September Fiesta in Barcelona

[artypharty]

Does anyone have any information regarding this annual fiesta (Festes de la Merce). Apparently it's the biggest fiesta in Barcelona and it will be going on during our stay. We will be in Barcelona (pre-cruise) on Sept. 22-25. I understand that Sept. 24 is a National Holiday....will that mean that everything will be closed? Would tourist attractions, restaurants, etc. remain open? Any information you may have would be most appreciated.

[riffatsea]

I was there last year! You cannot imagine all the activities/concerts/parades etc throughout the city!

On the 24th it will be like a Sunday schedule except that many museums will be free so crowded!

Restaurants that are open on Sunday will stay open usually. The official schedule is not out yet but the things that are always part of this festival include:

opening ceremonies,parade, human tower builders called castellers,corre foc(fire run) where floats of dragons and drummers walk and parade with sparks flying(AMAZING!)wine tasting festival,international fireworks competition, and tons of different sorts of musical concerts throughout the city!!

I have some pictures but I don't know how to upload them to this site??

 

[artypharty]

I was there last year! You cannot imagine all the activities/concerts/parades etc throughout the city!

On the 24th it will be like a Sunday schedule except that many museums will be free so crowded!

Restaurants that are open on Sunday will stay open usually. The official schedule is not out yet but the things that are always part of this festival include:

opening ceremonies,parade, human tower builders called castellers,corre foc(fire run) where floats of dragons and drummers walk and parade with sparks flying(AMAZING!)wine tasting festival,international fireworks competition, and tons of different sorts of musical concerts throughout the city!!

I have some pictures but I don't know how to upload them to this site??

 

 

Thanks so much for your response! I can't decide if I'm happy :) there will be such a fantastic fiesta or upset because we will not have the relaxed exploration of Barcelona that we'd anticipated. :( Perhaps we can work both out...go with the flow (maybe, with the crowds, quite literally)...;)

[riffatsea]

The crowds will only be in the specific locations for each of the festival events. They will not be all over the city at tourist sites. I went to Barcelona specifically to experience this festival and my friend had not been before. We had no trouble visiting the normal sites. Many of the events are at night so no probs at all during the day!! IF you want to be in a good spot to see the corre foc(fire run) then stay in walking distance to Via Laetana near the Palau de la Musica Catalan.

My friend was not interested in the festival and so she was not bothered at all by any of it.

We stayed in a hotel above Placa Catalunya on Rambla Catalunya which is a lovely pedestrian street and NOT the same as Las Ramblas which is a bit more crowded and touristy.

[artypharty]

WOW! That's exactly what I wanted to hear. Thanks so much. We will be able to experience the festival AND explore to our hearts content! NOW, I'm excited. Booked during the festival totally randomly, but...lucky us!

 

I got fascinated with the Hotel 1898, so we will be staying there, right on Las Ramblas...hope it isn't too much! We will enjoy the experience regardless.

 

Thanks again!!!:D

[riffatsea]

The 1898 is out of my price range but you should enjoy it! It is near the top of Las Ramblas so you can be in the midst or out as you please.

You will also be easily able to walk to many of the festival events from there or not as you choose!

[artypharty]

you can be in the midst or out as you please.

You will also be easily able to walk to many of the festival events from there or not as you choose!

 

Yea!!!!! :D (I love this forum...learned so much and been helped so much!!!)

[daffodiliaz]

In all my research this is the first I've heard of this festival. Is this something crowds of people go to Barcelona for? And will they all be trying to fly out on the 25th (we'll be heading to the airport from the cruise terminal)?

[artypharty]

In all my research this is the first I've heard of this festival. Is this something crowds of people go to Barcelona for?

And will they all be trying to fly out on the 25th (we'll be heading to the airport from the cruise terminal)?

 

Yes there will be crowds in town just for this festival.

 

I have no idea about what it will be like at the airport, but I'm flying out on the 25th also. We might have to leave a little early to get to the airport in time for our flight.

[riffatsea]

They will NOT be flying out on the 25th as the festival lasts for the the whole weekend and the last night is a spectacular fireworks/music show.

The holiday is on the 24th but the festival activities are spread out over 3-4 days from about the 23rd-26th.

[bigedwin]

We were Lucky enought to have been in Barcelona several years ago during the festival.

It was such a fun experience.

