Cabalgata Reyes Magos – the parade of the three kings in Barcelona

When one Christmas isn’t enough…

If the festive season isn’t long enough and you want the excitement to continue into the New Year, Barcelona’s your city.

On 5 January the Catalan capital hosts La Cabalgata de Reyes Magos (the Three Kings’ Parade), followed by the official bank holiday of El Día de los Reyes (the day of the kings) on the 6th. Christmas Day takes a back seat in Catalonia and throughout Spain as locals fling themselves into these early-January festivities with gusto.

Cabalgata Reyes Magos – the parade of the three kings in Barcelona

The traditions

While there are clearly many similarities between this celebration and the way that Christmas is celebrated in many countries, the traditions surrounding the day of the kings are centuries old.

The story goes that after the three Kings (aka the Magi, or Three Wise Men) had been to Bethlehem to give their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus, they then made their return journey. And on this return journey, they gave gifts to children – gifts which children in Spain wake up to on the morning of 6 January (Day of the Epiphany).

Similar to the way children write a letter to Santa, Spanish children write to the Three Kings in advance and prepare for their arrival by leaving out straw and water in their shoes for the camels. They wake up early the next morning to find out whether their shoes will be empty and if their letters have been answered. Kids who haven’t behaved themselves over the year may end up with nothing more than a bag of carbón dulce – a sweet that resembles charcoal. Many well-behaved children also receive some – just to remind them to keep up the good work next year!

Cabalgata Reyes Magos – the parade of the three kings in Barcelona

Spanish families spend the day very much like Christmas, exchanging gifts and tucking into a large family meal.

Three Kings’ Parade – a city-wide party

The celebrations actually begin on the evening of 5 January when the Three Kings arrive in Barcelona to a stunning reception of crowds, cannons and fireworks. Thousands of people gather around the city’s port in anticipation of the three kings sailing in on their own ship – the Santa Eulàlia (named after the city’s patron saint). Once on land, they’re greeted by Barcelona’s Mayor, who hands them a set of keys to allow them to go round the houses of the city distributing gifts.

Cabalgata Reyes Magos – the parade of the three kings in Barcelona

But this is just the beginning. A parade soon weaves its way around the streets of central Barcelona, ending up at the Magic Fountain at the foot of Montjuïc. Around 500,000 people turn up to see this spectacular parade of colourful floats, giant animals and professional dancers, actors and circus acts. The streets of the city are also crowded with stalls selling all manner of sweet treats and other culinary delights to revellers as well as children clamouring for the thousands of sweets thrown from floats to the crowds.

Cabalgata Reyes Magos – the parade of the three kings in Barcelona

Experience the ‘Spanish Christmas’

The day of the Kings is a very merry festival, not to mention an amazing spectacle, and it’s no wonder that visiting Barcelona for this celebration is becoming increasingly popular. The whole city gets involved (there are loads of smaller parades spread throughout the suburbs) and an infectious atmosphere of child-like excitement takes over. Whether you’re a big kid, want to experience a different take on winter celebrations, or if one Christmas just isn’t enough for you, come to Barcelona this January and beat the winter blues Spanish style!

Barcelona, Antoni Gaudi's City

This is a Catalan name. The first family name is Gaudí and the second is Cornet.

Born 25 June 1852

Reus, Catalonia, Spain

Died 10 June 1926 (aged 73)

Buildings Sagrada Família, Casa Milà,

Casa Batlló

Projects Park Güell, Church of Colònia Güell

Antoni Gaudí i Cornet was a Catalan architect of Spanish nationality born in Reus or Riudoms, in Catalonia, and figurehead of Catalan Modernism. Gaudí's works reflect his highly individual and distinctive style and are largely concentrated in the Catalan capital of Barcelona, notably his magnum opus, the Sagrada Família.

Much of Gaudí's work was marked by his big passions in life: architecture, nature, religion. Gaudí studied every detail of his creations, integrating into his architecture a series of crafts in which he was skilled: ceramics, stained glass, wrought ironwork forging and carpentry. He introduced new techniques in the treatment of materials, such as trencadís, made of waste ceramic pieces.

After a few years, under the influence of neo-Gothic art and Oriental techniques, Gaudí became part of the Modernista movement which was reaching its peak in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His work transcended mainstream Modernisme, culminating in an organic style inspired by nature. Gaudí rarely drew detailed plans of his works, instead preferring to create them as three-dimensional scale models and molding the details as he was conceiving them.

Gaudí's work enjoys widespread international appeal and many studies are devoted to understanding his architecture. Today, his work finds admirers among architects and the general public alike. His masterpiece, the still-uncompleted Sagrada Família, is one of the most visited monuments in Catalonia. Between 1984 and 2005, seven of his works were declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. 

