Those who have been to Spain at least once will probably be surprised: “Is that all? Some measly 1.6 fiestas a week for the whole of Catalonia?” Therefore, first a few clarifications on the selection criteria. Firstly, from the good thousand days of the city that each Catalan settlement with a population of between thirty and one and a half million people has, only a few are taken that are of national/regional interest from the point of view of the federal/local authorities. From the countless number of fairs and festivals, the list includes those marked by the organizers as “international” or simply original, having no analogues in other places in Catalonia. And finally, we had to limit ourselves to events whose dates were officially confirmed.
January
January 6, Dia de Reis (Day of Kings). The main action is a solemn procession (Cavalcada dels Reis Mags) with the distribution of sweets and toys on the eve of the holiday on January 5th.
January 31, Weiss, Festa de la Calçotada de Valls. The holiday that opens the special gastronomic season of Catalonia - calçotada, which from this day lasts until Easter.
Calçots - a uniquely Catalan gastronomic experience
February
February 4-10, Carnestoltes (Carnival). Carnival takes place almost everywhere and you don’t have to leave Barcelona to see it, but other cities stand out: Sitges, Solsona and Vilanova i la Geltrú.
February 12 and neighboring dates, Barcelona, Festes de Santa Eulàlia. A festival in honor of the patron saint of Barcelona, Saint Eulalia, is essentially a small winter day for the city.
February 13-14, Granuyers, Bodamarket. A specialized fair for those who are getting married.
February 21 and neighboring dates, Manresa, Festa de la Misteriosa Llum. Honoring the miracle that occurred on February 21, 1345, when a mysterious light from heaven put an end to strife and established an atmosphere of love and cooperation in the city.
February 21, Vilafranca del Penedès, Festa del Xató. Gastronomic holiday, dedicated to the traditional Catalan dish chato, which is prepared using soaked salted fish (cod, tuna, anchovies).
February 22-25, Barcelona, Mobile World Congress. World Congress of Hardware and Software Manufacturers for Mobile Communications. Everyone participates except APPLE.
February 27-28, Manresa, Fira de l "Aixada. The medieval market as a continuation of the Festa de la Misteriosa Llum: recreating the atmosphere of the 14th century on the city streets.
Carnival in Sitges
March
March 20-27, Setmana Santa. The week before Easter Sunday. Good Friday March 25 and Easter Monday March 28 are days off.
March 26, Falset, Fira de cooperatives agrícoles del Priorat. Wine festival in the city of Falset - the capital of the district, on the territory of which the DOQ Priorat and DO Montsant wineries are located.
April
April 2-3, Barcelona-Sitges, Ral·li Internacional de Cotxes d"Època Barcelona-Sitges. International rally of retro cars.
April 22 - May 1, Montblanc, Setmana Medieval de Montblanc. Ten days festive events in honor of St. George and his exploits: reconstruction of the battle with the dragon, performances based on legends, dramatizations of everyday life in the Middle Ages.
April 23, Sant Jordi (St. George's Day). Honoring St. George the Victorious in Catalonia in most cities comes down to mutual gifts between men and women: it is customary to give roses to lords and senoritas, and books to gentlemen.
April 30 - May 1, Falset, Fira del Vi de la comarca del Priorat. Main holiday year in Priorat: tastings of DOQ Priorat and DO Montsant wines, visits to wineries, gastronomic competitions - for wine lovers; lectures, conferences and round tables - for those who want to not only drink wine, but also make money from it.
May
May 1-31, Pals, Pals i la Cuina de l'Arròs. A month of rice dishes in the restaurants of the resort town of Pals, famous not only for its well-preserved historical center from the Middle Ages, but also for its rice cultivation traditions, which date back about 500 years.
May 6-8, Tarrasa, Fira Modernista. The festival, dedicated to Catalan Art Nouveau, takes guests into the atmosphere of the late 19th - early 20th centuries, the heyday of the Art Nouveau style in art.
