The singing monks of Boqueria Market

The music seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere, at the very same time. It seeped out of the woodwork, stole mysteriously across the ancient stone floor, and seeped unbidden into the veins of the old monk that stood listening in the shadow of the doorway. It was past midnight and all the other monks had retired to their chambers, for meditation and prayer and to repose themselves before the morning ablutions.

It was this monk and this monk alone that heard the earie music, and he didn’t like what he heard. There was no one in the monastery that could be making this music – no one living, at least – and the music itself did not sound of this world. Or was that only his sleep-addled brain playing tricks? The words sounded too old. The music that should have been soothing grated too harshly.

A chill raced up the old monk’s spine. Fearfully the monk took one tentative step forwards and then another. On his third step he moved out of the shadows and that is where he saw the most frightening sight of his life, framed in a single shaft of moonlight.

The two front pews of the small chapel were full, but not with the living and breathing monks of this monastery. The pews were taken up entirely of men devoid of flesh and sinew, where only bones clattered together in some grotesque charade of animated life. The fleshless jaws of these skeletal worshippers moved in unison as the eerie echoes of a strangely familiar song reverberated around the chamber.

The old monk stood there, mesmerised, rooted to the spot, seemingly unable to move his feet, even though he badly wanting to. It was only when one of the singers in the front row looked up from its hymn sheet, and turned a gaunt face towards the onlooker, that the monk was roused from his revery. This skeletal figure raised a boney hand and pointed a trembling digit, mouthing a single word.

What that word was, however, has been lost in the chasms of history. For no sooner had the skeleton raised its single hand than the monk fled. He fled back to his chambers and roused his religious brothers. He didn’t know what to do. He was terribly afraid for he thought he knew why this spectral crew might have paid the monastery a visit. These were the disembodied spirits of the monks that had lived within the walls of this holy place in bygone days. Pious men. Devoted men. Men that would have gladly sacrificed themselves for the Heavenly Father. Men, in other words, quite unlike those that now occupied the Discalced Carmelite Monastery of Sant Josep.

Silently all of the living monks returned to the chapel to watch their ghostly ancestors finish their hymn, and the same sense of foreboding and fear fell upon them as upon the first monk that had stumbled into the macabre scene.

Over the years these monks had become lax in their ways of worship, even going so far as to say that praying was not necessary on the date of their patron saint, Our Lady of Carmen. They were now about to pay the price.

When the singing was over and the skeleton choir stood up, the living monks silently stepped forwards to lead these undead entities back to the crypt from which they had risen. All but one of the tombs was open. With no noise whatsoever the skeletons slid back into their stone beds, which should have been their final resting place.

The following morning, one of the monks was found dead. This was the only monk to have remained devoted to the old ways, the only monk that had fought to keep the religious tradition of the monastery alive. His brothers buried him in the customary way… and thought no more about what had transpired.

Ten days later the monastery went up in flames, caused by a riot that had consumed this part of the city.

All of the surviving monks died in the blaze – and the memories of the past were swept away. The Boqueria Market was extended to cover where the monastery had stood. But the wondering souls of the monks have never been fully laid to rest. Every year, on the evening of July 15, which is the Eve of Our Lady of Carmen, you can hear ghostly singing creep through the dark passages – if you listen hard enough. You may even be able to catch a glimpse of one of the decaying bodies of the tormented monks, who have been unable to secure passage out of this world.

The curse of Liceu Theatre

The grounds upon which the Liceu Theatre now stands are steeped in blood. Blood and suffering and torture. For this is the place that, long before the present building was constructed, many-a-man was led to his death at the swift hands of the King’s Justice.

Execution methods included being burned at the stake, decapitation and strangulation. These were methods that were certain to inflict upon the condemned man untold suffering, and a better-than-average chance that the soul would not be able to rest in the afterlife – especially if the soul in question was innocent of any crime.

These were the ethereal spirits condemned to remain behind within the mortal realm as all their loved ones left them – desperate to conclude whatever unfinished business they still have on this plane.

