In Catalonia, culture is lived in the streets, in shared celebrations and in moments that are part of everyday life. Discover Catalan festivals and traditions and experience them like a local. Take part and let yourself be carried along by the rhythm of the land and its people. Here are some suggestions. Castellers and correfocs In the squares, castellers build human towers that combine strength, balance and coordination — one of Catalonia’s most iconic traditions, recognised by UNESCO. In Valls, considered the cradle of the castellers, you can see these constructions live and visit the Casteller Museum of Catalonia to better understand this cultural expression. During local festivals, the streets also fill with correfocs, spectacles in which devils run through the streets amid fire and sparks to the rhythm of music. In Tarragona, the correfoc is one of the most distinctive and participatory celebrations, with the public sharing the experience alongside locals. The calçotada in Valls In the town of Valls, on the Costa Daurada, the calçotada is one of Catalonia’s best-known traditions. It takes place between January and March, bringing people together around the fire to eat calçots outdoors at shared tables. The calçot is a tender spring onion grilled over an open fire and eaten by hand with romesco sauce. The La Mercè festival in Barcelona In Barcelona, the La Mercè festival is the best way to discover the culture and traditional celebrations of the Catalan capital. In September, coinciding with the feast day of the city’s patron saint, the streets fill with activities, concerts, parades of gegants and capgrossos, castellers, street arts and more. One of the most popular events is the casteller day in Plaça de Sant Jaume, featuring the best colles in Catalonia, and it all ends with the piromusical, a show combining music and fireworks.