Fires de Sant Narcís 2026: What to Do in Girona

Quick answer: The Fires de Sant Narcís are Girona's biggest festival, running from Friday 23 October to Sunday 1 November 2026 with around 200 mostly free events. Plan around the Saturday 24 October correfoc, the Sunday 25 October Diada Castellera in Plaça del Vi, Sant Narcís day itself on Thursday 29 October, and the closing giants' gathering and fireworks on 1 November. The fairground and the big concert tents are in the Devesa park, ten minutes' walk from the old town.

What the Fires are and why Girona goes all out

Every autumn Girona honours its patron saint, Sant Narcís, whose feast day is 29 October. The legend says that when French troops besieged the city in 1285 a swarm of flies poured out of the saint's tomb and drove them off, which is why the fly is the festival's mascot and why you will see it on posters, sweets and children's T-shirts. The modern Fires de Sant Narcís, usually just "Fires", mix an old-fashioned trade fair with a street festival: human towers, fire runs, sardana dancing, giants, a fairground, dozens of concerts and a food market, nearly all of it free. The city council publishes the full programme on girona.cat/fires, and the 2026 edition has almost 200 activities.

The festival page on our site covers the essentials; this article is the day-by-day plan for a visitor who wants to see the best of it. Read the Fires de Sant Narcís page first for dates and background.

The map: where things happen

• Plaça del Vi. The square in front of the town hall. Pregó, castells, sardanes, the Sunday painting fair and the start of the correfoc.
• Plaça de Sant Feliu. Below the cathedral steps; the Saturday-night "castells de vigília".
• La Devesa park. The largest urban park in Catalonia. Here you find the fairground (fira d'atraccions), La Copa, the big concert tent with free gigs most nights, La Copeta for children's shows, and the Envelat dance tent in Plaça Miquel de Palol where ballroom orchestras play for older locals.
• Parc del Migdia. South of the station; the alternative stage for electronic, rock and local bands.
• Fira de Girona (Palau Firal). The exhibition centre where the 64th Fira de Mostres trade fair opens on 29 October.
• Plaça de la Independència. The artisan food market (Fira-Mercat d'Alimentació Artesana) runs here for the whole festival, 23 October to 1 November.
• The Cathedral and its steps. Sant Narcís concert and the havaneres singing on 29 October.

Everything is walkable. Girona is compact and the old town is pedestrian; leave the car at the park-and-ride lots on the edge of the city.

Day by day: the events worth planning around

Friday 23 October. The pregó (opening speech) in Plaça del Vi starts the festival in the early evening, followed by a drone show over La Copa around 22:00 and the first concerts in the Devesa.

Saturday 24 October. The busiest night. Sardanes in the afternoon on Passeig de Francina Boris, the castells de vigília in Plaça de Sant Feliu, then the correfoc with the Diables de l'Onyar leaving Plaça del Vi after dark: devils with pitchforks of spinning fireworks run through the old streets while drummers keep time. Concerts follow in La Copa (Queralt Lahoz headlines) and Parc del Migdia.

Sunday 25 October. The Diada Castellera in Plaça del Vi in the late morning. The home team, the Marrecs de Salt, invite colles from across Catalonia and the square fills to the balconies. Sunday afternoon belongs to the dance orchestra in the Envelat and family concerts.

Wednesday 28 October. A children's correfoc in Plaça de Sant Domènech with the Trons de l'Onyar, a gentle way to see fire-running with kids, then León Benavente in La Copa and Pink Martini at the Auditori.

Thursday 29 October, Sant Narcís. A local holiday. Sardanes with La Principal de la Bisbal in Plaça del Vi, the Fira de Mostres opens, the Sant Narcís concert fills the cathedral, and at dusk the choir Terra Endins sings havaneres on the cathedral steps. Els Amics de les Arts play La Copa.

Friday 30 and Saturday 31 October. Rock at Plaça de Sant Pere, the Combat de Glosa (improvised verse duel), L'Anxovada with Les Anxovetes in Parc del Migdia and 31 FAM in La Copa on Halloween night.

Sunday 1 November. The farewell. The All Saints artisan market on Carrer Santa Clara, the drawing and painting fair around Plaça del Vi and the Pont de Pedra, the 45th gathering of giants and festival beasts in Parc del Migdia, the sardana colles competition, and finally the castell de focs, the closing fireworks, at Parc de les Ribes del Ter.

Our castells season guide explains how to read a human tower and what the shouts mean.

How to watch a correfoc without regretting it

The correfoc is the one event where preparation matters. Fireworks are low-powered but they are real, and sparks fall on the crowd.

