This year the December long weekend is four days if you take the Monday off. Sunday 6 is Constitution Day and Tuesday 8, the Immaculate Conception, is a public holiday across Catalonia. With Monday 7 off, you have from Saturday 5 to Tuesday 8 to enjoy Barcelona.
Here’s what’s already confirmed for those days. I’ll keep updating this article in November, once the Fira de Santa Llúcia, the Christmas lights and the concerts are announced.
The long weekend at a glance
Saturday 5 the weekend starts · Sunday 6 Constitution Day and free museums · Monday 7 a working day, the one to book off · Tuesday 8 public holiday
How the calendar works
In 2026, Constitution Day falls on a Sunday and is not moved in Catalonia. The holiday that counts is Tuesday 8 December. Barcelona has three public holidays in December:
- Tuesday 8, the Immaculate Conception.
- Friday 25, Christmas Day.
- Saturday 26, Sant Esteve (St Stephen’s Day).
If you can’t take the Monday off, you get a normal weekend and a stand-alone Tuesday holiday.
Sunday 6: free museums all day
6 December is the first Sunday of the month, and on that day most of Barcelona’s big museums are free all day: the MNAC, the Museu Picasso, the CCCB, the Museu del Disseny and the MUHBA on plaça del Rei, among others.
Some need booking online, and the Picasso goes fast. The full list, with each museum’s free slots, is in my guide to free museums in Barcelona.
Are shops open over the long weekend?
It depends on the day. Sunday 6 is one of the eight days in 2026 when the Generalitat allows shops to open across Catalonia, along with the other three Sundays in December (13, 20 and 27). Opening is optional, but the big shopping centres usually do.
Tuesday 8 is not on that general list, but in Barcelona shops may open: the City Council has included it in its 2026 opening calendar. Opening is optional, so check your shopping centre’s or shop’s hours first. It is all in shops open on public holidays in Barcelona.
Ticketed plans for the long weekend
These plans from my Mapa Inspira have sessions in December and are sold on Fever with my discount code.
Gingerbread house workshop at El Palace
What is it? A two-hour Christmas workshop where you build and decorate your own gingerbread house, with all materials included, on the seventh floor of the El Palace hotel.
Why go? It’s one of the few Christmas plans that already has dates for the long weekend, and it works well with kids aged 6 and up.
- WhenDecember dates from Saturday 5, 10:00 to 12:00
- WhereHotel El Palace, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 668
- Price€59 per person
BARCELONAINSPIRA10Check Fever’s calendar for which days of the long weekend still have places, as groups are small.
EVEREST, the first ascent in virtual reality
What is it? A 40-minute virtual reality experience that recreates the first ascent of Everest, in 1953.
Why go? It’s an indoor plan for any day of the long weekend, suitable for kids aged 8 and up.
- WhenSessions from 11:00 to 21:30
- WhereEclipso, Arenas shopping centre, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 385, 4th floor
- PriceFrom €19 (reduced) and €25 (adults)
BARCELONAINSPIRA10Paradox Museum
What is it? A museum of optical illusions and interactive rooms on plaça d’Urquinaona, made for touching, playing and taking photos.
Why go? The visit takes about 75 minutes and fits into any gap in the long weekend, rain or shine.
- WhenSessions from 10:30 to 18:15
- WherePlaça d’Urquinaona, 3
- Price€18 general, €14 for ages 4 to 12, free for under-4s
BARCELONAINSPIRA10Christmas will already be under way
The long weekend is the first one with a Christmas feel in the city. The 2026 dates haven’t been announced yet, but this is what happened last year:
- Fira de Santa Llúcia. The Christmas fair on avinguda de la Catedral, held since at least 1786. In 2025 it ran from 28 November to 23 December, with 215 stalls.
- Christmas lights. In 2025 they were switched on on Saturday 22 November on Passeig de Gràcia and stayed on until 6 January.
As soon as this year’s dates are confirmed, I’ll add them here. In the meantime, all the traditions are explained in my guide to Christmas in Barcelona.
Day trips for the long weekend
With four days, you may fancy a day out of the city. These are my favourite day trips near Barcelona:
- Montserrat: how to get up there and when to go, in Montserrat from Barcelona.
- Villages less than an hour away: in villages near Barcelona for a day trip.
- The most beautiful villages in Catalonia, if you want to stay a night: here they are.
- A walk to start the day: my hiking trails near Barcelona.
If it rains
If you get a rainy day, there’s my list of what to do in Barcelona when it rains. And if you’re with kids, my plans for Barcelona with kids.
Frequently asked questions
Are shops open on 8 December 2026 in Barcelona?
Yes, they may open. Tuesday 8 is not on the general Catalan list, but Barcelona City Council has included it in its 2026 opening calendar. Sunday 6 is also an opening day, like the other Sundays in December. Opening is optional, so check each shop’s hours.
Is there a long weekend in Barcelona in December 2026?
Yes, if you take Monday 7 off. Tuesday 8 December, the Immaculate Conception, is a public holiday in Catalonia, and Sunday 6, Constitution Day, falls on the weekend. With the Monday off, the long weekend runs from Saturday 5 to Tuesday 8.
Is 6 December 2026 moved to Monday in Catalonia?
No. In Catalonia’s 2026 work calendar, Constitution Day falls on a Sunday and is not moved. The December holidays are Tuesday 8, Friday 25 and Saturday 26.
When does the Fira de Santa Llúcia start in 2026?
The 2026 dates have not been announced yet. In 2025 it ran from 28 November to 23 December on avinguda de la Catedral, so it will most likely be open during the long weekend.
