Both scary and fun — 5 best places to celebrate Halloween in Spain

Do you love Halloween and always regret that it only lasts one day? Then you should definitely plan a trip to Spain for the end of October, because Halloween in Spain is celebrated for three days. It starts on the 31st of October with the Day of the Witches (Día de las Brujas) — a time for partying, dressing up in spooky costumes, and having fun. This is followed on 1 November by All Saints’ Day (Día de Todos los Santos), which is a public holiday. Many cultural events are held on this date. And on 2 November comes the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos).

Many Spaniards on 1 and 2 November tend to return to their hometown or village to spend time with family, visit the cemetery, bring flowers for deceased relatives, attend Mass, and participate in other religious ceremonies.

The origin of Halloween in Spain is linked to the Celtic tradition of celebrating the end of the harvest, Samhain. Around seven centuries BC, Celtic tribes invaded the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, where modern Galicia is located. As a result, the pagan tradition of celebrating Samhain spread to this part of Spain. With the advent of Christianity, it merged with the celebration of All Saints’ Day, which coincided in time. When American-style Halloween became globalised and commercialised, turning into an occasion to have a great time, the Spanish were happy to add it to their holiday calendar.

Where to go to celebrate Halloween in Spain

Here are five cities in Spain where Halloween celebrations are the most colourful, unusual, and diverse. Join us!

Halloween and Day of the Dead in Madrid

Every self-respecting club, bar, restaurant, and hotel in Madrid prepares, if not a Halloween party, then at least a special menu or a small show programme. But there are even more spooky and fascinating entertainments in this city.

For example, you can join one of the tours of the most mystical and terrifying locations in Madrid. Or go to a Candlelight concert, where, surrounded by hundreds of burning candles, you can enjoy a blood-chilling Halloween classic performed by a string quartet. And that’s far from the only musical event taking place in Madrid in honour of Halloween. Be sure to check out the programmes at Teatro Sanpol, Teatro Rialto, Teatro Alcázar, and Auditorio Nacional de Música.

Also, don’t miss the opportunity to attend the famous WAH Madrid show. It combines live music, performance art, and gastronomy. Its special Halloween version includes horror elements and impressive special effects. Daytime performances can be attended with children.

Parque Warner Madrid or Parque de Atracciones de Madrid is a great option for families or groups of friends. As well as the usual rides and entertainment, there is a special, terrifying Halloween programme. And if you’re travelling in Spain with young children, Madrid also has two excellent zoos — Zoo Aquarium and Faunia. The little ones can come here in Halloween costumes and have a fantastic time.

There is another place that is definitely worth visiting on Witches’ Day in Spain. This is the Estación de Chamberí, a closed station of the capital’s metro that seems to have frozen in time since 1919. On the eve of Halloween, this location acquires a special mystical atmosphere.

Be sure to visit the Casa de México cultural centre. Every year, it hosts various events dedicated to the Day of the Dead — presentations, workshops, and film screenings. The façade of the building is adorned with flowers and themed decorations, and inside, there is a grand Altar of the Dead, symbolising the path that the deceased take to briefly return from the afterlife to the world of the living. Another location where you can immerse yourself in the Day of the Dead celebrations is the Círculo de Bellas Artes, where themed parties are held.

And don’t forget the cemeteries of the Spanish capital, where incredible floral decorations, exciting tours, and even mystical concerts and theatrical performances await you. Include Madrid’s oldest and most beautiful necropolises — Sacramental de San Isidro and Cementerio de la Almudena — in your Halloween itinerary.

La Castanyada in Barcelona

It is said that the most outrageous, colourful, noisy, and glamorous Halloween parties in Spain take place in the clubs and bars of Barcelona. But we’re not talking about them now — we’re talking about a beautiful and authentic tradition: the La Castanyada festival. It is held on All Saints’ Day throughout Catalonia and, of course, in Barcelona. Every year on the 31st of October and 1st of November, there are many stalls with seasonal delicacies. The main one is the roasted castanyes (chestnuts), after which the festival is named. El Museu de la Xocolata, Las Casitas play space, and even the famous La Pedrera (Casa Milà), built by Antoni Gaudí, are preparing special programmes for children for the festival in 2024.

One of the main places in the city to celebrate Halloween 2024 in Spain with the whole family is the Poble Espanyol Museum Park on Montjuïc Mountain. Two programmes await you here. Creepy Halloween Family is a scary fun circus suitable for families with children up to 12 years old. And Creepy Halloween Extreme is just for teenagers and adults who want to tickle their nerves and immerse themselves in a real horror atmosphere.

If you’re spending Halloween in Barcelona, be sure to take a night tour of the city’s famous cemeteries — Cementerio de Montjuïc, Cementerio de Poblenou, and Cementerio de Les Corts. Here you will enjoy a special mystical atmosphere as well as classical music concerts in honour of the Day of the Dead. Another option for a great time with friends is a tour of Barcelona’s haunted Gothic Quarter.

And if you don’t mind spending an hour or so travelling, head to PortAventura World. This famous theme park and resort will offer you an amazing holiday programme, as well as a huge range of rides and fun activities. It’s best to book tickets in advance.

