Christmas in Madrid with Kids: 7 Magical Things to Do
Christmas in Madrid is honestly magical for families.
In December, the city lights up with decorations, markets, seasonal shows, traditional celebrations, and there are countless opportunities to soak up the holiday spirit.
I’ve called Madrid home for more than 26 years and, as the founder of Madrid with Kids, I’ve made it my mission to discover (and share!) the city’s best family-friendly experiences.
In this article I’m going to reveal some of the best holiday plans with kids in Madrid, from Christmas markets and nativity scenes to my personal favorite, a local market food tour to learn all about Spain’s Christmas foods.
A mom and her kids enjoy hot chocolate with churros on a Walk and Eat Market Tour for Families.
Why you should spend Christmas in Madrid with kids
Even though Madrid is not a typical, snowy destination, it's a great place to visit over the holidays because of the many unique traditions that kids will love.
It’s also worth pointing out that the festivities go far beyond December 25th.
Spanish Christmas traditions continue through January 6th, when Spain celebrates Three Kings Day. Families gather for parades on the evening of the 5th to welcome the Three Kings/ Three Wise Men to the city. The kings (rather than Santa Clause) bring gifts that families open on the morning of January 6th.
This makes the holiday season longer, livelier and, most importantly, packed with opportunities for family fun.
The Christmas lights in Madrid are sure to wow any kid and they make the city feel wonderfully festive!
If you’re spending the holidays in Madrid with kids, these seven traditions and experiences are a great place to start.
1. Shop the Plaza Mayor Christmas Market
Shopping at the Plaza Mayor Christmas Market is a holiday tradition stretching back to the 17th century. Today, the market has over 100 stalls and offers a very Spanish take on Christmas shopping.
In contrast with typical European markets, which are known for their crafts and mulled wine, this market sells mainly figurines and accessories for traditional Christmas nativity scenes, called belenes.
You can also buy Christmas decorations, toys, musical instruments and many joke-shop items that my kids find hilarious.
The Plaza Mayor is a must-see spot during Christmas in Madrid with kids. It is home to the city’s main Christmas Market and also an enormous Christmas tree!
2. Eat Typical Christmas Foods
Turrón
No Christmas in Spain is complete without turrón, a traditional nougat made with almonds, honey, sugar and egg white. You’ll find two classic varieties: turrón de Alicante, which is firm and crunchy with whole almonds, and turrón de Jijona, which is soft, smooth and almost fudge-like.
Polvorones
Polvorones, another Christmas treat, are crumbly, buttery cookies traditionally made with flour, lard, sugar and almonds. They have a wonderfully melt-in-your-mouth texture, and an impressive ability to create a small cloud of crumbs with every bite!
Mantecadas
Similar to polvorones, mantecados are traditional Spanish Christmas cookies made with flour, sugar and lard. They tend to be a little firmer and less crumbly than polvorones and come in various flavors. You’ll find boxes of them in supermarkets and bakeries throughout Madrid during the holiday season.
Marzipan
Keep an eye out for Mazapán, or Spanish marzipan, which is made primarily from almonds and sugar. In Spain, it’s often shaped into little figures, fruits or other festive creations. One of the most famous varieties comes from Toledo, making these sweet almond treats a great excuse to add a day trip to your Christmas itinerary.
Hot Chocolate and Churros
And then there’s the ultimate Madrid winter treat: chocolate con churros. Crispy, golden churros are served with a cup of thick, rich hot chocolate for dipping. It’s not technically a Christmas food, but when you’re exploring Madrid on a chilly December day, it absolutely belongs on the list.
But by far the best way to learn about Christmas foods is by turning the tasting into an adventure with a food tour.
Our Market and Food Tour for Families is a unique experience where you’ll learn more about Spanish Christmas traditions and be able to try delicious Spanish food and drink, including freshly made churros and hot chocolate! Mercado Barceló, where the tour visits, is brimming with traditional Spanish products and festive treats, making it the perfect place to discover some of the flavors that make Christmas in Madrid so delicious.
A family enjoys a Christmastime market tour where they learn all about Spanish foods, including the seasonal foods Spaniards enjoy during the holidays.
3. See Cortylandia
Christmas in Madrid with kids is not complete without a visit to Cortylandia, a beloved tradition that has been delighting children since 1979.
It first began when El Corte Inglés, Spain’s main department store, created a mechanical Christmas display outside its store in Madrid using a real train engine from Madrid’s amusement park.
What started as a way to attract families to the newly expanded store became one of the city’s most popular Christmas traditions for kids in Madrid.
Every year the show has a theme, with moving characters, music, lights, and a story. It’s free, lasts around 15 minutes, and is the kind of old-fashioned holiday experience that parents who grew up in Madrid may remember from their own childhoods.
As it’s often very crowded, try to get there early (20 or 30 minutes before the show) and try to catch a morning session if you can. There’s also no need to squeeze to the front of the crowd, as you can get a good view and enjoy the show from farther away.
