Christmas is a very special time in the city of Madrid. During the whole year the capital is one of the European tourist destinations with greater tourist attraction, but at Christmas is when the city experiences one of its most lively and cheerful periods.

If you are visiting the city during the next few days, you have to experience one of the most loved Christmas traditions by Spanish people, and especially by the little kids: the arrival of the Three Kings. We suggest you 4 plans to enjoy this tradition in the capital city of Madrid. Also, remember that you can rest and relax after visiting the city in one of our apartments in the heart of Madrid.

Cortylandia

Cortylandia Madrid

One more year, one of the Madrid classics at this time of the year comes back, which also turns 40 this year. For those who still don’t know Cortylandia, it is a fun tradition to enjoy with the little ones.

Every Christmas holiday, hundreds of people come to El Corte Inglés shopping centre’s facade on Preciados Street, where this year they present the show “¡Despierta Navidad!”. You can enjoy a light, colours and music display. On this occasion, a magical jukebox will be the main character of the spectacle.

Don’t miss it, because the last shows of this Christmas Holidays will take place on the 5th of January (at 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 17:00, 18:00, 19:00 and 20:00).

3 Kings Train

Tradition says that the 3 Kings or Wise Men arrived here riding on their camels from the far East, but if you are in Madrid these days, you should know that here, the 3 Kings come on board the 3 Kings Train, a historic train full of illusions to enjoy with the family. On the 5th of January, you can enjoy the last trips from Príncipe Pío Station. On board, you will meet their Majesties, to whom the youngest can deliver their letters with their wishes for the 3 Kings. In addition, the train is complemented by entertainment, games and workshops, during the whole one-hour journey.

3 Kings Parade

If there is an event you can’t miss this week in Madrid, that is the great 3 Kings Parade. A great number of parades are organized throughout the Spanish territory, but none are as large as the one in the capital city, which is even televised. No matter how old you are, everyone enjoys as if they were children in this show full of colour, lights, dance, music and Christmas joy!

This year the parade will take place on the 5th of January at 6:30 p.m. The itinerary of the parade will begin in Plaza de San Juan de la Cruz and will continue its way towards the Plaza del Doctor Marañón. The show will continue along Paseo de la Castellana, Glorieta Emilio Castelar and then towards Plaza de Colón, to finally go down Paseo Recoletos to Plaza de Cibeles, where it will end at around 9:00 p.m.

If you have the opportunity to see the end of the parade (remember that you will have to go sometime before to take a seat), Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar will pronounce their traditional message of peace for all and then you will be able to enjoy a fireworks spectacle in front of the Palacio de Cibeles.

On this special occasion, The Three Wise Men wanted to tell a fantastic story about the arts. It will be a great show full of magic, that consists of a parade of floats and impressive performing companies from all over the world, dancers and enormous puppets, a choir from Madrid and many more.

As an innovation, this year we can see some floats built with the wishes of all the people who live in Madrid and also from tourists, who could bring them during the days before the parade.

Remember that after the 3 Kings Parade, you have to return home early for the little ones to leave something to drink and some sweets for their Majesties before going to bed because the next day you will have to get up early to see if the 3 Kings have left you any gifts.

Don’t miss out your Roscón de Reyes

Roscón de Reyes

On the 6th of January, all Spanish children wake up early to discover what presents the 3 Kings have left them, just if they have behaved well during the year. After opening the gifts, families usually gather together to celebrate a meal and say bye, finally, to Christmas Holidays.

The menu changes in each house, but what is never missing on that day is the traditional dessert: Roscón de Reyes. It is sweet with a doughnut shape and is decorated usually with glazed fruits and almonds. In addition, you can find several surprises inside the dessert, apart from delicious cream. If you read the card that usually comes along with this sweet, you will see that it hides a figurine and a bean inside too. After dividing the Roscon, the lucky person who finds the figure will be crowned king or queen, while whoever finds the bean will have to pay for the dessert.

If you are lucky enough to visit Madrid during these days, you have to try this special dessert. Some of the most famous Roscones of Madrid are those from Horno de San Onofre, Antigua Pastelería del Pozo or from Pastelería Mallorca. Apart from the original one, they have other Roscones with different fillings and ingredients, but try to buy it before the 6th of January, or you’ll have to wait in a long queue for it!