Barretina

Popular hat across Mediterranean Europe

A Barretina is a traditional men’s hat worn in parts of the Christian cultures of the Mediterranean sea such as Catalonia, the Valencian Community, Ibiza, Provence, Corsica, Sicily, Sardinia, Naples, The Balkans and Portugal.

In Catalonia and Ibiza, men wore the Barretina until the 19th century, particularly in rural areas. The Barrentina is bag like, made of wool, usually comes in red and sometimes purple.

Today, the Barretina is no longer commonly worn in everyday life, but is still used in traditional dances, or as a symbol of Catalan identity.

Salvador Dalí re-popularised the barretina in the first half of the 20th century.

Some Catalan folklore characters also wear a Barretina, such as the Catalan Christmas character caganer, the Christmas log or tió, or the fictional character Patufet.

Famous Barretina wearers

• Salvador Dali