streets for the first time in the 2022 festivities there will be guided tours to the Clock Tower as it is an emblematic place of the neighborhood Festive spaces will also be added to the Festa Major: Diamant The City Council decided to extend the metro service schedule during the festivities which will run throughout the night of Friday August 20.service will be extended throughout the night of Friday The Santa Eulàlia festivities are organized in honor of Santa Eulàlia From February 7 to 12 will parade through the streets and squares of Ciutat Vella giants and big heads dragons and other characters that are part of the festive tradition of Barcelona And there will be castellers in the Plaza de Sant Jaume The program of popular culture is extensive there are exhibitions such as the exhibition of giants; open days and activities at the City Hall museums and cultural centers; and specific activities for children This year the Children's Proclamation will be held again in the Plaza de Sant Jaume This event aims to promote the rights of children This year's edition of the festivities of Santa Eulalia the sixth centenary of the presence of giants in Barcelona (1424-2024) is celebrated the bicentenary of the birth of Josep Anselm Clavé considered the father of the choral movement in Catalonia This last event will provide us with an exceptional moment during the Concert of the Cors de Clavé which will take place in the heart of the Plaça de Sant Jaume The whole arsenal of Barcelona's popular imagery takes to the streets of the old town of Barcelona One of the most spectacular manifestations of popular culture are the correfocs; devils that parade dancing through the streets among firecrackers and fireworks The correfoc will be held on Saturday 8 and will culminate with a fireworks display that will end the festivities of Santa Eulàlia 2025; the children's version of the correfoc will be held a little earlier on the same day Another of the most colorful and widely followed activities not only in Barcelona but throughout Catalonia are the Castellers The participating castellers (Castellers de Barcelona the Colla Castellera de l'Esquerra de l'Eixample the Castellers de Sarrià and the Castellers de la Vila de Gràcia) will have 60 minutes to raise their human castles and they all have to do it at the same time (spectacular!) among the many popular activities you can meet and enjoy the sardana dancing Photo by stvcr CC BY-SA 2.0 The avenue of the Cathedral will be the epicenter of the choral singing in the Santa Eulàlia Festivities on February 8 organized by the Catalan Federation of Choral Entities and the Federation of Cors de Clavé the Catalan Federation of Choral Entities will present performances by the Basque choir Ama Lur which offers a current repertoire to encourage young talent the Cors de Clavé will present CLAVÉclàssics a show that combines tradition and choral renewal with the participation of the Societat Coral Joventut Tianenca and the Barcelona Gay Men's Chorus a key institution in the choral culture of Barcelona celebrated in 2024 the bicentenary of the birth of its founder La Lali Jove celebrates its tenth anniversary with the theme of popular culture as a tool against gentrification The event begins at 6:00 pm with a podcast on the impact of gentrification on popular culture the Cercacultura will offer youth cultural exhibitions linked to this issue will be presented an exhibition of castle groups youth The day will close with concerts in the same space: Glòria Ribera (10:00 p,) Cactus (00:40 am) and Fricandones (2:00 am) from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm and on the occasion of the festivities of Santa Eulalia the City Council opens its doors to citizens A good opportunity to learn about the history and architecture of the building the Scale of Honor and the Mirador de Maria Aurèlia Capmany Numerous museums and cultural centers join the open days and some organize special activities Open doors and activities Complete program The article states that "One of the most spectacular manifestations of popular culture are the correfocs; devils that parade dancing through the streets among firecrackers and fireworks One look at the calendar shows that in the year 2020 As you can read on the top of the description of the event For the moment the only known are the general dates We are waiting for the official program is released In reply to Date for Correfocs 2020 is Wrong in This Article by Coco Pazzo (not verified) An agreement between the city council and traders allows shopping centers to open 10 Sundays in summer but for some time now the large supermarkets have been fighting to skip it which cannot compete against such long opening hours by the agreement reached in 2022 between traders and the City Council that allows shopping centers and shopping streets to open some holidays of the year These Sundays are in addition to the 10 public holidays a year and the days around Christmas when stores can open This 2025 the agreement will be applied for the fourth time from which traders will be able to open almost every public holiday until December 31 The centers or shopping streets in Barcelona that can open are those included in the tourist zone drawn by the agreement Santa Caterina i la Ribera and la Barceloneta Eixample: La Nova Esquerra de l’Eixample l’Antiga Esquerra de l’Eixample Les Corts and Sarrià-Sant Gervasi: Les Corts Sant Gervasi-Galvany and specific areas of Putxet and Farró Vallcarca i els Penitents and part of the Salut neighborhood Sant Martí and Horta-Guinardó: Vila Olímpica del Poblenou Fòrum Marítim del Poblenou and part of Baix Guinardó The permitted opening hours are from 12:00 noon to 8:00 p.m 31 and 15 August (Assumption of the Virgin Mary) The list may vary depending on the stores and shopping centers but the following shopping centers will be open on Sundays on the dates indicated Maremagnum (Port Vell): the only one that opens every Sunday of the year Whether you want to find new books or get lost in second-hand bookstores Whether they are small neighborhood hermitages where you go for books like someone who takes refuge from the cold or whether they are great bibliophile cathedrals where you can find anything you can imagine Barcelona is a city of bookstores (there are more than 300!) and that is why finding the one we like is not so much an effort of research but a work of careful selection to choose the one that offers the books that best suit our reading palate and still others will go in search of second-hand books But in this city of books there are pages for everyone so we invite you to dive into this list and today to read these lines until you find the entrance that will lead you to your favorite bookshelf in Barcelona The bookstore On the road, in the Born It is undoubtedly one of our favorite bookstores in the city On the road has a vocation as a meeting point with literature as a vehicle and they organize spectacular book clubs. Although