Barcelona wants to be the European capital of Christmas

BarcelonaThe race between cities to best represent Christmas is already underway. While the mayors of Badalona and Vigo, Xavier Garcia Albiol and Abel Caballero, have long been vying for the title of tallest Christmas tree or most spectacularly illuminated street, Barcelona has now entered a different kind of competition. Mayor Jaume Collboni has set his sights on having the Catalan capital recognized by the European Union as the European Capital of Christmas 2026. According to a mayoral decree published in the City Council Gazette this Tuesday, the mayor has entrusted this mission to Máximo López, the manager of Restauració. Specifically, the decree empowers López to carry out all the necessary actions and procedures before the competent EU bodies to secure Barcelona's candidacy as European Capital of Christmas 2026. According to the awards' official website, all cities and municipalities in the 27 EU member states, as well as Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, can submit their candidacy. An international jury will then select the three winning cities—one with more than 100,000 inhabitants, one with between 10,000 and 100,000, and one with fewer than 10,000. Last year's winners were Vilnius (Lithuania), Celje (Slovenia), and Noja (Cantabria). As part of this commitment to strengthening the city's Christmas spirit, Barcelona will unveil its Christmas lights this year with a grand celebration on Saturday. It will take place on November 22nd and, for the third year in a row, will be held on Passeig de Gràcia. Furthermore, the municipal budget for the lighting has increased by 15% and now stands at approximately 3.8 million euros.