Vitoria-Gasteiz Three Kings Parade 2027 (Errege Kabalgata): a practical guide

What is the Three Kings Parade?

In Spain, Christmas presents are brought by the Three Kings on the night of 5 to 6 January. The evening before, Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar ride through the city on floats while their entourage throws sweets to the crowd. It is a free street celebration, mainly for children.

In Basque it is called the Errege Kabalgata (errege means king). In Vitoria-Gasteiz the Kings spend the whole of 5 January in the city: they arrive by train in the morning, meet children during the day and parade in the evening (City Council).

When is the Vitoria Three Kings Parade 2027?

On Tuesday 5 January 2027. The 2027 programme has not been published. In 2026 the council announced it on 2 January. We will update this guide as soon as it is out.

The next day, Wednesday 6 January 2027, is a public holiday across Spain (BOE).

The 2026 programme and route, for reference

This is how it went on Monday 5 January 2026 (City Council):

Parade route: Plaza de Bilbao, then Calle Francia, Paz, Ortiz de Zárate, Florida, Ramón y Cajal, Micaela Portilla and Lascaray, finishing on Avenida de Gasteiz at the junction with Beato Tomás de Zumárraga.

The 2026 parade: seven floats (three fantasy floats, the three royal floats and a final one from which sweets were thrown), four street theatre groups, a batucada drum group and the Municipal Band, with about 300 people in all.

A quieter stretch

In the final stretch, on Avenida de Gasteiz before the junction with Beato Tomás de Zumárraga, the parade turns the volume down so that people with autism spectrum disorders or hearing impairments can enjoy it comfortably. It was done in 2025 and 2026 at the request of local associations (City Council). If you are travelling with children who are sensitive to noise, it is the best place to watch.

Where to see the Kings and the parade

• In the morning, with smaller crowds: the arrival at the station and the ride along Calle Dato, or the greeting from the City Hall balcony in Plaza Nueva at 11:20.
• Up close: the reception at Villa Suso, in the medieval quarter, from 12:15 to 18:00. It runs for hours, so there is no need to go first thing.
• The parade: the start, at Plaza de Bilbao and Calle Francia, sees it earlier; the end, on Avenida de Gasteiz, has the quieter stretch.

Tips for your first parade

• The sweets: thrown from the last float. Bring a bag for the children.
• Clothing: the parade is at night, in January, and Vitoria is cold. Wrap up well.
• Rain: bring a rain jacket; an open umbrella blocks the view for people behind you.
• With children: agree on a meeting point in case you get separated.

Tram and transport

• Tram: on 5 January 2026, Euskotren suspended trams between the Parlamento and Angulema stops twice: from 9:00 to 11:30 (in the morning, when the Kings arrive) and from 18:00 to 21:30 (during the parade). The rest of the day it ran normally (Euskotren).
• Buses (Tuvisa) and traffic: streets on the route close during the parade. The 2027 diversions will be published in the days before.
• The centre is walkable: the train station, Calle Dato, Plaza Nueva and Villa Suso are a few minutes' walk from each other.

What opens and closes on 6 January?

6 January (Epiphany, Kings' Day) is a national public holiday and a family day: presents are opened in the morning and many households eat roscón de Reyes, a ring-shaped sweet with a small figurine and a dried bean hidden inside.

Many shops close and museums have holiday hours. Opening hours for the provincial museums and other details for those days are in our Christmas in Vitoria guide. More plans in the Vitoria listings.