In Spain the presents come from the Three Kings, not Father Christmas, and they arrive on the night of 5 to 6 January. Malaga’s build-up is the Three Kings parade on the evening of the 5th, the night children wait for all year, and the one evening when the whole city centre is given over to sweets, bands and floats. In 2026 there were 13 floats, about 1,000 performers and some 20,000 kilos of sweets thrown to the crowd.
When and where is the Three Kings parade in Malaga? On 5 January in the evening. In 2026 the Kings left the Alcazaba at 6 pm and the parade set off from City Hall on Avenida de Cervantes at 7 pm, running along Paseo del Parque, the Alameda Principal and El Perchel to the Cathedral, where the Kings visited a living nativity scene.
What happens and when
The evening runs in the same order every year. The Kings walk down from the Alcazaba to City Hall with their pages and guards, are received on the steps by the council and the Municipal Band, and a child mayor reads the children’s letter to them from the balcony. Then the parade sets off along Avenida de Cervantes.
In 2026 the plan was 5 pm at the Alcazaba and 6 pm for the parade, but a rain forecast pushed both back an hour, to 6 pm and 7 pm. Times are confirmed in the days before and can move on the day if the weather turns.
The route
The 2026 route ran: Avenida de Cervantes, Plaza General Torrijos, Paseo del Parque, Plaza de la Marina, Alameda Principal, Puente de Tetuán and El Perchel, back over Puente de la Esperanza and past Atarazanas market, then the Alameda again, Cortina del Muelle and City Hall. From Calle Molina Lario the Kings continue on foot to the Cathedral and make their offering at a living nativity scene, with a children’s choir. The three royal floats carry Melchior with gold, Gaspar with frankincense and Balthazar with myrrh, and ten more floats, dancers and bands travel with them.
Where to watch with children
The route is chosen along wide spaces to avoid crushes, and the best spots for families are the broad stretches: Paseo del Parque and the Alameda Principal, which the parade passes on the way out and on the way back. Sweets are thrown along the whole route. Avoid the finish if you have a pushchair: Calle Molina Lario is narrow and fills up long before the Kings arrive. More ideas for the holidays are in Malaga with kids, and places to eat with children in kid-friendly restaurants.
Road closures and buses
Paseo del Parque is closed to traffic from midnight on 5 January; Boquete and Cortina del Muelle and Plaza General Torrijos close from noon, and the Alameda Principal from 3 pm, until the chairs are cleared and the streets cleaned. The easiest way in is the bus. In 2026 the city bus company, EMT, added 20,000 extra seats, ran 10 % more buses and kept most lines going until midnight. Stops on Paseo del Parque and the Alameda move to Paseo de los Curas and Muelle de Heredia. For everything else about getting around, see getting around Malaga.
What might not suit you
It is an evening on your feet, outdoors, in January, and you need to arrive before the parade sets off to get a spot. If it rains, the times move. The 5th is also the one night when the Calle Larios light show runs without music.
On 6 January several museums close and the Cathedral opens only in the afternoon; the Christmas closures guide has the details, and the breakfast of the day is the roscón de Reyes. The whole season is in Christmas in Malaga.
Frequently asked questions about the Malaga Three Kings parade
When is the Three Kings parade in Malaga?
On the evening of 5 January. In 2026 the Kings left the Alcazaba at 6 pm and the parade set off from City Hall at 7 pm, an hour later than planned because rain was forecast. Times for each year are confirmed in the days before.
What is the route of the Malaga Three Kings parade?
In 2026 it started on Avenida de Cervantes by City Hall and ran along Paseo del Parque, Plaza de la Marina, the Alameda Principal and through El Perchel, before coming back along the Alameda and Cortina del Muelle and finishing at the Cathedral, where the Kings visit a living nativity scene.
Where is the best place to watch the parade with children?
The wide stretches, Paseo del Parque and the Alameda Principal, which the parade passes twice. The final stretch up Calle Molina Lario to the Cathedral is narrow and the Kings walk it on foot, so it is the most crowded spot.
Why do Spanish children get presents on 6 January?
In Spain the Three Kings, not Father Christmas, traditionally bring the presents, on the night of 5 to 6 January. The parade on the evening of the 5th is the build-up, and 6 January is a public holiday with the roscón de Reyes cake for breakfast.
Wide streets for the children, the bus to Muelle de Heredia, and presents on the 6th.