Christmas in Figueres: the Rambla market, Catalan traditions and New Year for groups
Christmas in Figueres centres on La Rambla, the tree-lined promenade in the heart of town: the Christmas market runs there from late November to 24 December (in 2025, 28 November to 24 December; the 2026 dates are not official yet), with wooden stalls selling turrón, Christmas trees and nativity figures, while lights, concerts and traditional plays fill the season until the Three Kings parade on 5 January. It is a local, small-town Christmas rather than a big tourist event, and that is exactly its charm.
Updated 23/10/2026
We live a three-minute walk from the Rambla, and every winter guests ask us the same things: when is the market, what is open over the holidays, and where can a family or group celebrate New Year together. Here are the answers, based on the latest official dates (2025) until the 2026 programme is out.
Coming for the December long weekend? See what's on in Figueres on 5-8 December 2026: Humor Figueres, the Mitja race and the Dalí Museum open on Monday 7.
The Figueres Christmas market on La Rambla
According to the town council's rules for the 2026 market, stalls open daily from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 16:30 to 20:30, except on Christmas Eve, when they open only from 11:00 to 13:00. Some stallholders open earlier or stay open later, but not all of them, so plan around the core hours, including the long Spanish lunch break.
The council gives priority to genuinely festive goods: turrón (Spanish nougat), Christmas trees and poinsettias, nativity scenes, caganers, Advent calendars, decorations and Christmas hampers, plus a few local producers. This is not a sprawling Central European market but a friendly town one where locals buy what goes on the table and under the tree.
Our tip: go in the late afternoon, once it is dark and the Rambla is lit up. If you want a caganer, the small crouching figure Catalans hide in their nativity scenes, do not leave it until the last week.
Christmas lights and Catalan traditions in Figueres
The lights are switched on at the lower end of the Rambla on the day the market opens: in 2025 that was Friday 28 November, with local choirs from 17:45 and the big tree lit at 18:00. The 2026 date had not been announced at the time of writing and will appear at figueres.cat/nadal.
What makes the Figueres lights special is Dalí. Since 2001 the town centre has been decorated with light sculptures based on the Christmas cards the artist painted for the pharmaceutical company Hoechst Ibérica between 1958 and 1976: trees, angels, bells, butterflies and Don Quixotes. The council runs evening guided walks around them (between €3 and €6 last season).
Last season the council's "Nadal a Figueres" programme also included a magic cabin on the Rambla, a giant Tió in the town hall square (the smiling Christmas log that Catalan children "feed" and then beat with sticks until it "poops" presents), an ice rink in Plaça de l'Escorxador from 24 to 31 December and a funfair at the Clos de Fires. These usually return, but the full programme is only published in late November.
The Three Kings parade on 5 January
In Catalonia the Three Kings, not Father Christmas, bring most children's presents, and the evening of 5 January is the big night. In 2026 the parade, with around ten floats, set off at 19:00 from Carrer Borrassà (Creu de la Mà) and wound through the centre, via Plaça del Gra and the Rambla, to the town hall square, where the Kings arrived at about 20:30. Earlier that day the Teatre el Jardí hosts the children's lantern (fanalets) contest, a tradition dating from 1921. The 2027 timetable will be published with the Christmas programme.
Pastorets, concerts and Christmas theatre in Figueres
The Pastorets are a much-loved Catalan Christmas play about shepherds, angels and devils. The Figueres version, El primer Nadal dels pastors by Rossend Fortunet, was first performed in 1923. Highlights from the town's 2026 cultural programme:
| When | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 20 December, 18:00 | Pastorets concert, free | Teatre Municipal el Jardí |
| 20 December, 18:00 | The Nutcracker, ballet by the Centre de Dansa de Catalunya (from €15) | La Cate |
| 26 and 27 December and 3 January, 18:00 | El primer Nadal dels pastors (from €12) | Teatre Municipal el Jardí |
| 2 January, 19:00 | Un conte de Nadal, a family show by the Estem d'Acords choir (€8) | La Cate |
Spoken performances are in Catalan, but the music, costumes and atmosphere work in any language, and ballet needs no translation. Tickets for El Jardí are sold at figueresaescena.cat or at the box office; for La Cate, at lacate.cat.
What is open over Christmas: Dalí Museum and Sant Ferran Castle
| Place | Winter hours | Holiday dates |
|---|---|---|
| Dalí Theatre-Museum | Tuesday to Sunday, 10:30–18:00 | Closes at 15:00 on 24 Dec; closed 25 Dec and 1 Jan |
| Salvador Dalí's birthplace (Casa Natal) | Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–19:00 | 10:00–15:00 on 24 Dec, 31 Dec and 5 Jan; closed 25 Dec and 1 Jan |
| Sant Ferran Castle | Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–16:00 | Closed 25–26 Dec and 1–6 Jan |
Note that 26 December (Sant Esteve) is also a public holiday in Catalonia, so many shops close on both the 25th and the 26th; stock up beforehand. The Dalí Theatre-Museum does not allow pushchairs or backpacks, worth knowing if you are travelling with a baby. General admission starts at €18.50 and is best booked online; see our Dalí Museum visitor guide and our guide to Sant Ferran Castle. One more tip: on 6 January 2026 entry to the town's museums was free (with advance booking at the Dalí), so check whether it is repeated.
New Year's Eve in Figueres for groups: a holiday rental of your own
Figueres does not do huge street parties on New Year's Eve, which suits families and groups of friends who would rather cook together, take their time and eat the twelve lucky grapes at midnight, as Spaniards do, around their own table. For that, La Casa Gran, our self-catering house for up to 8 guests, has everything:
- 4 bedrooms: 2 with a double bed and 2 with bunk beds, ideal for children.
- 2 bathrooms and a full kitchen, plus a private terrace with barbecue.
- Cots and baby equipment on request, a washing machine and a play area.
- Private garage included, a real bonus in the town centre during the holidays.
Bigger party? Book the whole building for up to 10 guests (when both homes are free): 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and 2 terraces, with L'Apartament upstairs for grandparents or a couple who want a little privacy. The minimum stay is 2 nights, and stays of 7 nights or more get 5% off, handy if you want to stay from Christmas to Three Kings. For nights off from cooking, see where to eat in Figueres.
Getting to Figueres at Christmas
High-speed trains stop at Figueres-Vilafant, about 10 minutes by car from the centre, and Figueres town station (R11 regional trains) is right in the centre. By car, Girona is about 40 minutes away and Barcelona roughly 1 hour 45 minutes. Between festivities, use our Figueres in a day walking plan or explore the wider Alt Empordà.
Christmas in Figueres: frequently asked questions
When is the Figueres Christmas market in 2026?
Expected from late November to 24 December on La Rambla (in 2025, 28 November to 24 December; the 2026 dates are not official yet), open 11:00–14:00 and 16:30–20:30. On 24 December it opens only from 11:00 to 13:00.
Is the Dalí Museum open at Christmas?
Yes, Tuesday to Sunday from 10:30 to 18:00. It closes at 15:00 on 24 December and is closed on 25 December and 1 January.
Where can a group stay for New Year in Figueres?
A whole house in the centre is the easiest option: La Casa Gran sleeps up to 8 and the whole building up to 10, with a full kitchen, terrace and garage.
Do you have cots for babies?
Yes, cots and baby equipment are available on request. Just ask when you book.
Looking for where to stay in Figueres? Ca La Fustereta is in the centre, 5 minutes from the Dalí Museum, with a garage included.
For families and groups, see our group house in Figueres (up to 10 guests) and the best day trips from Figueres.