Barcelona Three Kings of Orient Parade

Magic and surprise will be with the procession from start to finish. Melchior, Gaspar and Balthasar are getting new floats and outfits for their visit to Barcelona.

The new floats will include the “bed-time” float, the Carrossa de L’Hora d’anar a dormir, which will tell children they need to go to bed early. There will also be a brand new float with African musicians and others with toys.

As they do every year Melchior, Gaspar and Baltasar are coming to Barcelona by sea. They will arrive on board the Schooner Santa Eulàlia, though they will have also covered some distance beforehand on board an Imoca yacht, like the ones competing in the Barcelona World Race.

At 5 pm on Wednesday 5 January, Their Majesties are expected to reach the Moll de la Fusta wharf, where they will be received by the Mayor of Barcelona, Jordi Hereu, who will hand them bread and salt, as a symbol of welcome and hospitality, as well as the key to the city that opens all the city’s gates.

The Kings will set off on their tour of the city at 6.30 pm, from Avinguda del Marquès de l’Argentera, making for the Montjuïc Fountain, on Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina, where they will arrive at around 9.20 pm.

Their Majesties will go up Via Laietana (around 7.15 pm), Plaça d’Urquinaona and Carrer de Fontanella (7.35 pm), Plaça de Catalunya and Carrer Pelai (7.45 pm), Plaça de la Universitat and Ronda de Sant Antoni (8.05 pm), Carrer de Sepúlveda (8.30 pm) and Avinguda de Paral·lel (9.00 pm).

More than 1,200 people will make the procession possible , among them artists, theatre and dance-school students, volunteers and city residents.

Traditional Christmas Fair on the Gran Via of Barcelona

As with every year, the fair stalls are setting up shop on the Gran Via, selling the toys and sugar “coal” the Three Kings of the Orient will be bringing every child in the city on 6 January.

The traditional Christmas fair has more than 300 stalls selling toys, records, CDs and sugar “coal“. There are also solidarity stalls for collecting new toys and ensuring no child goes without a present on such a special day. As is the tradition, the fair will be open on the night of 5 January.

 Three Kings Fair | End date: 05/01/2011
Gran Via Corts Catalanes, 580 between Rocafort & Muntaner | Eixample

Christmas Winner!… But there’s more free New Year’s Eve in Barcelona

Today, we have the free New Year’s Eve winner in Barcelona. Núñez i Navarro Hotels had organized a poll via Facebook asking you what was the most characteristic feature of Christmas in Barcelona and among all who have responded to our survey we have drawn 2 free nights at B-Hotel.

The lucky winner was … Lorena Lorenzo.
Congratulations! You will shortly receive a private message through facebook indicating how to proceed to enjoy your prize.

Due to the great success of participation and the many messages received, Núñez i Navarro Hotels has decided to extend the poll until Friday 10 December and we offer you another free New Year’s Eve in Barcelona. This time, the two free nights stay will be in the U232 Hotel, a modern and elegant hotel in the heart of Eixample. All who have voted to date, except the winner, automatically also partakers in the second draw.

For now, your votes assess how the most typical Pessebre and Caganer with 38% of the vote, although closely followed the lighting of the city center with 35%. Fira de Santa Llúcia (22%) and the Three Kings (5%) up the rear.

If you have not voted, join our facebook page and participate today. Remember that on December 10th, amid all the votes will be drawn a stay of two nights at the Hotel U232.

How to participate:
First thing you need to do is visit our facebook page, and join us (Like)

Once you are part of our facebook community, you can check the Poll tab, and cast your vote.
And that’s all you need to do. Wining a Free Stay in Barcelona has never been so easy.

The prize consists of:

• 2-nights stay at U232 Hotel, on a double room, on December 31st 2010 and January 1st 2011.
• Breakfast included.
• 1 Bottle of Cava.
• The prize can not be used in conjunction with other item or goods.
• The prize can not be exchanged for any other item or goods.
• The prize is personal and non-transferable.
• People under 18 years old can not participate.
• Maximum one vote per person. People voting with more than one profile will be automatically disqualified.

Winner will be randomly chosen among all voters of the poll. Winner will be announced on December 10th 2010.

Barcelona awaits the Three Kings of the Orient Parade

The arrival of Their Royal Majesties, the Three Kings of the Orient will be arriving in Barcelona thomorrow Tuesday, 5th of January, with various street theatre groups and choreographers helping to create a great big moving spectacular that will pass through the city’s streets for nearly three hours.

With over 1.200 participants and almost one kilometre of floats, the Kings’ Parade will start off this year around 5 pm when the Kings arrive on the schooner Santa Eulàlia and the Mayor, Jordi Hereu, gives them the key to open all the doors of the city so they can leave presents for everyone who’s been well-behaved this year.

This is the biggest street show ever held in Barcelona so, as a novelty this year, each King wanted to include a street theatre company with its own choreography on his float, making this five-kilometre procession a veritable moving stage

What’s more, the 2010 Kings’ Parade will have six newly created floats, three brand new mobile elements and more pages collecting dummies because the youngest onlookers will have to hand over their dummies if they want sweets.

This year’s Three Kings’ Parade, which will be setting off from Avinguda del Marquès de l’Argentera, next to Ciutadella Park, at 6.30 pm, has opted more than ever for artistic creation in the city, with the participation of professional companies, scenographers and choreographers who will be recreating the native lands of the Three Kings during the parade.

It will be broadcast live on Barcelona Televisió and go on to Via Laietana (7 pm), then Plaça Urquinaona and Carrer Fontanella (7.20 pm), to reach Plaça de Catalunya and Carrer Pelai at around 7.30 pm.

It will then continue on along Plaça Universitat and Ronda de Sant Antoni (7.45 pm), Carrer de Sepúlveda (8.00 pm), Carrer de Vilamarí and Carrer de Lleida until it reaches Avinguda de Rius i Taulet, which is expected at around 9.00 pm.

Source: www.bcn.es