If you’re coming to Barcelona expecting trick or treating and pumpkins everywhere you may be disappointed! Traditionally, Halloween isn’t a big thing here although it is starting to get more popular, mainly due to a lot of expats living here. In this article you’ll find out what Catalans celebrate instead, and the best things to do in Barcelona for Halloween, from Catalan traditions to spooky activities and Halloween parties in Barcelona.
Do They Celebrate Halloween in Barcelona?
Traditionally, no. Here, in Catalonia we have the Castanyada and Tots Sants festival which is a quieter family affair, focusing on eating traditional foods together and visiting late family members in the cemetery.
However, recently Halloween has become more popular in Barcelona and Catalonia, particularly among expats and young people, as well as businesses and nightlife venues who have spotted the marketing opportunity around a fun festival. Scroll down for more information on Halloween events in Barcelona!
The two festivals are sometimes combined as well, I’ve seen a mix of the 2 festivals called “Castaween” in bakeries for example, selling Halloween themed treats alongside more traditional items.
What is La Castanyada?
La Castanyada takes place on the eve of Tots Sants (All Saints’ Day) on 31 October. Instead of pumpkins and trick-or-treating as you may expect on Halloween, in Catalonia the traditional foods are roasted chestnuts (the castanyas that give the festival its name), sweet potatoes and panellets, accompanied by sweet wine or cava.
It’s a family and community affair, with people coming together to roast seasonal food on the fire and welcome the Autumn season.
Tots Sants on 1 November is traditionally a day for remembering deceased family members, when visiting cemeteries and leaving flowers on the tombs is still an important custom.
How to Celebrate La Castanyada in Barcelona
Food is an essential part of La Castanyada, and you will find pop-up stands selling roasted sweet potatoes and chestnuts all around the city. You can also buy the fresh products from a market and roast them yourself if you prefer!
I love the smoky smell drifting from the roasting ovens as I pass by. I have to admit though I’m not a big fan of roasted chestnuts, but I do like panellets.
Panellets are small, round marzipan sweets, traditionally covered with pine nuts but now available in all sorts of flavours. Head to a local bakery to buy some – try La Colmena, next to Jaume 1 Metro station, which is one of my favourites. Founded in 1849, La Colmena is one of Barcelona’s oldest pastry and sweet shops and has a delicious selection of chocolates and pastries as well.
Community events celebrating La Castanyada are usually held in Catalan and take place in neighbourhoods across Barcelona. Most focus on family activities like games, workshops and face-painting for the kids or neighbourhood meals and live music in the evening.
There are also some hybrid events in expat areas which include traditional Catalan customs and more modern Halloween activities.
You can find more neighbourhood events on the GuiaBCN site, searching for castanyada, but a couple for example include:
Castaween in Sant Gervasi – Friday 30th October 2026
The event is organised with the local commercial and community network, with trick-or-treating at local shops in the Sant Gervasi–la Bonanova area, with participating businesses decorated for the occasion.
There are separate time slots for younger and older children, and the event is free, but registration is required in advance here. The information is only in Catalan. I’m not sure about the language of the event.
Castaween in Guinardó – Thursday 29th October 2026
This free family event at the Centre Cívic Guinardó next to the Hospital de Sant Pau Modernist Complex has children’s games and activities, autumn storytelling, chestnuts and sweet potatoes, and is aimed at families with children aged 0–12. Get more information here (in Catalan).
Family Castanyada workshop in Vallvidrera – Friday 30th October 2026
A family cooking workshop at Centre Cívic Vallvidrera Vázquez Montalbán where children learn how to make panellets. It’s free with advance registration here (in Catalan).
‘Fot-li Castanya’ festival in El Born – Saturday 31 October
This traditional neighbourhood celebration features two correfocs (fire runs); a children’s correfoc at 21:00, followed by the adults’ correfoc at 22:30, organised by the Colla de Diables del Casc Antic. The events take place along streets in El Born neighbourhood around Plaça Comercial and Passeig del Born and are free to attend.
