With hardly time to recover from the excesses of Christmas, Ibiza is at it again with a celebration that, in actual fact, surpasses Christmas in terms of importance and revelry both here and in the rest of Spain.
This is especially true for the children, as Three Kings is the day when they receive their gifts. The fun begins on the evening of the 5th January, when the Three Magi lead processions through the towns' streets, throwing sweets to the kids and giving out presents.
Another popular tradition of the Three Kings celebration is to eat a "Roscon", which is like a huge donut, covered in candied fruits and sugar. A plastic toy is buried inside the cake which, whilst at first glance may appear to be a choking hazard, actually represents a year of good fortune for whoever finds it.
Event Times
This year, the Kings will arrive in the Port of Ibiza, and the Port of San Antonio at 18.30 hrs on 5th January. The procession will start at 18.00 hrs in Santa Eulalia, 19.30 hrs in San Carlos and 20.00 hrs in Santa Gertrudis. The following day, the first visit of the Magi will be at 11.30 in Puig d'en Valls, and an hour later in Jesus.
Most of the other smaller towns on Ibiza, such as San Miguel, San Joan and San Jose will have their own Royal Procession too, so do check with the relevant town hall for full details, and expect all shops and businesses to be closed on 6th January for this public holiday.
Brimming with colour and smiles, Three Kings is a spectacular fiesta that cannot help but bring out the child in us all, and whether you are here on Ibiza or elsewhere in Spain, we wish you Feliz Dia de Reyes!