Christmas and New Year's Eve in Valencia 2026

Christmas in Valencia happens out on the streets: nativity scenes, craft markets, a fancy-dress fun run, the midnight chimes in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento and a Three Kings parade that arrives by sea. If you're visiting between 1 December and 6 January, here are the dates that are already confirmed, what is still to be announced, and how to get around, from the airport to the New Year's party.

December and January public holidays

Worth knowing before you book flights, because shops, museums and public transport change their hours on public holidays. According to the official list of 2026 public holidays in the BOE, Spain's state gazette, these are holidays in the Valencia region:

• Tuesday 8 December 2026: the Immaculate Conception.
• Friday 25 December 2026: Christmas Day.

Unlike Catalonia or the Balearic Islands, the Valencia region does not have 26 December (St Stephen's Day, the equivalent of Boxing Day) as a holiday. Constitution Day, 6 December, falls on a Sunday this year.

For 2027, the list of 2027 public holidays confirms Friday 1 January and Wednesday 6 January, Epiphany or Three Kings' Day, as holidays in the region. That makes the first weekend of the year a long one, from Friday 1 to Sunday 3 January.

Nativity scenes, markets and Christmas sweets

Visit València, the city's official tourism website, suggests a nativity scene route from 1 December to 6 January: the large nativity scene at the town hall (the Belén Monumental), the one in the Cathedral and the one at the National Ceramics Museum. All three are in the old town.

For shopping, the same guide points to the craft market in Plaza de la Reina and the stalls set up around the Mercado Central, selling nativity figures, crafts and sweets. Among the typical treats it recommends are turrón from Jijona, sugared almonds from Casinos and little sweet potato pastries called pastelitos de boniato.

Exact opening times for this season haven't been published yet. Check Visit València's events calendar before you go, especially on public holidays.

San Silvestre run: Wednesday 30 December

The evening before New Year's Eve, Valencia runs the 41st San Silvestre Popular Valenciana. According to its Visit València listing, it starts on 30 December 2026 at 20:00 on Calle Xàtiva, at the junction with San Vicente Mártir, next to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. It's a festive run, and many people take part in fancy dress. To get there, the same page lists metro lines 3, 5 and 9 and several EMT city buses, stopping at the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

New Year's Eve in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento

Valencia's big New Year's Eve party is in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, where people eat twelve grapes at midnight, one per chime, as is the custom all over Spain. The 2026 programme hasn't been announced yet. To give you an idea, this is how the last edition went, according to Visit València:

• A children's party in the morning, from 11:00 to 12:30, with its own countdown at 12:00.
• The square closed at 20:30 and reopened at 22:00 through five entrances: Marqués de Sotelo, passeig de Russafa, Correos, Barcas and María Cristina.
• A DJ party from 22:30 to 01:45, the chimes at 23:59 and a fireworks display straight after.
• More fireworks at the City of Arts and Sciences, launched from the Monteolivete bridge.
• Free entry.

If you want a good spot, get there early. With small children, the morning party is much calmer than the night one.

Expojove and the Three Kings: 26 December to 6 January

With children on holiday, the big family event is Expojove at Feria Valencia, the city's exhibition centre. According to Visit València, it runs from 26 December 2026 to 4 January 2027, from 11:00 to 20:00. There are two exceptions: on 31 December it opens from 10:00 to 14:00, and on 1 January from 16:00 to 21:00. This year's programme hasn't been announced yet.

Christmas ends with the Three Kings parade on Tuesday 5 January 2027. According to the parade listing, the Kings arrive by boat at Plaza de la Sal in Marina Norte at around 16:30, and the parade sets off at 17:30. The route runs along Navarro Reverter, Puerta del Mar, General Palanca, General Tovar, Paz, Plaza de la Reina, San Vicente and the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, finishing on Marqués de Sotelo. Spanish children get their presents from the Kings the next morning. Check the times on the listing in the days before.

Getting from the airport at Christmas

Valencia Airport is in Manises, about 10 km from the city centre. According to Aena, metro lines 3 and 5 link it with the centre. It's the cheapest option if you're travelling light. Timetables may change on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve: check the special timetables on Metrovalencia before you travel. We compare every option in Valencia Airport to the city centre.

With a private transfer, the driver meets you in the arrivals hall with a sign showing your name:

• We track your flight. If it's delayed, we adjust the pickup. Free waiting at the airport is 60 minutes from the actual landing (how long the driver waits).
• A fixed price including tolls, which you see before you book.
• Travelling with children? Request a child seat in the form and give the child's age in the comment. We confirm availability when you book.
• Flexible plans. Changes are free up to 24 hours before pickup, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before.

Tips for getting around over the holidays

1. Book early. From 24 December to 6 January many families and visitors come to the city, and demand for hotels and transport goes up.
2. On New Year's Eve, arrange your pickup away from the square. The area around the Plaza del Ayuntamiento fills with people and access is controlled. If you book a ride back to your hotel, give an address outside the party area. At addresses other than the airport, free waiting is 15 minutes.
3. On 5 January, allow for the parade. The route crosses the centre in the afternoon. If you're arriving or leaving that day, plan your journey with time to spare.
4. Check the official listings in the days before. Many of this Christmas's programmes are still to be published; Visit València adds them to its events calendar as they come out.