Barcelona has been named as the 2026 European Capital of Christmas by the non-profit organisation, European Capital of Christmas, sponsored by the European Union. This recognition highlights the city’s model for celebrating Christmas, conceived as an inspiring proposal for other European cities and aligned with EU values.

The award ceremony was held on Saturday, 13 December in Vilnius, Lithuania. The Commissioner for Citizen Participation, Pedro Aguilera, received the award from the Deputy Mayor of Vilnius, Edita Tamošiūnaitė, as international recognition of Christmas in Barcelona, which combines tradition, creativity and innovation.

During the ceremony, Aguilera highlighted that the award recognised “a participatory Christmas, where organisations, commerce and citizens play a leading role, with the ability to reach the entire city”. He also stressed that the combination of culture, design, sustainability and innovation has allowed the city to build its own, shared Christmas proposal with local roots.

The jury placed particular emphasis on Barcelona’s Christmas landscape, ​​enriched by centuries of history, art and traditions, as well as the coexistence between local traditions and a deeply multicultural identity. Street shows, Christmas fairs and markets, gastronomic traditions and the commitment to sustainable and low-consumption decoration, with eco-friendly initiatives and the reuse of materials, were also mentioned as reasons behind the award.

The 2026 European Capital of Christmas initiative was open to EU cities and other associated European countries, with three categories depending on the size of applicants. Barcelona has been awarded in the category of cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants. Moving forwards, the city will work on a programme of activities linked to the capital, with new proposals and the expansion of spaces with signature Christmas lighting.