arts & culture

Every August, the streets of Barcelona's Gràcia neighbourhood come alive with a week-long fiesta known as the area’s Festa Major. For those who find themselves in the city during August, it’s an absolute must-see extravaganza of art, concerts, culture and gastronomy.

Unlike the city’s other neighbourhoods, Gràcia’s iconic feature is its outlandish street decorations created by locals who compete by street. Months of work go into transforming the streets into elaborate and fantastical landscapes. Ranging from the silly to the surreal, the handcrafted decorations make a fitting backdrop to the Bacchanalian festivities.

As with the other Festa Majors, there’ll be the usual folk activities including a correfoc (fire run), gegants (giants) and castellers (human castles). Local bands and DJs will provide the soundtrack to the week-long event and there’ll be street food a plenty - what better way to bring the summer holidays to an epic close? Check the website for the full program.