{"id":6090,"date":"2023-10-22T11:52:23","date_gmt":"2023-10-22T09:52:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alojamientosenpamplona.com\/?p=6090"},"modified":"2026-11-02T18:05:40","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T17:05:40","slug":"christmas-in-pamplona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alojamientosenpamplona.com\/en\/christmas-in-pamplona\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas in Pamplona: Market, Olentzero and the Three Kings"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Christmas in Pamplona is a time of lights, music and traditions that you will not find anywhere else. Every year the City Council organises a programme of more than 100 activities, from concerts and light installations to workshops for children. Plaza del Castillo becomes the heart of the celebrations, and the old town fills with families out for a walk.<\/p>\n

The season also has its own characters: Olentzero, the charcoal burner who brings presents on Christmas Eve, and the Three Kings, who arrive on 5 January. This guide explains what to expect and how to plan your stay.<\/p>\n

The Christmas market and ice rink in Plaza del Castillo<\/h2>\n

From the end of November, Plaza del Castillo hosts an ice rink, and from mid-December a Christmas fair with stalls selling crafts, gifts and local products. In 2025 the fair ran from 15 December to 6 January, closing on 25 December and 1 January, and the rink opened from 29 November to 6 January.<\/p>\n

The exact dates, times and prices change every year, so check the City Council\u2019s Christmas programme<\/a> before your trip. The programme usually also includes light and video art installations in the Ciudadela and a Christmas season at the Teatro Gayarre.<\/p>\n

Olentzero, 24 December<\/h2>\n

Olentzero is the most beloved figure of Christmas in Navarre and the Basque Country. He is a mythical charcoal burner who comes down from the mountains on Christmas Eve to bring presents to children. The tradition has pre-Christian roots linked to fire and the winter solstice. In its origins, the name referred to the large log that was burnt in the hearth on Christmas Eve.<\/p>\n

In Pamplona, the tradition was brought from the town of Lesaka by former pupils of the Capuchin school, members of the Asociaci\u00f3n de San Antonio founded in 1955. Today, on the afternoon of 24 December, Olentzero and his companion Mari Domingi parade through the city centre with music, dancers and choirs. The parade usually leaves around 17:45 from Iturralde y Suit street, passes through Plaza del Castillo and reaches the City Hall square around 19:30. There, Olentzero receives the red scarf of San Ferm\u00edn, one of the most photographed moments of the evening.<\/p>\n

The parade is free. Arrive early if you want a good spot, especially with young children.<\/p>\n

New Year\u2019s Eve, 31 December<\/h2>\n

New Year\u2019s Eve in Pamplona is lively and very local. Read our guide to New Year\u2019s Eve in Pamplona<\/a> for the best plans, and book early: it is one of the busiest nights of the winter.<\/p>\n

The Three Kings parade, 5 January<\/h2>\n

For Spanish children, the Three Kings (los Reyes Magos) are the ones who bring presents on the night of 5 January. In Pamplona, the celebration has been organised since 1927, when the first parade was promoted by the Pamplona Press Association. Since 1996 it has been run by the Asociaci\u00f3n Cabalgata de Reyes Magos de Pamplona.<\/p>\n

The day starts in the afternoon, when the Kings arrive on dromedaries at the medieval Magdalena bridge. They enter the old town through the Portal de Francia and are received at the City Hall while the bells of the city\u2019s churches ring out. In the evening, the parade sets off from the Santa Catalina school. It continues along Paseo de Sarasate and through Plaza del Castillo, with illuminated floats, music bands and nearly 1,000 participants, and ends on Avenida Carlos III.<\/p>\n

In the days before, you will see the Kings\u2019 \u201cadvance party\u201d around town:<\/p>\n