Fira de les Bruixes in Sant Feliu Sasserra

Fira de les Bruixes is the witchiest festival in the world, which takes place on the 31st of October and 1st of November in the small town of Sant Feliu Sasserra, near Barcelona. It is dedicated to the sad and terrible events that took place in this part of Catalonia at the beginning of the 17th century. At that time, during the witch-hunts declared by the Inquisition, about 400 women in the region were accused of witchcraft and executed. The trials took place in Sant Feliu Sasserra. The Fira de les Bruixes festival is dedicated to the memory of these innocents put to death and the struggle for women’s freedom.

On the evening of the first day, 31st of October, Plaça de l’Església hosts a theatrical show about the fate of a young witch, created by the Q-FOIS Cultural Association. It is followed by a grand concert. On the following day, 1st of November, visitors will be treated to a craft fair, street performances, witch dances, parades, workshops, and much more.

In Sant Feliu Sasserra, you can visit the Centre d’Interpretació de la Bruixeria. The area is also famous for hiking trails connected to witchcraft and lookouts with magnificent views. Walk along the Ruta de la Bruixa Napa, dedicated to a witch named Napa. She was the last woman in Catalonia executed for witchcraft in 1767. The route is only 6 kilometres long, and this walk will take about an hour and a half.

Halloween Run in Seville

In 2024, Seville is kicking off its Halloween celebrations before everyone else and in a very unusual way. On the 26th of October, the first Halloween Run Sevilla will take place at Parque del Alamillo. You can register on the event’s website and become a participant in the gruesome run. Or you can just come along with your family and friends to support the runners and take part in the fun activities. The programme includes dancing, games, competitions, and raffles. Costumes and make-up are encouraged!

And if you’re in Seville for Halloween, be sure to include Isla Mágica theme park in your itinerary. Locals love it and say that the good weather in Seville ends when Isla Mágica closes for the winter. From the 4th of October to the 3rd of November, the park turns into a nightmare island, where monsters, zombies, witches, ghosts, and other evil creatures live among terrifying decorations. Spooky fun rides, parades, and light shows await visitors.

For adults, Seville has a wide range of nightclubs and bars that host raucous Halloween costume parties. Connoisseurs of elegance and live music will enjoy an exquisite candlelight concert by Candlelight. Those who like to explore the paranormal, the most mystical, and darkest corners of the city can go on a themed tour.

Horror Week in Donostia-San Sebastián

If your favourite film genre is horror, then Donostia-San Sebastián has the best Halloween in Spain! On the eve of All Saints’ Day, the city traditionally hosts a week of horror and fantasy films. In 2024, it will be held for the 35th time and will run from the 25th of October to the 1st of November.

Visitors can expect daily presentations of new films, screenings of horror classics, as well as short, animated, and children’s films. The festival programme includes many events outside the cinema halls: exhibitions, thematic seminars, workshops, masterclasses, presentations, and more. And of course, there will be concerts, street performances, and Halloween parties in the Old Town.

And if you are interested in gastronomic witchcraft of the highest order, book a table in advance at the Akelarre restaurant, which also has a hotel and spa centre. The complex is set in an absolutely magical location — on the slope of Mount Igueldo with fantastic views of the Bay of Biscay. The restaurant has three Michelin stars, which is very rare and in itself hints at a certain devilishness. Besides, in Basque mythology, Akelarre is the place where witches gather and perform their rituals. Who knows, maybe on Halloween night you will witness or even take part in such an event.

Interesting facts about celebrating Halloween in Spain

• When choosing Halloween costumes in Spain, locals usually ignore the funny and cute options and favour the terrifying ones. The most popular are dead mariachis, zombies, witches, killer clowns, monsters, ghosts, and other creepiness.
• On Witches’ Day, the 31st of October, Spanish children also walk the streets collecting tribute from their neighbours in the form of sweets. If you want to join them with your family, be sure to learn the phrase «truco o trato» — it’s a variant of the American ‘trick or treat’. But it’s worth considering that this tradition is not common in all regions of the country.

• The traditional sweet treat for Halloween day in Spain is called Huesos de Santo (‘saint’s bones’). These are marzipan rolls with custard or other fillings. Another treat to try during these festive days is Buñuelos de Viento, doughnuts in the form of small balls. They come in both sweet and savoury flavours. In Catalonia, Valencia, Aragon, and Ibiza, Panellets, marzipan cakes sprinkled with pine nuts, are made in honour of All Saints’ Day. In Seville (Andalusia), they are also served, but there they are called Empiñonados.

• The Kingdom of Spain has a rather unusual tradition of attending a Don Juan Tenorio theatre production on the 1st of November, All Saints’ Day. Performances are often held by torchlight in the open air, including in cemeteries. Don’t miss the opportunity to attend one to truly experience the spirit of Halloween in Spain!

• In Galicia, where Celtic traditions are still strong, the Noite dos Calacús (Night of the Pumpkins) is celebrated on the 31st of October. They burn bonfires, organise costume parties, hold mysterious rituals, and drink a strong alcoholic drink — Queimada. It is prepared directly in a pumpkin, and before drinking it, an incantation (esconxuro) is recited and set on fire.

 

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