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As many countries around the world begin to wind down and wrap up their Christmas holidays, celebrations in Spain are still in full swing. The first week of January is a magical time to visit Barcelona, as people across Catalonia continue buying gifts, preparing festive feasts and enjoying the Christmas lights while getting ready for the arrival of the Three Kings.

Also known as the Three Wise Men, these biblical figures bring the Christmas season to life in Barcelona, as families come together to exchange gifts, enjoy sweet treats and celebrate in the streets while eagerly awaiting January 5th and 6th, when the Kings arrive and deliver presents to children.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Three Kings in Barcelona:

How it begins

Celebrated on January 6th, Three Kings’ Day, also known as Epiphany, has its roots in the Gospel of Matthew. According to the story, the Three Kings travelled from the East to Bethlehem to visit the baby Jesus and bring gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Today, the day is filled with festivities, as children receive their presents from the Kings: Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar.

The Three Kings celebrations begin on the afternoon of January 5th, when the Kings arrive in cities across Spain. In Barcelona, the Kings will arrive at Portal de la Pau at 4:30 pm, where they are traditionally welcomed with bread, salt and the keys to the city, allowing them to enter every home.

Three Kings’ Parade

While the smaller towns surrounding Barcelona offer their own magical celebrations to welcome the Three Kings, there’s no better place to experience the festivities than at the Three Kings’ Parade in Barcelona. Thousands of children and adults line the streets of the city on January 5th to watch this much-anticipated procession, which begins on Av. del Marquès de l’Argentera, where the Three Kings arrive at around 6:00 pm. The parade then makes its way through approximately 5 km of the city, before finishing near the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc at around 9:10 pm.

This traditional Barcelona parade has it all: live music, sparkling costumes and large, uniquely decorated floats. The three main floats carry each of the Kings, while their helpers throw sweets to the crowd as they pass by. The parade also gives children the chance to hand their wish lists to the Kings, hoping they’ll receive exactly what they asked for the following day.

Three Kings’ Traditions

After the excitement of the parade, families return home, where children leave food for the Kings, water for their camels, and a pair of shoes outside the door or window so that when the Kings pass by, they can fill them with gifts. When they wake up the next morning, eager to see what the Three Kings have brought them, some may find a piece of sugary coal—especially those children who haven’t behaved so well during the year!

Three Kings’ Day

As mentioned earlier, Three Kings’ Day is the day when families come together to enjoy a feast fit for a king! On this day, the traditional dessert is the Roscón de Reyes. This round cake is filled with cream and topped with candied fruit, along with two hidden surprises. Inside the Roscón de Reyes you’ll find a dried fava bean and a small king figurine. Tradition says that whoever finds the king in their slice is crowned King (or Queen) for the day, while the person who finds the bean has to pay for the cake the following year!

If you’re in Barcelona on Three Kings’ Day, you’ll find Roscón de Reyes in many of the city’s bakeries. There are also plenty of restaurants in Barcelona offering special Three Kings’ Day menus, where you can enjoy your very own festive feast.

Apartments for celebrating Three Kings’ Day in Barcelona

If you’re thinking of visiting Barcelona during the Three Kings season, we recommend staying in one of the many apartments in Eixample. You’ll be right in the heart of the action, meaning you won’t miss a single moment of the joy that fills the city during this magical time. Book your apartment now!