10 PLANS FOR EASTER IN BARCELONA

Historically, Easter has been celebrated religiously for centuries in many Catholic countries around the world. Despite this, other countries where other confessions are a majority have also added these days as holidays to their calendar. As you may know, Easter is celebrated on a different date every year.  Thus, Palm Sunday is set on the first Sunday with a full moon after the beginning of the spring equinox. This date is the one that starts the religious celebrations and nine days of holidays. If you are planning to take advantage of this holiday to visit Barcelona, here are 10 plans for Easter in Barcelona that will make your stay in our apartments by the sea in Barcelona a unique experience.

THE MOST IMPORTANT EASTER PROCESSIONS IN BARCELONA

As a city with a Catholic tradition, Easter revolves around the masses and religious processions that take place during these days. Although these days are not lived with as much passion as in other places in Spain, such as in Andalusia, if you want to experience Easter in Barcelona in the most traditional way, here is a list of the processions that you should not miss:

– La Burreta:

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the Easter celebrations. During this day it is traditional for each child’s godmother to give him/her a palm made of palm branches, hence the name “Palm Sunday”. With this gift, the believers dress up in their best clothes, ready for the processions that culminate in the blessing of the palm and a mass.

In Barcelona, one of the most important events during Palm Sunday is the Burreta procession. It commemorates the entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem on a donkey, with a palms stream of palms welcoming the messiah of the Catholic religion. This procession begins in the morning, in the Parish of Sant Agustí, Ciutat Vella.

– Procession of Silence:

On the evening of Holy Thursday, head for neighboring Badalona to attend one of the most curious events in the province during these dates. It is the procession of silence or mystery, where a group walks silently through the streets of the old town with a candle in hand, with the only sound in the background of the children singing Record i Memòria.

– Via crucis:

Unlike other places in Spain, Holy Thursday is not a holiday in Catalonia. Despite this, the following day is another of the most important days of the Easter festivities in Barcelona. Good Friday sees the arrival of another large procession. It is the Via Crucis, where a representation of the passion and death of Christ is held, thus remembering the moments before his crucifixion. One of the most popular processions is the one on Avinguda de la Catedral which, as its name suggests, is held in the vicinity of the cathedral.

– Extra – Attend the Dance of Death in Verges: Holy Thursday the procession of Bona Mort has been held in the city since the 18th century. It was a parade in which the participants dressed up as Death. Unfortunately, this tradition has been lost in the city, but you still have the possibility to see it if you don’t mind moving from the city. In the town of Verges, on the Costa Brava, this event, which dates back to medieval times, is still celebrated today. Its importance and spectacularity has earned it the title of traditional festival of national interest, so we recommend you to attend this event if you have the opportunity.

VISIT SOME OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR CEMETERIES IN THE CITY

Easter is for many a good time to remember their loved ones, but also to admire some of the lesser known places in the city of Barcelona. The secrets hidden in the city’s cemeteries are many, and there is no better time of year to visit them than this.

VISIT THE SAGRADA FAMILIA DURING MASS

Take advantage of Palm Sunday Mass to visit the expiatory temple for an experience like no other. As explained above, on this date a mass is celebrated and the palm branches of the believers are blessed, and this tradition is also maintained in the most famous expiatory temple in the world.

But this is not all. On Good Friday, for some years now, a light show is also held to illuminate the Passion façade, created by the architect Josep María Subirachs. Without a doubt, Easter is a unique time to visit one of Gaudí’s most important works in Barcelona.

TAKE A TRIP TO MONTSERRAT AND OLESA

If you want to take a trip near Barcelona, one of the best places to go during Easter is undoubtedly the Monastery of Montserrat. As well as admiring this magical place, you can also take part in some of the specific celebrations that take place during these festivities. On Palm Sunday, for example, the traditional Easter concert is held, while on Good Friday the Passion of the Lord and the traditional Via Crucis are celebrated.

But if this doesn’t seem enough, you can go down to the village of Olesa de Montserrat where La Passió is performed on these dates. It is a theatrical representation of the stages in the life of Jesus Christ. Visit the website of La Passió d’Olesa de Montserrat to book your ticket. This performance is so spectacular that tickets are usually sold out quickly, so if you are thinking of attending, don’t hesitate!

ENJOY LA MONA IN ONE OF THE PARKS OF BARCELONA

To finish with the religious celebrations of Easter, we cannot forget this typically Catalan tradition. On Easter Monday, a public holiday in Barcelona and the rest of Catalonia, it is traditional for godparents to offer La Mona (A type of Easter cake) to their godchildren. Traditionally, la Mona was a sweet and spongy cake in the shape of an 8 on which a hard-boiled egg was placed on top. Over the years, this cake has changed and nowadays it is more common to find Mones in brioche-type cake shapes with layers of yolk or other flavors. In addition, the traditional egg that is placed on top of La Mona has been replaced by a chocolate one, and it can even take other shapes such as those of a chicken, a rabbit, and even the children’s favorite cartoons.

So, if you are here on this date, don’t forget to buy La Mona in one of the best bakeries in Barcelona and take advantage of the good weather to have a picnic in one of the city’s most beautiful parks to taste it, as tradition dictates.

GOING UP TO MONTJUÏC CASTLE

Discovering the history of Barcelona is always a good plan but doing it during Easter will be even more fun for the whole family. If you want to go up to Montjuïc Castle with children, you should know that the site organizes a family-friendly treasure hunt every weekend of the year from 11 am to 5 pm.  All the children between 5 and 16 years old will be able to solve the mysteries and games proposed to discover all the corners of the castle.

VISIT POBLE ESPANYOL

Easter in Barcelona offers another great plan to visit Montjuïc. It is Poble Espanyol, the site where the most important buildings in all the autonomous communities of Spain are recreated, built in 1929 for the International Exhibition that was held in the city. During this time of the year, this is where the Barcelona Flower and Garden Festival has been since 2015, with lots of activities, exhibitions and workshops that revolve around plants.

TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO SWIMMING

Many people take advantage of Easter to go to the most desirable coastal tourist destinations to plunge in the Mediterranean to take their first swim of the year, and Barcelona is no less. The beginning of spring and the good weather mean that many people take advantage to get a little tan and maybe dare to take a few strokes in the sea. Discover the best beaches in Barcelona and choose the one closest to you.

SPEND THE DAY IN THE TIBIDABO PARK

If you visit Barcelona with children, there is one activity they will not be able to resist. Go up to the Tibidabo Amusement Park so that the little ones have a great time and you feel like a child again. The park opens its doors at the beginning of spring, so the Easter holidays are an ideal time to do so. Besides, you will have one of the best views of the city.

EAT A GOOD CALÇOTADA

If one of the main reasons why you have decided to make a trip to Barcelona is to taste the best Catalan dishes, Easter is the perfect time to experience one of the most beloved gastronomic rituals: the calçotada. This long, tender onion is cooked on a flame and, once the outer part has been peeled, it is plunged into the typical romesco sauce. Enjoy this experience in one of the best restaurants of Catalan cuisine in Barcelona, you won’t regret it!

Now that you know everything about what to do at Easter in Barcelona, all you have to do is book your accommodation. At Lugaris, you will have access to a high standing apartment with all the comforts you need and with unbeatable services. Book your holiday apartment in Barcelona now!