These are the restless spirits that continue to bring misery and tragedy to the Liceu Theatre, which was unwisely built upon the site of the old execution grounds.

In 1861, just fifteen years after the building was completely, it was consumed by fire.

In 1893, after it had been rebuilt, it suffered another tragedy when dozens of people were killed in an anarchist attack. The man that threw the two bombs – one of which failed to explode – was later hung.

In 1994, the theatre went up in flames yet again and was subsequently rebuilt.

This is not a lucky building, and one can only wonder what next grim tragedy will befall it.

The poltergeist at 43 Francesc Giner

The events that occurred in the early hours of February 10, 1935 would change the Montroig i Mendoza family forever – and serve as the first documented case of poltergeist activity in this city.

It can have been no more than 2 o’clock when the banging started. There were knocks and crashes coming from the very walls of the house itself, as though some furious demon was trying the prison in which it now found itself. This may, in hindsight, not have been too far from the truth.

Unsurprisingly this tremendous cacophony of otherworldly noises soon woke the sleeping family, who huddled together in terror as locked drawers were flung open, and wardrobe doors swung back on their hinges. The security guard, together with the night watchman, carried out an inspection of the building. The poltergeist activity, as journalists would subsequently label it, did not stop. If anything it became more frenzied. The men that investigated it were at a loss to come up with any kind of explanation.

The following day, on the night of February 11, the phenomena repeated itself – again with great force. The owner of the apartment reported the incident to the local police station, but officers who attended the scene were as stumped as those that had investigated during the previous night: no one seemed to be the orchestrator of these noises that were leaving everyone in the building so terrified.

This was when the press started becoming interested in the case and carried out their own investigations into what might have been causing the strange occurrences. Again no convincing explanation appeared forthcoming.

There are many testimonies to be found about what occurred during those perturbing days in 1935. Many of these were narrated by neighbours, who explained to the police that they very often observed white shadows drifting through the passageways, and chairs and clocks moving without anyone’s help.

People were quick to link this phenomenon to the presence of a distressed spirit that had been unable to leave this world when its mortal body died. Priests were consulted, exorcisms were attempted, but nothing seemed to calm the violent restlessness of this ghost.

At the time of the activity, the youngest child of the family was very sick. Some para-psychologists at the time suggested that many of these phenomena could have been linked to this teenager, with an unknown ‘psychomechanism’ that caused these strange events.

The disturbance all ended when the tenants of the building, including the Montroig family, wisely chose to find a quieter (and presumably less haunted) place to live.

So was the poltergeist simply haunting one of the tenants of the building – perhaps someone that had caused its harm when it was alive? Or is the poltergeist still there, forever attached to number 43 Francesc Giner, awaiting other victims that are ripe for terrorising?

The witchcraft school of La Ribera

Being a witch in medieval Catalunya was dangerous, and throwing one’s lot in the Devil could come at a heavy price. Burning at the stake was not an uncommon practice for those that were suspected on witchcraft, although many of these poor individuals may well have been innocent.

A sinister young man by the name of Seca chose to walk this path, becoming a devoted disciple of the Devil himself in pursuit of greater power and wealth – and untold rewards beyond the grave.

So as to fully dedicate himself to the ways of dark magic and occult power, Seca chose to establish a secret school of witchcraft in a secluded alleyway that wends its way through the La Ribera neighbourhood of Barcelona. Here, on Carrer de la Neu de Sant Cugat, the charismatic Devil-worshipper was able to preach to his followers about the seductive lure of black magic.

One of the chilling activities of these acolytes was to steal the bones of criminals, once they had been executed and buried. These macabre relics were then used in the school’s rituals and spells, imbuing them with powers that would have been denied to them had they trod a more righteous path.

The tale of the school of witchcraft in Barcelona does not have a happy ending. As the Spanish Inquisition tightened its grip on the city, the authorities became increasingly vigilant in their hunt for suspected witches. Many were captured, subjected to brutal interrogations and ultimately burnt at the stake.

