Do they celebrate Halloween in Barcelona?
BEST THINGS TO DO IN BARCELONA ON HALLOWEEN
Does Barcelona celebrate Halloween? In theory, Spain does not celebrate Halloween: that’s a tradition from English-speaking countries. Here is celebrated “Tots Sants” (in Catalan) / “Todos los Santos” (in Spanish). It’s a time to head to the cemeteries to visit your passed relatives graves, and meet with family and friends to eat roasted chestnuts and sweet potatoes. In Catalonia we also eat “panellets”, marzipan sweets, that many people make at home. And no, we don’t call it “Dia de los Muertos”. People doesn’t decorate altars nor put on skeleton make up: that’s a Mexican thing.
HOWEVER… Halloween is much more festive than the good old Tots Sants. And people here are all in for some fun! Due to the movies and TV shows, Halloween has slowly penetrated the imagery of the locals. And these is why these last years you’ll see some Halloween stuff in town, and some Halloween events taking place. It’s not a mass thing yet, though. So here we come to the rescue, to help you find the soul of Halloween in Barcelona!
Barcelona for Halloween: how to prepare
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Getting your decorations ready
Last Summer I was in the US and I was blown away by the Halloween decorations that were already being sold at the malls. Real-size werewolf animatronics that moved and howled. Large ghosts that glowed in the dark. Spectacular jack-o-lanterns... Unfortunately you won't find any of those in Barcelona. First because people here live in appartments and don't have yards or gardens to display them. And then... because that would be too much for the local mentality, LOL
However, you can still find smaller party decorations such as light strings, paper garlands, candles, plastic spiders and skeletons, basic jack-o-lanterns… I used to love the Party Fiesta shops, unfortunately they are going out of business this autumn 2024. But you can find quality items at the Flying Tiger shops, easily found in the city center. You can also try Happy Place in Gracia, a store specializing in party decorations.
Or if you are staying off the beaten path, try any “Bazar” shops similar to one-dollar stores (hint: if you are heading to Park Guell from Lesseps subway station you’ll pass several on the way). And let’s not forget that you can order from Amazon online and have it sent to your hotel to match your arrival!
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Where to get costumes
If your budget is low, then Bazars are still your best bet. You’ll find there cheap costumes made in Asia and a variety of accessories that will do the trick. But if you want to go all in, then you need a costume shop. And the most famous for that is Menkes on Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes: a place specializing in high end costumes as well as clothing for dancers and theater plays (they also have costumes to rent, not just sell!). Welcome Fiestas on Valencia street is another fun place to rent or buy quality costumes. And you’ll find costumes at Happy Place as well. Or again, Amazon can come to the rescue!
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Buying food items
As Halloween approaches, supermarkets usually start setting up tables displaying Halloween-themed candy, cakes and chocolates. Head to larger chains such as Caprabo, Bonpreu, Carrefour, Lidl, Mercadona, as well as some Condis and Consum (but only the large stores, not the smaller convenience stores). You can probably find a nice assortment at the Corte Ingles supermarket – although I haven’t really checked personally because it’d be more expensive than at a regular supermarket. Some bakery chains (El Fornet, Santa Gloria, L’Obrador…) often sell Halloween cookies a few days before Halloween – but they tend to sell out, so buy ahead. You can also try Boldu for Halloween inspired doughnuts, and Torrons Vicens for nougats and chocolate bars.
What about pumpkins to carve out?
Ouch… that’ll be more difficult! There’s no farmers along the roads where you can buy pumpkins. And they are rarely for sale in grocery shops (they mostly carry the ones to make soup). So your best bet will be heading to the Boqueria Market (or some other large market in town) to see if they have any. Don’t expect large pumpkin displays, though. Good luck!
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Is trick or treat a thing?
Oh… you are up for disappointment… Trick or treat is not a thing in Barcelona. Do not expect your neighbors to be waiting by the door with treats for your kids. That won’t happen… unless you warn them in advance. That’s what I do since my daughter wants to go trick and treating. I contact neighbors I known and trust and ask if they’ll be home at the time we plan to go trick and treating. Then I give them some treats I purchased myself. Sometimes they add up extra treats, but expecting them to buy them would be considered very rude and entitled. Sometimes you can plan trick and treating with other neighbors that also have kids, so your kid isn’t the only one knocking at the doors.
I’ve also heard of a trick and treat gathering at Turo Park, a public garden in the well-off district of La Bonanova. It’s organized by ex-pats, so the athmosphere is likely to be quite international. They visit neighborhood stores that participate in the event, and kids and adults are welcome to come with their best costumes.
Barcelona halloween parties
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Nightclubs
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Pubs and bars
Irish pubs and by extension beer bars and the like are also a safe bet whenever a festival from an English-speaking country approaches. They are fast to join the fun, organizing themed parties and decorating their venues (often for longer than the one-time parties at the night clubs). And because they tend to be rustier than the fancy night clubs, the Halloween athmosphere tends to feel more authentic, as well. Check out George Payne and Flaherty’s.
