Cordoba Three Kings Parade 2027: a practical guide

What is the Three Kings Parade?

In Spain, Christmas presents are brought by the Three Wise Men (los Reyes Magos) on the night of 5 to 6 January. The evening before, Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar ride through town on floats while their helpers throw sweets to the crowd: it is the big night for children, and the streets fill with families.

In Cordoba the parade is run by the City Council's Festivities and Traditions department (council events listing). According to the council website, the handing out of sweets, balloons and toys lasts more than four hours (City Council).

When is the Cordoba Three Kings Parade 2027?

On Tuesday 5 January 2027, in the afternoon. The council has already set that date in its 2027 festivities calendar (City Council). The 2027 time and route have not been published. We will update this guide as soon as they are.

Already confirmed for 2027:

• King Caspar by public draw: a local resident plays Caspar, chosen by lot. People aged 18 to 65 who were born or are registered in Cordoba could apply online from 5 to 30 October 2026. The draw will take place on Thursday 10 December 2026 at 21:00 in the City Hall council chamber, supervised by ONCE (City Council, rules; application page).
• Sweets: in July 2026 the council approved buying more than 23 tonnes of sweets and more than 140,000 bags of corn puffs for the Royal Postwoman parade, the main parade and the outlying neighbourhood parades (Cordópolis).

2026 for reference (Monday 5 January):

• 17:00: start at Plaza de Santa Teresa (council programme). The floats line up under the El Arcángel football stadium and only start throwing sweets once they reach Santa Teresa (El Debate).
• Around 21:00: arrival where Ollerías meets Ronda del Marrubial, where the Kings step down. From there they ride in horse-drawn carriages to Plaza del Cristo de Gracia for the adoration of the Infant Jesus (Cordópolis).
• The procession: 14 new floats, five street-performance groups and three bands, with 17,500 kilos of sweets and 143,000 bags of corn puffs. Instead of fixed refill points, a van ran alongside every two floats (El Debate).

Cordoba parade route, street by street

The 2027 route is pending. The council did not publish the full 2026 route on its website; the last complete route we have found is the 2025 one, approved by the council's governing board (Cordópolis):

1. Plaza de Santa Teresa (start, 17:00)
2. Avenida de Cádiz
3. Puente de San Rafael (over the Guadalquivir)
4. Avenida del Corregidor
5. Avenida del Conde de Vallellano
6. Paseo de la Victoria
7. Ronda de los Tejares
8. Plaza de Colón
9. Avenida de los Molinos
10. Avenida de las Ollerías, as far as the junction with Ronda del Marrubial (finish, around 21:30 in 2025)

In 2026 the parade used the same main avenues: Aucorsa's bus diversions covered Avenida de Cádiz, Conde de Vallellano, Paseo de la Victoria, Ronda de los Tejares, Ollerías and Ronda del Marrubial (Aucorsa), and the press report places it on the San Rafael bridge, Vallellano, Paseo de la Victoria and Ronda de los Tejares through to Ollerías (Cordópolis).

2026 passing times (press report, not an official timetable): start at 17:00 in Santa Teresa, first floats on Vallellano shortly before 18:30, and the first float on Ronda de los Tejares at 19:10 (Cordópolis). From first to last section, about four hours.

Where to watch the parade

Based on 2026:

• To see it early: Plaza de Santa Teresa and Avenida de Cádiz, south of the river. The parade starts there at 17:00 and that is where the first sweets are thrown.
• No sweets here: the San Rafael bridge. In 2026 the floats threw nothing while crossing the river, for safety (Cordópolis).
• Ronda de los Tejares: according to the 2026 report, the busiest moment of the parade. Expect bigger crowds and a later arrival (the first float got there at about 19:10).
• The finish: Ollerías and Ronda del Marrubial, after dark. Then the Kings' adoration in Plaza del Cristo de Gracia.

We have not found any reserved areas for people with reduced mobility or quiet (no-music) sections in the main parade in 2026.

If you want to stay near the route and avoid driving, you can look for accommodation in Cordoba.

Neighbourhood parades and the Royal Postwoman

Besides the official parade, several outlying villages and city neighbourhoods hold their own. The 2027 ones are not published yet. In 2026 the council programme listed these (council programme):

In the city there were also night-time neighbourhood parades after the official one: La Viñuela, on 5 January from 21:00 along Jesús Rescatado, Libia, Avenida de Barcelona, Ronda del Marrubial and Padres de Gracia (Aucorsa), and Ciudad Jardín, from about 21:00 along Lope de Sosa, Gran Vía Parque, Avenida de Manolete and Plaza de Matías Prats, among others (Aucorsa).

Royal Postwoman (Cartera Real): on Saturday 3 January 2026 at 17:00 she paraded through Tendillas, Capitulares, San Pablo, Realejo and Padres de Gracia (council programme).

Road closures and buses

Cordoba has no metro: city public transport is the Aucorsa bus network. The 2027 traffic plan has not been published.

2026 for reference: Aucorsa added extra buses and diverted, from about 15:00 to 22:00, the lines running along Miraflores, Avenida de Cádiz, Conde de Vallellano, Paseo de la Victoria, Ronda de los Tejares, Ollerías, Agrupación Córdoba, Ronda del Marrubial, Padres de Gracia and Avenida de Barcelona. The notice did not give the new routes (Aucorsa). Because of the neighbourhood parades, line 7 in Ciudad Jardín and the lines through La Viñuela could also be diverted from 21:00.

Check the day's notices on Aucorsa. With the centre closed off, walking is the easiest way to get there.

Tips: rain, children and sweets

• Rain: in 2025 the council brought the parade forward to Saturday 4 January, at the same time (17:00), because rain was forecast for the 5th (council events listing). In 2026 it had a similar plan B, but the parade went ahead on the 5th (Cordópolis). If the weather looks unsettled, check the council's website and social media on the 3rd and 4th.
• Arrive early: Ronda de los Tejares drew the biggest crowds in 2026. South of the river the parade passes earlier.
• Sweets: bring a bag. We have not found official rules on gluten-free sweets, chairs or stepladders for the Cordoba parade.
• Children: agree on a meeting point in case you get separated; we have not found any official ID wristband scheme.
• The finale: after the parade the Kings go to Plaza del Cristo de Gracia; if you want to see the adoration, head there before the end of the procession arrives.

6 January: what is open in Cordoba

Wednesday 6 January 2027, Epiphany, is a public holiday in Andalusia (BOJA, Decree 84/2026). It is the day for opening presents and eating roscón de Reyes, a ring-shaped sweet bread, with the family.

• Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos: in winter it opens on Sundays and public holidays from 8:15 to 14:15; closed on Mondays, 1 January and 25 December (Alcázar).
• Mosque-Cathedral: hours change on public holidays and religious celebrations. Check 6 January with the official opening-hours tool.
• Medina Azahara (Madinat al-Zahra): closed on 6 January 2026; the 2027 calendar is not out yet (Junta de Andalucía).
• Archaeological Museum and Fine Arts Museum: closed on 1 and 6 January (Archaeological Museum; Fine Arts Museum).
• Buses: Aucorsa lines run their Sunday and public holiday timetable, with lower frequency (Aucorsa, line 3).
• Shops: 6 January 2027 is not one of the public holidays on which shops are allowed to open in Andalusia; Sunday 3 and Sunday 10 January are (BOJA 16 June 2026). Bars and restaurants are not bound by that calendar; check each place's hours.

More in Cordoba

• Christmas in Cordoba: Cruz Conde lights, nativity scenes, Patios at Christmas and New Year's Eve in Las Tendillas.
• Cordoba events: what's on these days.