Living nativity scenes in Catalonia 2026: calendar and where to see them

Catalonia's living nativity scenes for Christmas 2026 ("pessebres vivents") appear in the calendar below as organisers post them in the Generalitat's cultural agenda, which is read every day: only those that have not finished are shown, with town, comarca (county), dates and a link to the official listing. Of the best known, Corbera de Llobregat's opens on 28 November, and Tona, les Torres de Fals, Sant Guim de la Plana, les Gunyoles and l'Espluga de Francolí have already published their days (table below).

What is a living nativity scene?

A living nativity is a nativity scene made with people instead of figures. Villagers play Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, the Three Kings and, very often, the traditional trades, and usually you do not sit and watch a show: you walk a route through streets, squares, farmhouses or woods where each scene is set up.

They come in many kinds, and the organiser's own name for it usually tells you which: les Gunyoles has a "pessebre vivent parlat", with spoken dialogue, and Sant Guim de la Plana one "of the lost trades". Do not confuse them with nativity exhibitions ("mostres de pessebres"), which show nativity scenes and dioramas made with figures, or with els Pastorets, a Christmas play.

When are the living nativity scenes in 2026?

Each organiser picks its own days and posts them in the agenda when they are set: last season the first appeared on 19 November, half were listed by the end of November and 41 of the 44 before 15 December. So until mid-November an empty list is normal.

For reference, in the 2025-26 season the cultural agenda listed 44, in 22 comarques. The first opened on 29 November 2025 and the last closed on 11 January 2026; 36 started on 20 December or later, and 40 had finished by Epiphany. Each one's dates are its first and last day: in between, many are performed only on some days.

The agenda does not list them all: for the same season, the Federació de Pessebres Vivents de Catalunya, the organisers' association, announced more than 300 performances in 51 towns between 6 December and 11 January.

Last season, 32 of the 44 started on a Saturday or Sunday, and performances were concentrated on weekends and public holidays. Catalonia-wide public holidays are Tuesday 8, Friday 25 and Saturday 26 December 2026 (26 December is not a holiday in Aran), and 1 January (Friday) and 6 January 2027 (Wednesday), according to the Generalitat's official calendar.

The best-known living nativity scenes: 2026-27 dates

These are some of the best-known living nativities in Catalonia. Dates come from each organiser's or town council's website and are given only once they have published this season's; when they post them in the agenda, they will also appear in the calendar above. Names are in Catalan, as each organiser writes them.

Some go back a long way. According to its organisers, Corbera de Llobregat first performed on the night of 24 December 1962 and calls itself "the first living nativity in Catalonia"; l'Espluga de Francolí has held one since 1964, and Tona's began in 1972. Bàscara's, according to its town council, has been performed since Christmas 1973 in the old town and along the river Fluvià. In Barcelona, the Torre del Suro nativity in the Guinardó district reaches its 33rd edition.

Do you need a ticket for a living nativity?

Almost always. Of the 44 living nativities in the agenda in 2025-26, only 3 were free (Celrà, la Seu d'Urgell and Fornells de la Selva) and 3 more asked for a donation; the rest charged for entry, and 22 had an online ticket link on their listing.

Each organiser does it differently. This season Corbera de Llobregat and Sant Guim de la Plana sell tickets online only; l'Espluga de Francolí sells advance tickets only, from 22 November; Tona sells them only at the box office; and the Torre del Suro nativity in Barcelona is free. Prices and conditions are on each website, so check before you go.

Last season nearly all of them took place in the late afternoon or evening, many in timed sessions. If you are going with children or a pushchair, ask how long the route takes and whether it is accessible: Sant Guim de la Plana, for example, warns that its route is not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs.

Combining it with other Christmas plans

To combine it with a fair, see Christmas markets in Barcelona and Catalonia and their dates. If you want to shop too, see which Sundays and holidays shops may open; for long weekends, the public holiday calendar; and for everything else, things to do this weekend.

Data on this page last verified: 25 October 2026.

Keep reading

• Christmas markets in Catalonia
• Shops open on Sundays and holidays
• Catalonia public holidays 2027
• Barcelona weather by month
• Barcelona practical guide