The Only Barcelona Cathedral: La Seu Cathedral

Barcelona Cathedral is located in the heart of Barcelona in the Gothic Quarter. Construction of this gothic cathedral began in 1298 under King Jaume II but it wasn’t until 1460 that the main building was completed due to various circumstances affecting the project. The main facade of the building wasn’t finished until 1889 with the central spire being constructed in 1913.

Cathedrals aren’t always everybody’s thing but this one has an extra twist. Within the grounds of it there is actually a cloister which can be accessed from within the cathedral itself or by the side entrance on Carrer del Bisbe.

The Only Barcelona Cathedral: La Seu Cathedral 

In this courtyard you’ll find a large square in the middle fenced off. In this little area is pond with a beautiful fountain in the centre as well as some trees and plants. In addition you will find a gaggle of geese roaming about. These noisy creatures thrive off the tourists and are just dying for you to feed them, so go on, bring a little bread for them!

The Only Barcelona Cathedral: La Seu Cathedral 

However there’s more behind the presence of the geese than meets the eye, if you count them you will notice that there are 13 in total. Each goose represents one year in the life of the martyr Santa Eulalia, a young girl tortured to death in the 4th century by the Romans for her beliefs.

The Only Barcelona Cathedral: La Seu Cathedral 

There’s also another smaller fountain at the other side and with there being no roof over the middle of the courtyard, it allows the garden to be flooded with natural light. Around sides of this little square are many closed off altars which contain symbols of religion or models religious figures. These can be found within the main cathedral as well and some are very elegantly made with many glimmering in the candle light with their golden facades.

The Only Barcelona Cathedral: La Seu Cathedral 

The main hall of the cathedral is something that will interest any architectural fan. It possesses an extremely high nave (the aisles are nearly the same height as well) with detail that will leave you admiring the effort that must have been put in to create something this spectacular all those years ago. One of the must sees for any visitor to the cathedral is the crypt which contains the entombed body of the aforementioned Santa Eulalia.

New high-speed train to Barcelona

The romance of rail travel is hard to define. Even the grandest terminus is often grubby and crowded, and there is little allure in most station shops or cafes. Yet a journey by train has a contemplative appeal that no other form of transport can offer. Security mayhem is minimal, and there is generally a lot more comfort in a rail carriage than in a car. 

You can stare out of a window, read or simply contemplate the good things in life – a prospect that has just been spectacularly enhanced with last month's launch of the new Paris-Barcelona TGV link. This has cut the journey time from London to 10 hours, and this will be cut by another hour in May. You can leave Paris in the early afternoon and reach the Catalan capital by evening, making it possible to breakfast in London, lunch in Paris and dine in Barcelona in a day.

New high-speed train to Barcelona

This is rail travel on a different scale. The TGV Duplex trains that run on French rails, and now on to Spanish ones, are mighty affairs with double-decker carriages that carry up to 540 passengers at 180mph – although the experience feels anything but frenetic.

A Rail Europe ticket to Barcelona allows you to break your trip in Paris, not just for a few hours but for several days if you wish, at no extra cost, before you move on to Barcelona. Thus for under £200 return, you can have not just a meal in these three great cities but a lengthy break in each.

Cabalgata Reyes Magos – the parade of the three kings in Barcelona

When one Christmas isn’t enough…

If the festive season isn’t long enough and you want the excitement to continue into the New Year, Barcelona’s your city.

On 5 January the Catalan capital hosts La Cabalgata de Reyes Magos (the Three Kings’ Parade), followed by the official bank holiday of El Día de los Reyes (the day of the kings) on the 6th. Christmas Day takes a back seat in Catalonia and throughout Spain as locals fling themselves into these early-January festivities with gusto.

Cabalgata Reyes Magos – the parade of the three kings in Barcelona

The traditions

While there are clearly many similarities between this celebration and the way that Christmas is celebrated in many countries, the traditions surrounding the day of the kings are centuries old.

The story goes that after the three Kings (aka the Magi, or Three Wise Men) had been to Bethlehem to give their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus, they then made their return journey. And on this return journey, they gave gifts to children – gifts which children in Spain wake up to on the morning of 6 January (Day of the Epiphany).

Similar to the way children write a letter to Santa, Spanish children write to the Three Kings in advance and prepare for their arrival by leaving out straw and water in their shoes for the camels. They wake up early the next morning to find out whether their shoes will be empty and if their letters have been answered. Kids who haven’t behaved themselves over the year may end up with nothing more than a bag of carbón dulce – a sweet that resembles charcoal. Many well-behaved children also receive some – just to remind them to keep up the good work next year!

Cabalgata Reyes Magos – the parade of the three kings in Barcelona

Spanish families spend the day very much like Christmas, exchanging gifts and tucking into a large family meal.

Three Kings’ Parade – a city-wide party

The celebrations actually begin on the evening of 5 January when the Three Kings arrive in Barcelona to a stunning reception of crowds, cannons and fireworks. Thousands of people gather around the city’s port in anticipation of the three kings sailing in on their own ship – the Santa Eulàlia (named after the city’s patron saint). Once on land, they’re greeted by Barcelona’s Mayor, who hands them a set of keys to allow them to go round the houses of the city distributing gifts.

Cabalgata Reyes Magos – the parade of the three kings in Barcelona

But this is just the beginning. A parade soon weaves its way around the streets of central Barcelona, ending up at the Magic Fountain at the foot of Montjuïc. Around 500,000 people turn up to see this spectacular parade of colourful floats, giant animals and professional dancers, actors and circus acts. The streets of the city are also crowded with stalls selling all manner of sweet treats and other culinary delights to revellers as well as children clamouring for the thousands of sweets thrown from floats to the crowds.

Cabalgata Reyes Magos – the parade of the three kings in Barcelona

Experience the ‘Spanish Christmas’

The day of the Kings is a very merry festival, not to mention an amazing spectacle, and it’s no wonder that visiting Barcelona for this celebration is becoming increasingly popular. The whole city gets involved (there are loads of smaller parades spread throughout the suburbs) and an infectious atmosphere of child-like excitement takes over. Whether you’re a big kid, want to experience a different take on winter celebrations, or if one Christmas just isn’t enough for you, come to Barcelona this January and beat the winter blues Spanish style!