Christmas Markets and Festivals on the Costa del Sol
The Costa del Sol is a beautiful part of Andalusia, in southern Spain. It’s one of the most popular places in Spain for expats to buy property thanks to its mix of wonderful beaches and vibrant cities. For most of us, southern Spain is a summer holiday destination. It’s a place where we can enjoy meals on the beach and a dip in the perfectly blue sea. But the Costa del Sol is also a great place to visit around Christmas time.
Towns and cities all the way along the coast sparkle with Christmas lights. There are also fun parades, Christmas markets and lots of delicious Spanish food to try.
We’ve put together our favourite Christmas events up and down the coast so you can plan the perfect sunny escape.
Top 4 Things to Do at Christmas on the Costa del Sol
#1. Visit the Best Christmas Markets
There are some fabulous Christmas markets dotted along the coast. Stalls selling decorations, yummy treats, presents and handmade items pop up throughout cities and towns. Some are bigger than others and a little more commercial with attractions and ice rinks, and others are more artisanal. There’s a great mix for whatever you’re after!
Paseo del Parque Christmas Market, Malaga. More than 90 stalls make up this great market in Malaga, selling decorations, nativity figures, sweets and gifts. It’s in the historic centre of the city, so perfect after a bit of sightseeing.
Muelle Uno Market, Malaga. This beautiful Christmas market overlooks the sea and is perfect for browsing for gifts. Like many markets in Spain, it’s open until the 7th of January, when the Three Kings have come and gone.
Fuengirola Christmas Market. This is a great, artisanal Christmas market in Fuengirola – a town between Marbella and Malaga. It’s perfect for good-quality food and handmade gifts.
Cívitas Puerto Banús Christmas Market. The Muelle de Honor transforms into a magical festive market that’s ideal for kids and adults. There are many stalls selling food as well as face painting, workshops and visits from Santa.
Benalmádena Christmas Market. This market arrives at the Avenida Constitución in Arroyo de la Miel. It’s a cosy market and ideal for buying ceramics, local specialities and gifts.
Medieval Christmas Market in Rincón de la Victoria. If you want a non-traditional and very festive market, then this one to the east of Malaga is perfect. It happens in Plaza Al Andalus and has lots of different pieces to buy and enjoy.
Marbella Christmas Market. This market pops up along the Marina in Marbella. It’s cute and very festive and you get some wonderful views of the ocean.
Sabor a Malaga Food Fair. This isn’t technically a Christmas market, but it is a great place to go to buy presents for any foodies you know. It happens every year over the long weekend in December and you can try and buy all kinds of local dishes and condiments.
#2. See the Christmas Lights on the Costa del Sol
Some of the best Christmas lights shows happen on the Costa del Sol. They’re a real spectacle and most last until after Three Kings Day.
Calle Larios Light Show. One of the main shopping streets in Malaga lights up with fantastic Christmas music and a light show. There are three shows per day and they’re well worth seeing.
Malaga Cathedral. The light project displayed onto Malaga Cathedral is a must if you’re in the city for Christmas. Kids will love it too.
Balcón de Europa, Nerja. This is a simple yet beautiful light installation in Nerja. There’s a 30-metre-high Christmas tree to see, plus 8 more trees decorated with white lights to represent almond trees in blossom.
Calle Córdoba, Marbella. Residents have created this great almost grotto-like light display in Marbella. It’s made up of lots of twinkling lights and idyllic decorations.
#3. Enjoy Traditional Sweet Food
Just like on the Costa Blanca at Christmas, there’s loads of great food to try on the Costa del Sol.
Mantecados and Polvorones. These are two very popular biscuits eaten in the area at Christmas. They’re a little like shortbread and are made from almonds and sesame seeds.
Turrón. This is another very popular food eaten at Christmas in Spain. It’s originally from the Alicante region and is made from almonds and honey. It’s usually sold in a block and there are lots of different varieties to try.
Pestiños. Pestiños are a kind of sweet cracker made from olive oil and sweet wine and they’re covered in icing sugar. They’re often flavoured with aniseed and are the perfect snack when wandering around a Christmas market.
Yemas del Tajo. These are traditional egg cakes from Malaga. They’re flavoured with cinnamon and lemon zest and look a little like egg yolks!
Roscón de Reyes. The Three Kings Day is one of the biggest Christmas celebrations in Spain. As part of the meal, Spaniards eat Roscón de Reyes, a type of circular cake filled with whipped cream and sugared fruit. Each cake has a bean and a small king figure in it. If you get the slice with the king, you’ll have luck all year but, if you get the bean, you’ll have to buy next year’s.
#4. Enjoy the Three Kings Parade
This celebration is definitely worth seeing if you’re spending Christmas on the Costa del Sol. There are lots of different parades happening across villages and cities. Here are some of the best ones happening on the 5th of January:
Malaga. This is an amazing spectacle full of floats, and entertainment and thousands of kilos of sweets are given out to the kids.
Fuengirola. This is another great Three Kings parade on the Costa del Sol – the kings even arrive via helicopters!
Torremolinos. The Torremolinos parade starts in Blas Infante Square and ends at the town hall. The streets are lined with excited kids as the kings throw sweets at them.
Marbella. The kings arrive to have a hot chocolate and then parade through the streets. It starts in Avenida Severo Ochoa and ends in Monseñor Rodríguez Bocanegra Square.
Estepona. In this town, the kings usually distribute 15000 kilos of sweets and 2000 toys! It starts in Avenida de Andalucía and ends in the Botanical Orquidario Park.
Christmas on the Costa del Sol
The Costa del Sol isn’t just somewhere for summer holidays. It’s an amazing place to visit at Christmas too. There are so many special light shows, Christmas markets and plenty of festive cheer. And, because you’re on the Sunshine Coast, you’ll enjoy milder weather that hardly ever reaches below 10 degrees!