Living and Travel
In Spain Christmas begins on the 8th December with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The decorations go up and in many homes they have a nativity scene on display. The Caganer is one particular feature of the nativity scene you’ve most likely never seen before as it’s unique to the region of Catalonia and features a Catalan man in traditional clothes squatting with his trousers around his ankles whilst taking a dump! Seen as a sign of good luck he is supposed to be fertilizing the earth to ensure a good harvest for the next year. If you’re looking for apartments for rent in Barcelonaat this time of year then book early as it’s a busy period and all the best apartments are sure to be snapped up quickly. Christmas Eve is a very important day for Spanish people as it’s when they have a special family meal and really go overboard by buying really luxurious items. After dinner they then go out to meet friends and visit other families to wish them a Happy Christmas, often bringing gifts and drinking Cava and singing Christmas carols. Children take their instruments and go from door to door, singing and receiving money or sweets for their efforts.
Ice skating rink in Barcelona for the first time. Plaza Catalunya gets an ice skating rink for Christmas. The plaza Catalunya is all the way up the Ramblas. The rink is covered with a plastic roof to let plenty of light in. It is 1200m2 big (40m by 30m) making it the biggest outdoor ice rink in Europe with room for 350 skaters. It is open from … [Read more...]
At this time of the year Barcelona has been warmly decorated with many lights in the streets of the city center. The Plaza Catalunya ( especially El Corte Inglés), the Ramblas and Portal de l´Angel are the most wonderful iluminated spots. In Barcelona Christmas and New Year are celebrated in a quiet atmosphere and most of the time with family … [Read more...]
There is a very nice and strange Catalan tradition of setting up in the Nativity scenes, a special touch: a little guy, somewhere in the picture, squatting with pants down and depositing a healthy looking turd somewhere in the holy scene. He’s called the “el Cagador”—that’s so “the shitter”.... You can buy one Cagador (what an … [Read more...]
Boqueria Market or Sant Josep market at the Rambla Address : on the Ramblas number 91 Website Boqueria Market Video of the Boqueria market It’s the most popular market in town. The market of St. Joseph is best know as Boqueria and its a world into itself. It’s very interesting for both its architecture and its atmosphere where you … [Read more...]