most of the clubs are held in the bookstore itself were held on a sailboat and in a remote cabin in a forest two hours from Barcelona There you can find classics of literature from the other side of the pond This new temple of culture, which takes its name from Ray Bradbury’s masterpiece, was born with the desire to be a space for independent publishers who find it so difficult to gain a place in the windows of the big bookstores. A space that is not only a book store but a cultural trench, where to hold workshops and talk about anything with books as an excuse. It is a “Llibreria especialitzada en llibres” (as they define themselves in their Twitter description) because it used to be an old button factory specialized in buttons. With special emphasis, attention or dedication to books in Catalan and a rustic bar with a stage, piano and tables, a visit to Calders is always a good plan. Oh, dogs are also welcome here. It would be very easy to start talking about the Altaïr bookstore by saying that literature is a journey. So let’s do it, because there’s no need to complicate things. Literature is a journey and Altaïr is the leading bookstore specializing in travel in Catalonia. Two floors, 60,000 titles and an eponymous cultural magazine make the Altaïr bookstore a must-visit for anyone with the slightest intention of specializing in travel culture. View this post on Instagram There are bookstores that are born from millionaire investments that are born from the romantic will of their owners to pursue a dream: to be booksellers who after years of working as a bookseller in these large bookstore houses decided to open her own small book business in her neighborhood A “lunatic and ravalera” bookstore Nocturama does not specialize in any genre but it does pay special attention to the side offerings that bookstores live on today: book clubs meetings… so keep an eye on the program to visit this neighborhood bookstore and let yourself be recommended by one of those booksellers with a vocation in Barcelona and the damn rent) and was saved by raising 80,000 euros thanks to crowdfunding it has been struggling for almost 45 years now What used to be a reference point in the Gothic Quarter and Las Ramblas has been comfortably installed in the Eixample for years in larger premises where all kinds of events and presentations are held more than just a bookshop (which it also is) talks and all kinds of events aimed at writers novelists and essayists have turned this bookstore into a sort of Café Gijón because it is located in one of the neighborhoods with the most vibrant cultural activity: Poblenou Opened some twenty years ago, Taifa has been an instant classic since the first book occupied one of its shelves. Founded by the editor, critic and poet José Batlló, Taifa is divided into two clearly differentiated parts: second-hand books and books of the first eye. One of the best bookstores in Barcelona. View this post on Instagram If you love poetry you must visit this bookstore-publisher Animal sospechoso specializes in poetry and has a large (and wonderful) catalog of authors and independent publishers that you’ll be hard pressed to find elsewhere Whether your thing is to discover new voices and proposals Aida Books & More is one of the best for two reasons: there is enough quality in the catalog (I’ve even bought two Ishiguro books -Anagrama editions- for 3€ each) and it works as an NGO The booksellers are volunteers and the proceeds go to fight poverty an infinite variety of books and a restaurant area worthy of over 4 stars on Tripadvisor calm or serene are three of the adjectives that accompany any noun you want to put before it: quiet bookstore There is little to say at this point about one of the largest and most mythical bookstores in the city its three locations and its spectacular agenda (training included) are part of its charm And as if to add to its advantages, a few years ago the Raval branch opened a bar that is definitely one of the best terraces in Barcelona and that together with the bar that already existed at the Mallorca branch turns the place into a bookseller’s paradise One of the latest additions to the list of bookstores in the city. To enter Finestres is to enter a sort of palace where the book is its most revered treasure. Far from the sobriety of other previous bookstores, here the lamps and sofas, its high shelves (perhaps too high) and even some carpet give the place an air of strange luxury, somewhat bizarre but warm. Reading a book on one of the sofas is a pleasure. The landing of Finestres has been so overwhelming that right in front of their main store they have another bookstore, dedicated to art books and comics, which is as worthwhile as the previous one. View this post on Instagram Children’s and young adult literature is for all ages, and Sendak Bookshop wants to prove it. There you will find a wide variety of books of different genres and themes, because the LIJ is diverse and plural, there is something for all tastes and colors, and they are not just the books you read at school. In its back room, space for events, presentations or podcasts was forged, for example, the first edition of the Ruina Show. And if you go and don’t find any interesting event you can always buy a mini plastic hand to fit on your finger, which is also quite funny. View this post on Instagram Sant Jordi is not only superilla and books are not only in the big bookstores in the center specifically in the unknown neighborhood of Congrés a second-hand bookstore like those of yesteryear with stacks of books that go from the ceiling to the floor and whose sale seeks to promote the circular economy they are in danger because of some works that prevent the passage through their street and that will hinder for several months the access to the bookstore so a help from Sant Jordi will be great for them It goes without saying that we love drawings as much as letters and that’s why we also leave you with some of the main comic and graphic novel bookstores in Barcelona The literary man does not live by the letter alone… and Norma Comics is the confirmation of this phrase in its more than 700m² you will find manga American comics and all kinds of merchandising Norma is the perfect store both for those who are experts in this discipline and for those who want to learn about it A new macro-bookstore dedicated solely to comics has appeared like a superhero in the city ready to save any fan (or not) of the genre from any shortage of comic books they may suffer has opened in Gracia the largest comic store in the city a 400 m2 beast where any craving for comics and graphic novels will be perfectly satisfied Although located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, El Siglo deserves a special mention This second-hand bookstore has a collection of more than 150,000 books where they also hold poetry and cinema cycles or concerts You are sure to find more than one jewel among its 800 square meters