Special winter holidays in Barcelona - January

If you are planning to travel to Barcelona sometime in January, you should definitely check out the programs related to the Tres Tombs holiday.

Saint Anthony and Tres Tombs celebration

One of the winter holidays in Barcelona is dedicated to Saint Anthony the Hermit, whose official feast day is January 17. In Barcelona, the series of events related to it lasts until the end of January and is centered in the Sant Antoni neighborhood named after the saint.

But who was Saint Anthony? He lived in Egypt in the 3rd-4th century, and after a temple experience, he gave his wealth to the poor, and then lived in seclusion from the world in the desert, practicing self-restraint and prayer. According to legend, Anthony struggled with temptations and demonic trials throughout his life, but always overcame them with his faith and patience. These stories were extremely popular in the Middle Ages and often appeared in art. Saint Anthony is easy to recognize by his iconic attributes: he was depicted with a long, white beard and a book in his hand, and a pig is almost always seen nearby.

There is a well-known legend associated with the pig: Saint Anthony is said to have healed a blind pig, which then followed him faithfully. As a result, he became the patron saint of animals, especially domestic and farm animals.

All of this is related to the current holiday: the tres tombs (a Catalan term meaning "three circles") originally consisted of farmers walking their animals around the church three times to ask for blessings and protection for the coming year.

This tradition was particularly important in Barcelona in the 18th and 19th centuries, when the area of what is now Sant Antoni was still on the outskirts of the city. It was home to the carriers, coachmen and peasants whose daily livelihood would have been unimaginable without horses, mules and donkeys.

Nowadays, the Tres Tombs has evolved into a spectacular yet profound parade. Ornate horse-drawn carriages, with drivers dressed in period costumes, pass through the streets of the Sant Antoni district, and on the 24th, we can also see a large parade that involves several neighborhoods: the Cavalcada dels Tres Tombs.

In addition, there are programs throughout the week, such as the Gegants (giants) parade, ritual lighting of bonfires, and correfoc - which I have already told you about perviously.

One of the most important parts of the holiday is still the blessing of animals. Nowadays, locals also bring dogs, cats, and other pets to ask for Saint Anthony's protection.

There are events throughout the city in January related to the holiday, so it's worth visiting Barcelona with your eyes open during this time (too)!

The Foguerons of Sa Pobla

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Els Foguerons de Sa Pobla in Gràcia is a special winter festival that originates from the Balearic town of Sa Pobla and is based on the traditional fire and community celebration in honor of Sant Antoni Abat. The tradition began in Barcelona in 1992 with the simple goal of allowing young Mallorcans studying in Gràcia to experience their home customs: a local resident, Antoni Torrens, lit a foguero (bonfire) in Plaça del Diamant, which has since become deeply integrated in the cultural life of the neighborhood over the decades.

The essence of the foguerons festival is to gather around a bonfire, where locals and visitors are together to roast bread, meat or local delicacies over the embers on a cold January evening, while folk music, drums and the sounds of the Mallorcan ximbombes accompany the event, and traditional glosadors (performers who improvise in verbal rhyme) also perform.

One of the most spectacular elements of the festival is the traditional cercavila, or cultural parade, during which the streets of Gràcia are filled with music, dance and folk figures. The procession brings together Mallorcan xeremiers (bagpipers), drummers, bastoners (stump dancers) and dimonis (devil figures) associated with fire and the figure of Sant Antoni, evoking the pagan and Christian roots of the festival. The parade also includes the Geganters de Gràcia, the traditional giant figures of the district, who, although not specifically linked to the Foguerons festival, nevertheless play an important role in the community celebration. Their presence clearly shows how Mallorcan tradition is intertwined with the Gràcians' own cultural heritage, and how the event becomes a real, living community celebration.

The festival always falls on the last weekend of January of the year, so in 2026 the main day was January 31, 2026, when bonfires are lit in several locations, such as Plaça de la Virreina, Plaça de la Vila de Grácia, Plaça del Diamant and Plaça del Nord, musical programs, folk performances and dances complete the community celebration.

The program spans several days: exhibitions, talks, gastronomic events and cultural performances, so the Gràcia community prepares for the celebration for months. In 2026, the celebration program ran from mid-January until February 1st, with various accompanying and closing events. On the 1st, there is usually a puppet show for children.

Foguerons de Sa Pobla Gràcia is a defining event of the winter cultural celebrations in Barcelona, which both welcomes Mallorcan roots and builds on local community tradition, while offering a friendly, open and musical program for all participants.