The festive season in Barcelona

QUESTION: We will be in Barcelona between Christmas and New Year with my two sons, aged 17 and 20. Will we run into problems with restaurants, attractions and museums being closed? - Robin Cutler-Levine

ANSWER: Barcelona is a good place to be at this time of the year, as it should not be too busy with tourists. And, unlike Madrid, it doesn't really shut down. A number of shops could be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. However, most restaurants that cater for tourists, are likely to remain open. The website www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com has compiled a list of restaurants they confirmed will be open on Christmas and Boxing Day. Public transport should be running normally.

There is no rule of thumb with regard to attractions in the city. The La Sagrada Familia Cathedral will be open in the mornings. However, the Picasso Museum is closed on all three days. The best advice is to check each attraction before you visit, as late decisions to open or close these facilities may be taken on the spur of the moment. In the week leading up to Christmas you'll find a large Christmas market of handmade items in Placa de la Seu and Placa Nova, and there are many Midnight Masses on Christmas Eve, one of the best being the candlelight service and boys choir at the beautiful Benedictine abbey Santa Maria de Montserrat, about 25 miles outside the city.