Christmas in Madrid 2026: Lights, Plaza Mayor Market and Reyes

November 2, 2026

Illustration of a Madrid street with Christmas lights strung between classic buildings at dusk

The short answer: Madrid's Christmas season runs from late November to January 6, and it ends later than most of Europe because the big day for many families is Reyes (Epiphany), not December 25. The city lights usually switch on in the last week of November (on November 22 in 2025) and stay on until January 6. The Plaza Mayor Christmas market runs from late November to December 31, 2026. The Christmas Lottery draw is on Tuesday, December 22, the twelve grapes are at midnight on December 31, and the Three Kings parade fills the Castellana on the evening of January 5. For the most at once, go between late November and December 23, or stay through January 6 for Reyes.

Several 2026 dates hadn't been announced by the City of Madrid as of late October 2026, so below we separate what's confirmed from last year's pattern.

When do the Christmas lights in Madrid turn on in 2026?

Short answer: the 2026 date isn't announced yet. Expect the last week of November, with the lights staying on until January 6, 2027.

Last year's pattern. In 2025, the lights switched on on Saturday, November 22, with a ceremony and video mapping at Plaza de Cibeles, and stayed on until January 6, 2026. Press reported more than 13 million LED bulbs at about 240 locations across all 21 districts.
Hours (2025 to 2026 season, per the city's tourism site). 6pm to midnight Sunday to Thursday, 6pm to 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, 6pm to 3am on December 24 and January 5, and 6pm to 6am on New Year's Eve. The 2026 timetable should follow a similar shape, but check esMadrid once it's published.
Where to walk. Gran Vía, Calle de Alcalá where it meets Gran Vía, Plaza Mayor and Plaza de Colón are among the classic lit spots. A good loop: start at Cibeles, walk up Gran Vía after dark, then cut down to Sol and Plaza Mayor.

If you'd rather sit than walk: the Naviluz open-top bus does a lights tour of about 50 minutes. In 2025 it ran from November 23 to January 6, leaving from Calle Felipe IV next to the Prado every 15 minutes between 6pm and 10pm, for €15 for adults (€7.50 for children 7 to 11 and over-65s). It didn't run on December 24, December 31 or January 5. The 2026 details weren't out when we checked.

When is the Plaza Mayor Christmas market in 2026?

Short answer: from late November to December 31, 2026, per the city's official tourism listing. The exact opening day isn't published yet. In 2025 it ran from November 27 to December 31.

Market	Where	2026 dates	Status
Mercado de Navidad de la Plaza Mayor	Plaza Mayor, near Sol	Late November to December 31, 2026	Official listing; opening day not yet announced
La Navideña	Plaza de España	Not announced	In 2025 it ran November 27, 2025 to January 11, 2026, per local press

Plaza Mayor market. 104 red wooden stalls selling nativity figures, decorations, traditional Christmas instruments, toys and joke items, organized by the traditional market association. Entry is free. Hours: 10am to 9pm Sunday to Thursday, 10am to 10pm on Fridays, Saturdays and the eve of holidays. The tradition goes back centuries: in the 19th century the square was where Madrid bought its turkeys, turrón and sweets. This is less a food market than a place to buy a figure for your nativity scene, so if you want to eat, walk two minutes to the Mercado de San Miguel (more in our Madrid food guide).
La Navideña, Plaza de España. The newer, more modern option. In 2025 it had a natural ice rink of about 600 square meters, around 40 craft stalls, food stands and a small parade on Thursday to Sunday evenings. If you're traveling with kids, this is the one with the most to do.

Go to Plaza Mayor on a weekday morning if you want to browse in peace. On December evenings and weekends it gets very crowded.

What is Cortylandia, and when can you see it?

Short answer: a free animated Christmas show on the facade of the El Corte Inglés department store on Calle de Preciados 3, just off Sol, running from late November 2026 to January 5, 2027.

Cortylandia has been a Madrid family tradition since 1979: the building's front turns into a giant set with moving figures and songs, and each show lasts about 15 minutes. According to esMadrid, shows run daily at 12pm, 1pm and 2pm, and in the evening at 5pm, 6pm, 7pm, 8pm and 9pm. On December 24, December 31 and January 5 there are only the midday shows, and there are no shows on December 25 or January 1.

The sidewalk fills up with families, so arrive 10 minutes before the hour. In recent years it has started around the same weekend as the lights.

What is the Lotería de Navidad on December 22?

Short answer: Spain's Christmas Lottery, drawn on Tuesday, December 22, 2026 at the Teatro Real. It's the unofficial start of the holidays for most of the country.

The draw is famous for the children of the San Ildefonso school, who sing out the winning numbers and prizes for hours. It starts at around 9am and usually ends around 1pm, broadcast live by RTVE. You'll hear it playing in cafés and shops all morning.

Can you watch in person? Yes. Entry has been free, with no tickets: in past years doors opened at 8am and about 600 people got in, first come, first served, with ID. People start queuing in the early hours of the morning, so this is only for the very committed.
Can you buy a ticket? A décimo (one tenth of a ticket) costs €20. The famous queue is at Doña Manolita (Calle del Carmen 22, between Sol and Callao), but any official lottery shop sells them.

How does New Year's Eve work at Puerta del Sol?