Such was the fate that awaited the witches of Carrer de la Neu de Sant Cugat. But the spectre of evil that Seca once stirred to life still hangs broodingly over this dark and lonely street.

The haunting of Barcelona’s most famous church

The year was 1936. Francisco Franco’s Fascist militia was advancing on Barcelona. And those opposing them desperately needed weapons.

One evening that year, the FAI, one of the groups at the forefront of the fight against the dictator-in-the-making, launched an attack on the Sagrada Familia. They set fire to Gaudí’s former workshop and then headed to the crypt where he was buried, presumably in search of weapons that may have been stored there. Gaudí himself had died 13 years earlier, after being hit by a tram.

The crypt was a disconcerting place, but the members of the FAI paid no heed. Their fear of Franco gaining power was much greater than their fear of what the dead could do to them.

That night the FAI desecrated many of the tombs, including that of Gaudí’s patron, Josep Maria Bocabella. Interestingly Gaudí’s tomb was spared from such a dehumanising fate, and members of the FAI did not touch it at all. Was this out of respect for Gaudí’s undisputed prowess as an architect? Or was it because, like them, he was a socialist who had spoken out against Barcelona’s downtrodden.

Either way Gaudí’s tomb had been left untouched, but members of the FAI had stirred something within the others.

Following the desecration of these tombs, there were several reports of mysterious blue lights hovering above the church. The police were even called to investigate on a number of occasions, but they could offer no explanation for the lights.

Was this a warning from beyond the grave – or a sign of displeasure from those whose eternal sleep had been disturbed?

Or was it simply a reminder that Gaudí’s work is still not done and Sagrada Familia remains unfinished?

The most recent date set for completion of the church is 2036, although many are skeptical that this deadline will now be met. Those spectral blue lights that gather above the building, embodying the ghostly spirits of those entombed within, may very well know the answer.

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In all of fairness, we were expecting to be disappointed. The tickets aren’t cheap. The place is slap bang in the middle of Barcelona’s number one tourist district. And the place has the audacity to call itself “Big Fun Museum”.

But actually the place is a lot better than we had expected. Still a little pricey, as of course might be expected for the area, but really rather fun. Kids will certainly enjoy it, and most adults will find it quite interesting too.

So what is the place all about?

The Big Fun Museum actually consists of eight separate attractions spread across three floors. There’s the Sweet Museum, for example, or the somewhat disturbing Museum of Madness. Each area consists of a series of well-designed displays, according to the theme, as well as some very interesting explanations. Learn, for example, all about the legend of the Moth-Man or the smallest woman that ever lift.

From what age can I take my kids?

Much of the museum is suitable for children from the around the age of four. However, you should bare in mind that parts of the museum are quite scary for very young kids.

Giant’s House, Topsy-Turvy House, the Sweet Museum and Alice Through the Looking Glass can all be enjoyed by the younger members of your family.

Parts of Records and Wonders and the Madness Museum are quite scary and only recommended for older children from the age of seven or eight. The Madness Museum has an age recommendation of 12. Some of the animations in the Magic Room – such as the dancing skeletons – could be a little frightening, too.

How much does it cost?

Tickets aren’t cheap: €25 for a single ticket, or €30 if you want to also include a visit to the Big Fun Museums of Illusions, which is just round the corner.

However, you can get a fairly significant discount by purchasing online: €15 for a single ticket or €18.75 for a combo ticket.

How do you get there?

The museum is a 10-minute walk from Plaça de Catalunya down La Rambla: very easy to find!

How long do you need?

The woman on the ticket desk said that we’d probably need around 45 minutes to see all the museum, but in actual fact we stayed for twice this amount of time. We could easily have stayed for longer, too, had our stomachs not got the better of us – there’s quite a lot to take in!

The different zones

Records and Wonders

This is where you’ll learn about some record-breaking phenomenons (the shortest woman that ever lived, the tallest man or the longest finger nails that have ever been grown) and other astonishing wonders (such as the Moth-Man; a legend, presumably, for no evidence of it was ever produced).

