1. Important day
6 of january – Day of the Three Kings -called Día de los Reyes Magos (kings- magicians) in Spain is really important celebration. This day is free of work and dedicated to family. I didn’t expect such amazing experience which I get in the evening of 5.01.2017.
2. Regalos – gifts of the Three Kings
If you think that Santa Claus is the most important character for Spanish kids – you are wrong. Children here are receiving dream gifts in the Day of the Three Kings from Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar.
3. Roscón – special cake everywhere
There is tradition of eating special cake in The Day of the Three Kings. It has oval shape, sometimes includes creme inside; it is decorated by dry fruits and gold crown made my paper.
Inside of the cake are hidden two gifts- small toy and the bean. Both of them are giving happiness. Small figure founded in your peace of rascól making with you a king and it is symbol of good things which are waiting in New Year. If somebody other will touch that toy – also will get happiness. Dry bean is also good symbol – mean have honour to pay for roscón in the next year.
From Christmas period shops are full of roscóns: supermarkets, small chinese shops, bakeries, confectioneries. Restaurants are offering Three King’s cake with coffee or chocolate and coworkers are eating it in place of work. In the evening 5 january in front of the restaurants there are hostesses offering rascón and in the night at discos are giving free pieces of the cake for the clients.
4. Gran Cabalgata – Three Kings parade
In Madrid parades of Three Kings have started 04 of january. Many districts had their own Cabalgatas. The bigger one was 5 january evening. It started in plaza de San Juan de la Cruz – close to Nuevos Ministerios – modern part of Madrid. If you are going visit that district I recommend to follow path of Paseo de Castellana till Plaza de Castilla where you can see great twin buildings of Bankia and then – more away – Cuatro Torres – four skyscrapers.
Half hour before parade Plaza de San Juan was alredy full of the people. There were a lot of families with kids, group of friends, tourists, locals, etc. noisy and cheerful waiting start of the event. Some of them brought ladders for have better view and some wear paper crowns. Another interesting points by which parade was walking were: Glorieta de Emilio Castelar (with famous monument), Plaza de Colón (square with statue of Coulomb and Spanish flag), Paseo de Recoletos (street near Salamanca district), Plaza de Cibeles (with amazing palace).
5. Huge theatrical show
Big Parade of the Three Kings in Madrid was amazing spectacle. There were a lot big machines, in which you could see various colorful characters played by actors. It was artistic show with music, special effects, developed theater scenes. Some vehicles was created by promoted themselves companies. Also many associations participated in it.
You could see: firemen, gymnast above ground level with balloons, hospital, huge book,characters from the fairy tales, fireflies, theatrical characters on stilts, ballet – connection of swans and Ikar, a giant bird, marine figures with lightening fishes, ship Galileo with scientists, octopus ship dropping serpentines in the air, vehicle – vegetables, farm; ecologists; giant planets circling in the sky; giant (3 or 4 meters) astronaut; bear with the tree – symbol of Madrid city and in the end three huge colorful, lightning, dropping serpentinas vehicles of reyes magos, car with the gifts and guards on horses. Big attraction was also helicopter.
A lot of spectacles had educational value: encourages children to read, inspiring by ecology, astronomy, science..
6. Day dedicated for kids
Calbagata specially was emphasized the role of children. Characters was dropping candles and viewers tried to catch them. Some of people came even with umbrella to can get more sweets. Some of kids received also toys gaved by parade actors.
7. Disney Palace -grand final
The most spectacular part was end point of parade – in Plaza Cibeles in front of Place Cibeles. There ballons were dissolved in the air and theatral groups finished their journey. Three Kings gave speech and promise to leave at home gift for every Madrid’s kids.
The best part was show of fireworks under the Palace of Cibeles. That palace was inspiration for Disney. Black night sky, blue lights and gold artificial fires- this spectacular show you can enjoy in Madrid in the Day of Three Kings.
8. Lines in front of the metro station
After all celebration crowds of the people were returning to home. It was first time in my life when I saw something like that – in front of metro station close to Palace of Cibeles (Banco de Espana) there were security men who didn’t let to enter. In front of the entrance in the street hundreds of people waited for they group turn to have possibility to go inside.
Magical evening
You don’t know where to travel in the Day of the Three Kings – travel to Madrid – you will find no forgettable experience! It is magical and fairy tale spectacle, no comparable to any other country.
About another Spanish clebrations you can read:
Great post, so pleased you enjoyed the event, it really is magical !
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Event was amazing ! It was the best Three King´s Day I´ve ever saw ! 🙂 I invite to follow my blog for know more about travels and cultures 😀
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I loved Madrid and can’t wait to go back some day.
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For sure ! It is amazing city – and really big 🙂 One time there is no enought to see everything 😀 I invite to follow my blog – I am going publish more about Spain 😀
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Mmm…just lookin at that cake makes my mouth water😋 Truly a regal celebration!