May 7, Grataiops, Tast amb Dones a Gratallops, Tast amb Llops a Gratallops. Wine tasting in the unofficial capital of DOQ Priorat. Grataiops is the pueblo that contains the largest number of wineries in the region, including the most famous of them.
May 14-15, Ripoy, Festa Nacional de la Llana i Casament a Pagès. The festival of wool and peasant wedding presents to guests different aspects of the life of a local peasant - on the first day you can trace the complete production chain of wool processing, starting from shearing sheep and ending with the production of wool mattresses, and on the second - all the stages of a traditional wedding for these places.
May 15, Pentecosta (Pasqua Granada). Fiftieth day after Easter Sunday. The following Monday, May 16 (Dilluns de Pasqua Granada) is a public holiday in Catalonia.
May 16-29, Tarragona, Tarracoviva. A festival dedicated to the Romanesque past of Tarragona, which was called Tarraco during the Roman Empire and served as the emperor's residence on the Mediterranean Sea.
May 20-22, Lleida, Aplec del Caragol de Lleida. In the Catalan menu, Lleida is responsible for snails. Those who like to wield a toothpick in the company of like-minded people cannot find a better time and place.
May 25-29, Berga, Patum de Berga. Included in the list of intangible UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Essentially, the religious holiday of Corpus Christi with a prologue and epilogue.
May 26, Corpus Christi. Religious holiday veneration of the Body and Blood of Christ. Celebrated everywhere, the main action is a solemn procession with the Holy Gifts through the streets of the city.
Tarragona was the residence of the Roman Emperor, the TARRACOVIVA festival reminds us of this every year
June
June 2-4, Barcelona, Primavera Sound. The festival of contemporary music always has big stars on the program.
June 29 and neighboring dates, Reus, Festa Mayor de Reus. Saint Peter is the patron saint of Reus, and June 29 is the day of his veneration, so several days at the end of June in the Reus calendar are traditionally reserved for the city holiday.
July
July 1-31, Barcelona, Greece. A large-scale annual theater festival established in 1976. The main stage is the open Greek theater on Montjuic mountain.
July 2-3, Vilafranca del Penedès, Vijazz. Jazz festival in the capital of the wine region DO Penedès.
July 4-9, Tarragona, Concurs internacional de focs artificials "Ciutat de Tarragona". International pyrotechnics competition.
July 8-9, Barcelona. Pride Barcelona. Gay Pride in Barcelona. Held under the patronage of the Catalan Generalitat and city authorities.
July 21-24, Tortosa, Festa del Renaixement. One of a fairly short list of Catalan holidays labeled "national interest". An uncompromising return of the city to the 16th century: several thousand citizens dressed according to the era, hundreds of professional actors performing up to 60 historical dramatizations daily, decoration of city buildings, shops and fortress walls, bread, food and sweets prepared according to ancient recipes in bakeries, restaurants and confectionery shops
The Grec Theater on Montjuic is the main venue of the Barcelona Summer Theater Festival
August
August 15 and neighboring dates, Barcelona, Festa Major de Gràcia. Gracia became part of Barcelona relatively recently - at the end of the 19th century. Residents of the area, going shopping, to this day can easily tell their relatives: “I’m going to Barcelona.” Gracia differs from its neighbors in Barcelona both in architecture and atmosphere, so seeing the classic elements of Catalan holidays on the streets of the original area will be interesting even for a seasoned ethnographer.
August 16 and neighboring dates, Barcelona, Festes de Sant Roc de la Plaça Nova. A holiday whose history began back in 1589. In addition to the standard processions with giant puppets and pyrotechnic stunts, the program includes: sardana, cucanya- climbing for prizes on a slippery vertical pole, eating panellets- sweets specially prepared for this holiday and drinking alcohol from jugs with a long spout.
August 20-21, Torroja del Priorat, Nit de Vins de Torroja. Evening tastings in one of the most beautiful pueblos on the lands of DOQ Priorat.
