Well into October, Catalonia takes on a very special smell when the chestnuts start being sold on the street. Their crackling while they’re being roasted and the orange colour of the sweet potatoes are part of the autumn landscape of towns and cities.
This year is special for the Festes de la Mercè: it’s the 150th anniversary of Barcelona’s main festival since the city council started organising it. It was in 1871 that a celebration for the people of the city with cultural activities was established. To celebrate this anniversary, popular culture plays an important role in this year's programme.
Sant Jordi (Saint George) is the patron saint of Catalonia, and his day is a festival that over the years has acquired a tone of protest for Catalan culture. It is also the Catalan equivalent of Valentine's Day.
In addition to its rich heritage, Barcelona and Catalonia in general, have important cultural traditions that we invite you to discover. Centuries of history have shaped festivals, traditions and popular celebrations that are still deeply rooted in the territory and its people today. We want to share this with all those who visit us! Currently, the health crisis caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus prevents us from celebrating our festivities in normal circumstances; however, we hope that very soon we will be able to celebrate again as we have always done.
