Barcelona will also have a giant Christmas tree

After the Barcelona City Council made it clear that it wants the city become the European Capital of Christmas 2026The new features for this year's festivities keep coming. Aside from the earlier switch-on of the Christmas lights on Passeig de Gràcia – which will be on the 22nd – In November, the Passeig de Gràcia Association announced it will install a 12-meter-tall Christmas tree topped with a replica of the Sagrada Família star. The city thus joins the trend of having large Christmas trees, a trend with Badalona and Vigo leading the way. Furthermore, the Port of Barcelona also seeks to establish itself as a festive venue and will welcome the holidays with a lighting ceremony by the Raluy Historical Circus, which will present a unique show for the occasion.

The giant Christmas tree will be located in the Jardinets de Gràcia and is a collaboration between the Passeig de Gràcia Association—comprised of local businesses, companies, and residents—and Casa Seat. The artwork was designed by the Christmas decoration company DEIN, and beyond enhancing the city's festive atmosphere, it aims to welcome the Gaudí Year 2026 and celebrate Barcelona's designation as World Capital of Design and Architecture.

A star in homage to Gaudí

The structure will be crowned by a 2.5-meter-high star, a replica of the one atop the tower of the Virgin of the Sagrada Família. Lluís Sans, president of the Passeig de Gràcia Association, describes this reference as "a tribute to Gaudí and, at the same time, an invitation to celebrate the creativity and modernist spirit that define the city." The tree will also feature the same reflective strips that adorn Passeig de Gràcia and will be illuminated with more than 13,000 LED lights.

The Passeig de Gràcia program will also include activities and events throughout December to highlight its iconic status. This is the same strategy that the Port of Barcelona will follow, seeking for the seventh consecutive year to solidify its position as one of the city's key celebrations. Christmas at the Port can be experienced from November 28th to January 6th in Port Vell, and the opening will be inaugurated by the Raluy Historical Circus, which will fill the Christmas lights switch-on with magic in a unique show.

"The saltiest Christmas" at the port

This year, the port's "saltiest Christmas" expands to the Drassanes dock, reaching 24,000 square meters and becoming its largest edition yet. For the first time in its 137-year history, the traditional "golondrinas" (sailboats) will offer a nighttime cruise, with the boats themselves decorated for Christmas with lights, music, and other surprises. Free introductory sailing experiences will also be available, offering a first taste of sailing. The sailing trip, conducted in groups, will run from the Miraestels monument to the Rambla de Mar and will take place on November 29th and 30th, and December 5th, 6th, 19th, 20th, and 21st.

As is tradition, the port will also feature boats offering guided tours, such as the Maritime Rescue vessel, the Open Arms boat, and the vessel that brings the Three Kings to the city, which will have a mailbox for children to send their letters. The Royal Shed, on the Eastern Wharf, will also return. After the success of the first edition, it will once again transform the Port Workshop into the Three Kings' headquarters before their arrival by sea on January 5th. A free miniature train will connect the main points of Port Vell with the sheds, where this free activity will take place (registration required).