Giant’s House

This is where everything is extra-large. Have fun sitting on a chair that is waaaay too large, or trying on a Mexican sombrero that just isn’t the right fit.

Topsy-Turvy House

Everything is upside-down! It’s totally disorientating as you enter on the ceiling and look upwards to the floor. Take some great trick photos… like the shot of a motorbike where you appear to be hanging off the handlebars.

Sweet Museum

Say no more, say no more! A kid’s paradise where all the sweets are super-sized. Unfortunately none of them are real.

Museum of Madness

This is a rather disturbing part of the overall, where you learn about people that have gone insane… and the rather dubious treatments that were once meted out to them. Screeching models of deranged men and women, which come to live when buttons are pressed, make the experience somewhat sinister. There is an notice at the start of the museum, suggesting that this zone might not be suitable for children younger than 12… and for good reason.

Food Art

A fairly small area where famous paintings – Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, Van Gogh’s Sunflowers – are recreated using plastic food models.

Alice Through The Looking Glass

A particularly fun part of the museum where visitors are guided through a hall of mirrors, full of colourful models taken from Lewis Carol’s magical book.

Magic Room

One of my personal favourite zones, and great as a last stop after visiting all the other areas. Come here to chill out on the comfy beanbags, listening to music and watching the animated video all around you. The video playing changes every few minutes: the bottom of the sea, the cosmos, a wildlife safari park, dancing skeletons. It’s magical. And thoroughly relaxing!

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Here is a break down of the most important things that you need to be aware of.

Compulsory training for dog owners

Anyone that wants to own a dog will have to undergo an online training course to prove that they are able to take care of the animal. This course will be online and once completed the certification will be valid indefinitely.

For the time being little is known about what the course will involve or how dog owners can apply to take it. The regulations governing the course are still being developed.

Once the regulation is finalised, however, anyone who does not successfully pass the course will be unable to take ownership of a dog. Those that already own a dog will have to successfully pass this course within a set period of time or risk incurring a fine

Compulsory steralisation for cats under six months

Sterilization is only mandatory for cats, except for those registered as breeder.

The obligation, as set out by the regulation, is to sterilize the cat before the age of six months. If this is not done, cat-owners could face a fine.

However, this does not mean that cats older than six months should not be steralised. For example, if you find an adult cat abandoned in the street and you want to adopt it, the first thing you must do is to take it to the vet to check its health, vaccinate it, sterilize it and tag it with a microchip.

Liability insurance for dogs

Liability insurance is only mandatory for dogs. A different matter is the law that regulates potentially dangerous animals (including some breeds of dogs and other animals), which also requires insurance and other requirements.

Limited alone time

The new law sets out the maximum period that a pet can be left on its own.

Dogs may not be left alone for more than 24 hours, whereas cats may not be left alone for more than three days. Dogs may not be left alone inside a car.

All animals must be allowed to rest indoors. They cannot be kept in courtyards, gardens, terraces, balconies and the like on a permanent basis.

The law also says that the enclosures in which pets live must “be such as to enable them to develop their basic physiological, ethological and ecological needs adequately”. This would mainly affect animals that are usually kept in closed or semi-closed containers, such as aquariums and terrariums, but also typical pets such as dogs and cats, which must be provided with sufficient and adequate space.

Limited number of pets

Individuals may no longer own more than five pets. Any more than this and a special permit is required.

Registering pets

All pets must now be registered. Anyone that does not registered a pet within 30 days of acquiring it risks a fine. Those that already have a pet should make sure that it is registered within 30 days of the new law coming into force, or risk a fine.

Each Comunidad Autónoma has its own pet registry where the data must be recorded. The new law contemplates a national registry, but this will depend on new legislation being developed.

To register your pets in Barcelona, follow this link. Registration costs €38,

Pet shops

Dogs, cats and ferrets may only be sold from registered breeders – not pet shops.

Pet shops may continue to sell other animals – such as rodents, fish, birds and insects – as well as food and supplies for the animals.

Legal pets

There will be a definitive list of animals that can be kept as pets.