Short answer: at midnight on December 31, everyone eats one grape for each of the twelve chimes of the clock on the Real Casa de Correos.

We cover the twelve grapes, the crowd controls and the December 30 rehearsal (the preúvas) in our New Year's Eve in Europe guide. One Christmas tip for Sol: the same building, the Real Casa de Correos, usually hosts a free nativity scene (belén) from late November to January 6. In the 2025 season it opened 10am to 10pm, with shorter hours on December 24 and 31 and January 5, and it was closed on December 25 and January 1.

When is the Three Kings parade in Madrid?

Short answer: on the evening of January 5. In 2026 it ran from 6pm to about 9pm, starting at Plaza de San Juan de la Cruz and going down the Paseo de la Castellana and Paseo de Recoletos to Plaza de Cibeles.

For Spanish kids, the Reyes Magos (the Three Kings), not Santa, bring the gifts, on the night of January 5. The Cabalgata is the big public moment: floats, music and candy thrown to the crowd. In 2026, the Kings gave a speech at the Palacio de Cibeles at 9pm, followed by a fireworks and music show, and the city expected more than 200,000 people along the route. The 2027 route and times usually come out in late December, so check the City of Madrid's site then.

Where to stand. Families claim spots along Castellana and Recoletos well in advance, and Cibeles, where the parade ends, is the most packed.
Getting there. The Castellana and Recoletos axis closes to traffic from mid afternoon, so take the Metro.
Many districts hold their own smaller parades, listed by the City of Madrid each year, if you want something less packed.

Where can you buy the best roscón de reyes in Madrid?

Short answer: La Duquesita, Doble Uve and La Crujiente have won or placed in Madrid's best roscón championship, and La Mallorquina and El Riojano are the classic stops at Sol.

The roscón de reyes is a ring of soft sweet bread, often flavored with orange, left plain or filled with cream, truffle or chocolate. Madrileños eat it around January 6, and inside you'll find a small gift and a dried bean (haba). Bakeries start selling it in December, and the good ones take preorders, so reserve a few days ahead if you're in town over Reyes.

Doble Uve Obrador (Calle Antonio Arias 5, near El Retiro). Won Madrid's best roscón championship judged in December 2025. Sourdough, organic flours. If you want the current champion, this is it.
La Duquesita (Calle Fernando VI 2, Chueca). A pastry shop open since 1914, now run by pastry chef Oriol Balaguer, and the 2024 champion. Light dough fermented for more than 24 hours, with candied orange. The shop itself, with its original mirrors and counters, is worth the visit.
La Crujiente (Calle San Germán 12, Tetuán). Second place in the most recent championship. Worth the Metro ride if you're comparing.
La Mallorquina (Puerta del Sol). Selling sweets on Sol since 1894. The easy, classic choice when you're already in the center.
El Riojano (Calle Mayor 10). Founded in 1855 by a pastry chef to the royal palace, with a tea room where you can sit down with a slice.

What's open in Madrid on December 24 and 25?

Short answer: December 24 is a normal day until mid afternoon. December 25 is quiet: most shops are closed, but many restaurants open for lunch.

December 24 (Nochebuena). Shops and markets open, but many close early. The Prado opens 10am to 2pm. The Royal Palace closes at 3pm (ticket office at 2pm). Many family-run restaurants close for Christmas Eve dinner, and those that open often serve a set menu, so book well ahead. In 2025, the Metro's last trains left at 9:30pm.
December 25 (Navidad). The Prado and the Royal Palace are closed, and so is the belén at the Real Casa de Correos. Most shops are closed too. Cortylandia has no shows. In 2025, the Metro opened later, at 8am.
What to do instead. Christmas morning is a good time for a long walk: El Retiro, the empty Gran Vía, then a long lunch. The lights come on again at 6pm.

Holiday hours change year to year, so check the Prado, the Royal Palace and Metro de Madrid in December.

How should I plan a Christmas trip to Madrid?

Best window for lights and markets: late November to December 23.
Best window for local traditions: December 30 to January 6, with the grapes and the Reyes parade.
Best evening order: Plaza Mayor market at dusk, Sol and Cortylandia, then Gran Vía once the lights are on.
Weather: evenings are cold in December and January, so bring a warm coat for the light walks and the parade.
Book ahead: Christmas Eve dinner, the Naviluz bus and a roscón for January 6.

FAQ

When do the Madrid Christmas lights turn on in 2026? The City of Madrid hadn't announced the 2026 date as of late October 2026. In 2025 they switched on on November 22 and stayed on until January 6, 2026.

When does the Plaza Mayor Christmas market open in 2026? In late November, running until December 31, 2026, per the official esMadrid listing. In 2025 it opened on November 27.

When is the Christmas Lottery draw in 2026? Tuesday, December 22, 2026, at the Teatro Real, from about 9am to 1pm.

What date is the Three Kings parade in Madrid? January 5, in the evening. In 2026 it started at 6pm at Plaza de San Juan de la Cruz and ended at Cibeles around 9pm.

Is the Prado open on Christmas Day? No. It's closed on December 25 and opens 10am to 2pm on December 24 and 31.

Is Madrid worth visiting at Christmas? Yes, especially if you stay into early January. Reyes on January 5 and 6 is the most Madrid part of the season, and most other European cities have packed up by then.