La Castanyada (All Saint’s Evening): tradition and flavor of autumn in Barcelona
With the arrival of cold weather and the first rains, the All Saints’ Evening fills the streets of Barcelona with the aroma of embers. This popular festival is celebrated on October 31st and, although it shares a calendar with Halloween, it maintains its own character: familiar, flavorful, and closely linked to seasonal products.
All Saints’ Evening: origin and customs
In Catalonia, the Chestnut Festival or All Saints’ Evening is synonymous with roasted chestnuts, panellets (a traditional Catalan sweet), and sweet potatoes, often accompanied by a glass of muscatel or mistela to toast to autumn.
This celebration has its roots in ancient traditions linked to All Saints' Day. It is said that, after long days ringing bells in memory of the deceased, it was customary to regain strength with caloric and easy-to-prepare foods: chestnuts, sweet potatoes, and almond sweets. Over time, these customs became popular and today are part of the country's collective imagination.
Along with the flavors, a beloved figure stands out: the castanyera, the chestnut seller who, dressed in a scarf and apron, tends her stall among embers and paper cones. Her image remains alive in schools, markets, and squares, reminding us that the festival is also about community, neighborhood, and closeness.
All Saints’ Evening in Barcelona: how it is experienced today
During the days leading up to and on October 31st itself, All Saints’ Evening begins to be visible in Barcelona with the chestnut and sweet potato stalls that spring up on corners and avenues. The atmosphere blends with cultural activities and routes through neighborhood markets where panellets — made with pine nuts, almonds, coconut, or coffee — take center stage in pastry shop windows.
If you visit the city during these dates, a good way to celebrate this festival is by strolling through neighborhoods like Poblenou, stopping by a stall, getting a cone of chestnuts, and then enjoying a quiet table to continue the conversation with family or friends.
Més de Vi and the autumn traditions in Poblenou
At Més de Vi, we like to respect the rhythms of the season and celebrate what makes neighborhood life unique. For this reason, we share the spirit of the festival: honest produce, unhurried cooking, and a desire to gather around the table.
Our Mediterranean proposal — with Catalan and Castilian influences — and the wine list (with references by the glass and by the bottle) fit perfectly with this autumn plan of strolling, trying chestnuts, and continuing the conversation with a good wine.
If you are organizing your All Saints’ Evening in Barcelona, we invite you to make Poblenou your meeting point: combine a visit to your favorite stalls, head to the Can Framis Museum or the creative spaces of 22@, and finish with a relaxed lunch or dinner in our dining room.
Book your table and celebrate autumn with us: tradition, conversation, and cooking made with love.