August 27-28, Besalu, Besalú Medieval. Besalú Medieval is the most active in the group of cities of “medieval” Catalonia, and Besalú Medieval is the largest event dedicated to distant times. The city “rewinds” time ten centuries ago, changing the appearance of its streets and filling them with typical events of those years. The program includes: musical shows and performances in the streets, medieval dinners with entertainment, a market, archery, knightly tournaments, magic, fireworks and even belly dancing.
August 27-28, Cervera, Aquelarre de Cervera. Navarre and the Basque Country are better known for the tradition of organizing akelarre (pagan sabbaths with a laconic program of “food, wine, dancing and love without restrictions”), but a lighter version of how this happened in the Middle Ages can also be seen in Catalonia.
August 30 and adjacent dates, Vilafranca del Penedès, Diada de Sant Fèlix. A city day cannot be boring if the city is the capital of a wine region.
September
September 2-4, Begur, Fira d'Indians. Three days of memories of how the residents of Begur sought happiness in distant Cuba and what they did with their millions upon returning to their homeland.
September 7-8, Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, Festa de la Fil·loxera. The holiday, whose name includes the main grape pest, makes it clear to nature that there are no natural disasters that would force the local population to stop producing wine.
September 8 and neighboring dates, Olot, Festes del Tura. Olot Day is on the official list of holidays of national interest. Many elements of the performances can be seen at almost every Catalan fiesta, but Garrotxa, whose main city is Olot, is a land with volcanoes and everything is special here: nature, gastronomy, and holidays.
September 8-11, Tárrega, Fira Tàrrega. International festival of performing arts, established in 1981.
September 11, Diada Nacional de Catalunya. The day of Barcelona's surrender in 1714 in the War of the Spanish Succession became the main political holiday in Catalonia. In recent years, this has been the main platform for mass calls for the formation of an independent state.
September 23 and nearby dates, Tarragona, Festes de Santa Tecla. Tarragona celebrates its city day almost in parallel with Barcelona and, of course, tries to surpass the Catalan capital, if not in scale, then at least in the quality of events. In particular, this is where you should look castells("living" towers) and correfoc(“running” fire), it’s not for nothing that Tarragona hosts an international pyrotechnics competition and a championship among castellers- builders of “living” towers.
September 24 and nearby dates, Barcelona, La Mercè. The day of the main Catalan city rarely fits into one week, the list of events is so enormous. In addition to traditional dances and round dances, processions with five-meter dolls, “running” fire and “living” towers, the program includes a mass race through the city, fireworks, street shows, holiday parades, outdoor concerts, bicycle races and the BAM music festival.
September 29 - October 2, Barcelona, Swab Barcelona International Contemporary Art Fair. The largest international contemporary art fair in Barcelona.
Fira d'Indians fair in Begur
October
October 1-2, Peratallada, Mercat Medieval de Peratallada. A medieval market in a town that has hardly changed its appearance in a thousand years.
October 1-2, Tarragona, Concurs de castells de Tarragona. Living towers are an essential attribute of any national holiday in Catalonia. Twice a year you can admire this spectacle all day long - teams of acrobats compete with each other to see who is taller and more beautiful.
October 1-2, San Sadurní d'Anoia, Cavatast. Tasting of sparkling wine (cava) in a place where its key producers are gathered.
October 6-9, Manresa, Fira Mediterrània de Manresa. Festival of theatre, music and dance of the Mediterranean peoples.
October 12, Festa Nacional d'Espanya. A regular day off, sometimes with rallies and demonstrations of opponents of Catalan independence.
October 15-16, La Seu d'Urge, Fira de Sant Emergol. An agricultural fair whose history dates back to 1048. The program includes: tasting of locally produced products, a livestock exhibition, a cheese-making competition and, as always, a market, music and dancing.
November
November 12, Porrera, Tasta Porrera a Porrera. Wine festival in one of the key pueblos of DOQ Priorat.
November 18-20, Banyolas, Fira de Sant Martiria. An agricultural fair on the shore of a picturesque lake, the main characters of which are horses.
