10 Things to Do in Barcelona in Winter

Barcelona is one of the most beautiful cities in Spain. There is a monument to admire on every corner and, in winter, the city's patron saint festivals offer a constant cheerful atmosphere. There are also many street markets around the city, and traditional festivities, such as the arrival of the Three Wise Men and carnivals, fill Barcelona with light and colour.

The biggest Christmas market in Barcelona is the Fira de Santa Llúcia. It takes place in the square outside Barcelona's impressive Gothic cathedral in the old town. The event has been repeated since 1786, you tell if this is not tradition.

At the Fira de Santa Llúcia artisans and vendors are distributed among 170 stands dedicated exclusively to Christmas. My recommendation? Take a tour of Barcelona's Gothic Quarter and then take the opportunity to stroll around the fair at your leisure.

It will be full of Christmas trees, nativity displays, gift items, and plenty of good seasonal food to bring the Christmas spirit to its visitors.

The city has ice rinks in various locations, sizes and styles. Here are three top ice rinks in Barcelona:

• Skating Club Barcelona. Whether you're an amateur, star skater or beginner and want to enjoy skating with your family, the Skating Club Barcelona is a great option. They offer classes in all types of skating, the service is friendly, the prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is fun.

Location: They have three locations. Calle Nàpols, 42; Calle Prat d'en Rull, 6; Calle Andrade, 40.

• Illa Diagonal ice rink. This rink is an annual tradition at the Illa Diagonal shopping centre. Despite its modest dimensions, every winter it is renewed as a perfect alternative for hanging out and shopping. In addition, they offer a good service and their prices are the cheapest.

Location: Av. Diagonal, 557. Les Corts neighbourhood.

• Barça ice rink. Barça or not, if you're going to skate in Barcelona, this is a safe bet. It is part of the FC Barcelona complex, its dimensions are almost Olympic, they have a skating school and you can visit the club's attractions.

Location: Av. de Joan XXIII.

By the way, if you choose this last rink, you can take advantage of the Camp Nou Experience, an immersive experience in which you will relive the history and achievements of one of the most important football teams in the world.

Since 2011, Barcelona City Council, through the Barcelona Design Museum, has been promoting an international benchmark for contemporary art, the Llum Festival. At least a dozen floats, buildings, sculptures and streets are illuminated, redrawing the urban landscape at night.

During the festival, art, technology and design are successfully combined to experiment with the relationship between light and space. Emerging and veteran artists of international stature come together to offer a luxury show that you can't miss because, in addition, the activity is free.

If you like contemporary art but, unfortunately, your stay doesn't coincide with the Llum Festival, my recommendation is to visit the Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona (MACBA). You won't be disappointed.

In Passeig de Gràcia you will find Casa Batlló, the last work of the famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and in winter it is special because of the care, luxury and detail with which the seasonal decorations are arranged.

Every winter, those who buy tickets to Casa Batlló are greeted by a huge light show to celebrate Christmas.

For a month, Passeig de Gràcia, with more than 5 million lights and projections, illuminates the iconic house with a display of colours, shapes and figures drawn from Gaudí's architectural repertoire.

Are you travelling to Barcelona in December and want to surprise your children with a farewell to the year that they will never forget? Book your tickets for Port Aventura, which also include access to Ferrari Land, and give them the surprise of a lifetime.

If you have children and you want to have fun with them, you can't miss out on the most incredible attractions:

• The highest roller coasters in Europe, such as Shambhala or Dragon Khan.
• Great water attractions such as Tutuki Splash.
• Attractions with a free fall of 86 metres high.

In addition, on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve the park dresses up and organises even more special activities, such as gala dinners with cotillion. Great!

Calçots are delicious roasted onions that are then bathed in a thick romesco sauce, originally from Catalonia. These vegetables are also known as "Calçotades" or "Arbós de la Primavera". They are harvested in late autumn and cured in the ground until they can be used in January and February. It is said that their flavour is the result of exposure to the cold.

In winter, calçots appear on menus as the undisputed kings of Catalan gastronomy. They are accompanied by grilled rabbit, pork or chicken, butifarra sausage and a good glass of local wine.

If you feel like discovering all the dishes of the rich Catalan gastronomy, don't miss a gastro tour of Barcelona, a unique foodie experience!

Sitges, one of the most popular seaside towns in Barcelona, presents a seasonal cultural offer that is always rich and diverse.

Among them, there are three events that I recommend:

• The International Wine and Cava Film Festival, MOST. Lovers of the seventh art, cava and wine will feel in paradise.
• The Sitges Christmas Festival. It's colourful, fun and irreverent; even if you've visited before, you'll find a surprise every year. The celebration lasts two days and starts just after Christmas Day.
• The Sitges Carnival. The best European version of the Brazilian octavita. The energy there is amazing, plus cultural activities are the order of the day.

Book a trip to Sitges from Barcelona, which also includes a visit to Tarragona, and discover how much this town has to offer in winter too.

If you're travelling with children to Barcelona and you're there on 5 January, it goes without saying that you can't miss the Three Wise Men's Parade.

And if you're in Barcelona in December, you must take them to the Factory of the Three Wise Men in the Sant Andreu district. Their Majesties' helpers will accompany them on a tour that starts at the Magic Post Office, after the third week of December. The activities are great for the kids and easy to get to by metro.

By the way, I don't think I've told you yet that buying the Barcelona Card Express gives you free and unlimited access to all the city's public transport, among many other advantages. So you have no excuse, get out of the city centre and take your children on a magical experience.

La Laia, Santa Eulalia or the Winter Festival. These three names are used to describe a festival that is held every year during the week of 12 February, when the people of Catalonia and tourists enjoy the sardana dances, dancing devils and the correfoc in honour of their patron saint.

During this week, there are also open days at the city's museums and numerous events at the civic centres in the neighbourhoods.

Are you interested in art but your stay doesn't coincide with these dates? Don't be disappointed. Book the Barcelona Articket and get access to the six most important museums in the city:

• Museu Picasso de Barcelona.
• National Art Museum of Catalonia.
• Joan Miró Foundation.
• Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona.
• Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art.
• Antoni Tàpies Foundation.

A combined visit to the Sagrada Familia and Park Güell is one of my recommendations in Barcelona during the winter. At this time of year the park recovers its green carpet. The paths are reopened and it seems that nobody goes there, as you can walk freely without worrying about crowds.

In addition, the lower rate of tourists (although, to be honest, nowadays Barcelona attracts thousands of people at any time of the year), means that winter is also a better time to enjoy the Sagrada Familia.

In short, if you travel to Barcelona in winter, remember that this is the ideal time to make a combined visit to Gaudí's two great works.

My sweet sin of the season is hot chocolate. There is no pre-established hot chocolate tour, but if you are travelling in December and you like chocolate, I invite you to have a good cup of hot chocolate in at least three different places:

• Granja La Pallaresa you find it in the Gothic Quarter and it's a delight, the chocolate tastes like home and the service is top notch.
• Petritxol Xocoa is just a block away, but the churros here are out of this world.
• La Nena Chocolatería when you make your way through the Barrio de Grácia. The chocolate with cream here is very tasty and the playful decor is charming.

As for the weather, winter in Barcelona is cooler than cold. The average temperature is 15ºC, although temperatures are lower in January and February. It is best to keep an eye on the weather forecast.

Take some time to enjoy Barcelona. You can take a bike tour, book a fully personalised walking tour or get an Explorer Pass to visit as many attractions as possible and save yourself a lot of money. The options are almost endless - the choice is yours!