The "Three Kings' Day" in Barcelona
- Panna
- Feb 10
- 3 min read
If you spend the holidays in Barcelona, you'll quickly notice that neither Santa Claus nor Little Jesus are really stars here. Catalan Christmas is a separate universe all its own, full of strange, funny and centuries-old traditions - things you don't often see anywhere else in the world. For example, Caga Tio and El Caganer, who we've already met in my previous posts. But who brings the presents at Christmas?
Many travelers are surprised when there is no crazy gift-opening in Barcelona on December 24-25, and in fact, in many families, children hardly receive anything at this time (Caga Tio only "gives" small things, mainly sweets).
The real gift is not brought by Santa Claus or Baby Jesus, but by the Three Kings (Els Reis Mags), and you have to wait until January 6th for that.
According to Catalan and Spanish tradition: Melcior, the oldest king, Gaspar, the middle one, and Baltasar, the youngest, traditionally African king. They were the ones who, according to the biblical story, came to Baby Jesus with gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. In the eyes of Catalan children, however, they are the "real Santa Claus", who know exactly who has been good and who has behaved badly throughout the year.
In Barcelona, children do not write letters to Santa Claus, but to the Three Kings.
At the end of December, royal mailboxes appear in the city, and there is a special activity in schools and kindergartens where children draw pictures and write long wish lists. An important difference is that they don't just ask for gifts, but often promise what they plan to be "better" at in the coming year.
On the evening of January 5th, one of the most spectacular events in Barcelona, the Cabalgata de Reyes, arrives. This is not a small Christmas parade, but a huge street show, with lights, dancers, and bands on a route several kilometers long! According to tradition, the Three Kings arrive in Barcelona by sea, so they first arrive by boat at the port, and from there the big parade through the city starts. From the cars, candy, sweets, and small toys are thrown into the crowd, and children hunt for them with bags and hats.
Tip for travelers: Every street along the parade is packed, so if you want to take photos, it's worth getting your spot at least 1 hour early. Or I have a better idea: come to the parade in Horta, Nou Barris, or perhaps Carmel neighborhoods: there are fewer crowds and you can see the whole show clearly! That's what I did this year.
After the parade, the families go home and the "preparation" begins: children put their shoes in front of the door or in the window, and leave water and straw for the kings' animals, and often even prepare sweets or drinks. In the morning, on January 6, the shoes are filled with gifts, and the "bad children" are theoretically given coal (in practice, coal made from sugar). This day is a family holiday, many shops are closed, the streets come to life late, everyone is at home.
The Three Kings' Day celebration is unimaginable without the Roscón de Reyes. It is a large, ring-shaped cake filled with cream or custard and decorated with candied fruit (symbolizing the royal jewels). It is usually eaten on the morning of the 6th.
Inside is a small figure (king) and a dry bean. The rule is simple: whoever finds the figure gets a crown, and whoever finds the bean pays for the next year's cookies.
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