Fair Fira de Sant Martirià in Banyolas
December
December 6, Dia de la Constitució (Constitution Day). The Spanish Constitution in Catalonia does not cause much enthusiasm; in fact, it is an ordinary day off.
December 6-8, Vic, Mercat Medieval (Medieval Market). The food, the clothes, the smells, the music and the bustle of those years.
December 8, Immaculada Concepció (Immaculate Conception). A religious holiday that many Spaniards mistakenly associate with virgin birth Jesus Christ, although we are talking about the Virgin Mary, although she was conceived from ordinary parents, but according to Catholic dogma, without the transfer of original sin to her.
December 26, Sant Esteve (St. Stephen's Day). The day of veneration of Stephen the First Martyr, and in terms of what people do on this day, is an analogue of Boxing Day in Great Britain and the countries of the British Commonwealth.
Tió de Nadal - Catalan Santa Claus
How long does it take to get from Barcelona by car (km)
Banyoles: 122
Begur: 130
Berga: 108
Besalú: 131
Cervera (Servers): 101
Falset: 135
Figueres: 139
Girona (Girona): 118
Granollers: 32
Gratallops: 145
Igualada: 68
La Seu d'Urgel (La Seu d'Urge): 180
Lleida: 163
Manresa: 71
Montblanc: 119
Olot: 113
Pals: 131
Peratallada: 132
Porrera: 133
Reus: 108
Ripoll: 109
Sant Sadurní d'Anoia (San Sadurní d'Anoia): 50
Sitges: 41
Solsona: 113
Tarragona: 100
Tàrrega: 113
Terrassa: 35
Torroja del Priorat: 140
Tortosa: 180
Valls (Weiss): 104
Vic: 72
Vilafranca del Penedès: 61
Every year thousands of tourists and connoisseurs of good music come to Barcelona to enjoy the performances of their favorite performers and immerse themselves in an unforgettable atmosphere music festivals and experience all the magic that surrounds the city during the summer season. Barcelona is an ideal location for large-scale music events thanks to its Mediterranean climate, abundance of concert venues and excellent organization.
In 2015 The list of the most anticipated music festivals includes the following events:
Barcelona Beach Festival 2014
4.BBF Barcelona Beach Festival is a real paradise for lovers electronic music. After the overwhelming success of the festival last year, the organizers decided to make this festival an annual event, which was great news for several thousand electronic music lovers. This year the main performers are David Guetta, Hardwell, Axwell^Ingrosso. On July 18, Fòrum Beach will turn into the biggest beach party of the year.
5.Festival Internacional de Jazz de Barcelona . International Jazz Festival takes place in Barcelona from September 26, 2015 and will last several months. For 40 years, this event has attracted the best jazzmen and jazz bands of Europe and America. Diana Krall, winner of 5 Grammy Awards, was honored to open the festival. The names of the remaining participants will be announced later.
1. Car or public transport? A real dilemma in Barcelona
If you come to Barcelona, we offer you. We offer renovated and equipped apartments in any area of the city.
Considering that public transport works great in Barcelona, we recommend don't go by car. The main problem is finding a parking space that is safe and not exorbitantly priced. If, of course, it is important for you to come to the festival in your own car, then the alternative is to leave the house long before the festival starts in order to have time to grab a free parking space.
2. Buy entrance tickets in advance and online
Never, ever expect to be able to buy festival tickets on the same day as the festival. Most concerts launch ticket pre-sale, during which all tickets are sold out. To make sure you attend your favorite festival, we recommend joining the crowd of people who buy tickets in the first days of pre-sale. Faster, easier and perhaps cheaper, will buy online on official websites.
3. Dress code
It's better to choose comfortable clothing style, in which you will be comfortable to move and dance. If the festival is in style "openair", then take care of sun protection in the form of special creams, glasses and hats. Fun is fun, but health comes first. Also consider clothing in case of rain, just in case. A raincoat will be a very stylish accessory.
4. Rescue technologies
For example, portable charger for mobile phone. How could we even live before this without this miracle?