This list has not yet been created. The only animals that will definitely be allowed are dogs, cats and ferrets – although other common household pets are likely to make it on to the list as well. More exotic pets are likely to be disallowed.

In principle the law will not be applied retroactively and those who have animals not included in the list will be able to keep them. They will simply not be able to acquire others from now on.

Deregestration / burial

If your pet dies or you get rid of it, you must notify the city council where the animal is registered within 30 days.

The cancellation of a pet animal due to death must be accompanied by a document certifying that it was cremated or buried by a company officially recognised as being able to carry out such activities. In anticipation of this new law, a number of pet burial services have started springing up in Barcelona.

Huge thanks to DOBLE A Abogacia Animal in preparing this article. They helped drill into the finer details of some of the legislation. DOBLE A is a Malaga-based law firm that was created for the defence of animal rights.

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It was, of course, the obvious question to ask.

Alec, who had just given us a most fascinating tour of the oldest cava winery in Spain, paused mid-way through pouring out a third glass of Codorníu Gran Cremant, 2021 vintage.

Cava is made using the same method as is used in the production of champagne. Indeed, until the 1970s, what is now known as cava was actually sold under the label of champagne. This was before champagne secured legally protected status under European law. The Codorníu winery still displays old posters that advertises champagne from the winery.

“Cava means ‘cave’, which is where the aging of the wine used to take place,” said Alec. “It’s a bit easier to pronounce than champagne.”

I couldn’t help but feel that this might be part of the problem. I wasn’t entirely certain that connoisseurs of fine wine particularly cared for names that were easy to pronounce. They wanted exotic names and spoke of sophistication.

Despite the champenoise method being used in the production of cava, there are some important distinctions between the two different types of bubbly.

The type of grapes used, for one thing. The main varieties used in champagne production are pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay, while cava typically uses a blend of parellada, xarel-lo and macabeo.

The climate is different in the Champagne region of France than in Catalonia, where most of Spain’s cava production come from. These differences result in a slightly different taste profile of the two types of bubbly, with cava typically having a lower acidity content than champagne.

While everyone’s taste preferences are different, one can’t ignore the fact that champagne owes a lot of its success to clever marketing and branding campaigns.

“You can buy a decent bottle of cava in Spain for €5 or €10, but you can easily pay €40 or €50 for a similar quality bottle of champagne,” said Alec.

Indeed the bottle of cava that we were sampling – not the most sophisticated in the Codorníu range but eminently drinkable all the same – retails at a little more than €5 in Spain, making it a very affordable tipple.

Come for the history – and the architecture

“This is the oldest winery in Spain,” our guide proudly declared at the start of the tour.

Codorníu was founded in 1551, although the first bottles of cava weren’t produced until the 19th century. Cava now owns 15 wineries. Two of these are outside of Spain; one in California’s Napa Valley and the other in Argentina.

Wandering around the Codorníu winery, one really gets a sense of the journey that it has taken through history.

To our left stood the sparkling new cava production centre, loaded with the latest technology (no more painful turning of the bottles by hand) and using steel containers for aging rather than oak barrels (“better for regulating the temperature”, our guide told us).

To the right loomed the old production centre, dark and brooding like some neglected schoolhouse that can no longer find a place in modern world. This building is not used any more for the production of cava, although it does have other uses. It is quite a popular place to get married, for example – and it is where visitors get taken to get a glimpse into cava’s rich history.

At first glance, the old production centre looks like any other factory building, built of uninspiring brick with broad arched windows. However, as one looks up, one notices that the brickwork is fringed with broken glass bottles.

“This is the same technique that you’ll see on the dragon scales of Gaudi’s Casa Batlló,” said Alec. Anyone that has taken a tour of Gaudi’s masterpieces in the centre of Barcelona will understand what he meant.

I hadn’t really expected to encounter the kind of modernism that Barcelona has become so well known for while exploring one of Catalonia’s wineries.