As for other drink bars, you can also try Coconut Bar, Cocovail, Belushi’s, Ice Barcelona… You may also find Halloween boat parties (mostly for tourists) and special Halloween bar crowls. And don’t miss the following themed parties:
Halloween festivals and parades
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Halloween at the amusement parks
Port Aventura Park is further away: you’ll need to take the train or drive there. But it’ll be well worth it! Port Aventura is a world-class theme park, along the lines of the Disney and Universal Studios parks. For Halloween, some areas are completely decorated and striking characters walk around. Their make up and dresses are fabulous and spooky! Plus they set up several unique tunnels of terror (shows are timed and have an additional cost to the admission ticket).
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Seasonal horror parks
Every year several horror parks are open in the city suburbs. Haunted hauses, tunnels of terror, scary rides and experiences, shows and more, all in the best Halloween vibe. While they might change from one year to the next, here are some names to check:
- Horrorland. Set up in Vilassar de Dalt within the premises of the Isla Fantasia water park, it claims to be the best scream park in Europe, with its half a dozen haunted houses and much more. And when the park closes, the party continues at the Inferno’s Club (included in your admission). It’s easy to get there by public transportation from Barcelona: the C3 bus runs every 30 minutes during day time, and the N8 departs hourly at night.
- Macabre Park. Located in Terrassa, they claim to be the first immersive horror park in Spain. 5 haunted houses plus shows and other scary activities. But what makes it stand out is its two premium passes: one including dinner and another including dinner and a room with breakfast at the mansion. Just bear in mind that getting there by public transportation is tricky: you’ll have to take the Rodalies or the FFCC train, then taxi to the venue. There’s the N61 night bus every hour taking you back to Barcelona in the early morning, but you’ll need a taxi to get you to the closest stop.
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Creepy Halloween at Poble Espanyol
Poble Espanyol was an attraction created in 1929 for the World Fair, with the idea of showing people Spain in one hour. Howadays it has become a lively place for art, crafts and culture, as well as traditional festivals, concerts and nightlife. So of course Halloween had to be part of their yearly program! Their event is called Creepy Halloween, and there’s two versions of it: Family and Extreme.
During daytime and until the sunset, Creepy Halloween Family is perfect for the little ones up to 12yo: dozens of characters, 2 (low-key) tunnels of terror, shows, dancing and more. Then afterdark Creepy Halloween Extreme takes over, with two tunnels of terror that will make you scream, dozens of terrifying characters, DJ clubbing, food trucks and more. Then at night the plaza of the village becomes an outdoors club for Masquerade, their Halloween masked dance party!
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Catalunya en Miniatura
Catalunya en Miniatura is an outdoors architecture museum displaying models of famous Catalan sites. For Halloween it’s fully decorated with monsters, jack-o-lanterns, spider webs and all things Halloween. There’s special character animations, and lots of scary fun for your kiddos. It’s located in Torrelles de Llobregat, a quick 30 minutes drive from Barcelona, but getting there by public transportation can be tricky as you’ll need first the FFCC train, then a local bus.
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La Ultima Acampada (the last camping night)
Diverbosc is an adventure park in Cerdanyola, a nice suburb right outside of Barcelona (you’ll need a car to get there as public transportation connections aren’t easy). For Halloween they have created an immersive experience that starts at a quiet woods cabin… but soon things turn into a horror movie nightmare! There’ll be also food trucks, play area and live music. The late afternoon sessions are suitable for kids from 7yo and up, whereas the sessions after 8PM are not recommended for people younger than 12yo. Book your experience here.
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Sitges Zombie Walk
Unfortunately, the famous Sitges Zombie Walk does not take place for Halloween, but about one month earlier coinciding with the Sitges Festival of Fantasy Cinema in early October. However, if you are visiting Barcelona early, the Zombie Walk is an awesome warm up for Halloween! The walk takes place in the evening, but all day long they run a free zombie make-up service (limited vouchers available, distributed at the festival locations at noon).
More Halloween activities
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Wax Museum (Museu de la Cera)
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Nightmare Horror Museum
The Nightmare Horror Museum is one of the latest additions to the Barcelona terror scene – and it’s a permanent attraction, not a Halloween-only thing! Located in a side alley of the Born District, inside a 1200’s Gothic building, you’ll enter a dark maze full of scary characters and haunted objects that will make your fear levels rise to the sky.
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More Halloween ideas for you
Not enough? Ok, here are some more ideas:
- Explore the Barcelona cemeteries.
- Learn about the most haunted spots in Barcelona.
- Go on a ghost tour.
- Find your way out of a scary scape room.
- Attend a Halloween-special candlelight concert.
Happy screams!
Will you be in Barcelona at Halloween?
Marta
Marta is the founder of ForeverBarcelona. She is a passionate tour guide that loves Barcelona and loves writing too. She is the main author of our Blog, and is committed to sharing her knowledge about Barcelona and her best tips with our readers.
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Last update on 2025-03-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
