Cercavila castellera

Start: Palau de la Virreina. Route: La Rambla, C/ La Boqueria, C/ Avinyó, C/ Ferran and plaça Sant Jaume

Cercavila castellera

On 22 September, plaça Sant Jaume will be all decked out as befitting the setting for the Diada Històrica Castellera, an eagerly anticipated event where the Castellers de Barcelona, Minyons de Terrassa and Colla Jove Xiquets de Valls castellers (human tower groups) will all be aiming to impress. But before the towers being their climb up into the skies, a low key ritual takes place: the groups meet to establish the order in which they’ll be performing, and the spaces they’ll be using in the square by means of a carefully organised draw.

Once these things have been decided, the Cercavila (procession) to plaça Sant Jaume begins. This is a festive occasion where the grallers fill the air with traditional Catalan music, while the castellers advance with eager anticipation and determination. It’s an intense time of preparation, a time for finalising the details and getting those nerves firmly under control, as well as for camaraderie between the groups, who despite competing against each other share a common passion. When the time comes, the square is transformed into a sea of smiles, applause and collective energy.