A Magical Christmas Season in Spain: New Year's Eve and Three Kings' Day
A 10 day trip to Spain provided by SpainTop.com
Experience Christmas traditions in Spain such as New Year´s Eve twelve grapes of luck, Nativity Scenes, Three Wise Kings Parade, exquisite gastronomy.
This is a trip for everybody, families and specially children enjoy this magic and colorful feast. Adults will love the special dinners and parties running all over Madrid on New Year´s Eve and 5th of january nights (Three Wise Kings Day)
Photos
Details
Departures:
december 29th 2008
Places Visited:
Madrid, Toledo, Barcelona
Activities:
Architecture
Art & Music
Children Friendly
Cultural Activities
Family Vacation
Gourmet & Cooking
Gourmet & Dining
History & Archaeology
Nightlife
Price:
3 stars hotels: 1.160 € per person in double occupancy
4 stars hotels: 1.370 € per person in double occupancy
5 stars hotels: 1.580 € per person in double occupancy
The price includes:
9 hotel overnights with breakfast included in city located good quality hotels
4 Private transfers airport-hotel-airport in Madrid
2 Private transfers airport-hotel-airport in Barcelona
Madrid-Barcelona-Madrid economy class domestic flights
Half day regular tour to Toledo
Gothic Quarter regular walking tour In Barcelona
Events and activities information
Round the clock 24 h telephone assistance in english during your trip
Travel documents
Detailed Description
Many of Spain’s traditions during the Christmas season revolve around many of the same activities as in the rest of the world. Just like anywhere else, families in Spain gather together to enjoy and celebrate. But in Spain, Christmas is also a very unique holiday, with beautiful traditions and customs that reflect the true character of the Spanish people.
One symbol of Christmas that still maintains much importance throughout Spain is the Nativity scene. These scenes occupy plazas in cities and small towns throughout the country, and can also be seen in the doorways and entrances of many Spanish homes, as well in storefront windows, and they can be quite elaborate.
Also during the days leading up to Christmas, one might hear the voices of children singing in the streets, especially in the villages and small towns of rural Spain, where they still participate in the age old tradition called the "aguinaldo".
December 31, New Year's Eve:
Of course, the celebrations that take place on New Year’s Eve, or Nochevieja, in Spain, are quite an impressive spectacle. In all plazas of Spanish cities big and small, one can see a similar scene, and it will undoubtedly include church bells and grapes. When the Puerta del Sol clock strikes 12, the church bells sound 12 times, and at this moment, all Spaniards eat 12 grapes, one for each toll of the bell. According to tradition, those who eat the grapes will have 12 months of prosperity in the new year. Families and friends stay together for this celebration which marks the end of one year and the beginning of a new one, and in the case of most Spaniards this means a lively celebration will be had until the wee hours of the morning.
January 6, Three King's Day
While most of the world has already begun packing up the Christmas ornaments, throwing out the tree, and finding a place for all of their gifts, Spaniards are continuing the celebration. January 6, Three King’s Day, is the long awaited day in which the three Kings bring their gifts. On January 5, children go to a parade where they see the three kings arrive to their city, and take the opportunity to ask them for gifts. Later, before going to bed, children leave their shoes out in a visible spot in the house or on their balcony, and go to bed hoping that when they wake up they will find gifts left by Mechior, Gaspar, and Balthasar. For breakfast or after lunch, families often have the typical dessert of the day, the “Roscón de Reyes”, a large ring shaped cake that is decorated with candied fruits, symbolic of the emeralds and rubies that adorned the robes of the three kings. Somewhere inside the cake there is a surprise, and the person to find it will be crowned King or Queen of the house for the remainder of the day.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 :
MADRID: Monday december 29th 2008
Wellcome to Spain! Arrival in Madrid airport, private transfer and check in your hotel.
