Barcelona prepares for 2010 carnival

Travellers visiting Barcelona next month will be offered a taste of local culture at the city's annual carnival.

The destination in north-east Spain hosts a vibrant and colourful celebration every year to mark the final weekend before Lent.

Participants have as much fun as they can and treat themselves to all sorts of indulgences and luxuries before the traditional fasting period gets underway.

This year, the Barcelona Carnival weekend will begin on February 11th, also known as 'Jueves lardero', or 'fat Thursday'.

To get the celebrations underway, locals and visitors will sample food being served from various stalls in the city centre and attend events including a tortilla competition.

On the Saturday afternoon, the festivities reach their climax with the 'Gran Rua de Carnaval', a giant parade featuring floats, carriages, marching groups and more.

Over 1,500 people are thought to take part in the procession, which is watched by around 35,000 spectators every year.

Posted by Carrie, 13 January 2010 17:13

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