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Get involved with European Heritage Days, a celebration of cultural patrimony and a chance to discover the riches you have on your own doorstep! Guided tours, concerts, exhibitions and theatrical performances... Long live culture!
Over the course of the weekend, the cities and towns of Catalonia will be showcasing their best heritage assets. Open days, exclusive visits, unique activities, guided tours... will reveal to you the buildings, historical landmarks, gardens, archaeological sites and the most outstanding features of your immediate surroundings. What do you think you will visit first?Switchingon of the Christmas lights
Dates 2024 not yet confirmed
The streets of Barcelona welcome Christmas with light and colour. From November, the Christmas spirit will light up until January. The motifs of the lighting are different and varied: you will find traditional lights and also highly innovative compositions which invite you to experience and enjoy what the city is planning for these festivities.Discover Benvinguts a Pagès, an exciting proposal that allows you to explore the richness of Catalan agriculture all year round. This initiative offers the opportunity to visit local agri-food and fishing farms, including the chance to take part in experiential workshops. Whether you're a food lover, a family in search of unique experiences or a curious youngster, Benvinguts a Pagès has something for you. Also, don't miss La Festa, which takes place on 1 and 2 June, where you can immerse yourself even more in authentic Catalan culinary culture.
The European Balloon Festival in Igualada is the biggest gathering of hot air balloons in Spain and welcomes around 25,000 visitors over four days the first fortnight of July. It's a meeting point, a competition and a festival in one, with more than 50 balloons taking to the air. Competitive flights take place early in the morning and at dusk, when conditions are ideal, and if you want a taste of the high life, balloon rides can be booked in advance. Fly among a mass of Balloons from several counties of the world.
But there's plenty to enjoy from ground level, whether it's the different skill challenges in the competition, live music, kids' activities and workshops, or the magical Night Glow event, in which balloons are fired up but don't take off, glowing like lanterns and accompanied by a fireworks display.
Every September, the beautiful central Catalan town of Vic hosts an extensive 'market of live music', which this year celebrates its 36th anniversary, aimed at giving both professionals and the public the chance to hear a wide range of different genres and discover new acts, as they enjoy of concerts and related activities. A lot of the focus is on artists from Catalonia, Spain and the Mediterranean area, but musicians from other places can also be found on the programme.
Performances, some of which are free, are given across the city at venues both indoors and out, including the emblematic Plaça Major, and throughout the event the streets are filled with buskers, adding to the musical extravaganza taking place. While there, it's also worth taking the time to explore Vic, a place rich with history, from the Roman temple to the cathedral, ecclesiastical museum, and medieval and modernista buildings. And don't forget to try the local gastronomic speciality, cured meats.This sporting event combining swimming, cycling and running is undoubtedly on the rise and becoming a trend among those who are looking for a more varied exercise that provides more than just one single sport. It is no surprise that the Barcelona Triathlon attracts thousands of people to its waterfront every year.
With four distances and modalities available, participants can choose between supersprint, sprint, elite short, aquathlon and olympic, taking part as individuals, in couples (both should finish the race together) or as a relay team for olympic and sprint (with two of more members sharing the effort).
This year, in addition, the Barcelona Triathlon adapts the circuit for the youngest with the Junior Challenge, for boys and girls between 12 and 17 years old.
Watch a videoThis is one of the most keenly anticipated and widely celebrated Catalan public holidays. According to the traditional tale, Sant Jordi (Saint George) killed the dragon that used to live in Montblanc where it terrorized the local population, thus saving the king's daughter from certain death. Legend has it that a beautiful rose bush sprang up in the spot where the dragon's blood was spilled. From the 18th century onward, the Sant Jordi festival became widely identified as a Catalan 'fiesta' which these days arouses great popular, civic and cultural passion. On Sant Jordi's Day, lovers exchange a rose and a book and every town and city in Catalonia is filled with stalls set up to sell both.