Carnival is celebrated all over the world, and Barcelona is not one to lag behind. Barcelona, like many other large Christian cities in Europe, celebrates Carnival on the last week before Lent. In 2016, the festival will be held from February 4th until February 10th.
In Barcelona it is celebrated mostly by children and families. For a week of more grown-up, street-party type carnival events, we can recommend Sitges Carnival 2016. Sitges is a town located just 30 km south of Barcelona. Their Carnival is celebrated on the same days as that of Barcelona.
The celebrations in Barcelona are devoted to debauchery and gluttony, with a focus on food (as it is the week before Lent). The city follows a Carnival format that is inspired by ancient Carnivals from previous centuries, as the city´s goal is to celebrate in a historical, traditional way. The colorful parades and cultural festivities makes this event perfect for families living in or visiting Barcelona. This year Barcelona Carnival will feature more than 30 local parades throughout all neighborhoods of Barcelona.
To find the perfect accommodation for the week of the festival we recommend you check out our Barcelona Carnival Apartments.
Activities
There are several parades throughout the Barcelona Carnival 2016, with each neighborhood organizing its own parades and festivities. Here we will highlight some of the main Carnival events for you. If you wish to see the entire program, please visit the official website of the city. Apart from the parades, there will also be many competitions held for children. The main parades take place on the 6th and 7th of February (Saturday and Sunday), so if you only want to see the carnival for one or two days, we recommend to go on those.
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- Fat Thursday; Jueves Lardero
Date: February 4th, 2016
Time: Main event (L´Arribo) is between 18.00 hrs to 19.30 hrs.
Place: Santa Caterina Market
Each year the carnival in Barcelona starts with Fat Thursday. Fat Thursday is the day where everyone can start stuffing themselves with food in preparation of the fasting period of Lent. This day consists of many food competitions and feasts. In the afternoon the King Of Revelry is announced. You can watch processions of the Rei Carnestoltes (King of Revelry) in several neighborhoods, usually starting at markets. We recommend that visitors check out the procession starting at the Santa Caterina Market. To find accommodation near the market, take a look at our Apartments in el Born.
- La Cercavila del Rei Carnestoltes Parades
Date: Saturday, February 6th, 2016
Several parades throughout the neighborhoods of Barcelona. For visitors we recommend ones in Born and Gothic areas.
- La Taronjada
Date: Sunday, February 7th 2016
Time: 16.30 to 20.00
Place: Plaza Comercial in front of Born Cultural Center
Inspired by the original battle of orange throwing, La Toronjada is now part of the King Carnival parade. It´s a color conflict in which orange balloons and confetti are thrown in the air.
- Burying the Sardine; Enterrament de la sardine
Date: Wednesday, February 10th, 2015
Time: 11:00 am
Place: Parc de la Ciutadella.
The Carnival in Barcelona ends on Ash Wednesday with the traditional Burial of the Sardine. The closing ceremony of the carnival will be accompanied by nice music by school bands, and there will be plenty of activities for the children. To find an accommodation near this event, check out our Apartments in Ciutat Vella.