Barcelona will switch on its Christmas lights on 26 November: times and show on Passeig de Gràcia

The countdown to Christmas in Barcelona has begun. The City Council has announced the details of the official lighting ceremony, which this year will once again take place on one of the city's main boulevards.

The inauguration will be held on 26 November at 18:00, featuring an artistic programme that combines music, audiovisual elements, and aerial dance. The most anticipated moment will come at 18:30, when the Christmas lights are switched on.

Where the Christmas lights will be switched on in Barcelona

The show will take place on Passeig de Gràcia, between Rosselló y Diagonal.

The stage will face the sea, and attendees will be able to watch the performance both from the road and from the sides of the boulevard.

The City Council is preparing a large-scale stage and audiovisual production, aimed at audiences of all ages.

The performance will be inspired by wonder, childhood, and Christmas traditions. It will feature an original soundtrack and various artistic acts, with aerial dance as a highlight.

The show will begin at 18:00 and will end with the official lighting at 18:30.

Christmas lights schedule in Barcelona 2026-2027

The lights will be installed and switched on from 26 November 2026 until 6 January 2027.

The schedule will be as follows:

Sunday to Thursday: from 17:30 to 01:00.

Fridays and Saturdays: from 17:30 to 02:00.

24, 25, and 31 December and 5 January: from 17:30 to 02:00.

This way, the lights will stay on later during weekends and on the main festive dates.

Almost 140 kilometres of illuminated streets

The Christmas decorations will reach all districts of Barcelona, with nearly 140 kilometres of lit streets.

The project is being developed in collaboration with commercial hubs and traders' associations, who take part in decorating different areas of the city.

In addition to the main avenues, the programme includes lighting for spaces linked to local shops and municipal markets.

New Christmas routes and illuminated spaces

The lighting ceremony will also mark the start of the second edition of Barcelona Llums de Nadal, a programme that connects festive lighting with design and urban space.

This year will see new locations, design proposals, and collaborations with the public.

Among the announced activities are themed light trails across the ten districts, decorated shop windows, routes through iconic shops, illuminated fountains, and more lighting on the façades of markets.

The initiative is part of Barcelona's Christmas programme, and in 2026 the city holds the European title for Comercio Local and Christmas.

When and where to see the opening show

Date: Thursday, 26 November 2026.

Time: show starts at 18:00, lights switched on at 18:30.

Place: Passeig de Gràcia, between Rosselló y Diagonal, Barcelona.

Price: free access from public space.

With this celebration, Barcelona will officially kick off the Christmas season, which will continue until Día de Reyes, on 6 January 2027.