La Merce Festival in Barcelona?? Anyone Been?
Apr 5, 2009, 6:28 am
#1
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Join Date: May 1998
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La Merce Festival in Barcelona?? Anyone Been?
We are heading to Barcelona area in September, after using the free stopover on our award tickets to spend a couple of days in Lyon.
Just realized we are getting to BCN on Sept. 25th, which will be right in the middle of the 3-4 day La Merce festival in Barcelona. Supposedly, it's packed with free concerts, parades, fireworks, etc.
We had been thinking of arriving at BCN, renting a car and touring Languedoc-Roussillon for about 5 days, and then ending up with 3-4 days in Barcelona.
However, because of the festival, should we do it the other way around? Is it worth staying in BCN first, catching the festival, and then doing Languedoc, and just ending up at the airport the night before we return from BCN?
Are the streets and subway going to be too crowded to get around easily during the festival? Any problems with crime during the festival (pickpockets, robberies, vandalism)? Will the museums and cathedrals still be open and able to be visited during the festival?
Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks.
Just realized we are getting to BCN on Sept. 25th, which will be right in the middle of the 3-4 day La Merce festival in Barcelona. Supposedly, it's packed with free concerts, parades, fireworks, etc.
We had been thinking of arriving at BCN, renting a car and touring Languedoc-Roussillon for about 5 days, and then ending up with 3-4 days in Barcelona.
However, because of the festival, should we do it the other way around? Is it worth staying in BCN first, catching the festival, and then doing Languedoc, and just ending up at the airport the night before we return from BCN?
Are the streets and subway going to be too crowded to get around easily during the festival? Any problems with crime during the festival (pickpockets, robberies, vandalism)? Will the museums and cathedrals still be open and able to be visited during the festival?
Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks.
Apr 5, 2009, 7:17 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2003
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La Merce is the festa major of Barcelona so expect everything you'd see on any traditional festa major in Catalonia but on a bigger scale: Giants and Dwarves parades, correfocs (a bunch of guys dancing in the street with a papier-mache bull or dragon stuffed with fireworks) galore, lots of drumming and some spectacular fireworks over the harbour. Definitely worth staying in the city for a couple of days, IMHO.
I don't remember the streets or the metro being more packed than the usual. Tourist sights should be open as usual, too.
I don't remember the streets or the metro being more packed than the usual. Tourist sights should be open as usual, too.
Apr 5, 2009, 10:22 am
#3
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Barcelona, Catalunya
Posts: 2,109
You should at least stay for the “Correfoc” (literally “Fire run”). This happens usually on Saturday night, so I guess this year that will be on the 26th.
Also try to check out the “Castellers” competition on Plaa San Jaume, usually on Sunday morning.
These two events are typical for Catalunya / Barcelona. You can probably find most of the other activities (live concerts, fireworks, etc.) also at home, but these 2 should not be missed.
In a few months you’ll be able to find a complete program on the city’s official website (search for “merce”), but it’s a bit too early for that now.
Concerning your worries about extra problems: as far as I know there aren’t more tourists in town during these days than on any other summer weekend (but that’s probably because there isn’t any extra space left for them anyway...
)
Also try to check out the “Castellers” competition on Plaa San Jaume, usually on Sunday morning.
These two events are typical for Catalunya / Barcelona. You can probably find most of the other activities (live concerts, fireworks, etc.) also at home, but these 2 should not be missed.
In a few months you’ll be able to find a complete program on the city’s official website (search for “merce”), but it’s a bit too early for that now.
Concerning your worries about extra problems: as far as I know there aren’t more tourists in town during these days than on any other summer weekend (but that’s probably because there isn’t any extra space left for them anyway...
)
Last edited by Koby; Apr 5, 2009 at 10:23 am Reason: grammar
Apr 10, 2009, 12:08 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2005
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I was in Barcelona over the first day (Friday) of La Merce and had a wonderful time. It was a great cultural experience, from the parades to the concerts playing into the wee hours of the evening. I found the music to be the most fun as they had have different groups playing in different squares. I could listen to a Catalan rock band in one square for a while, and then stroll a half dozen blocks to another where hundreds of people of all ages were dancing to a live salsa band. It's definitely something I'd go back for if I had the chance.
I didn't find I had any trouble getting around during the day that Friday, or getting to the airport the next day. The sidewalks seemed busier during the day in part because they were lined with vendors (a great many selling books) and there were big crowds around the Las Ramblas area in the evening. You might find noise to be a problem if you choose to stay in a hotel right in that area.
I didn't find I had any trouble getting around during the day that Friday, or getting to the airport the next day. The sidewalks seemed busier during the day in part because they were lined with vendors (a great many selling books) and there were big crowds around the Las Ramblas area in the evening. You might find noise to be a problem if you choose to stay in a hotel right in that area.