Things to do in Madrid for Christmas

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that nothing gets you in the Christmas spirit quite like a traditional market. There’s just something about those glittering fairy lights and the heady aroma of mulled wine and roasting chestnuts drifting on the cold night air.

You’ll find dozens of the things all over Madrid between late November and early January, but the largest and most popular are to be found on Plaza Mayor and Plaza de España. Elegant Plaza Mayor is a prime people-watching spot at the best of times, but rarely more so than in December, when shoppers flock eagerly to the market’s traditional wooden cabins in search of traditional sweets and fun festive trinkets for hanging on the tree.

Stuff your Christmas stocking with festive goodies then retreat to one of the cozy coffee shops that line the square for warming churros con chocolate – you’ll find some of the best at old-school stalwart Chocolatería San Ginés, where one mouthful of these sugary, doughie Spanish delicacies dipped in dark chocolate sauce may well prove life-changing. Hit up the makers’ market on nearby Plaza de España if unique handcrafted artisan gifts are more your speed.

If you can’t wilfully overindulge during the holiday season, then when? Madrid’s Christmas food bonanza provides ample opportunities to do so, from the aforementioned churros con chocolate to the delicious little marzipan and nougat shapes that fill almost every shop window display at this time of year.

King of the holiday snacks, however, has to be the Roscón de Reyes (literally ‘king’s cake’), a deliciously decadent Christmas confection that resembles an enormous fruit-topped donut, and tastes twice as good! More of a savory kinda guy or gal? You’re in luck: winter is chestnut season in Madrid. Follow your nose and you’ll soon find a vendor roasting these little beauties in the open air. Bags are available from as little as €2 and make for great hand warmers as you snack on your treat beneath the Christmas lights.

Ok ok, so you can’t really miss Madrid’s Christmas light displays if you’re in town during the festive season: they are EVERYWHERE. But for a fun and convenient way to see some of the best, you can’t beat the Naviluz Christmas Bus. The tour runs every 10 minutes or so between 6PM and 11PM, taking riders on a magical journey along Madrid’s most perfectly fairy-lit avenues and boulevards. Hop aboard at the Plaza de Colón for 45 minutes of pure, unadulterated festive fun.

Unleash your inner child at the fantastical annual display that is Cortylandia. This themed 15-minute Christmas extravaganza has been entertaining Madrileños young and old with its irresistible blend of animatronic puppetry and nostalgic festive charm for decades. Head for the El Corte Inglés department store on Calle Maestro Victoria to watch these giant festive characters singing and dancing along to classic Christmas carols on the building’s facade. But don’t underestimate this attraction’s huge popularity: this is without doubt one of the best things to do in Madrid around Christmas, so be sure to get there in good time for your chosen session if you hope to beat the crowds.

Cibeles Palace, a glorious architectural confection complete with great wedding-cake turrets and Neoplateresque facade is worth seeing at any time of year. But Christmas is perhaps the most magical of all. For not only does this imposing building contain one of Madrid’s most impressive and wildly OTT nativity scenes; it’s also where you can enjoy one of the city’s loveliest festive ice-skating experiences, a 300-square-meter rink housed inside the palace's magnificent Glass Gallery.

Of course, there are plenty more pop-up ice rinks and nativity scenes around town at which to fill your Insta feed with festive joy (among them Plaza de la Villa and the Real Casa de Correos on Puerta del Sol, to name just a couple), but few compare to the double whammy here at one of Spain’s most splendid palaces. And, while you’re there, don’t miss the chance to ascend the palace’s lofty tower, where panoramic views of the city at dusk, all atwinkle with festive lights, are just about as romantic and Christmassy as it gets.

The spectacular Three Kings Festival is perhaps the biggest and best-loved Christmas event in Spain, so you may be surprised to learn that it doesn’t take place until Twelfth Night, the 5th of January. So, if it so happens you’re only in Madrid for Christmas itself, it’s likely you'll miss it. But, trust us, this extravaganza of live music, colorful floats, marching bands, confetti cannons and fireworks is worth sticking around for. The festival is celebrated across Spain, but Madrid’s out-of-this-world parade is perhaps the most impressive of all. It is, as the name suggests, centered around the story of the Three Wise Men, and sees the streets thronged with revelers of all ages, all eager to receive their gifts: great handfuls of sweets that are thrown from the floats into the crowd below. Indeed, well-prepared locals can often be seen holding upturned umbrellas aloft as the floats drive past, the better to maximize their sugary hoard. Follow the parade to the stunning Plaza de Cibeles, where an awesome fireworks display provides a suitably grand finale to Madrid’s epic festive season.