B-Local, the Simaba Group blog: discover culture, gastronomy, lifestyle and things to do in Barcelona. The perfect local guide to enhance your stay in a tourist apartment and rental apartments in Barcelona.
What you shouldn’t miss if you’re starting the year in Barcelona
January 26th, 2026. Written by Clara De Nadal Trias
January in Barcelona is no longer about slowing down; it’s about finding the right frequency. Once the post-holiday haze has settled, the city lowers the volume without losing intensity and slips into one of its most compelling moods. Traditions resurface, neighbourhoods reawaken, and culture quietly recalibrates its pace.
Early 2026 reveals a city balancing its everyday pulse with an unmistakably global outlook. On one side, Barcelona reconnects with its popular roots through the Festa Major de Sant Antoni, running from 10 January to 1 February 2026. Its most emblematic moment is the Tres Tombs procession, taking place on Saturday, 24 January, when horses and carriages move through the city in a ritual that reminds us that Barcelona’s identity is still shaped by living traditions.
At the same time, the city is preparing for a landmark year on the international stage. Barcelona has been officially designated World Capital of Architecture 2026, positioning itself as a global hub for dialogue around urban life and public space. From 12 February to 13 December 2026, exhibitions, debates and urban routes will unfold across the city.
Between tradition, architecture and culture, a quieter Barcelona emerges, one best discovered on foot, through carefully curated spaces and places where time stretches, and experience matters more than novelty.
The new (and not-so-new) places to be.
01. Bar Fauna
Address: Av. Vilanova, 11 · Barcelona
A true meeting point. Mediterranean tapas designed for sharing and an atmosphere where conversation comes first.
02. Franca
Address: Carrer de Sepúlveda, 173 · Barcelona
A quietly confident restaurant built on contemporary plant-forward cuisine. Thoughtful, well executed and free of pretence; a place that reflects a more conscious, modern way of eating in the city.
03. Nardi
Address: C/ Corders, 11 · El Born · Barcelona
A seafood-driven sibling to the well-established Bar Pimentel, Nardi revisits the classic maritime tavern and reinterprets it through a contemporary lens: a generous bar, pristine produce, and a menu anchored in fish, seafood and carefully selected wines. There is no unnecessary spectacle here, just a clear respect for ingredients, familiar gestures, and an atmosphere designed to linger. A place that doesn’t aim to impress, but to persuade through simplicity, precision and the enduring pleasure of eating by the bar, the way it has always been done.
04. Lola Divine
Address: Cristóbal de Moura, 23 · Barcelona
A natural wine bar in Poblenou with a relaxed, intimate feel, perfect for afternoons that drift into night.
05. OURS
Address: Carrer de Santaló, 20 · Barcelona
A speciality coffee spot with a calm, almost domestic atmosphere. Understated, confident and beautifully executed.
06. Petit Bleu
Address: Carrer d’Entença, 116B · Barcelona
A fromagerie and wine bar where artisanal cheese takes centre stage and lingering is encouraged.
07. Ikenocha Fusion
Address: Av. Diagonal, 593–595 · Barcelona
Coffee and matcha with a wellness-driven approach and refined aesthetics.
08. Llibreria Sant Jordi
Address: Carrer de Ferran, 41 · Barcelona
More than a bookstore. Recently reimagined as a hybrid cultural space, it blends books, coffee, wine and small plates, a place to pause, browse and reconnect with the city at a slower pace.
09. Marché d’Intérêt Général (M.I.G.)
Address: Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 567 · Barcelona
Opened on 15 December 2025, this multi-brand store offers a carefully curated edit of fashion and objects through a distinctly contemporary lens.
Barcelona begins 2026 quieter, sharper and more compelling. Once the festive excess has settled, the city returns to its natural state: a place that doesn’t need to announce itself; it simply waits to be discovered.
Selection, text, and translation by Clara De Nadal Trias