As on every October 12, the capital city prepares for one of the year’s most emblematic events: the military parade on the occasion of National Day. Thousands of citizens and tourists will gather this public holiday Monday in the city center for a day that combines solemnity, history and collective pride. Nearly 4,000 members of the Armed Forces, of the State Security Forces and Corps, and of other civilian institutions, as well as aircraft and ground vehicles, will march along the Prado and Recoletos avenues, from the Emperor Charles V roundabout to Plaza de Colón.
As happened last year for the first time since 2020, the entire Royal Family will again preside over the parade of Hispanidad Day. Infanta Sofía will travel to Madrid from Paris, where she studies the second year of Political Science and International Relations at Forward College. The kings Felipe VI and Letizia will preside together with their daughters over the military parade from Neptune Square, where the royal tribune will be located. Next will follow the traditional reception that the kings of Spain offer to civil society at the Royal Palace.
The origin of the national holiday on October 12 is the commemoration of the arrival of Christopher Columbus in America in 1492. A date laden with symbolism that extols national identity. On September 23, 1892, the queen regent María Cristina promulgated a Royal Decree in San Sebastián, at the proposal of the president Antonio Cánovas del Castillo, in which this date was declared a national holiday.
However, until 1997, Spain’s most important and largest military parade was not held in October, but on May 30, on the occasion of the Armed Forces Day. In order to unify civil and military festivities into a single day, the Government issued a Royal Decree that definitively moved the central acts of the parade to October 12 from that year.
Schedule and route of the October 12 parade
The main ceremony will begin at 11:00 a.m. with the arrival of the Royal Family at the tribune installed in Cánovas del Castillo, next to the Neptune Fountain. Before the parade, Felipe VI will review the troops. As every year, one of the most anticipated moments will be the parachute jump with the National Flag, carried out by the Air and Space Force Parachuting Acrobatics Team. Other acts will include a solemn homage to the deceased and the aerial parade of the Mirlo Formation.
The Spanish royal family, at the October 12, 2025 parade.
The planned route for the 2026 military parade will run along the axis formed by Prado Avenue and Recoletos Avenue. The starting point is the Emperor Charles V Roundabout, next to Atocha Station. Next, the units will advance along Prado Avenue toward Neptuno and Cybele (Fuente de Cibeles), with Colón Square as the expected end of the ground parade.
Where to watch the October 12 parade
The official broadcast will be transmitted live in full by La 1 of RTVE, starting a special program a few minutes before 11:00 a.m. It can also be watched for free via the RTVE Play platform or through the Ministry of Defense’s official YouTube channel.
Those who wish to view it live in Madrid should consider the following recommendations. Although the parade begins at 11:00, the public starts taking positions in the front rows from 8:00 in the morning. For people accompanied by children who want them to have a good view or for those who wish to be near the Cybele or Neptune area, waking up early is essential.
Since the entire center of Madrid will be closed to traffic from early morning, it is also advisable to use public transport. It is recommended to head for stations a bit farther from the parade’s epicenter and walk a little. Metro stations such as Atocha, Banco de España or Colón often experience access restrictions or overcrowding at certain times. Good alternatives include Retiro, Chueca, Antón Martín or Estación del Arte.
Other notable activities on October 12
The Hispanidad Day schedule in Madrid, which will feature the United States as a guest country, commemorating 250 years of its independence, is not limited to the military parade. In total there will be more than two hundred activities spread across about 70 spaces in the region that will combine music, cinema, theater, dance, folklore and gastronomy. There will also be open-house days and free admissions at various museums in the capital during Hispanidad Day.
Music will also play a major role in the festivities. Madrid’s Plaza de España will host the concerts of Marta Sánchez and Sebastián Yatra on Sunday, October 11. On October 12, Carlos Baute will offer his show at 8:00 p.m. The festivities will end with a pyromusical show in the Cybele area.
