Barcelona Things to Do

It’s bigger than Christmas! The Three Kings of the Orient take over the streets of Barcelona on Thursday, the 5th of January as their Majesties arrive by sea on the schooner Santa Eulàlia. The parade is called “La Cabalgata de Reyes Magos” in Spanish and “la Cavalcada de Reis” in Catalan, and takes place on the evening before Twelfth night (Epiphany).

This is a public holiday and the big day for giving presents in Spain. It is the night when the Three Kings (also known as three wise men: Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar), according to legend arrived at the crib of the baby Jesus.

Being largely Catholic and all, you can expect some fantastic nativity displays at the churches and cathedrals of Barcelona, especially at La Sagrada Familia. If you’ve ever thought that Gaudi’s buildings look like they’d be at home in a Dr. Seuss book, well during Christmas, they might as well be taken from the pages of the Grinch. In other words, definitely tour the surrealist architecture for which Barcelona is famous.