5. Research the venue in advance
Sometimes getting to your destination turns into a real quest, after which you lose all your mood and desire to enjoy music. To prevent this from happening, do not forget to study the location in advance. Maps and GPS navigators will greatly facilitate this task.
6. Have fun and don't overuse selfies.
Very often the main purpose of a trip is the desire to do a bunch of "selfie" against the backdrop of your favorite DJ as a keepsake. But... Isn’t it better to capture this atmosphere in your memory and enjoy the moment to the fullest? The last piece of advice: forget about your phone for a while (unless there is a need to localize your friends) and have fun already.
All festivals in Barcelona
1. Rock festivals
Primavera Sound
Rock Fest
This, in this case, is an ideal holiday for lovers of pure rock and hard rock, because bands such as Iron Maiden, Amon Amarth, Slayer, Alice Cooper and many others. This event will take place in Can Zam, and there will also be food stalls, various stands where you can buy records and tents where various shows will be held and after all this you can have a slam - a favorite activity during a concert for all rockers. Rock and roll is alive!
2. Festival of techno music and electronics
Sonar
Sonar is an experimental electronic music festival that has been taking place in Barcelona since 1994 and is celebrated over three days and two nights in June. This is the biggest event currently on the electronic scene. Like Primavera Sound, Sonar also does not include camping options. But the festival takes place in different places in Barcelona, during the day (Sonar de Día) and at night (Sonar de Noche), so you can stay directly in the city.
Excursions in Barcelona
Our friends - the Tripster team - offer exciting and exciting excursions from locals in different parts of the world. The guys are sure that no one can tell about all the mysteries and charms of the city better than those who live there. We invite you to familiarize yourself with possible excursions and tours on their website:
DGTL Festival
El DGTL Barcelona is the Spanish prototype of the famous techno music festival that is held annually in the Netherlands. With a techno musical background, he brought together youth from all over the world in one place. It aims to create an almost entirely environmentally sustainable festival. Don't miss this event!
Barcelona Beach Festival
There is no doubt about visiting this festival. Barcelona loves techno music and the Barcelona Beach Festival brings it to the city best music this style. This is a real event, one of the newcomers on the summer music scene and takes place in two places: Forum Beaches and Parque Pau de Sant Adria del Besos, which is a short walk from the sea. Do you need more motivation to show up? This festival will be attended by Armin Van Buuren, Axwell, Dimitri Vegas, Hardwell, Martin Garrix and many others. Not bad, right?
Unite with Tomorrowland Barcellona
Who hasn't heard of the famous Tomorrowland? Tomorrowlandis one of the most impressive and exciting festivals in the world, which takes place every year in Belgium with the participation of more than 300,000 people. So, in 2017, organizers announced plans to organize several events taking place simultaneously in many parts of the world, and Barcelona was chosen to represent Spain. Every year, leading DJs in the genre of electronic and commercial music participate in this event, such as Axwell, Armin Van Buuren, David Guetta and Steve Aoki. What should you not forget at home? The desire to dance until dawn.
3. Jazz and flamenco festivals
Voll Damn Barcelona Jazz Festival
Do you like jazz? Then you can't miss the Jazz Festival, which will take place in Barcelona this fall. The history of this festival began in 1966, it is one of the largest in the world and strives to spread quality jazz. Between October and December, Barcelona turns into a venue for jazz concerts that take place in various parts of the city. But that is not all. Since 2006, the festival program has included a series of flamenco concerts, in which real giants such as Paco de Lucía, Los Farruco o Estrella and Enrique Morente took part. Festival for gourmets!
Mas i Mas
Always focused on blues and jazz, festival Mas i Mas started its history in 2003 in order to offer an attractive cultural program during the summer months when there are not many activities. What started out as a simple music series organized by the Mas i Mas group and the San Miguel beer brand quickly became one of Barcelona's traditional August events. In addition to jazz, Mas i Mas also offers the opportunity to attend flamenco and listen to Caribbean music.
