Last updated: December 01, 2024
Get ready to experience Christmas in Madrid Centro! Our guide presents all the festive activities you'll find in the heart of the capital. Whether you're a local or just visiting, you'll discover the best holiday plans.
Madrid's historic center transforms during this season, from the emblematic Puerta del Sol to Plaza Mayor with its traditional Christmas market. Main streets like Gran Vía and Preciados shine with festive lights, while spaces like Plaza de España and the Royal Palace offer cultural activities and shows. Christmas markets, nativity scenes, and ice skating rinks are distributed throughout the center, connecting the most characteristic neighborhoods of the area.
Contact information and details below.
Large-scale exhibition with live floral elements and a working water mill.
The Belén del Ayuntamiento de Madrid is a large and complex exhibition featuring over 200 figures and live floral elements, including a working water mill. It is located in the Patio de Operaciones of the Palacio de Cibeles.
Where: Madrid | More Info: Municipal Nativity Scene
Lit by the national football selector, Luis de la Fuente.
The Christmas lights in Puerta del Sol are an impressive spectacle with millions of lamps that illuminate the city with energy efficiency.
Where: Madrid | More Info: Christmas Tree in Puerta del Sol
Spectacular pixel mapping effect with synchronized lights and sound.
The Gran Bola de Navidad is a 12-meter diameter luminescent sphere with 43,000 LED lights, located in Plaza de España, near the Jardines del Sabatini. Its programming and synchronization of light and sound create a pixel mapping effect that repeats in a loop.
Where: Madrid | More Info: Giant Bauble in Gran Vía
104 stalls with Christmas products.
The Christmas Market in Plaza Mayor is a traditional market where you can find nativity scenes, Christmas decorations, and novelty items. Located in the iconic Plaza Mayor of Madrid, this event has been a holiday tradition for centuries.
Where: Madrid | More Info: Christmas Market in Plaza Mayor
Wide variety of artisanal crafts.
The Paseo de Recoletos Christmas Market is a traditional market showcasing handmade products from the Community of Madrid and other autonomous communities. It features a wide variety of artisanal crafts such as ceramicists, potters, embroiderers, and jewelers.
Where: Madrid | More Info: Christmas Market in Paseo de Recoletos
Ice skating rink.
The Christmas Market at Plaza de Juan Goytisolo features a variety of holiday stalls near the Reina Sofía Museum, including traditional holiday stands and an ice skating rink.
Where: Madrid | More Info: Christmas Market in Plaza de Juan Goytisolo
A Christmas animation show with characters and lights that enchant everyone.
Cortylandia is a Christmas animation show presented on the facade of El Corte Inglés in Preciados. With over 45 years of tradition, this colorful and lively tale has been a holiday attraction for both children and adults.
Where: Madrid | More Info: Cortylandia
Unique integration of circus and gospel in a Christmas show.
The Christmas show at Circo Price combines circus and gospel in a production inspired by Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. With live music and an impressive visual display, this event is a guided time-traveling journey that brings about a change in the protagonist's life.
Where: Madrid | More Info: Circo Price Christmas Spectacular
Presentation of international gospel choirs.
The Gospel Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary with an impressive lineup featuring international choirs like the Soweto Gospel Choir, the Mississippi Mass Choir, and the South Carolina Gospel Choir. The concerts will offer a variety of traditional and contemporary gospel genres, ensuring an exciting experience for all attendees.
Where: Madrid | More Info: Gospel Festival
Presentation of new discographic works and tour starts by national artists.
Inverfest is a winter festival celebrating music and culture in Madrid with over 100 shows including concerts, poetic evenings, film screenings, and winter nights.
Where: Madrid | More Info: Inverfest Winter Festival
Impressive parade through Madrid's streets with royal carriages and fireworks displays.
The Cabalgata de Reyes Magos is a unique tradition in Madrid where the Three Kings, Melchior, Gaspar, and Baltasar, parade through the city streets in an impressive procession, accompanied by over 1500 people and thousands of spectators. The caravan starts on the Paseo de la Castellana and ends at the Plaza de Cibeles, with a speech by the Kings and a final fireworks display.
Where: Madrid | More Info: Three Kings Parade
Visit the areas where the kings make toys.
The Fábrica de los Reyes Magos is a complex where children can visit areas where the kings make toys and deliver their letters. It offers activities like storytelling and factory tours, creating a fun and unique day for the whole family.
Where: Madrid | More Info: Three Kings’ Factory
400 m² ice rink in the Glass Gallery of the Cibeles Palace.
The ice rink at the Cibeles Palace is an immersive space where you can ice skate and visit a Christmas market featuring small and medium-sized businesses that sell on Amazon.es.
Where: Madrid | More Info: Ice Skating Rink at Cibeles Palace
Free artistic skating exhibitions organized by the Madrid Winter Sports Federation.
The ice rink at Matadero is an impressive outdoor space with a 600 m² surface, perfect for both experts and beginners of all ages. It offers free ice skating and artistic skating exhibitions organized by the Madrid Winter Sports Federation.
Where: Madrid | More Info: Ice Skating Rink at Matadero