Now that Christmas is over, here are 3 things to know about New Year’s Eve in Barcelona if you are spending the last days of the year in the city.
Wear red underwear
It is believed that wearing new (very important) red underwear on New Year’s Eve brings love and luck for the coming year. There you go. If passionate love is on your wish list for 2023, you know what to do.
Attend the year-end party at Plaza de España
Each year, except during the pandemic, there is a big public party in Plaza de España where Barcelonians gather to see shows and fireworks.
This year’s show will take us on a journey through the original cultures of planet Earth, celebrating the community and the fact that, together, we have made a trip around the sun.
From 9.30 p.m. the party will start with music, lights and water at the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc. We’ll be treated to a homage to original art, starting at 11.38 pm, set to background music composed by Scott Gibbons. The 12 minutes leading up to midnight will be dedicated to different cultures, symbolised through masks appearing in the air, sketched out by over two hundred flying drones.
After the 12 strokes, there will be 12 minutes of fireworks to welcome the new year.
Eating twelve grapes at midnight
Another custom – that is practiced in entire Spain – is to eat 12 grapes for each of the 12 strokes of midnight. I did it several times. It is not so easy.
You don’t really have time to savour or chew the grapes as the strokes happen so fast.
Two tips to have a good time and maintain the tradition without risking to choke: use small grapes and choose them seedless.