Carnaval 2019: The Arrival

To welcome Carnival to Barcelona, head to La Rambla in your finest costumes. Theatre group Comediants are once again in charge of 'l'Arribo' (The Arrival), the central event of the Barcelona Carnival festivities, as they perform for Their Majesties Belluga and Tòtil Tocatdelala – as well as for all of us. The Royal Court heads out from the monument to Mary Santpere in front of Arts Santa Mònica, with the Rambla 'capgrossos' (bigheads), the grotesque emperors of the European courts of Comediants, the Carnival Royal Orchestra, the Gegants Vells from the Casa de la Caritat, and the musicians Ganxets.

The parade heads up La Rambla, getting everyone dancing with a float decorated with flowers from La Rambla's shops while on various emblematic building façades you'll see spokespeople from the Xauxa Country appear in the form of the Seven Ambassadors, who are representatives of the excesses of the festival. Dancing and singing they all arrive at the Palau de la Virreina, where the proclamation is read and the 'taronjada' battle of confetti and fireworks explodes.