Long before Halloween costumes reached Barcelona, Catalonia had its own way of marking the last night of October. It happens at home, around a table, and it smells of roast chestnuts.
What the Castanyada is
The Castanyada takes its name from castanya, Catalan for chestnut. It is one of the most traditional celebrations in Catalonia and falls on the eve of All Saints’ Day, known in Catalan as Tots Sants, on 1 November. Families and friends gather to eat a short list of autumn foods that has stayed almost the same for generations.
Tots Sants itself is a public holiday in Catalonia. On that day many families visit the cemetery to lay flowers for relatives who have died, and the Castanyada is the gentler, homely side of the same occasion: remembrance, followed by food shared together.
What goes on the table
- Roast chestnuts. Traditionally served hot in a paper cone. In autumn, street stalls selling them appear across the city.
- Roast sweet potato. Known in Catalan as moniato, roasted whole alongside the chestnuts.
- Panellets. Small sweets made from marzipan of ground almonds and sugar, bound with egg. The classic version is rolled in pine nuts, and it is by far the most popular. Other versions are coated in crushed almonds or coconut, and bakeries add new flavours every season.
- Sweet muscat wine. A small glass of moscatell is the traditional drink to go with panellets.
Panellets are found well beyond Barcelona: they are part of the season in Catalonia, Aragon, Valencia, the Balearic Islands and Andorra. Bakeries prepare them in large quantities in the days before 1 November.
Where it comes from
The exact origin is uncertain, and several explanations exist side by side.
The most popular one involves the bell ringers. On the night before All Saints, church bells rang for hours to call people to pray for the dead. The ringers needed a filling meal to get through the night, and chestnuts and sweet potatoes were cheap, warm and in season. Friends and family would join them, and the meal became a tradition of its own.
Panellets have a related story. One theory links them to small bread offerings left for the dead, and by the early 19th century they were placed on graves for All Saints. Because they keep well for days, they suited a holiday built around remembrance. Their almond base has also led some historians to suggest roots in the cooking of Al-Andalus.
The date of 1 November goes back to the 8th century, when Pope Gregory III dedicated a chapel in St Peter’s Basilica to all the saints. It may also overlap with older autumn festivals for the dead that existed across Europe.
The Castanyada and Halloween today
Halloween has become popular in Barcelona over recent decades, and today both celebrations share the same night. Some neighbourhoods even combine them, and you may see the word Castaween on local posters. For most Catalan families, though, the evening still revolves around chestnuts, panellets and time at home. We explain how the two traditions sit together in our guide to Halloween in Barcelona.
How to join in as a visitor
The easiest way is through food. Buy a paper cone of roast chestnuts from a street stall, then stop at a local bakery in the days before 1 November and choose a small mix of panellets. Pine nut is the classic, and trying two or three kinds side by side is the best way to understand why people care about them.
On Tots Sants itself, opening hours across the city can change because it is a public holiday, so check ahead before planning a day of sightseeing.
Common questions
When is the Castanyada celebrated?
On the evening of 31 October, the eve of All Saints’ Day (Tots Sants) on 1 November.
What do people eat at the Castanyada?
Roast chestnuts, roast sweet potatoes and panellets, the small almond marzipan sweets usually rolled in pine nuts, often with a glass of sweet muscat wine.
What are panellets made of?
Marzipan made from ground almonds and sugar, bound with egg. The classic version is coated in pine nuts; others use crushed almonds, coconut or newer flavours.
Is 1 November a holiday in Barcelona?
Yes. All Saints’ Day is a public holiday in Catalonia, and many families visit the cemetery that day to remember relatives.
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