La Castanyada is a cherished Catalan festival that transforms the onset of colder days into a warm, shared ritual. The streets are at the heart of the celebration, filled with the scent of roasted chestnuts and sweet potatoes, wrapping the city in a gentle, nostalgic glow. With family or friends, the tradition revolves around food, with chestnuts, sweet potatoes and panellets taking centre stage. A simple ritual that encourages you to embrace the unhurried pace of autumn and reconnect with the everyday rhythm of life.
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The typical drink accompanying this autumn trio – chestnuts, sweet potatoes and panellets – is muscatel, a sweet, aromatic wine that adds a festive, old-world touch to each bite.
La Castanyada traces its roots to the funeral vigils of All Saints’ Day, when simple, hearty foods like chestnuts were prepared to sustain bell ringers and families through long nights of mourning.
Chestnut sellers, wearing aprons, headscarves and with hands blackened by the fire, are the iconic faces of this tradition.