Tag: Tradition

Calçots: How to Enjoy These Catalan Onions Like a Local

Have you ever heard of calçots? They are a special kind of long onion specific to Catalunya and locals absolutely love them! They are super tasty, but be warned, calçots are extremely messy to eat, but that’s all part of the fun. Calçots can be found in certain restaurants or fresh...

All About Celebrating Carnival in Barcelona

It’s that time of the year again in Barcelona! Get ready to pig out, drink, dress up and get wild during the seven days of fun leading up to Lent, a time of abstinence for Catholics. Carnival (Carnaval in Catalan) starts on February 23, Dijous Gras (Fat Thursday), with...

A Quick Guide to Castellers: Human Towers, a Catalan Tradition

The casteller tradition, specific to the region of Catalonia, Spain is said to have originated during the 18th century near Tarragona, where different colla (teams of castellers) began competing against one another to see who could create the tallest human castle possible. In 2010, castells were added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural...

Girona: Exploring the Spring Flower Festival, Temps de Flors

The Temps de Flors (Time of Flowers) festival in Girona is held every year in May for two weekends. The old part of the city (Barri Vell) is transformed with beautiful flower displays and homages to Mother Nature and the spring season. My favorite part of the festival is...

A Quick Guide to Sant Jordi: Celebrating the Day of Books and Roses

Every April 23, Barcelona (and all of Catalonia) becomes filled with bookstalls and roses on the most romantic day of the year! Locals celebrate the day of Sant Jordi (Saint George), the patron saint of Catalonia by rummaging through the many stands in search of the perfect book and stopping for a vermouth...

Easter Traditions in Spain: Semana Santa

Although Barcelona isn’t known for celebrating Easter as extravagantly as some of the other cities in Spain, they do host their own special services and processions for Semana Santa (Holy Week), which are exciting to watch. Most of the activities take place near the Barcelona Cathedral in the city’s Gothic...