Un Christmas market a Barcelona? Well yes. Although the most famous Christmas markets are located in Northern Europe and that snow arrives hardly in our latitudes (even if with the climate change ..), even in the Catalan capital there is a famous and extremely ancient market: La "Fira de Santa Llúcia"(Fair of Santa Lucia).
This Christmas market has indeed opened its doors in the distant past 1786 and therefore has a long tradition of two hundred and twenty-six years. It is therefore a market much loved by the locals, starting on November 23 (Saint Catherine's day) and ends on December 23rd and which takes place in the most emblematic district of the city: the Gothic Quarter (right in front of the Cathedral).
It is divided into four sectors, each with its own peculiarities and products.
Nativity scenes and nativity figures; where mainly nativity figures, Christmas lights, nativity scenes, decorations for the home and for Christmas trees are offered.
Green and vegetation; where you will find natural and artificial trees, moss, twigs of luck. In this area, the famous "caga tió" are also sold, that is a tree trunk decorated with the face of a man smoking a pipe. On Christmas Eve, the log is hung and the children hit it to the beat of a Christmas song so that Christmas is loaded with presents.
handicraft; where you can find any type of handmade product, from jewelry to clothes.
Zambombas; that is the Christmas musical instrument typically used in Spain, where many other instruments will also be on sale to give a musical touch to your Christmas.
During the entire period of the market, various activities take place ranging from competitions or expeditions of cribs, to courses on how create a perfect nativity scene.. but above all social events related to the beloved caga tío.
What: Fira de Santa Llúcia
Where: Plaça Nova (Avenida de la Catedral)
When: from 23 November to 23 December
How to get there: L1 (red) Catalunya; L4 (yellow) Urquinaona / Jaume I; L3 (green) Liceu