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Yes – cake is really nice and tasty 😀 And gift inside – it is nice traditions 😀
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It was very nice learning about your traditions👍
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For me it was also new experience 🙂 I am from Poland and Spanish Three King’s Day was something special 😀
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I love new experiences an’ visiting new places to experience their cultures😃
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Me too – I love to discover another cultures 🙂
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I knew that Three Kings were important in Spain – I have some Spanish ancestry on one side – and remember the cake with the surprises and the crown as a child. But I never realised it was such a big feast there. Thanks for an interesting description of the celebrations!
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I am glad that post born in you nice memories from the previous years. I had similar expresion- I knew that it is important celebration in Spain, but I didn’t expect such huge, amazing spectacle ! I was possitive suprised. It was impressionante 😀
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Great post. You have really captured the magic of 3 Kings. Thanks for sharing.
Flo 🙂
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Thank you Flo ! I am happy that you enjoy it. If you like travels and cultures I invite to follow my blog 🙂 Beata
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There are so many traditions all over the world! I didn’t know this one from Spain!
Thank you for this wonderful post!
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Emmi, I am welcome – I am glad that you like my post ! Yes – there is a lot of wonderfull traditions around the world. Our life is to short to discover every of them 😀
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It sounds like Madrid had a wonderful procession. Thank you for sharing. Feliz Ano Nuevo
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Yes- it is extremaly amazing ! 🙂 Feliz Año Nuevo ! 🙂 If you like travels I invite to follow my blog 😀
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Lovely, just lovely. Had I run across this post at the appropriate time; I’d have reblogged it. I’m so impressed. ~~dru~~
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Thank you Dru for nice commend and reblogged !:) I am really happy that you read that post and you like it:D
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Reblogged this on saywhatumean2say and commented:
A little late but well worth the wait. ~~dru~~
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Thank you again ! I am checking your link Dru !:D
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Thank you for visiting & commenting on my blog Beata 🙂
I live in a village in Spain and The Three Kings is so exciting for the children. Plenty of new bikes, roller blades up and down the street after school. 🙂 ❤
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I am welcome !
So this is huge celebration in all Spain – no just big cities but also in the villeges 😀 For sure all kids enjoy it 🙂 Great !
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I am so pleased that you had a lovely time in Spain Beata 🙂
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Thank you ! Yes my time here is amazing 😀
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Very nice post – I did not know “Three Kings” was so magical in Spain. Thanks for letting me know about it.
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I am welcome Will 🙂 I did not know neither, because of that I decided to write about The Three King´s Day in Spain and share with more pople 🙂
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The “roscon” cake you mention in Spain is somewhat like the “king cake” we have in New Orleans in the United States. This link talks about it some. I had not thought about the Mardi Gras season beginning with the Feast of the Three Kings but I suppose it does.
http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/kingcakes.html
Thanks for such an interesting blog.
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I just read link you send me. It is really interesting ! Thank you for share that tradition with me. It looks to be pretty similar to Spanish one 🙂
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Wonderful post. So do you have a tradition that whoever finds the baby has to host dinner on Fat Tuesday?
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Nice tradition. In Poland we do not have. I do not know how is in Spain. 😀
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I think it might be a local custom. Here in Arizona is the 1st place I had heard of it. It is a fun little twist.
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Great to know it ! Another cultures are so interesting and depend of the regions also 😀
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Agreed. Have a great day!
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Thank you ! Have a great day also ! 😀
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Great post!
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Thank you ! 🙂 I am glad that you like it 😀
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sounds so good…i must to do this one day:)thank you for sharing and thank you for visiting my page…should you come to goa,please get in touch:)
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It is really nice celebration here. I am welcome – I like your blog – your photos are amazing. 😀 Yes, I should go to Goa definitelly! If you like travels – I invite to follow my blog.
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I follow the Three Kings tradition, however I never heard the cake tradition. Very sweet.
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All country has their own tradition 🙂 The tradition of rascón in Spain is really nice 😀 The most fun is to find gift inside of your piece.
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Thanks for the post. I enjoyed reading about the customs associated with Three Kings.
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I am welcome and glad this post interested you. 🙂
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What a fascinating post! I didn’t know any of this. I am going to look for a recipe for this cake.
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Thank you Robbie ! I am glad that you´ve enjoyed. For me as huge, spectacular celebration also was something new. For sure you have to look for recipe for a cake – I saw that in some blogs you can find it. 🙂 Bon Appetit!
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I know the feast of the Three Kings is indeed a big celebration in Spain. Looking magical!
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Ivan , thank you for your comment. You are right – it is really big celebration in Spain 🙂
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Your post was great, by the way. Captured the spirit of the celebration well.
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Thank you Ivan ! That celebration has a lot of spirit 🙂
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I love this! What a grand way to celebrate Three Kings. Madrid is a great city!
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Thank you Christine for leave your comment. I love it also ! 🙂 It is even more impressionante in real than in photos.
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Yes. a beautiful city!
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Yes it is beautifull 🙂
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It’s a fabulous event, isn’t it? I really enjoyed it in Portugal too.
Many thanks for the follow 🙂 🙂
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Yes, it’s a fabulous event – huge, amazing spectacle. Do they celebrate in Portugal The Day of Three Kings similar as in Spain ? I guess you had great time in Portugal 😀
If you like travels I invite to follow my blog also 😀
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