If you live in Barcelona then look out for workshops on how to make panellets, schools often have classes to teach the kids how to make them – I signed up for a panellets workshop through my Catalan class and loved learning how to make (and eating!) these sweet treats!
Tots Sants
Tots Sants is observed on 1st November, when Catalan families visit cemeteries to remember relatives and leave flowers. That can be throughout the day of the 1st November and through the night the 2nd November, which is All Souls day.
Visitors are welcome to go to Barcelona’s cemeteries, including on Tots Sants, but remember that this is an important family time, so if you decide to go, make sure you dress and behave respectfully, avoid photographing people without permission, and be particularly considerate around graves and family gatherings.
Two of the most interesting cemeteries in Barcelona are the Cementiri de Poblenou and the Cementiri de Montjuïc. Both have some beautifully designed graves and tombs and arrange guided visits throughout the year. They aren’t your typical Barcelona tourist attractions, but sombre, fascinating and beautiful all at the same time!
Celebrating Halloween in Barcelona
If the traditional Castanyada isn’t your thing then there are some Halloween events in Barcelona with the spooky witches, ghosts and ghouls you would find in the US but Halloween certainly isn’t as big or widespread here.
Some shops will decorate for Halloween or Castaween, with special themed cakes or other festive foods. Decorations are already on sale in Flying Tiger stores, so you can get some to decorate your own house or hotel room if you like!
Halloween Costumes
There are also some fancy-dress shops in Barcelona where you can buy Halloween costumes, these are some of the more central ones:
Carnavalife inside the shopping centre Galeries Maldà, Carrer de la Portaferrissa, 22, Local 8A, Ciutat Vella, 08002 Barcelona
Menkes Barcelona, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 579, Eixample, 08011 Barcelona
Atucom Barcelona, Carrer de Roger de Llúria, 27, Eixample, 08009 Barcelona
You can also find costumes and decorations in various basars across the city – these are shops that sell pretty much everything, mostly imported cheaply so it’s not the best quality, but they are useful for bits and bobs you can’t find easily in other stores.
Because most people in Barcelona city centre live in apartment buildings, decorating outside houses is unusual, and trick or treating is not common, unless it is part of an organized event like the Castaween events I mentioned above, so don’t expect to be able to ring a doorbell and get candy here!
Halloween Events in Barcelona
I must admit I am not into Halloween, I think the real world is scary enough without deliberately making it more terrifying! But, if you’re into a spooky or scary Halloween you’ll find something suitable for the whole family:
Creepy Halloween Family – Poble Espanyol
17, 18, 24, 25 and 31 October + 1 November 2026
This is probably one of the easiest options for families visiting Barcelona, with several dates available for visits. Poble Espanyol is putting on its annual Creepy Halloween Family experience with costumes, mysteries, legends, puzzles and enchanted areas.
There are different levels of scariness in the tunnels: the daytime version is intended to be more playful and suitable for younger children, while later sessions are more frightening if you’re feeling brave enough!
Entry tickets start from €12.50. Get more information and book.
LA ZONA – Poble Espanyol
16, 23, 30 and 31 October 2026
This is the much scarier Poble Espanyol option. LA ZONA is an immersive horror experience rather than a family Halloween event. It is recommended for ages 14+, with under-18s required to attend with an adult.
The organisers describe the experience as high intensity, which to be honest does not sound like my cup of tea, but if you want a scary Halloween experience in Barcelona then this looks like the one for you!
Tickets start from €24 and include time afterwards to explore Poble Espanyol (if you’re not too terrified!). More information and booking here.
Psycho in Concert – Palau de la Música Catalana
Saturday 31 October 2026, 18:30
Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho will be screened in the Palau de la Música Catalana, with Bernard Herrmann’s soundtrack performed live by the Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès, conducted by Julian Bigg.
The film will be shown with Catalan subtitles, which presumably means it will be shown in the original version with English dialogue although it doesn’t specifically say that on the website!
Seeing any performance at the Palau de la Musica is a treat, so this is a unique way to celebrate Halloween in Barcelona!
Tickets are €46–€60, with a visit + concert package from €58. Book here.
