What to do in Gijón at Christmas: lights, nativity scenes, New Year's Eve and the Three Kings

At Christmas, Gijón switches on its lights in the Plaza Mayor at the end of November (on 28 November in 2025), sets up a life-size nativity scene in the Jardín Botánico Atlántico, runs the San Silvestre race and rings in the year on 31 December, and welcomes the Three Kings on 5 January. The 2026 programme has not been published yet.

Anyone looking for things to do in Gijón at Christmas should know one thing first: the 2026 municipal programme has not been published yet. As of 18 October 2026, the Ayuntamiento's listings only announce a handful of events. Last year's, «Gijón Brillante Navidad 2025-2026», produced through Divertia, was finalised in the last week of November. Here is what is already confirmed and what the city did last Christmas, which is a useful guide even if it is not a date.

What is already confirmed for 2026

The city listings already include the Travesía de Navidad, an open-water swim in the XIII Circuito de Travesías a Nado de Gijón run by the Patronato Deportivo Municipal: on 25 December 2026 at 13:15, over 220 metres inside the Puerto Deportivo. If you are not getting in the water, it is a good excuse to walk down to the marina at midday on Christmas Day.

At Monte Deva, the nature interpretation centre offers two free activities that need booking. On 13 December, from 11:00 to 12:30, the workshop «Arte, ciencia y Navidad», for families with children aged 10 and over and 15 places, where you make Christmas cards and decorations. And from 26 to 30 December, a family treasure hunt, «Navidades en naturaleza», with a compass, clues and questions around the park: two sessions a day, 11:00 to 12:00 and 12:30 to 13:30, for 12 people each.

The lights

Last Christmas the lights were switched on on 28 November at 18:30 in the Plaza Mayor, with the Coro Infantil and the Coro Joven de Gijón singing traditional songs. The programme spoke of «expanded and renewed» lighting and of a neighbourhood getting something new, El Natahoyo, which had its sea view back once the works around Naval Azul were finished. The date for the 2026 switch-on has not been announced yet.

Nativity scenes: the botanic garden and Las Carolinas

If you are wondering about the Jardín Botánico Atlántico at Christmas, the answer is a nativity scene. From 16 December to 6 January, the garden hosted last winter the Belén Municipal Monumental, by the artist Miguel Álvarez, «El Ponticu», with life-size figures: up to 32 of them, spread through the woods, meadows and ponds of the American Boreal Biome. During those dates entry to the garden was free, from 10:00 to 18:00, with last admission at 17:15. The programme said the nativity «returns» to the garden, so it is a tradition; what is missing is this year's date.

In the centre, the Asociación Belenista de Gijón shows its large nativity scene «Las Carolinas» in room 1 of the Centro de Cultura Antiguo Instituto. Last year it was open from 5 December to 7 January, Monday to Saturday from 12:00 to 14:00 and 17:30 to 20:30; Sundays and public holidays, mornings only; on 25 December and on 1 and 6 January, afternoons only; and it was closed on 24 and 31 December.

With children: letters, carousel and a countdown

Christmas in Gijón has its own messengers. L'Anguleru, who according to the programme arrives after crossing the Atlantic, collects letters at the Acuario on the morning of 24 December; it is already in the 2026 listings, as the guide to Gijón in winter explains. And Prince Abdeladid, envoy of the Three Kings, meets children and collects their letters in the foyer of the Teatro Jovellanos: last year on 27 December and 2 January, from 12:00 to 14:00.

From 28 November to 7 January, the Paseo de Begoña had a carousel, a big wheel and a Christmas market, and the Parque del Tren de la Libertad had Inverland, a private attraction with an ice rink, sledges and a Christmas train. The rink cost 8 euros an hour including skates, and gloves were compulsory.

Children even get their own New Year's Eve: the «Peque Campanadas», on 31 December from 18:30 to 20:00 in the Plaza Mayor, with music, lights and a countdown.

New Year's Eve

On the last day of the year the San Silvestre race runs through the city streets. In 2025 it was the 56th edition, with the children's races at 16:00 and the main race, over 6,000 metres, at 17:00, with 5,400 places. At night the Plaza Mayor hosts the chimes, from 23:00 to 2:00, with a light and sound show, the lucky grapes and a DJ.

The Three Kings

The Three Kings arrive in Gijón on 5 January. Even last year's programme did not give the parade route, which it listed as «to be confirmed»; it did warn that traffic is closed in some neighbourhoods, that EMTUSA buses change their routes and that sprays are banned during the parade. It is worth checking the city council website and the urban bus website the day before.

On 6 January, although the council's page for the Museo del Ferrocarril de Asturias lists it as a closing day, last year's programme announced a special Jornada del Vapor there, with free steam train rides inside the museum. How these work is explained in the guide to the steam days.

Public holidays and closures

According to the BOE, the public holidays in Asturias are Monday 7 December 2026 (the day after Constitution Day), 8 and 25 December, and 1 and 6 January 2027. Municipal museums also close on 24 and 31 December; the full list of closures, including the Acuario and the botanic garden, is in the guide to Gijón in winter.

Checked

Information checked on 18 October 2026 in: the Ayuntamiento de Gijón events listings (Travesía de Navidad; the Monte Deva workshop «Arte, ciencia y Navidad» and treasure hunt «Navidades en naturaleza»), the municipal programme «Gijón Brillante Navidad 2025-2026» (lights, nativity scenes, carousel, Inverland, letters, San Silvestre, chimes, the Kings and the steam day), the council's page for the Museo del Ferrocarril de Asturias and the BOE (public holidays for 2026 and 2027). Last year's details are given as a reference: the 2026 dates need confirming once the programme is out.