The Santa Eulàlia Festival, the winter festival of Barcelona, is for all the family. During these magical days, tribute is paid to the brave Laia, the girl who rebelled to defend her aims. For the city of Barcelona, this girl was a symbol of solidarity, in defence of justice and commitment to young people. Santa Eulàlia and la Mare de Déu de la Mercè are co-patron saints of Barcelona. To celebrate this festival, different activities are organized for all the family. You can't miss the giants, the processions or the firework street run, human towers, sardanas dancing and musical bands throughout different routes of the city, apart from other activities for both young and old. On 12th February, the Santa Eulàlia feast day, several events are held, such as raising the Penó de Santa Eulàlia (reproduction of an old banner of the city) on the balcony of City Hall, sardanas dancing, giants...
This 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.
The Grec Festival of Barcelona is one of the city's major cultural highlights of the summer, turning Barcelona each year into an open stage for contemporary performing arts. With its epicentre at the Teatre Grec de Montjuïc, the festival presents a diverse programme including theatre, dance, music, circus and hybrid performances, featuring local, national and international creators.
Grec champions contemporary creation, dialogue between disciplines and the reinterpretation of great classical narratives from a modern perspective. Beyond Montjuïc, the festival spreads across various venues and cultural spaces throughout the city, strengthening the connection between culture and place. With an open, critical and plural outlook, the Grec Festival invites audiences to experience Barcelona's summer nights through culture, reflection and shared emotion.
Sónar is far more than a festival of advanced music and multimedia art: since 1994, it has positioned Barcelona as a global hub for sonic creativity and digital culture. The festival brings together electronic music, visual arts, technology and critical thinking in a distinctive programme that attracts audiences, artists and professionals from around the world.
The next edition, taking place on 18, 19 and 20 June 2026, presents an integrated format combining Sónar by Day and Sónar by Night into a continuous experience, alongside Sónar+D, the platform dedicated to exploring the intersections between creativity, innovation and technology. Over three days, the programme includes live shows, DJ sets, audiovisual installations, talks and professional gatherings.
Throughout the festival, Barcelona becomes a meeting point for audiences eager to engage with new trends and contemporary languages. Sónar continues to affirm its pioneering spirit and its role as a key platform for electronic music, sonic experimentation and digital culture on a global scale.
La Ribera neighbourhood is a must for anyone taking a walk through Barcelona. Whether you get there from the Via Laietana or the Arc de Triomf, as you explore the maze of narrow streets in this neighbourhood where merchants, artisans and guilds once, you’ll discover the city of design, leisure and fashion.
There are two official languages in Catalonia: Catalan and Spanish, and there are more and more people in the region who understand and speak English. You’re sure to get by.
The bike is an original and different means of transport to discover the city. Barcelona has fully integrated cycle lanes and you can cycle through the city’s open spaces and parks. These conditions and the mild climate are ideal for this alternative means of transport. You can choose from organised routes or bicycle hire.