4. Festivals with different music genres
Suite Festival
The most outstanding thing about this festival is undoubtedly its location: Liceo theater building. And the musical genre? Artists from different genres take part in this festival. Some, like Bertin Osborne, Steve Hackett or Umberto Tozzi. Are you ready to take part and live a unique experience in an ideal location, next to Las Ramblas?
This festival is the perfect place for those who don't want to focus on one genre of music. The Cruilla festival, which means "cross", continues to maintain its crossover based music format, combination musical groups with absolutely different styles . This year, for example, you can see rock, blues and reggae concerts, all in a beautiful location in the Parc del Forum, on the seafront. What else is needed for happiness?
BAM Festival
BAM is a music festival organized on the occasion of the Fiestas de la Merce, a landmark day for Barcelona. This is an alternative music festival. Styles range from dubstep to hard rock. Concerts take place at various points in the city center, but the main ones are those that take place on the territory of the old Estrella Dammy factory. All concerts BAM are held in the open
Festival de la Guitarra
More than just a music event, the Barcelona Guitar Festival is a celebration of the guitar! The concerts are held over four months, starting from the end of January until June. Covers many musical styles. Different genres of music in different places, in fact, the guitar festival takes place in places like Palau de la Música Catalana, la Sala Apolo, Razzmatazz, el Sant Jordi Club. Choose your favorite artist and hurry to buy tickets!
20.09.2018
Barcelona celebrates the traditional La Merce festival on a grand scale: more than 500 various events Guests and residents of Barcelona will be able to visit for free from September 21 to 24. Free concerts, colorful processions, 3D mapping, street dancing, pyrotechnic shows and much more. So that you don't miss anything and feel traditional holiday Catalonia, we have prepared for you a detailed program of the main events of La Merce 2018.
Friday, September 21
19:00. Traditional Catalan Sardana dance (Baile de Sardana) on Plaça Nova in front of the Barcelona Cathedral announces the start of the festive festivities. At the same time, a procession of giant figures begins along the main streets of the city: La Rambla, Calle Ferran, Plaça de Sant Miquel.
22:00. Dragons and fiery beasts fill the night alleys of Barcelona. The colorful procession will follow the following route: Plaça Sant Jaume, Calle Ferran, La Rambla, Plaça del Pi, Placa Nova.
22:15. A 3D mapping appears on the facade of Barcelona City Hall, which can be seen every night during the four days of the festival.
Saturday, September 22
10:30. Dance groups are once again taking to the streets of Barcelona, which you can follow along the route: Plaça de Sant Jaume - Ferran - La Rambla - Portaferrissa - Pi - Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol - de la Palla - Banys Nous - Baixada de Santa Eulàlia - Sant Sever - Sant Felip Neri - Plaça de Sant Felip Neri - Montjuïc del Bisbe - Bisbe - Plaça de Sant Jaume.
18:30 Smoke, noise, firecrackers... This means it’s startingCorrefok, or Running Fire , one of the most important traditions of the La Merce holiday. Participants in the procession dressed as devils light pyrotechnic fires and explode firecrackers, accompanied by drummers. Route: Plaça Antoni López - Via Laietana - Plaça Antoni Maura. And so on until the night.
Sunday, September 23
10:00. We return to Plaça Nova, where fearless dancers climb on top of each other, thereby forming a living tower. National dance Moixiganga is an integral part of the festival program, as is the traditional Falcons show. Groups of acrobats form pyramids of people into intricate figures.
12:00. The best castellers from all over the region gather in Plaça Sant Jaume to create the most impressive living towers.
21:00. You can follow the procession of giant dolls along the route: Portal de Santa Madrona - La Rambla - Ferran - Plaça Sant Jaume.
Monday, September 24
11:00. Today is the long-awaited feast of Our Lady of Mercy of La Merce; from the very morning the sounds of music can be heard from the street, and the heads of giant dolls can be seen from the windows. Giants, accompanied by gnomes, will dance in Plaça Sant Jaume.
12:00. The castellers are again erecting towers in Plaça Sant Jaume.
