Watch the Three Kings Arrive on the Night of 5 January
The centre of Valencia fills on the evening of 5 January for the Cavalcada de Reis, the procession that marks the night before Epiphany. Decorated floats carry the three kings through the city centre, and sweets are thrown out to the crowds lining the route. This is the main gift-giving occasion of the Spanish Christmas for children, and it draws large local audiences rather than tourists alone, so the atmosphere is that of a city celebrating its own festival. Arrive early to hold a spot, and expect the metro and EMT buses to be running under pressure while the parade is on.
- The parade takes place on the evening of 5 January, the night before Epiphany on 6 January.
- It moves through Valencia's city centre, which is walkable, so you can follow part of the route on foot.
- The kings distribute sweets to the crowd — bring a bag for the haul.
- Most events around this period are free.
Build the Rest of Your Day Around the City Centre
Because the centre is compact and walkable, you can treat the Cavalcada as the anchor of a full day in the streets rather than a single appointment. The same central district that hosts the procession is where the city concentrates its public celebration, and the Christmas market typically sets up in Plaza del Ayuntamiento — the square that also hosts Valencia's New Year's Eve gathering, with its midnight fireworks and the twelve-grapes tradition. If you are in the city across the turn of the year, that square is where the season's public life is most concentrated.
- Plaza del Ayuntamiento: the usual site of the main Christmas market and of the New Year's Eve celebration.
- Preparations for the 5 January parade begin in the final week of December, so the centre is already in festival mode if you arrive early.
- Plan to move around on foot in the centre; use metro or EMT buses for longer hops, allowing extra time on parade night.
Mark the Season's Second Feast on 22 January
If your visit stretches past Epiphany, Valencia observes the Día de San Vicente Mártir on 22 January, the city's first patron saint day. It is a low-key affair by Valencian standards: church services and a small procession from Valencia Cathedral. It is worth knowing about if you are still in the city, and it pairs naturally with a walk through the historic centre around the cathedral.
- 22 January: Día de San Vicente Mártir.
- Church services and a small procession departing from Valencia Cathedral.
- Expect a quiet, local observance rather than a large public spectacle.
Eat and Drink Your Way Through the Centre
The sources for this period describe the city's festival food culture through its markets and squares rather than naming specific dishes, so the reliable move is to spend your time where the city gathers. The main Christmas market in Plaza del Ayuntamiento is the obvious starting point for seasonal stalls, and the walkable centre puts you within reach of the crowds and the street life that build through the final week of December and peak on 5 January.
- Head to Plaza del Ayuntamiento for the main Christmas market.
- Eat around the city centre, where the celebration is concentrated and everything is within walking distance.
- Keep the evening of 5 January free for the parade rather than a long dinner — the streets are where the action is.
Know What Else Is Happening — and What Comes Next
Epiphany sits at the head of a busy Valencian winter. If you are extending your trip, February brings a modest Carnaval, with activity at the Ateneo Musical del Puerto in El Cabanyal and costume parties in El Carmen, while the Las Fallas workshops complete their constructions and the winning ninot is announced in mid-February. That gives you a reason to linger in the city after the kings have passed, and a sense of how the Valencian calendar rolls from one celebration straight into the next.
- February: Carnaval events at the Ateneo Musical del Puerto in El Cabanyal and costume parties in El Carmen.
- Mid-February: the winning ninot for Las Fallas is announced, with workshops finishing construction.
- El Cabanyal and El Carmen are the neighbourhoods to note if you stay on into February.
Dates for 2027-specific programmes are not published in the material available here, so plan around the recurring pattern the city keeps every year: the centre fills on the evening of 5 January, the market and public celebrations cluster around Plaza del Ayuntamiento, and the whole thing is walkable. Book your stay in or near the centre, keep the evening of 5 January clear, and let the city's own calendar — from the Cavalcada through to San Vicente Mártir and on toward Carnaval — set the rhythm of your trip.