Do you want the universe to give you a hug? To be left speechless by a choreography of light playing across the architectural forms of the Generalitat and City Hall façades? This is all part of the immersive experience that transforms Plaça de Sant Jaume for Christmas, making the seat of the city’s main institutions a must-visit stop.

Xavi Bové Estudio (Xavi Bové and Xavi Maixenchs) created the light installation Symphony of Stars, which uses neither sound nor words, only photons, to reinterpret Christmas iconography in a contemporary key and celebrate the increasing intensity of light following the winter solstice. The starlight itself takes center stage in an intervention designed to envelop you, as if the universe itself were giving you an embrace.

At many moments, you will see the golden hues so characteristic of Christmas, reminiscent both of a famous painter’s canvas and of medieval artworks. You will notice the extraordinary intensity of the light with which the square is bathed — never before has it been illuminated with so many lumens.

You can enjoy the spectacle every day from 6:30 p.m., and on special dates such as Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and Epiphany, a color change — a chromatic transformation — adds an extra dimension to the usual experience.

If you want to experience Christmas in Barcelona, don’t miss the Symphony of Stars light installation at Plaça de Sant Jaume. Be sure to check the website for full information before your visit.