“To promote the image of Codorníu, Manuel Raventós [who took over the running of the winery in 1885] hired one of the greatest architects of Catalan modernism, Josep Puig i Cadafalch,” said Alec. “So the buildings aren’t just functional. They’re nice to look at, too.”

Puig designed three buildings on the Codorníu grounds: the building that now serves as a reception area and tasting room (which looks very much like an old cathedral), the old production building and the former residence of the Raventós family.

Once we had enjoyed our fill of modernist architecture, it was on to the old underground wine cellars: 19 miles of them! Of course we only got to see a small part of them, but the atmosphere oozed with history. The dimly-lit corridors were lined with old bottles, still filled with cava (presumably undrinkable now) in order to lend that added bit of authenticity.

For those that get the chance to see the old cavas, there is an electric train that whisks visitors through the low-ceilinged tunnels. This was certainly one of the highlights of the tour – at least for the kids!

And then it was on to the tasting – the highlight, of course, for the adults.

Other cava wineries

Codorníu is not the only producer of cava in the region, and if you are interested in the wine it is definitely worth visiting one or two of the others.

Most cava producers are located in the El Penedès region of Catalunya, which is about a 45-minute drive northwest of Barcelona. Some cava is produced outside of Catalunya, though, in places such as La Rioja, Aragón, Valencia and Extremadura. The important thing is that all producer have a “denominación de origen” certificate, which authenticates the methods use and the quality of the cava.

Other cava wineries in the region that welcome visitors are:

1. Freixenet – another iconic cava producer, known for its large-scale production and international recognition.
2. Recaredo – a family-owned winery founded in 1924, famed for its brut nature cava.
3. Vilarnau – producing cavas since 1949, this winery prides itself in artisanal cultivation techniques. Higher altidtudes contribute to a slower maturation of the grape.
4. Alta Alella – the closest winery to Barcelona, with vineyards that drop down to the sea.
5. Llopart – an organic wine producer, sporting a vineyard with lovely mountain views.
6. Gramona – blends innovation with tradition, priding itself on pushing new boundaries in the development of new cava varieties.
7. Castellroig – a small organic producer, offering a more personal and less commercial wine-tasting visit.

All of these wineries are happy to arrange tours. You can check their websites for more details – including how to book. All of them offer slightly different experiences.

Getting to the wineries is easy if you have car – although of course, if you do decide to drive yourself, you will then be limited to the amount of wine-tasting you can do.

An alternative way of exploring the region is to take a taxi instead, although this is likely to be a more expensive option. You should mention what wineries you want to visit, and expected waiting time at each one, before you set off in order to negotiate a convenient price.

The final option is to join an organised tour. Several companies in Barcelona organise these. The Penedès Tourist Board provides details of tours that are available. It also offers advice of what else there is to do in the region, besides just sampling the local wine.

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During the Festa Major de Gràcia, the streets of the Gràcia district are adorned with elaborate and creative decorations. Each street competes to create the most visually stunning and imaginative decoration based on a specific theme. These decorations often include recycled materials, handmade crafts, and various artistic elements. The competition fosters a sense of community and friendly rivalry among the residents.

The festival also features a wide range of activities, including live music performances, traditional Catalan dances, cultural exhibitions, workshops, parades, and various contests. You can find a variety of food stalls offering local cuisine, and there’s often a festive and joyful atmosphere throughout the neighborhood.

One of the highlights of the festival is the Correfoc, a fire run where participants dress up as demons and creatures from Catalan folklore, carrying torches and fireworks, creating a spectacular display of light and sound. Another notable event is the Castells, where human towers are built in a competition of strength, teamwork, and balance.

The Gràcia festival takes place between August 15 and August 21. To get to Gràcia you can take the metro to Fontana. This metro stop will land you right at the heart of Gràcia and from there you can start exploring.

Festa de Gracia app

Don’t forget to download the festa de Gracia app for your smart tone before you start exploring the streets. It’s really well done and provides you with a walkable map of the streets that are decorated. It also offers 360-degree images of street displays from previous years.

You can also use the app to vote from your favourite street!

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