4. Check out the Nativity Scenes
The Nativity scene at the Royal Palace in Madrid is a great place to visit with kids in Madrid during Christmastime.
Belenes are a huge part of Christmas in Spain. Madrid has plenty to discover, from elaborate historic displays to entire towns transformed into living nativity scenes. Here are a few of my favorites:
The Belén Viviente in Buitrago del Lozoya
For something truly special, make the trip to Buitrago, where more than 200 local residents transform the town into a living nativity scene.
Buitrago de Lozoya is a picturesque medieval town about 45 miles north of Madrid, famous for its impressive medieval walls, castle and charming historic center.
At Christmas, the town comes alive with festive activities, including a traditional Christmas market featuring local crafts and products.
If you don’t have a car, you can get there by ALSA bus from Plaza de Castilla. The journey takes roughly 60–90 minutes, making Buitrago an easy Christmas day trip from Madrid.
Belén del Príncipe at the Royal Palace
The Nativity scene at the Royal Palace in Madrid is a great place to visit with kids in Madrid during Christmastime.
The Royal Palace is home to the famous Belén del Príncipe. This beautiful, traditional nativity scene features more than 200 figures, some dating back centuries.
It’s a particularly impressive one to visit if you want to combine your Christmas tradition with a visit to Madrid’s Royal Palace. My kids and I did a workshop here last Christmas, where we visited the nativity scene and then made our own using recycled materials. I highly recommend it!
The Royal Palace offers workshops for families at Christmas, such as this one where kids make their own Nativity scenes from recycled materials.
5. Go Ice Skating
One of the easiest ways to get into the Christmas spirit is to lace up some skates.
During the holidays, temporary ice rinks pop up in most local neighborhoods as well as in some of the city’s most iconic locations. My kids and I visit our neighborhood ice rink every year! And if you opt for one of the rinks in the city center, you can combine skating with sightseeing.
Here are a few of our favorite holiday ice rinks:
My kids skating at our neighborhood ice rink during Christmas break, one of our family’s holiday traditions in Madrid.
Ice Skate at the Matadero
Skate against the backdrop of this former slaughterhouse-turned-cultural center. It’s a great choice as you can also explore the exhibits at the Matadero and the surrounding Madrid Rio park.
Ice Skate in Cibeles
What could be more festive than skating with Madrid’s beautiful Palacio de Cibeles as your backdrop? Cibeles is an iconic landmark in the Plaza de Cibeles, once the post office and now a cultural and exhibition center.
This central location is ideal for combining skating with a stroll through the city center and a look at all the Christmas lights.
Ice Skate in the Plaza Colón
Right in the heart of the city, the rink at Plaza de Colón is a convenient option, and there are tons of boutiques and fun stores in the Salamanca neighborhood to explore before or after skating.! Not to mention this neighborhood tends to have some of the best Christmas lights in town!
6. Admire the City-Wide Christmas lights
Madrid goes all out for Christmas with millions of lights transforming streets, squares, and the city’s most iconic landmarks into a festive wonderland.
One of the best ways to see them is on the open-top Navibus, the popular sightseeing bus that takes you around the city’s prettiest displays. My kids love doing this every year because we get to ride at night on the top level of the bus, and then we grab a hot chocolate together afterwards!
To explore the Christmas lights on foot start at Puerta del Sol where the giant Christmas tree is always a favorite with kids. Next make your way to Plaza Mayor to see Madrid’s main Christmas market. Then follow the lights along Calle Alcalá between the Plaza de Cibeles and Puerta del Sol before continuing along Gran Vía. The festive atmosphere in this part of town is hard to beat!
The Christmas lights in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol are particularly stunning thanks to the giant tree in the middle of the square. It’s an impressive sight that kids are sure to love!
7. Attend the Three Kings Parade
On the evening of January 5th, Madrid families head to the Cabalgata de Reyes. This spectacular parade celebrates the Three Kings Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltasar as they make their way through the city with elaborate floats, music, and performers tossing candy into the crowd.
The tradition dates back more than a century in Spain and represents the journey of the Three Wise Men to Bethlehem.
On the night of January 5th, the eve of Three Kings Day, children leave their shoes out along with food for the Kings and their camels before heading to bed. The next morning they wake up to presents!
Kids leave food and drink out for the Three Kings and their camels, who will stop by the house to leave them presents by their shoes. My kids like to leave a variety of foods to ensure that nobody leaves hungry.
The morning of Three Kings Day is when families open their gifts. It is traditional to celebrate with a Roscón de Reyes, the traditional ring-shaped cake decorated with candied fruit and traditionally hiding a tiny figurine and a bean inside.
Christmas in Madrid with kids is unique and special
Christmas in Madrid is about much more than presents. It’s about traditions, family, food and plenty of festive fun. Come December, there’s no shortage of ways to make magical memories with the kids in Madrid.