Candlelight: The Halloween Classics
Friday 30 October 2026
This Halloween-themed Candlelight concert at the Church of the Sacred Heart on Carrer de Casp is a more relaxed option, with a live string quartet performing a range of spooky songs.
The programme includes pieces such as Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre, Mozart’s Lacrimosa, Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King, music from The Exorcist and The Nightmare Before Christmas, Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Ghostbusters.
Tickets start from €20. More information and reservations here
Halloween Near Barcelona
PortAventura World
PortAventura World theme park, near Tarragona, celebrates Halloween with themed decorations, spooky shows, haunted attractions and activities for families.
Their Halloween season runs from 19 September to 15 November 2026, transforming the theme park with spooky decorations, themed shows, parades and special entertainment. Highlights include the Halloween Parade, the horror-themed show Horror en el Lago, and Halloween Factory, a dance performance.
Families can enjoy gentler activities, including Halloween-themed shows in SésamoAventura, and for visitors seeking scares, the park also offers haunted attractions, including El Carnicero de Penitence, La Isla Maldita and REC Experience, some of which require an additional ticket.
Check the official PortAventura Halloween website for the latest programme, opening dates and ticket prices. As PortAventura is around an hour and a half’s drive from Barcelona, it could be worth spending the night at a hotel in PortAventura to save the night drive back. Last time I visited I stayed at the Gold River Hotel, you can read my review of that here, and get more tips for visiting PortAventura in my article here.
Horrorland
Horrorland is not actually in Barcelona city, it’s at Illa Fantasia in Vilassar de Dalt, 30 minutes’ drive north of Barcelona, and is a much more elaborate horror attraction than the city-centre Halloween events.
It’s not the easiest to get to by public transport, so driving or booking a taxi is easiest. There are various entry ticket options, but I don’t have any personal experience with it so can’t recommend which one to get! Get more information on the website here.
Halloween Parties and Nightlife
If you’re looking for more late-night fun, Ra has a pretty comprehensive list of Halloween parties in Barcelona. Check out the full list here, but ones to look out for include:
Jackies Open Air Halloween – Parc del Fòrum
A large electronic music Halloween event at Parc del Fòrum, listed with artists including Claptone, Matisa, Mr. Belt & Wezol, Paul Reynolds, Piem and Ross From Friends.
Throwback Open Air Halloween – Parc del Fòrum
Another Parc del Fòrum event, this time aimed at a throwback/retro music from the 80s, 90s & 00s.
VORAL Halloween – Tres Xemeneies
An electronic music event at Las Tres Chimeneas with a fairly substantial international DJ line-up.
Arena Experience Halloween
Arena Experience on Ronda de Sant Pere is advertising a Halloween event from 23:55 on Saturday 31 October until 06:00 on Sunday 1 November. Get more info and tickets here.
Dia de los Muertos – Day of the Dead in Barcelona
This isn’t a Halloween event, but Dia de los Muertos is on 1st November, and there is a large Mexican and Latin American community here in Barcelona. In Catalonia, this day is Tots Sants or el dia dels difunts, when families visit the graves of loved ones, but to celebrate Dia de los Muertos, MEXCAT is organising a parade of Catrinas, skeleton figures that are a symbol of Mexican identity and Dia de los Muertos.
I was lucky enough to be in Mexico City a few years ago for Day of the Dead so I have a soft spot for Mexican culture, so I wanted to include it in my Hallowen article. The parade takes place between the bottom of La Rambla near the Columbus Monument, and the Moll de Barcelona. Anyone can take part, with a competition for the best dressed before the parade.
They emphasise that this is not a Halloween fancy dress event, but specifically for Catrinas – you can get more information on their Instagram account here.
There is a lot going on for Halloween in Barcelona, and for the more traditional castanyada celebrations, so if you’re visiting Barcelona at Halloween you’re bound to find some fun things to do! Make sure you try some of the traditional castanyada foods so you have a taste of Catalan culture while you’re here.
Do you know of any Castanyada or Halloween events I’ve missed? Let me know in the comments and I’ll add them to the post!