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Christmas on the Costa del Sol in 2026 starts on Friday 27 November, when Málaga switches on the Christmas lights in Calle Larios, and ends on 6 January 2027 with Three Kings’ Day. The main dates are the Christmas lottery draw on 22 December, Nochebuena on 24 December, New Year’s Eve with the twelve grapes, and the Three Kings parades on the evening of 5 January.
Christmas 2026 on the Costa del Sol: key dates
| Date | What happens | Shops and offices |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 27 November 2026 | Christmas lights switched on in Calle Larios, Málaga | Normal |
| Tue 8 December 2026 | Inmaculada Concepción, national holiday | Mostly closed |
| Tue 22 December 2026 | El Gordo, the Christmas lottery draw, broadcast all morning | Normal |
| Thu 24 December 2026 | Nochebuena, the main family dinner | Close early |
| Fri 25 December 2026 | Christmas Day, national holiday | Closed |
| Mon 28 December 2026 | Día de los Santos Inocentes, Spain’s day for pranks | Normal |
| Thu 31 December 2026 | Nochevieja: twelve grapes at midnight | Close early |
| Fri 1 January 2027 | New Year’s Day, national holiday | Closed |
| Tue 5 January 2027 | Cabalgata de Reyes, Three Kings parades in every town | Open, often late |
| Wed 6 January 2027 | Día de Reyes, when Spanish children get their presents | Closed |
Dates of the national holidays are fixed. The Calle Larios switch-on date was reported by local press in October 2026; town hall programmes for parades and markets are usually published in late November. Checked 31 October 2026.
When are the Málaga Christmas lights switched on in 2026?
The lights in Calle Larios, Málaga’s main shopping street, go on on Friday 27 November 2026, keeping the city’s tradition of the last Friday in November. The display is one of the best known in Spain and draws large crowds every evening, with light and music shows at set times. The city has said the 2026 design will differ from last year’s and will present it in early November.
For a calmer visit, go on a weekday evening in early December rather than the opening weekend or the holiday week. The centre is easy to reach by the Cercanías train from Fuengirola, Benalmádena and Torremolinos to Málaga Centro-Alameda, which avoids the queues for city-centre car parks.
How do the Spanish celebrate Christmas?
The Spanish Christmas is longer than the British or Scandinavian one, and the emphasis falls on different days. Nochebuena on 24 December is the big family dinner. Christmas Day is quieter. New Year’s Eve is a night out, and at midnight everyone eats twelve grapes, one for each stroke of the clock, for luck in the coming year.
For children the most important day is 6 January, Día de Reyes, when the Three Kings bring the presents. The evening before, every town holds a Cabalgata de Reyes, a parade of floats from which the kings and their pages throw sweets to the crowds. Families eat roscón de reyes, a ring-shaped sweet bread with a small figure and a bean hidden inside. On 22 December the whole country follows the Christmas lottery draw, El Gordo, sung live by schoolchildren of the San Ildefonso school in Madrid.
Three Kings parades on the Costa del Sol
Every municipality on the coast runs its own Cabalgata de Reyes on the evening of 5 January, usually starting in the late afternoon. Málaga’s is the largest. Fuengirola, Mijas, Marbella and Benalmádena hold their own, and larger municipalities often run more than one: Mijas has separate parades in Mijas Pueblo, Las Lagunas and La Cala de Mijas, and Marbella in the town centre and San Pedro Alcántara.
Routes and times are published by each town hall in the weeks before. Arrive early for a spot near the start of the route, bring a bag for the sweets, and expect road closures and heavy traffic in the town centres that evening.
Practical tips for the Christmas holidays
Shops, banks and most offices close on 8 December, 25 December, 1 January and 6 January, and many close early on 24 and 31 December. Supermarkets in tourist areas often open on Sunday mornings in December. Restaurants fill up for Nochebuena and Nochevieja, so book well ahead if you want to eat out on those nights.
The winter sales, las rebajas, traditionally start on 7 January, the day after Reyes. If you are travelling, flights to Málaga around the holidays fill early, and the days between Christmas and Reyes are a busy time on the roads in and out of the city.
Spending Christmas in your own home on the coast
Many of our clients first fell for the Costa del Sol in winter, when the beaches are quiet and lunch outside in the sun is normal in December. If you are thinking about a winter base of your own, our Costa del Sol area guide explains how the towns differ, and you can browse homes for sale or ask us for advice.
Frequently asked questions
When do the Calle Larios Christmas lights go on in 2026?
On Friday 27 November 2026, the last Friday in November.
Is 6 January a holiday in Spain?
Yes. Día de Reyes is a national holiday, and most shops and offices are closed.
When is the Three Kings parade?
On the evening of 5 January, in every town. Each town hall publishes its own route and start time.
Are shops open on Christmas Day in Spain?
Almost all are closed on 25 December and 1 January. Many close early on 24 and 31 December.
Source for the switch-on date: El Español Málaga, 23 October 2026. Checked 31 October 2026.
