Los Reyes Magos

Hello everyone! This will be our first blog of 2019, so we will start off with an important holiday in Spain, namely: Los Reyes Magos. In English, this means The Three Kings or The Three Wise Men.

This blog has been divided into three parts. First I will tell you about the definition of Los Reyos Magos. Secondly, I´ll tell you about how the Spanish people celebrate this day and finally, I´ll tell you about some of the activities which you can do in Seville this day. Enjoy reading!

So, first of all: What is Reyes Magos? In English, Reyes Magos means the Three Kings or The Three Wise Men. According to a Christian tradition, this was the day that Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar came to visit baby Jesus and brought several gifts for him with them. These gifts were gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

How is this day celebrated in Spain?

In Spain, the locals see the Reyes Magos as a Christmas celebration, so their Christmas lasts for a longer period than normal. During this day, the kids will get gifts from their family. So basically, it is a day to spoil your kids ;)

The official day to celebrate Los Reyes Magos is the 6th of January, but the 5th of January the activities already start. In towns and cities all over Spain, Spanish families will line the main streets, of the town or city, to get a glimpse of The Three Kings. They do this because the Three Kings will be showing themselves off through a parade which is going down the street. This parade is very popular, because not only The Three Kings will be there, but also other characters, like Spongebob, Aladin, and some other Disney figures. You also see a lot of dancers, musicians, and puppeteers. The Kings ride on camels or elaborate floats and throw goodies, usually candy or sweets, down to the children.

Los Reyes Magos in Seville

In Seville, this tradition also starts at the 5th of January. The parade of that day will start at 16:15 at the University of Sevilla, The old Tabacco Factory. Then, the parade will end around 22:00 at the University again. Check the picture to see the route of the parade here.  You can already see a preview of the parade. 

The parade of 2019 will be composed of 33 floats, seven musical groups, six hosts of Bedouins as well as a choir of bells.

The 6th of January, so the official day of the Reyes Magos, will mostly be celebrated in Triana, which is just close to the city center of Seville.

Tell us, will you be in town to see the parade? If so, we hope you enjoy!