Day 2 :
MADRID-TOLEDO: Tuesday december 30th 2008
Today we will visit the monumental city of Toledo where you will have the chance to taste a very traditional spanish Christmas dessert “Los mazapanes de Toledo”. We enter to the old quarters to visit the Plaza del Ayuntamiento (City Hall), and admire the impressive Gothic building of the Primate Cathedral; walk through the old Jewish quarter with its narrow streets to visit the Church of St. Tomé, with the very famous painting of El Greco "The Burial of Count Orgaz", Sinagogue of Ste. Maria la Blanca, Church of San Juan de los Reyes, and the house Museum Victorio Macho, located over River Tagus with outstanding views. Duration aprox. 5 hrs.
Resto of the day free in Madrid
Day 3 :
MADRID: Wednesday december 31th 2008 New Year´s Eve
After your special New Year´s Eve dinner share with hundreds of thousands of people at Puerta del Sol square the coming of new year 2009 eating the "twelve grapes of luck" with each beat of the bells.
New Year's Eve is celebrated with parties and social gatherings all around Madrid.
Day 4 :
MADRID: Thursday january 1st 2009 New Year´s Day
Breakfast in your hotel. There is no better way to get to know a city than by admiring its monuments and observing the people as they walk around its most emblematic streets and squares, in this days, fully decorated with street lights and Nativity scenes. We may suggest a walk through the narrow and steep streets of the oldest part of Madrid that will take us to the Arab city walls and emblematic locations such as Segovia Street, Mayor Street, Plaza Mayor (that helds Madrid traditional Christmas market), Plaza de la Villa and the Royal Palace.
Day 5 :
MADRID-BARCELONA: Friday january 2nd 2009
Breakfast in the hotel and transfer to the airport to take a flight to Barcelona. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Rest of the day free at your disposal .
Day 6 :
BARCELONA: Saturday january 3rd 2009
After breakfast we will take a pleasant walking tour of the Old town or Casc Antic. Discover the charm of its streets, squares, hidden corners and hundred-year-old buildings with expert guides who will take you, step by step, on a journey through history. See one of the most awaited Christmas scenes, the Plaça de Sant Jaume pessebre (nativity scene), one which combines the best landscaping techniques and artistic efforts.
Barcelona is a city that invites you to stroll. The streets filled with the life and the Christmas atmosphere all invite you to experience the city in an intense way.
Day 7 :
BARCELONA: Sunday january 4th 2009
Discover another barcelona´s highlights like the Olympic Ring, the Two Harbours and the monuments of Antonio Gaudi, the Park Güell and his buildings at the Paseo de Gracia.
For those traveling with children we may recommend a visit to the children's fair “A world of fun" at the Montjuïc Trade Fair, from 27 December to 4 January, where there will be a host of events and activities to choose from: concerts, games, workshops, sports, crafts, cooking and karaoke. A veritable paradise for kids, teenagers and adults who are still children at heart and want to have a good time.
Another highlight is a visit to the the three-masted vessel of Their Royal Majesties at Moll de la Fusta. That is where you will find the royal mail box, where children post their letter to the Kings.
Day 8 :
BARCELONA-MADRID: Monday january 5th 2009 Three Wise Men Parade
Breakfast in the hotel and transfer to the airport to take a flight to Madrid. Arrival and transfer to the hotel.
Late in the afternoon enjoy one of Spain's most deeply rooted Christmas traditions. Madrid becomes a giant party during the celebration of a show through it main streets, with companies from all over the world, which is created for the youngest members of the family but open to people of all ages.
Day 9 :
MADRID: Tuesday january 6th 2009 Three Kings Day
Feast day to commemorate the visitation of the Magi to the child Jesus on this day. On the morning, the children find the gifts, which the kings have left for them, and, for those who have not behaved, perhaps a piece of coal as well.
Day at your disposal for leisure.
Day 10 :
MADRID-FLIGHT BACK HOME: Wednesday january 7th 2009
Breakfast in your hotel and free time until your departure transfer to the airport for your return home. Wish you had a wonderful Christmas!
End of our services.
