Visiting Barcelona in August can be a hellish or a wonderful experience. If you are not afraid of some humidity and lots of heat, you will love it. If you don’t, you will end up adapting and learning to double your water intake. Besides hoards of tourists visiting our beautiful city, there’s another very important event happening every summer in Barcelona: the Festes de Gracia. I will convince you today that, despite the heat, it is worth visiting this city during the summer. Here are the best 5 reasons to visit the Festes de Gracia in Barcelona.
But before we start, let’s define some concepts
Where is Gracia? in Barcelona?
If you’ve never been to Barcelona, Gracia is a district-neighbourhood of the city. With its own city hall, it became part of the city with the construction of the Eixample (parallel streets designed to combine all the separated neighborhoods of Bcn).
You could say that Gracia is divided into two parts: the old and the new. In the old part, you can really get the townie feeling. Yes, that feeling of a place where all people know each other and everybody has that neighbor with your home keys (just in case).
In the other side, we have the “modern” part, the one that has become more cosmopolitan in the last decades. The more “hip” part. This zone is the closer to Passeig de Gracia (the most expensive street in Spain and the 2nd in Europe!), and where you can find the best known squares of the district (La Plaça del Diamant, la Plaça del Raspall, la Plaça del Sol, la de la Virreina and, of course, la Plaça de la Vila de Gracia).
All year long it is possible to pass the time in great terraces in most of the squares and streets of the neighbourhood, lovely per se. Besides, if you want to try different and exotic cusine, in Gracia it’s possible to do a gastronomic global tour in only a few streets. During the day it’s a fantastic zone, and during the night, a place where us locals go out and enjoy of the night without (that many) tourists.
When do the Festes de Gracia happen?
The Festes de Gracia start usually August 14th. The evening of that day someone more or less involved in politics will give a speech officially inaugurating the celebrations. But it is truly the next day that everything starts. It’s the next morning when people gather together to have breakfast. Or to have a vermú while listening to an acoustic concert. From that day and for the following week plenty of activities will go on on the streets of Gracia.
Do you want to know more about other traditions in Spain, go check out this post — San Juan, a night of wiches and bonfires
What are the Festes de Gracia ?
If these celebrations end in August, it will be only three to four months later that they will decide about next year’s decoration. Eight months to prepare a simple neighborhood celebrations?
But… there’s no simple in Gracia!
Here you have 5 reasons to visit the Festes de Gracia in Barcelona
One: there are activities for every type of person
In the Festes de Gracia, there are activities for children. For pets. For seniors. For those who want to drink. For those who want to listen to an acoustic concert or those who only want to dance to a “rumbeta“.
Everybody will find something to do. During daytime, there will be Gegants meeting in the streets, castellers making human castles, and people dancing sardanes… In general, what a beautiful sample of the true Catalan folklore. During the night, though, it is possible to listen to dozens of concerts, from rock to ska. Or you can find yourself in an ilegal party in an occupied house. Or you can just watch how the devils chase scared littled boys… The naughtiest part of Gracia goes out during the night!
Two: Street decorations and balcon-competitions
Even with all this, the part I love the most about the Festes de Gracia are the decorations. Every year, with a common theme, the neighbours of each street decide to prepare decorations for their street, their balcons and even their doors! There’s a competition for each category and prices are handed out! They make a specific poster every month to try and get more people to join their competitions.
If there’s something we Catalans have is pride. So, is there any better way to promote creativity that through a competition? I don’t think so… Every single year they make something more elaborated, and big. I have seen jungles crowded with monkeys, mermaids, a 3m high Squarepants Spongebob and Peter Pan in Neverland… It is impossible to describe all the decorations. They are just amazing and one of the main reasons to visit the Festes de Gracia in Barcelona.
Three: You can learn a new craft
Often, during the day, there are some areas where there are some ateliers to learn new things. From growing your own vegetables in your kitchen to play an instrument. Or create new cocktails. These are not usually advertised with the Festes, but they actually are offered by businesses in the area. Depending on how much tailored they are to tourists, they will be more or less expensive.
Four: it’s a ecological type of celebration
About a decade ago, in the early 10s, the neighborhood of Gracia agreed on only using recycled material to create their decorations. Even though the decorations are complex and very fun, I am happy they became more ecologically responsible. Isn’t this one of the best reasons to visit the Festes de Gracia in Barcelona?
Five: there are dozens of different concerts throughout the week of festivities
Gracia is a section of Barcelona with lots of small squares. These are very famous and well-known, and some of them have had an important role in shaping the history of Catalonia. During the Festes de Gracia, in many of these important squares, a stage is set. And every night, two or three artists will perform there for a couple of hours.
The music will continue until three or four in the morning and then the party will move to the streets. In the different stages you will be able to enjoy different types of music. From Rumba Catalana to more electronic vibes. Get ready to be amazed!
Six: It’s free!
I believe this is one of the main reasons to visit the Festes de Gracia in Barcelona every single year: all of this is free. The concerts are free. Visiting the decorated streets and the balconies is free. Many of the activities don’t cost a thing. And those that do, are quite cheap. If you are in Catalonia in August, do not think about it twice and stop looking for more reasons to visit the Festes de Gracia in Barcelona, you will not regret it!
Some additional tips and recommendations to visit the Festes de Gracia in Barcelona
If you are lucky enough to go there on the right dates, the link to the offical website is this one.
You can reach Gracia by foot, by metro (Green line – L3, stops Fontana or Passeig de Gràcia) or by bus (you can plan your itinerary using this website).
The neighbours of Gracia don’t get a lot of money to prepare this amazing party. For that reason, and considering how limited is their budget, they usually try to use as many recicled materials as they can. Due to this, you can find water bottles as lamps or head size Rubbick cubes made of plain carton. Since thousands of people visit these streets in very few days, it is normal that some accidents happen and some decoration break. Despite this, remember how much work is behind it all and be respectful with their streets!
I hope I have given you enough reasons to visit the Festes de Gracia in Barcelona and find you there in no time!
