The Christmas lights in Barcelona were turned on this Thursday and will do so every afternoon for the next few weeks, from 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., and until 11:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. On specific nights such as New Year’s Eve and January 5, on the eve of Three Kings’ Day, the Christmas lights in Barcelona will remain on until 1:00 in the morning. These are the novelties in the design and the light shows.

This year, Passeig de Sant Joan will be illuminated for the first time, along the section between Avinguda de Vilanova and Gran Via. This novelty comes with surprises, since the design of the lights of this section will have a special aesthetic, referencing the manga culture of Japan.

This very kawaii feat is made by the Barcelona studio Brosmind. Juan Mingarro, head of the study, states that they have been inspired by the number of comic shops that are concentrated on this promenade and the Asian population that lives in the surrounding area.

The lighting in this area will thus be added to the lighting of Plaza Urquinaona, Paral·lel (between Margarit and Cabanes), Via Laietana (between Plaza Antoni Maura and Urquinaona), and the Rambla (between Portal de la Pau and Plaza de Catalonia). The lighting that will decorate the city from November 23 to January 6, 2024 has a cost of 1,915,267.89 euros and will occupy 104 kilometers of public roads.

The traditional Christmas fairs on Barcelona’s Gran Via and around the Sagrada Familia will also have their lighting debut. The Barcelona City Council seeks to offer “an artistic experience”, both day and night, with dynamic lighting modules, with reflections of light and color, according to the proposal by Maurici Ginés that has been produced by Artec Studio.

The Christmas fair of the Sagrada Familia (November 25 to December 23) will have a large star broken down into five elements that will be installed on the ground so that people can interact with the work, while the Three Kings Fair of the Gran Via (December 15 to January 6) an intervention similar to that of Sagrada Familia will be carried out, but with images that play with the symbology of gifts and the Kings.

The Pelai Center i Rodalies merchant association in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona will have an augmented reality experience with Christmas lights, which can be accessed by scanning one of the three light QR codes that will be in the area. The ‘Pelai Virtual Xmas’ experience will allow pedestrians to take photos and videos “with three dynamic Christmas-themed designs,” the work of artist Ana Sugar.

The Port of Barcelona will premiere a new daily light and music show in the Jaume I tower of Barcelona during the 5th edition of ‘Nadal al Port’, which will be held from December 5 to January 7, 2024 in different spaces of the Port Vell. The musical show can be followed from the Moll de la Fusta every day at 7:00 p.m. and will use music related to the city of Barcelona, ??such as Catalan rumba or songs by Serrat. The first pass will take place during the inauguration of ‘Nadal al Poer’ on December 5, which will begin at 6:30 p.m.

The light show at the historic center of Sant Pau has already opened its doors and incorporates an ice rink within the route for the first time. For the third consecutive year, the modernist venue, a world heritage site, hosts the light and color show “Els llums de Sant Pau”, which can be visited until January 14, 2024. The rate includes the rental of skates, although It will be mandatory to wear your own gloves for safety reasons.

The popular celebration of the New Year will return to Reina María Cristina Avenue, where the year will say goodbye with a show of light, pyrotechnics, fire and music.

The city will have three large nativity scenes, the one in Plaza Sant Jaume, the work of set designer Ignasi Cristià, and the traditional ones in the Marès museum and the Pedralbes monastery. Furthermore, between December 16 and 29, Plaza Catalunya will host the Barcelona Nadal Festival. Between December 9 and January 4, the Sons de Ciutat program will bring live music to the squares and streets of ten districts of Barcelona.

While waiting for the arrival of the Three Wise Men, The Toy Factory, in the Fabra Coats space, will open from December 27 to January 4 so that children can see how the gifts are prepared.