Zaragoza Three Kings Parade 2027: a practical guide

What is the Three Kings Parade?

In Spain, Christmas presents are brought by the Three Kings (the Three Wise Men) on the night of 5 to 6 January, and that afternoon Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar parade through the city on floats, throwing sweets to the children. It is a free family celebration and the last big event of the Christmas season.

In Zaragoza it is organised by the City Council and ends in Plaza del Pilar, where the Kings visit the nativity scene. In 2026 more than 200,000 people watched it (City Council).

When is the Zaragoza Three Kings Parade in 2027?

It will be on the afternoon of Tuesday 5 January 2027. The time and route have not been published yet: in 2026 the council presented the parade on 22 December (City Council). We will update this guide then.

How it went in 2026:

• 16:00: the Kings arrive at Parque Grande José Antonio Labordeta and greet the crowd on the steps of the El Batallador fountain. From there they go by car to the Joaquín Costa school (City Council).
• 17:30: sponsors' caravan.
• 18:00: the parade sets off from the CEIP Joaquín Costa school on Paseo de María Agustín (City Council).
• Finale: in Plaza del Pilar, with a visit to the Belén de Judea nativity scene, the presenting of gifts and a greeting from the City Hall balcony (City Council).

The council did not publish the time of arrival at the Pilar. As a guide, bus diversions lasted until about 20:30 (Avanza Zaragoza).

The parade route, street by street

The 2027 route is still to be confirmed. The 2026 route, according to the council (City Council) and the city bus company, which adds Hernán Cortés (Avanza Zaragoza):

1. General Mayandía (start, by the Joaquín Costa school).
2. Avenida de Anselmo Clavé.
3. Paseo de Teruel.
4. Hernán Cortés.
5. Puerta del Carmen.
6. Avenida de César Augusto.
7. Coso.
8. Calle de Alfonso I.
9. Plaza del Pilar (finish).

The floats then left via Paseo de Echegaray y Caballero.

Note: this is not the usual route. In 2026 it changed because of the works in Plaza de San Miguel. The usual route, used in 2025, ran from Paseo de María Agustín via Puerta del Carmen, Paseo de Pamplona, Paseo de la Constitución, Paseo de la Mina, Plaza de San Miguel, Espartero, the Coso, Plaza de España and Alfonso I to the Pilar (Avanza Zaragoza). Plaza de San Miguel reopened to pedestrians in October 2026 (City Council), but the Coso between Santa Catalina and Espartero remains closed for works until 26 February 2027 (City Council). So the 2027 route may differ again: check once it is published.

No times are published for each stretch. The parade starts at 18:00: the closer you are to General Mayandía, the sooner it passes, and Plaza del Pilar sees it last.

Where to watch and accessible areas

• Reduced-mobility areas (2026): at Hernán Cortés 10, Coso 7, Anselmo Clavé 37, and at the turn into Plaza del Pilar, by Calle Milagro de Calanda. They move if the route changes (City Council).
• Autism-friendly area: in 2026, as a pilot, there was an area for autistic children on Anselmo Clavé, next to CaixaForum, with a silent stretch without music. Its 60 places were drawn by lot among Autismo Zaragoza member organisations, so it was not open to the public. The council will consider repeating it (City Council).
• No chairs or stands: the council's 2026 notes do not mention chairs for hire.

The avenues near the start (Anselmo Clavé, Paseo de Teruel, César Augusto) are wider than the final stretch of Alfonso I, which is narrow and fills up. Plaza del Pilar has the finale, but also the biggest crowds.

Before the parade: letters, pages and neighbourhood parades

Over Christmas 2025-2026 (official Christmas programme):

• Royal Mailbox: in the City Hall entrance hall on Plaza del Pilar, for children's letters. From 20 December to 4 January it was open 12:00 to 14:00 and 18:00 to 20:30, closed on 24, 25 and 31 December.
• Letters online: the council has a form for writing to the Kings.
• Pages on the floats: 27 places for children aged 6 to 9 registered as residents in Zaragoza, drawn by lot, with sign-up from 1 to 10 December (City Council). Residents only.

On the same day, 5 January 2026, several neighbourhoods held their own parades: Valdefierro (16:00), San Gregorio and Juslibol (16:30), Casablanca (17:30), Montañana and Torrero (18:00), Miralbueno (19:00) and Parque Venecia (19:30) (Avanza Zaragoza).

Buses, tram and road closures

The 2027 details will be published with the parade. In 2026:

• Closures: the council closed the whole route to traffic, without publishing a list of streets and times. Paseo de Echegaray y Caballero was closed from 19:45 for the floats to leave (Avanza Zaragoza).
• Buses: diversions from about 17:00 to 20:30 on lines 21, 22, 23, 25, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 38, 41, 51 and 52, and from 19:45 also on lines 29, 36 and Ci3 (Avanza Zaragoza).
• Tram: service partly suspended between the César Augusto and Plaza de España stops while the parade passed (City Council), and a night service until 1:30 on 5 January (Tranvía de Zaragoza). In 2025 the tram ran every 5.5 minutes from 15:00 (City Council).

The easiest option is to take the tram to the stops south of the route (Plaza Aragón, Gran Vía) before the closures start, or to walk from your hotel.

Tips: children, sweets and the cold

• Arrive early. With more than 200,000 people in 2026, it pays to find your spot in good time.
• Cold: in 2026 it was cold and windy (City Council). Zaragoza's winter wind, the cierzo, blows often: bring a coat, hat and gloves, especially for children, who spend a long time standing still.
• Sweets: the Kings and their pages throw them from the floats. A bag helps. The council did not say how many were handed out in 2026.
• With children: agree on a meeting point away from the route in case you get separated.
• Rain: the council does not publish a wet-weather plan. If the forecast looks bad, check its website that day.
• Kings' Night: children leave their shoes out before going to bed so the Kings can leave the presents there.

What is open and closed on 6 January?

Wednesday 6 January 2027, Epiphany, is a public holiday across Spain (BOE). What the official websites say:

• City museums (Forum, River Port, Baths and Theatre of Caesaraugusta): closed on 1 and 6 January and 25 December (Zaragoza Museums).
• Pablo Gargallo Museum: temporarily closed for works (City Council).
• Basilica del Pilar: its website gives the general hours for Sundays and holidays (high altar 7:30 to 13:30 and 16:30 to 21:30; Santa Capilla 8:00 to 20:30), with nothing specific for 6 January (Cabildo de Zaragoza).
• Shops: the 2027 calendar of holiday opening days in Aragon has not been published yet.

For things to do that day, see the Zaragoza events calendar.

More Christmas in Zaragoza

Lights, the Plaza del Pilar nativity scene, the Christmas exhibition and New Year's Eve are in our Christmas in Zaragoza guide. Concerts and plans for those days are in the Zaragoza events calendar.

If you are coming for the parade, book a place to stay near the centre early, so you can walk there and back without worrying about the closures.