18:00. Cavalcada de la Mercè – La Mercè parade, one of the traditional events that concludes the festival.
20:30. The final procession of giant dolls: Plaça Sant Jaume - Llibreteria - Veguer - Plaça del Rei - Baixada de Santa Clara - Pietat - Bisbe - Plaça Nova - Boters - Pi - Plaça del Pi - Cardenal Casañas - La Rambla - Palau de la Virreina.
In addition to the traditional component of the holiday, Barcelona has prepared a number of other events for all festival guests.
Festive fireworks: Friday and Saturday at 22:00 in the Barceloneta area.
Where: Espigó del Gas.
A rich program for the whole family, including circus, swing and live music in the Besòs River area - from 21 to 24 September.
Where: Passeig de la Rambleta, s/n, Santa Coloma de Gramenet.
Street dancing, graffiti festival, basketball tournament and more in Trinidad Park from September 22 to 24.
Where: Paseo de Santa Coloma, 60.
Circus performances, comedian and poetry shows on siteMontjuic fortress from September 22 to 24.
Where: Ctra. de Montjuic, 66.
Puppet theater and other activities for the little ones on the patio of the old Estrella Damn factory on Sunday 23 September until 21:00.
Where: Carrer del Rosselló, 515.
On Monday, Saint La Merce's Day, you will also be able to take advantage of the opportunity to visit, completely free of charge, such iconic places of Barcelona as the National Palace, the Maritime Museum, the Design Museum, the Music Museum, the El Born Cultural Center, the German Pavilion, the Center for Contemporary Culture of Barcelona, Museum of Modern Art, Joan Miró Foundation, Montjuic Fortress, Pedralbes Monastery and many other places.
AP
Music Festival Sonar has gained momentum year after year and is today considered one of the most famous music festivals in Europe. Every year for one weekend in June, Barcelona is filled with thousands of music fans from all over Europe. They can usually be identified by their oversized sunglasses, very fashionable flip-flops and a brisk march towards the festival site.
As an ardent fan of the Sonar festival, I regularly attend it, and I decided that it was time to answer all the tedious practical questions about the festival. Questions such as buying tickets, finding affordable accommodation and the main question - how the hell do you get away from Sonar at night!
This page provides general information about the Sonar 2020 music festival, with news about the lineup of performers, information about purchasing tickets, directions to the day and night Sonar, information about accommodation and food.
If you are not going to visit an internet cafe in Barcelona, it is best to print this page before your trip. Carry it with you just in case of fire.
Brief information about the Sonar festival in Barcelona for 2020
Unlike many summer festivals, Sonar does not take place in a field where visitors set up tents. This is a city festival, so it is necessary to arrange accommodation in Barcelona. The festival in Barcelona is held in two different locations - the daytime Sonar takes place in the city center, and the nighttime Sonar takes place outside the city.
Dates of the international festival Sonar
For more information on tickets and purchasing, visit the official Sonar website.
List of performers
Sonar Festival 2020 Sónar Barcelona list of performers presents the first confirmed list of performers, including:
The list of participants can be found on the official Sonar website.
Tickets
- Sonar Pass (€170.00): This pass gives you access to the Sonar festival during the day (Fira Montjuïc) and evening (Fira Gran Via L" Hospitalet) for all 3 days and 2 nights during which the festival takes place.
Directions to "Daytime Sonar"
This year, the daytime portion of the Sonar festival will take place at Fira Montjuïc on Plaça d'España (Spain Square). Typically, the Fira center is used for large conferences.
Sonar day festival address:
Fira Montjuic
Avenida La Reina Maria Cristina
08004 Barcelona, Spain.
If you are staying in the city center, you will need to take the metro to España station. This place is located next to the Magic Fountain of Montjuic and the MNAC - National Museum of Art of Catalonia.
España (Green Line, L3) or (Red Line, L1)
Directions to "Night Sonar"
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The night festival will be a little more difficult to get to than the daytime festival. Hordes of partying people all over the city will be trying to hail taxis or take buses to get to the festival site outside the city. Night Sonar takes place in a large convention center called , located on the outskirts of the city.
