While Spain’s Christmas celebrations are colorful almost anywhere, travelers during the holiday season will find Catalonia, the provinces in the eastern region along the French border, filled with pageantry and lively local customs.
Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter
During the second week of December, decorations and lights appear on the streets. Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter begins to look as though Catalonian architect Antonio Gaudi himself had returned to decorate it for the holidays, and a giant nativity scene is set up at the Cathedral. The Santa Lucia Market opens on December 13, filling the plaza in front of the Cathedral with smaller nativity sets and figures for sale, as well as an eye-boggling array of gifts and decorations. This market, which spreads into Placa Nova, continues through Christmas Eve.