Gaudí's Roman Catholic faith intensified during his life and religious images permeate his work. This earned him the nickname "God's Architect" and led to calls for his beatification.

Celebrating New Year’s Eve in Barcelona 2016

Barcelona, the ultimate party city, certainly leaves no stone unturned when it comes to New Year’s Eve. There are loads of options available if you want to enjoy the last day of the year in style. Whether you celebrate in the streets, at a party, in a beach club, or at a gala dinner, Barcelona is a fantastic place to start your new year with a bang!

New Year’s Eve Parties

Night-owls by nature, it’s no wonder that the Spanish tend to head out after midnight on New Year’s Eve. There are so many famous clubs in the city, all offering something unique, so have a look around and maybe think about getting your tickets in advance to avoid disappointment. Even better – the metro is open 24 hours on New Year’s Eve so there’ll be no problem getting home safely. Here are a few of our recommendations.

Razzmatazz – Barcelona’s one and only super club, this 5-room extravaganza goes all out for New Year’s. As well as entry to the club, you get two drinks, a t-shirt, grapes, a glass of champagne and a party bag – all for €45.

Otto Zutz – the place for hip-hop in Barcelona, Otto Zutz can compete with the best of them and this New Year’s Eve is no exception. Exact details of the event aren’t out yet but there’s no doubt that it’ll be filled to rafters when the big night comes.

Celebrating New Year’s Eve in Barcelona 2016

Sala Bikini - this popular and exclusive venue pulls out all the stops on New Year’s Eve. Party-goers dance the night away to a selection of the best Latino music as well as enjoy the live shows and surprises that the club puts on.

Other places to try once you’ve downed your New Year’s grapes are the ever-cool Jamboree, upscale Sutton Club or even the home of the ravers, Moog. A popular hotspot is also Poble Espanyol’s New Year’s Party – a huge university bash housed in three indoor tents in the mock-medieval Spanish village. It plays a large repertoire of music, ranging from the 70s to what’s in the charts right now – all for 35€.

New Year’s Eve Gala dinners

Shôko – one of the coolest restaurant cum clubs in Barcelona, it’s no surprise that the all-inclusive ticket will set you back €190. It includes a lavish dinner complete with flamenco and guitar performances. Luckily there are cheaper tickets for €50 which includes the entry charge and two drinks. They celebrate the New Year four times throughout the night as the theme changes from New York, London, Rio de Janeiro and Seville!

Celebrating New Year’s Eve in Barcelona 2016

Rita Blue – located in the up-and-coming Raval, Rita Blue teems with Barcelona’s trendy 20-somethings on New Year’s Eve. As well as serving a selection of Mexican fusion food, it also opts for the traditional Spanish campanadas and cava – grapes and sparkling wine at midnight. There’s also a lively DJ set and with the reasonable prices and a great atmosphere it’s a night to remember in a more relaxed setting.

New Years out in the Streets

The streets in the centre of Barcelona fill up with revellers on New Year’s Eve, as tourists and locals mill around on the hunt for the celebrations. The most popular spots are Las Ramblas, Plaça Catalunya and Plaça Reial and they get pretty busy as midnight draws near. There’s no official firework display in Barcelona on New Year’s Eve but the Torre Agbar does have a light show at midnight and sometimes the hotels on the beachfront put on fireworks of their own.

A typical tradition on New Year’s Eve in Barcelona is to eat 12 grapes at midnight, one on each chime of the clock. In Barcelona, thousands of people head to Plaça Catalunya to do this in unison and soak up the atmosphere. Make sure you eat all 12 in time and make a wish – it’s considered bad luck not to! And yes there are seeds!

Celebrating New Year’s Eve in Barcelona 2016

Barcelona beach clubs

The ‘street’ offers many possibilities, but don’t forget that Barcelona is also famous for the beach. So if none of the above takes your fancy, make sure you head along to one of Barcelona’s beach clubs and see what’s going on. The busiest area is Vila Olímpica, with a great atmosphere as the party gets into full swing at about 2am. The waterfront is buzzing and people spill out of the cool bars and beach clubs like Opium Mar, Catwalk, Sotavento and Carpe Diem.

Down by the beach is also Barcelona’s newest five-star hotel, the W Hotel. It boasts the 26th-floor Eclipse Bar complete with beautiful people and spectacular views over the Mediterranean coastline. Cocktails aren’t cheap but for an unrivaled view of Barcelona by night it’s definitely worth splashing the cash this New Year’s Eve.

Barcelona’s calling…

New Year’s Eve in Barcelona 2016 has something for everyone – for those who want to spend time with the family, for couples who want a romantic evening, for people who love street parties as well as for those wishing to dance the night away in a club. We hope we’ve provided you with some useful information so you can get planning your Barcelona New Year’s Eve 2016 experience.