Marketing Permissions: Akommo will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. By subscribing to our mailing list, you agree to and confirm that you have read our Privacy Policy. You also accept that your information will processed by Mailchimp. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here.
Last updated on
It’s that time of the year again. The time to plan corporate Christmas dinners, Christmas parties, and shopping lists. If you are still looking for a place to hold your corporate Christmas festivities, consider Barcelona. After all, not only is it one of the most festive cities in Europe, it is also a top venue city for international conferences. At any given time of the year, Barcelona attracts many visitors. Yet we find that it is during Christmas when Barcelona really turns on its charm. We hereby present to you why you should have your corporate Christmas dinner in Barcelona.
Within Europe, Barcelona is considered to be one of the top cities to host international conferences. Between 2019 and 2020 alone, over 300 conferences will be held in Barcelona. Because of this, Barcelona certainly does not lack in event venues and restaurants where you can share your Christmas team dinner.
Not only is Barcelona equipped with state-of-the-art stylish convention and conference venues, the city is also teeming with corporate event venues to cater to groups of all sizes. And if you’re looking for the perfect venue to hold your corporate Christmas dinner in Barcelona, you need not look further. We have compiled our list of Top 9 Unique Barcelona Corporate Event Venues. From intimate cocktail parties to large-scale corporate celebrations, our comprehensive list will surely have something for you.
The Firas de Nadal de la Sagrada Familia: open from 10:00 until 21:00 from the 30th of November to the 23rd of December this year.
Christmas in Europe is never complete without Christmas markets. And if you and your company are holding your corporate Christmas dinner in Barcelona, you simply cannot miss the city’s Christmas markets. The Sagrada Familia Christmas Market (Fira de Nadal de Sagrada Familia) has over a hundred stalls within four blocks. This Christmas market was first held in the 1960’s and has now become one of the Christmas markets with the most traditions in the Eixample District.
La Fira de Santa Lucia: open from 11:00 until 20:30 and until 21:30 on holidays and vigils from November 29th to December 23rd.
If you can only visit one Christmas market this year, let it be the La Fira de Santa Lucia. This market is located in front of the famous Cathedral in Barcelona's city centre, the biggest and oldest Christmas market in the city. It contains over 300 stalls offering all types of artisans, activities, and gifts.
Christmas markets may be found all over Europe, but if you are spending Christmas in Barcelona and holding your corporate Christmas dinner in the city, then prepare yourself for the utmost unusual festive cheer. Catalonia has some very unique and quirky Christmas customs specific to the region:
Tió de Nadal- also known as Caga Tió or Tió de Nadal is a friendly looking wooden log that bears the family’s Christmas presents. Tradition has it that on the days leading up to Christmas Eve, the children of the family “look after” Tió de Nadal by feeding him and keeping him warm. Finally, on Christmas Eve, when Tió de Nadal is supposedly “full”, family members (mainly children), will take turns hitting the friendly little log with a stick while they sing traditional songs. The beatings continue until the log “defacates” out Christmas presents.
El Caganer – El Caganer, which literally means “the crapper”, is a Christmas bare-bottomed figurine depicted in the act of defecation. In Barcelona, you can often find El Caganer hidden amongst a traditional nativity scene, and eagle-eyed youngsters try to spot “the pooping man.”
El Pessebre de Nadal - This is the Catalan name for the nativity scene and a Catalan Christmas wouldn’t be complete without it. The Pessebre is customarily assembled on the 25th of November, St Catherine’s Day, and taken down on the 2nd of February.
Barcelona is known to be a very festive city to celebrate Christmas, and it is for good reason. If you are celebrating your corporate Christmas dinner in Barcelona, be sure to hold it around these dates so you can celebrate Christmas in a unique Catalan way.
Cavalcada de Reis: The Three Kings Parade is held on the 5th of January each year. This parade is usually done in the evening, lasting 3 full hours with a convoy of carrozas (parade floats). The parade normally stretches through the centre of Barcelona along a 5km route. The children write letters to the Kings asking them for gifts and they give them to the the King's helpers as they pass. And we can't forget to mention that they throw candy from the floats!
L’Home dels Nassos: Catalans celebrate the last day of the year (December 31) with L’Home dels Nassos (The Man of the Noses). Every morning on the 31st of December, parents urge their children to look for “the man with many noses”. In Barcelona, the Homme dels Nassos is a figure with a large paper mache head and parades around the streets.
Street Lighting: Barcelona comes to life during the holidays due to the festive lights throughout the city. Each neighbourhood has a unique decoration creating an ambiance of warmth and joy. Your evening strolls in the streets won't disappoint!
If you need another excellent reason to hold your corporate Christmas dinner in Barcelona: the food. Taditional Catalan food is very tasty and popular all over the world. However, there are special Catalan food that are normally popular around Christmas time.
Turró: This is a very famous type of dessert not only during Christmas but throughout the year. This traditional sweet is a type of nougat shaped like a bar, usually made of honey, sugar, egg white and nuts. Barcelona’s Christmas markets should have plenty of Turrón.
Polvorons: In Barcelona, Polvorones are considered one of the holiday’s must-try sweets. They are crumbly, shortbread-like pastries and the name comes from the Spanish word Polvo (meaning powder) as they tend to crumble very easily into powder.
Roscon de Reyes: Which means Ring of the Kings, is a Spanish pastry traditionally eaten during the celebration of the “Three Kings Day” on January 6th. It is prepared with a sweet yeasted dough and comes topped with sugar and candied / or dried fruit.