Barcelona is a fairly expensive city. Although Madrid is the costliest city in the country, the Catalan capital isn't far behind. It's as filled with as much luxury and class as any other well-known European destination out there. And if you want to stay here for a long time, you'll need a ton of money to do it. But is it even worse during the holiday season? Not necessarily! Although Barcelona is quite a pricey city, there are still many affordable ways to celebrate Christmas here. You'd be surprised at how much you can with little to no costs at all!
Shop at The Christmas Markets
Let's face it: among your many
living costs in Barcelona, your food expenses can get pretty pricey. So if you want to do some shopping without emptying your bank account, go to a Christmas market! With such affordable prices, you can get as many goodies as you want and even come back for more! Every year, Barcelona sets up a ton of holiday markets and street fairs for everyone to enjoy. Offering up fascinating items ranging from hilarious Christmas decor to delicious traditional sweets, you can spend an entire day browsing and shopping to your heart's content. As for which markets you ought to visit, Fira de Nadal de Port Vell and Fira de Nadal a la Sagrada Família are your best bets!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Prepare Your Own Holiday Feast
Now, since you've already done your shopping, it's time to prepare your Christmas dinner! And yes, this is another great way to celebrate the holidays on a budget. Though you probably prefer to eat out this year, especially since you spent most of the past two years at home, if you simply can't afford it, you can always cook your own feast instead. There's nothing wrong with that and, in fact, most locals are probably doing the same too. Despite the fact that Barcelona is a foodie capital and there are tons of great hotspots outside—from the
sports bars to
paella places—preparing a homecooked meal for Christmas has always been a tradition here.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
See The Christmas Lights at Els llums de Sant Pau
If you thought Barcelona is beautiful and
Instagrammable now, wait until you see it in its full holiday glory! Around Christmastime, the Catalan capital lights up in such a spectacular way thanks to
Els llums de Sant Pau. It's not just that there are now twinkling fairy lights all around or glowing Santa Claus statues nearby; the famous Hospital de Sant Pau truly looks magnificent at this time of the year. And the best part? You'll only need to pay €12.00 to €14.00 per person. For the little ones, however, they get to see them for free!
Source: Flickr.com/ Ajuntament Barcelona
Visit The Grand Churches
What better place to spend the holiday season in Barcelona than in its grand churches? As a heavily religious metropolis, the Catalan capital's monumental places of worship aren't just some of its most beautiful tourist attractions. They're also some of the best places where you pray and do some self-reflection. Granted, many of them would charge you admission fees, there are still a few where you can enter free of charge. The stunningly gothic Cathedral of Barcelona, for instance, is one of them. Seeing it from the outside will already take your breath away, what more when you go inside when it's all lit up in celebration of Christmas?
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Go Biking
Do you own a bike? Then go cycling all throughout the city! Amidst all the other
public transport systems in Barcelona, riding your bike is among the easiest and, if you already have one yourself, the cheapest. All you have to do is to take it out, put on your helmet, and away you go. The holiday season is even the perfect time to go cycling all throughout the Catalan capital too! Thanks to the cooler air, it's more refreshing to ride like the wind in your two-wheeler. And no matter which district or
neighborhood in Barcelona you end up in, you're sure to see something wonderful along the way!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Spend The Day At The Beach
Where is a great spot to end your holiday bike ride in Barcelona? The beach! You're probably thinking that, at this time of the year, it's too cold to go to Barceloneta Beach, especially in the sea but who said anything about taking a dip. If you can withstand the icy seawater, go for it! But if you can't, you can simply enjoy a cool and breezy day by the white sandy shoreline. You can even set up a picnic and indulge in some traditional holiday treats while you're at it. And if you went here via your own bike or any other vehicle, you didn't need to pay for anything at all!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Despite how expensive Barcelona is, you don't have to suffer financially during the holidays here. Believe it or not, you can do all sorts of things to celebrate Christmas in the city, many of which won't leave you at risk of bankruptcy.
What you're better off truly investing in, however, is a
luxury home for your holiday trip to Barcelona.
