The city of Barcelona will re-ignite the magic of these holidays with its Christmas lighting, marking the starting signal for weeks full of color and activities. The Catalan capital already has everything ready to start its Christmas period with the inauguration of its lighting, which for 2025 incorporates new features in its designs and scope. The city will deploy a total of 126 kilometers of illuminated streets with LED technology, consolidating itself as an international Christmas benchmark. For those who are in the city tomorrow, Saturday, the official lighting will take place on the emblematic Passeig de Gràcia, starting at 6:00 p.m., and the lighting will remain until January 6, 2026.
A inauguration ceremony which this year will have a marked character in favor of peace, without a doubt, the most important illusion of Christmas. And it will be starring a very special guest, whose attendance underlines the global nature of the celebration: Nicola Canawati, mayor of Bethlehemwho will travel to Barcelona to turn on the lights with his counterpart Jaume Collboni, pressing the power button together at the opening ceremony. Their presence is significant, since it coincides with the recovery of Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem, which once again organizes festive events after two years marked by the conflict in Gaza. The lighting event will include a show with aerial dance, live music and light installations.
The main novelty of this year’s programming is the incorporation of the Via Laietanawhich is newly decorated after having completed its long renovation. This artery, which connects the Port with the Eixample, regains its prominence sporting a new installation that extends from Plaza Urquinaona to Paseo Colom. The design of the lights, by Ester Pujol and Marta Cerdà, takes inspiration from Barcelona’s ‘panot’, the typical mosaic, reinterpreted as a flower-shaped pixel screen. In total, around twenty arches with seven figures each will be placed, totaling some 175 luminous motifs.
Another great novelty focuses on the deployment of artistic proposals completely new in central streets, arising from a competition of ideas called by the city council in collaboration with ADI-FAD. The initiative launched by this Industrial Design association will give a totally unique touch to Barcelona’s Christmas, with special creations to decorate the most iconic streets of the capital. On Aragó Street, for example, the SMLXL+MA-MA studio has created humorous lighting based on everyday Christmas phrases such as “Ara, torrons” or “I demà canelons”, which will be distributed on light banners along the avenue, while on Gran Via, the Estudi APO has installed some 900 LED modules that simulate candles floating in the air, generating a subtle sea effect undulating that, without a doubt, will attract the attention of neighbors and visitors.
The author’s design also extends to the Plaza de Catalunyawhere ARTEC Light Studio will recreate the flight of birds forming hearts in the air, an installation that comes to life both day and night. For its part, the Sant Joan promenade maintains the original proposal of the Brosmind duo, titled ‘Finestres al barri’, with Christmas messages inside comic windows that combine references to manga culture. These five new designs by local designers demonstrate the council’s commitment to its own and coherent visual identity.
To achieve this consolidation and decentralize lighting, bringing it to more neighborhoods and boosting local commerce, Barcelona City Council has increased the budget allocated to lighting Christmas by 15%. The amount reaches 3.8 million euros, allowing the city to gain 16 additional kilometers of lighting, reaching a total of 126 illuminated kilometers. The deployment reaches all districts, prioritizing neighborhood areas and 23 streets with works in Ciutat Vella, Gràcia, Sant Martí and Eixample to support affected businesses. As for schedules, the lights will operate from November 22 to January 6. He ignition schedule usual will be of 17:30 a 1:00 from Sunday to Thursday. On Fridays, Saturdays and the eve of holidays, the hours are extended, staying on until 2:00 in the morning. This extension of hours, until 2:00 a.m., will also apply on the most important nights, including December 24, 25 and 31, as well as Three Kings’ Eve on January 5.
The return of ornamental fountains
In addition to the new lighting, Barcelona recovers festive elements that had been off, such as the return of the ornamental fountains, after the drought decree in Catalonia will cease to be in force. 50 fountains will be put into operation, which once again form part of the Christmas landscape of the Catalan capital, joining the thirty municipal markets and monuments that participate in the display. As a grand debut, the docks of the new Port Olímpic and the docks of Port Vell are also incorporated into the lighting.
For those who want the full lights experience, there are specialized tour options, including the Barcelona Christmas Tour, an 80-minute double-decker bus tour. This tour runs from November 28 to January 4 and passes through key points such as Casa Batlló, La Pedrera, Sagrada Familia, Gran Vía and the “new” Via Laietana illuminated, offering live explanations. The other big news to appreciate the lighting is that Las Golondrinas, the port’s classic boats, will take night trips for the first time in 137 years, with 40-minute routes on illuminated boats with music and actors on board.
Beyond the tours, Barcelona’s Christmas offer is multiplied, especially in the ‘Nadal al Port’, which returns to Port Vell with a fair that includes a giant Ferris wheel, an ice rink and stages for shows. Another essential proposal is ‘Llums de Sant Pau’, the magical journey of lights and projections that transforms the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site into a visual spectacle lasting between 60 and 90 minutes. Additionally, the lobby of the DHUB (Design Hub Barcelona) surprises this year with the presence of a gigantic cake inflatable, completing the festive atmosphere of the Catalan capital.
