Valencia at Christmas 2026: the nativity route, the Song of the Sibyl, the Marathon on 6 December, the Three Kings on 5 January and what is closed

💡 The Short Version: The nativity route runs 1 December to 6 January, with a Monumental Nativity at the City Hall, one in the cathedral and one at the National Ceramics Museum. The Valencia Marathon is on Sunday 6 December (36,000 places, sold out), the Song of the Sibyl is in the cathedral on Friday 18 December, and the Three Kings arrive by boat on Tuesday 5 January 2027, with the parade at 17:30. The cathedral’s visit, the Lonja and the two city gates are closed on 25 December, 1 January and 6 January, and the Central Market on holidays. The City usually announces the lights and the markets in mid or late November. Or book a tour: the Oceanogràfic ticketad is from €37, and the old-town walk with entry to the cathedral, San Nicolás and the Lonjaad from €49 (GetYourGuide).

⚠️ 25 December, 1 January and 6 January. The Lonja, the Torres de Serranos and Torres de Quart and the cathedral’s cultural visit are closed, the Museu de les Ciències and the Hemisfèric are closed on 25 December, and the Central Market is shut on public holidays. The Bioparc opens at 11:00 on 25 December and 1 January.

What is dated

Sources: Visit València’s Christmas pages and the Marathon’s page.

The lights, the ice rink and the markets

The City usually announces its Christmas programme in mid or late November, according to a local events site. The pattern of the 2025-26 season, for planning:

Christmas lights in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Photo: Joanbanjo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

• The lights in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento were switched on on Friday 21 November 2025 with fireworks, and stayed on to 6 January.
• The ice rink, a Ferris wheel, a tree and a nativity scene filled the square: the rink ran from 28 November to 6 January, 11:00 to 23:00, at €10 for 30 minutes with skates, or €7 through partner shops.
• The City Hall’s nativity, in the Salón de Cristal, was free and normally opened from early December to the first days of January.
• The markets. Visit València names the Craft Fair in the Plaza de la Reina and the market round the Central Market as the Christmas markets.

A shooting-star light display and a Belén sign above a Valencia street. Photo: Dimitri Nicolopoulos, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 es.

The Valencia Marathon

Sunday 6 December 2026 · start 08:15 · finish at the City of Arts and Sciences

The Marathon’s own page says 36,000 places have sold out, and quotes 12 to 17°C for early December. Roads in the centre close for the race, and the hotels near the finish fill: see hotels near the City of Arts and Sciences. The City of Arts and Sciences’ ticket prices are at the high-season rate from 5 to 7 December.

The Song of the Sibyl and Midnight Mass

Cathedral · Friday 18 December and 24 December

Visit València lists the Song of the Sibyl, a medieval chant, in the cathedral on the Friday before Christmas Eve, and the Midnight Mass on 24 December. The cathedral’s cultural visit is not on 8 December, 25 December, 1 January and 6 January: see the cathedral.

The Three Kings

Tuesday 5 January 2027 · boat arrival about 16:30 at La Marina · parade from 17:30

The Kings arrive by boat at La Marina, in the Marina Norte, at about 16:30 according to Visit València. The Cabalgata sets off at 17:30 and runs Navarro Reverter, Puerta del Mar, General Palanca, General Tovar, Paz, Plaza de la Reina, San Vicente, Plaza del Ayuntamiento and Marqués de Sotelo. The City places 2,500 chairs along the route, hired at €4 from 12:30. Visit València gives Metro lines 3, 5 and 9 and buses 6, 11, 32, 70, 71 and 81. 6 January is a public holiday, and the roscón de Reyes, the ring-shaped Kings’ cake, is the day’s food.

Closed days over Christmas

The Lonja and the towers are also closed on 6 January. The cathedral gives no cultural visit on 25 December, 1 January and 6 January. The hours are the operators’ own: see what to book before you go to Valencia and the City of Arts and Sciences.

Weather and daylight

December’s mean daily maximum is 17.0°C and the minimum 8.1°C, with 48 mm of rain, on AEMET’s 1981 to 2010 normals for Valencia. On 21 December the sun rises at about 08:17 and sets at about 17:40: see the best time to visit Valencia.

Eating at Christmas

The roscón de Reyes is the food of 6 January, according to Visit València. Where to eat in Valencia lists the restaurants, and best horchata in Valencia covers the hot chocolate and churros at Santa Catalina.

Plan the rest

Where to stay in Valencia compares the areas, and 3 days in Valencia fits the sights round the closed days. Las Fallas 2027 covers the March festival. For another Spanish city at Christmas, see Christmas in Seville and Christmas in Madrid.