Barcelona 2023: a year to enjoy

Barcelona is a fantastic city, in general, but more so on special dates like national festivities, city events and bank holidays, in which taking a stroll around town, enjoying a hot chocolate with churros in Winter or a refreshing horchata in Summer can be one of those little pleasures in life to remember. For these matters, and to organise your year and work holidays effectively to make the best out of it, the main dates to take into consideration are:

– 6th of January: Three Wise Men day
– 7-10 of April: Easter
– 1st of May: International Workers' Day
– 29th of May: Second Easter
– 24th of June: Sant Joan
– 15th of August: Assumption of Mary
– 11th of September: National Catalonia Day
– 25th of September: La Mercè (main festivity of Barcelona city)
– 12th of October: Spanish National Day
– 1st of November: All Saints’ Day
– 6th of December: Constitution Day
– 8th of December: Purísima Day (yet another religious holiday, yes)
– 25th of December: Christmas
– 26th of December: Sant Esteve

It’s not like we don’t have celebrations in Barcelona.

One of the biggest events of the year and the only one that, weirdly, is not a bank holiday, is Sant Jordi, the book and rose day. This is certainly the most Barcelona day of all; streets are conquered by stools selling books and roses on the 23rd of April to celebrate the legend of Saint George and International Book Day; is there anything nicer than reading and getting flowers? Not really.

On 2023 many international bands will visit Barcelona: Coldplay, The Who, Harry Styles, Maroon 5, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen will play in the biggest venues in town, while Franz Ferdinand and Placebo, amongst others, will be present at the festival Cruïlla, Depeche Mode, Rosalía, Blur and Kendrick Lamar at Primavera Sound and Bicep, Fever Ray, and Laurent Garnier at Sónar. Indeed, this will be a good year for dancing and celebrating.