Barcelona wins 2026 European Capital of Christmas title

Barcelona has been chosen as the European Capital of Christmas for 2026 by the European Capital of Christmas organization, a non-profit organization sponsored by the European Union.

The annual awards recognise the efforts made by European cities to celebrate Christmas through programs and initiatives that honor citizen participation and cultural heritage. Lithuanian capital Vilnius won the festive honor for 2025. 

Applications for this year's award were open to all cities in the 27 EU member states and Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Barcelona competed in the category for cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants, while Wels (Austria) and Kirkop (Malta) were chosen in the two other categories for smaller cities and villages. 

The award jury highlighted Barcelona's Christmas landscape "enriched by centuries of history, art and traditions where the most deeply rooted local traditions converge with a deeply multicultural identity." The award highlights the city's committment to sustainable decorations and celebration of Catalan traditions such as the Tió de Nadal and Els Pastorets. The city's festive calendar includes the Christmas light switch-on show at the end of November, the Fira de Santa Llúcia holiday market, and the Three Kings Parade in January.