The Human towers in front of the Police station(Ayuntamiento) Were amazing.

The teams practice all year to form this human towers.

 

The Parade with the Huge Human figures were very cool.

 

It is an experinece not to be missed.

You will be Glad you will get to experience something that only happens once a year there.

 

Good Luck

Enjoy it.

[dredemp]

i was also surprised to find out during my research that there was a big festival at the same time we were going to go. At first i was also a bit upset, maybe more nervous, but I have been reading about it and seeing videos, and now I am actually excited about it. We will stay pre cruise 23-25 and post cruise 7-10 of October, so I will plan to see the sites around where the festival will be held after the cruise and the sights away from the festivals activities during the festival. my main concern was not finding a place to stay, but I have already booked my stays so, I feel better. CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!here are a couple of websites that you can keep track of as the time gets closer so you can see the schedule of events, times and where they will be held, and will help to plan around it if you wish.

 

http://www.cuandopasa.com/index.php?v=v9840d

 

http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/events/la-merce/barcelona-la-merce.html

 

http://joobili.com/festival/fiesta-of-la-merce_barcelona_10199/

 

http://enjoy-barcelona.com/barcelona-fairs-events/barcelona-events-la-merce-festival-2011.html?monthEvents=2011-09&parentURL=events-agenda-gb.html

[jh2010]

My sister and I will also be in Barcelona Sept 22-26, our cruise leaves on the 27th. we extended our stay in Barcelona so we could see the sites and take in some of the festival. We're staying within a 10 min. walk of many of the Guadi sites at a B&B called Casa Dover. We figure that puts us close enough to some great sites and easy access to the metro to get down to the festival activities. We also are hoping to take in a concert at the Palau de Musica. So much to do in Barcelona and even though we have several days we're afraid we won't be able to do it all. So we are resolved to just let the days flow. Maybe we'll pass each other on the streets during the festival.

[graceinmelbourne]

We were there post cruise last year and I would just warn you to be careful when they have the main parade down Las Ramblas. It was in the evening at about 7.00pm. We walked along the street when the parade was on and there was suddenly a massive crowd and we could not move in any direction.. It was quite dangerous as people were pushing and shoving and there was nowhere to move. It was very close to being a crowd crush. We had kids with us who were quite scared. There was no police presence or crowd control in the area we were at (the top end of Las Ramblas). People were yelling and pushing and we were very glad to get out of there. We did not enjoy the parade at all because of the situation we were in. It was also a pickpockets paradise with the crowds.

I am not putting you off just warning you to be aware. This was just in one section of Barcelona and does not mean that it will be like that eveywhere. I think there are various different things going on all over the city so just research before you go and maybe go to the places that interest you.

[canadiansnowbird]

I also did not know of this festival!!

We are planning our 31 day TA from Barcelona to FLL and was trying to get our hotel that we previously had stayed at, on Las Ramblas, they are booked for 2012!!! Very disappointed. :(:eek:.

I thought there must be something going on to have a full house this far ahead.

Any other suggestion for a hotel on Las Ramblas?

We want to stay in the same area.

 

Snowbird

[Andym]

You may want to avoid Ramblas for your hotel. They have huge stages around the centre and the music is very loud and goes on late. Search Youtube for some videosof the various events to give you an idea. We have been there the last 2 years at the same time as La Merce.This will give you a start

[canadiansnowbird]

You may want to avoid Ramblas for your hotel. They have huge stages around the centre and the music is very loud and goes on late. Search Youtube for some videosof the various events to give you an idea. We have been there the last 2 years at the same time as La Merce.This will give you a start

 

Thank you for the info, but we have booked our regular hotel, they sent an email apologizing that they thought it was for this year. It is right on Las Ramblas with a balcony overlooking the street. :). It looks like the stages are in the old quarter.

We are going in on the 23rd and leaving on the 27th, and will have lots of time to catch up on our sleep on the 31 day cruise.:rolleyes:

We are excited to be there for this festival, the last time we were in Barcelona was earlier in the month and must have missed it.

 

Snowbird

[Andym]

Tony & Gail,

 

There is a stage in Placa Reial , one in Placa Catalunya, amongst the many others. It is very lively and we have had a fantastic time the last two years, enjoy,its an event not to be missed. We eat in a restaurant in Placa Reial and have been treated each year to fantastic live music whilst we eat.

 

Andy