Try not to confuse them with Fira Montjuïc - they are located in different parts of the city.
Before you go there, it's worth planning your return. Night Sonar runs until 07:00, by which time there will be thousands of people outside Barcelona with few options to get home. See below for details.
To the night Sonar festival - taxi:
Getting to the Sonar night festival by taxi will take about 15 - 20 minutes. It should be understood that there will be great demand for taxis during the festival. If you are planning to take a taxi, then it is better to go to a less touristy part of the city, where there will be less competition.
You should also be aware that there is a surcharge for travel on weekends, as well as for travel after midnight. When returning to the city center from a night festival, keep in mind that taxi drivers are well aware of how high the demand for their services is. They often simply turn off the meters and name the amount they think you can pay. You may have to pay up to €60.00
To the night Sonar festival by train:
The nearest station to the night festival is called "Europa/Fira". This station can be reached by everyone trains departing from the FGC station, located at the España metro station. The journey takes just five minutes, and trains run at least four times an hour. The Sonar night festival venue is located around the corner from the train station. station, signs will lead you to it.
Trains from Plaça España station run until approximately 02:00, and trains from Europa/Fira station start running from 05:06.
You can get there using a regular metro ticket or a T-Casual pass. For more information, check out our guide to the Barcelona metro.
More information about train schedules can be found on the official FGC website.
Most people think that traveling to the Sonar night festival by train is too difficult, but it may be the fastest and most inexpensive way to get to the festival site and certainly the most in a simple way return from there. If you plan to leave the festival after 05:10, then the regular train will take you straight to the city center to Plaça España.
Address of the Sonar night festival:
Gran Via Fira Center
Avinguda Joan Carles I, 64
08908 Barcelona, Spain.
Search for accommodation
Barcelona has a huge selection of accommodation, but if you want to book a room, you need to act quickly. It is almost impossible to find accommodation in Barcelona a week before the festival, so book your rooms in advance. Otherwise you will sleep on the beach!
In Barcelona there are hostels, hotels and rental housing.
Here are some tips that may be useful for those traveling in a large group or those looking for cheaper accommodation:
For more information on the best value hotels, check out our Best Value Hotels Guide.
For more information on budget hotels and hostels, check out our article on budget hotels and hostels.
For more information on finding rental accommodation in Barcelona, see our article on rental accommodation in Barcelona.
Typically, during the Sonar festival, many increase housing prices by 30%. Look carefully at what you pay for when booking accommodation.
Food during the music festival
It is often quite difficult to find a place to eat, especially if there are a lot of you or you have little time. My favorite things to do are light snacks and places to sit and relax. For a wider choice of food outlets, you'll need to take the metro into the city center, which takes about 10 minutes. The España metro station is located right next to the festival site. The metro to Las Ramblas runs every few minutes - get off at Liceu metro station and you'll be right in the center of Las Ramblas. From there you can walk to the following places in a few minutes:
Maoz- They sell takeaway falafels there. You can fill the pita to the brim with a whole range of additives of your choice.
Maoz
Carrer de Ferran, 13
08002 Barcelona, Spain.
Pollo Rico- This is a good place for large group people who want to eat inexpensively, drink something cold and, most importantly, find a free seat. This unpretentious restaurant has a spacious second floor and a high turnover of customers, just the thing for those short on time.
Pollo Rico
Carrer Sant Pau, 31
08001 Barcelona, Spain.
Other parties during the Sonar festival
The Sonar Festival attracts huge numbers of people to the city, inevitably affecting the clubs and nightlife outside the festival. Those who do not want to spend all their time at the festival should pay attention to other events.
The streets are full of posters and flyers advertising a huge number of music events in the style of techno, house and everything electronic. The Sonar festival period is one of the most exciting in Barcelona. Get the tedious planning and organization out of the way before your trip, so you can concentrate on listening to music in the bright sunshine.
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