Updated Jan 15 2026
26 December, St Stephen’s Day, is a public holiday in Barcelona and the rest of Catalonia, making it an ideal opportunity to enjoy some of the city’s plans and suggestions, whether related to the Christmas season or to cultural, leisure, or any other form of entertainment.
Most of the ideas we propose for spending St Stephen’s Day—or Boxing Day—in Barcelona are perfect for everyone: families, groups of friends, couples, etc. That said, certain activities more specific to the Christmas period may be particularly ideal for enjoying with children.
We offer several options, and you choose the one(s) you fancy most ;). Thanks to the wide range of suggestions, you’ll find both free and paid activities.
The best ideas for St Stephen’s Day (Boxing Day) in Barcelona related to the Christmas season
Christmas garden experience in Barcelona
Great Christmas light show
Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau
Ticket sales starting in November
Barcelona Three Kings Fair
Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes | section c/ Calabria (street) – c/ Muntaner (street)
Christmas Tour on a panoramic bus
Night-time tour on a panoramic bus to enjoy the city’s Christmas lights.
The bus travels through several areas of Barcelona.
Attend a performance of a live nativity scene
Several towns across Catalonia organise live nativity scenes during the Christmas season, including on 26 December. It’s an ideal plan for enjoying St Stephen’s Day (Boxing Day) at this time of year.
Pals, Corbera de Llobregat, Castell d’Aro…
Port Vell Christmas Fair in Barcelona
Christmas market that is less traditional than others in the city
Late-afternoon stroll to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere
Enjoy a stroll from 6:00 p.m. onwards (when the lights are switched on), whether in the city centre or in other neighbourhoods, to take in the Christmas lights and festive atmosphere.
See some of the most beautiful nativity scenes in Barcelona
Several places in Barcelona set up their own nativity scenes. It can be a lovely St Stephen’s Day (Boxing Day) plan to go out for a walk around Barcelona and, with that as an excuse, take the opportunity to see some of the city’s most beautiful and iconic nativity scenes.
Exhibitions, cultural and/or leisure events to enjoy on St Stephen’s Day (Boxing Day) in Barcelona
Barcelona Candlelight Concerts
Concerts of different musical styles by candlelight
Several iconic and/or charming spaces in Barcelona
Leonardo Versus Michelangelo
Immersive exhibition to enjoy a duel between two of the greatest Renaissance artists
8 rooms, including an immersive room, a virtual reality room in 360º VR format, and a virtual reality room in a virtual metaverse format.
Ideal Barcelona – Centre d’arts digitals
Antarctica Experience
Immersive experience to discover and live the Antarctic continent firsthand.
Created by Academy Award-winning director Luc Jacquet.
Arenas Shopping Center
Do museum and tourist attraction opening hours change on St Stephen’s Day?
Change of hours: As St Stephen’s Day is a public holiday and falls just after Christmas Day, many museums and cultural or tourist attractions in Barcelona change their opening hours.
Closed places: Several of the city’s museums and cultural spaces are closed on St Stephen’s Day.
Suggestion: Before planning any cultural visit on 26 December, we encourage you to check that the place is open as usual.
Other ideas for spending St Stephen’s Day (Boxing Day) in Barcelona
Eating churros with chocolate at one of Barcelona’s historic farms
Granja La Pallaresa, Granja Dulcinea amd Granja M. Viader.
Petritxol street and Xuclà street.
Visiting the Bunkers of Carmel and enjoying the views over Barcelona
Climbing up to the Bunkers of Carmel, located on Turó de la Rovira and relatively close to Park Güell, can be a great idea for enjoying St. Stephen’s Day while burning off some calories after the feasts of these days.
Plane viewpoint at El Prat de Llobregat
One of the most striking sights we’ve seen in recent years has been that of planes about to land at Barcelona’s El Prat de Llobregat Airport. Why not take advantage of Saint Sebastian’s Day to visit this incredible spot? You can also enjoy a pleasant walk or go for a bike ride around the area.
Walking through Ciutadella Park
Ciutadella Park is a lively place, especially on public holidays. For this reason, it can be a great idea to take advantage of the day to head over there for a short, relaxing walk — an ideal plan whether you’re with your partner, friends, family or, why not, on your own.
What is celebrated on St Stephen’s Day and why is it a public holiday in Barcelona and Catalonia?
On 26 December, St Stephen is celebrated, considered the first martyr of Christianity.
It is celebrated on 26 December because it was the day when, following a dream had by a priest, the saint’s remains were found, and his relics were carried in procession to the Hagia María Abbey on 26 December 415 AD.
To understand why St Stephen’s Day is a public holiday in Barcelona and the rest of Catalonia, we need to go back to the medieval period. During the Middle Ages, the territories belonging to the Crown of Aragon had a second public holiday following Christmas Day so that families could fully enjoy the festivities without worrying about work the next day. This practice was repeated with each major holiday.
Interestingly, 26 December is not a public holiday in Aragón. On the other hand, it is a public holiday in the Balearic Islands. In the Valencian Community, also once part of the Crown of Aragon, it is a notable day, but not a public holiday.
St Stephen’s Day is also a public holiday in other countries, for example Ireland (National Holiday), the United Kingdom (known as Boxing Day), Italy, Poland, or Hungary, among others.
How is St Stephen’s Day (Boxing Day) traditionally celebrated in Catalonia?
Traditionally, St Stephen’s Day (Boxing Day) is a holiday spent with family. Nowadays, things have changed quite a bit, and although many families still try to celebrate together on this day, especially by gathering for lunch, it is not uncommon to spend it with friends or a partner.
Regarding the strictly gastronomic side, the tradition most closely associated with St Stephen’s Day (Boxing Day) in Catalonia is surely eating cannelloni (in Catalan, “canelons”). The tradition dates back to when, using the leftovers from the Christmas meal and taking advantage of the fact that 26 December was also a public holiday, families would celebrate a meal with the Christmas leftovers. In this way, the leftover meat was used to prepare the cannelloni.
Although it is not a holy day of obligation, meaning that Catholics are not required to attend Mass, several churches hold services in honour of St Stephen.
Some towns in Catalonia take the opportunity to organise fairs or local activities, which, given the time of year and the fact that 26 December is a public holiday, serves to celebrate St Stephen locally and usually helps attract visitors from other areas. In some of these towns, live nativity scenes are also held. Notable examples include Sant Esteve Sesrovires with its Garlandes Ball and Alcover with its now traditional longest “Tió” in the world.