1. Wear cotton long sleeves and trousers, a hat or hood and closed shoes. Synthetic jackets melt.
2. Protect eyes with glasses, keep cameras in a zipped pocket, and never run against the flow.
3. If you want to be in the middle of it, join the people who dance under the devils; if not, watch from the arches on Plaça del Vi or from a side street with an exit.
4. Earplugs for children; the drums are louder than the fireworks.

Eating and drinking during the Fires

• The artisan food market on Plaça de la Independència is the easy lunch: cheeses from the Garrotxa, cured sausages from Vic, honey, torrons and wines from the Empordà.
• Fira food. Churros, candied almonds and coques at the fairground; sausages and beer at La Copa.
• Girona's own sweet is the xuixo, a fried, sugared pastry filled with crema catalana. The classic shops are on Carrer de les Ballesteries and Carrer dels Ciutadans.
• Restaurants. The old town around Carrer de la Força and Plaça de la Independència books out on Saturday nights of the Fires; reserve, or eat early at 20:00 when locals are still at the castells.
• Wines. Ask for Empordà reds and the lightly sparkling whites from the coast.

Beyond the festival: Girona in a day

Even in festival week you should see the city itself: the cathedral with the widest Gothic nave in the world, the Jewish quarter (the Call) and its museum, the Arab Baths, the walk along the medieval walls with views over the Pyrenees, and the painted houses on the Onyar river seen from the Pont de les Peixateries Velles. Film fans will know the cathedral steps and Carrer del Bisbe Josep Cartañà from Game of Thrones. With a second day, take the 40-minute regional train to Figueres for the Dalí Theatre-Museum, or a bus to Cadaqués and Cap de Creus while the autumn light is still good.

See our Catalonia region guide for the wider calendar.

Getting there and staying

• From Barcelona: AVE and Avant high-speed trains take 38 minutes from Sants to Girona; regional trains take about 1 hour 20 and are cheaper. Trains run late enough to return after the fireworks, but check the last departure on festival nights.
• Girona-Costa Brava airport is 20 minutes south with budget flights; Barcelona El Prat is 1 hour 15 by train plus transfer.
• Where to stay. The old town for atmosphere (and noise); the Eixample around Carrer de la Rutlla or near the station for quiet and easy access to the Devesa. Rates rise for the weekend of 24–25 October and for 29 October to 1 November; book six weeks out.
• Driving. Avoid the centre; use the free parking at the Fontajau pavilion or the Devesa edges and walk.
• Weather. Expect 12–20°C and the chance of rain. The correfoc and castells happen rain or shine; the fairground does not.

For comparing trains, buses and cars for a multi-stop trip read Train vs Bus vs Car for Spain festival hopping.

Two sample plans

The big weekend (23–25 October). Arrive Friday for the pregó and drone show. Saturday: cathedral and Call in the morning, food market lunch, sardanes, castells de vigília, correfoc, late concert in La Copa. Sunday: Diada Castellera at Plaça del Vi, lunch on the Onyar, dance tent in the afternoon, evening train back.

The saint's day and finale (29 October – 1 November). Thursday: sardanes, Fira de Mostres, havaneres on the cathedral steps. Friday: day trip to Figueres, evening Sant Pere Rock. Saturday: Halloween in the Devesa. Sunday: artisan market, giants' gathering, fireworks over the Ter, then dinner in the old town.

FAQ

When are the Fires de Sant Narcís 2026? From Friday 23 October to Sunday 1 November 2026, with Sant Narcís day on Thursday 29 October.

Is the festival free? Almost everything is free, including the castells, correfoc, concerts in La Copa and Parc del Migdia, the giants and the fireworks. The fairground rides, the Fira de Mostres and some auditorium concerts are ticketed.

Where is the best place to watch the castells? Plaça del Vi on Sunday 25 October. Arrive 45 minutes early for a spot at the front; the arcades on the north side give shade and a raised view.

Is the correfoc safe for children? The main correfoc on 24 October is intense. The children's correfoc on Wednesday 28 October in Plaça de Sant Domènech is designed for families.

Can I do the Fires as a day trip from Barcelona? Yes. The high-speed train takes 38 minutes and the last services leave late in the evening; the Sunday castells, lunch and an afternoon in the old town make an easy day.

What is the Fira de Mostres? A commercial trade fair at the Palau Firal that opens on 29 October, with stands from regional companies, food producers and car dealers. Locals go; most visitors skip it.

What should I eat in Girona during the Fires? Xuixos for breakfast, Garrotxa cheese and Vic sausage from the artisan market for lunch, and an Empordà red with dinner in the old town.

Key dates 2026