How to Spend Christmas in Malaga (A Local’s Guide)
Christmas in Malaga is full of traditions and celebrations, so if you’re visiting Malaga during the festive season, you don’t want to miss all the different events going on during this special time of the year.
But don’t worry, because I’ll tell you all the traditions and events taking place in Malaga. As a local, I know everything about Christmas in the city.
There are many reasons to spend Christmas in Malaga, but you especially want to spend it here if you love a warm Christmas and want to experience events and traditions different from your home country while exploring the city.
Another good reason to spend Christmas in Malaga is the food. It offers delicious traditional Christmas dishes and sweets. You can’t leave the city without trying its tasty food.
If you’d love to experience Spanish Christmas in Malaga like a local, keep reading to discover all the incredible things you can do in Malaga at Christmas.
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8 Best Things to Do in Malaga at Christmas
1. Watch the Christmas Lights show
Malaga has become a more popular Christmas destination since the Christmas Light Show takes place.
Different Christmas lights are set up at the beginning of Larios Street every year. What makes them unique is the fact that the lights are accompanied by Christmas songs.
The light show typically takes place at three different times, between 6 pm and 10 pm, but you can check the exact times on the Malaga website.
Seeing Malaga Christmas lights is a fantastic experience – colourful and bright lights, Christmas music and a lively atmosphere.
2. See the Belen at Malaga’s Town Hall
One of the most traditional things to do in Malaga during the festive season is to see a nativity scene known as a belén in Spanish.
Building these nativity scenes takes some time, as they’re often large, and the aim is to create one as realistic as possible, including many details.
You can visit these beautiful nativity scenes in Malaga Cathedral, in the Town Hall and in the Carmen Thyssen Museum. However, the one at the town hall is my favourite. It’s huge, and you’ll be amazed by the amount of detail that has gone into it.
Spend the afternoon visiting nativity scenes, eating churros at Casa Aranda and watching the Christmas lights.
3. Check out the Christmas Market
The main Malaga Christmas Market takes place in Paseo del Parque. Here, you can find stalls selling Christmas decorations and nativity scene figures, books, clothes, bags, and food items such as baked potatoes and candy floss.
It’s lovely to walk in Paseo del Parque in the late afternoon, where you can catch a glimpse of the stalls, grab something to eat, and see the Christmas Lights.
In addition to this Christmas Market, you can often find stalls in Plaza de la Marina too.
4. Enjoy the Christmas atmosphere at Muelle Uno
Muelle Uno, Malaga’s Port, is another place you need to check out during your Christmas holiday in Malaga. Not only will you see Christmas decorations and a lovely Christmas market, but you can also find Santa’s Grotto here.
Santa Claus wasn’t a thing in Spain 30 years ago; however, it has become more and more popular, and many locals give Christmas presents from Santa on Christmas Day.
On top of the Santa Claus Grotto, live performances aren’t uncommon, and Muelle Uno also hosts a craft Christmas Market with unique gifts.
Overall, Muelle Uno is a fantastic place to visit in Malaga at Christmas.
5. Buy El Gordo lottery
La Lotería del Gordo is part of the Christmas traditions in Malaga and the whole country. Everybody buys at least a lottery ticket, which costs 20 euros.
The price is quite high, but lots of people buy it. Many families, like mine, buy a couple of lottery tickets and divide the costs so if they win, they’ll split the prize.
Getting a lottery ticket is not only about buying the ticket, but also the excitement of potentially winning a prize.
Locals switch on the TV on the 22nd of December morning to watch children singing the lottery numbers.
If you miss El Gordo, get the El Niño lottery. The draw results are on the 5th of January.
Good to know
Whether you’re on holiday in Spain or not, you can play the El Gordo lottery. If you’re abroad, you can buy lottery tickets online.
6. Celebrate New Year’s Eve at Plaza de la Constitución
Nochevieja, New Year’s Eve, is one of the liveliest days during the festive season.
So, what do you expect on New Year’s Eve? We locals start celebrating New Year’s Eve with our families. We have dinner that consists of a variety of starters, main course, second course and desserts. If you’re celebrating New Year’s Eve at a local’s house, be prepared to eat a lot.
However, the most magical and exciting moment of the night is eating the twelve grapes! You need to get 12 grapes because at midnight you’ll listen to the 12 campanadas. For each stroke, you eat a grape, and if you manage to eat them all, you’ll have a successful new year.
The best place to celebrate this in Malaga is in Plaza de la Constitución, and if you’re planning to attend a New Year’s party at a club, my top advice is to get your tickets in advance. If you don’t, you risk not being able to get in or paying more to get in.
7. Watch the Three Kings Parade
If you’ve never heard of Cabalgata de Los Reyes Magos, it’s a parade in which kids can see the Three Kings (Melchor, Gaspar and Balthasar), also known as the three wise men.
In this parade, page boys throw sweets at children. However, some parades also throw a few limited balls or teddies as a surprise. These tend to happen at the very beginning of the parade.
The parade takes place on the 5th of January and passes through Malaga city centre, including Larios Street. It usually starts at about 5 pm and lasts until 9 pm.
Hundreds of people will watch the parade, so be aware that it isn’t the best day to explore the city centre. Instead, enjoy this unique Spanish experience!
I recall how much I enjoyed it when I was a kid. I was excited to see the Three Kings and get as many sweets as possible.
The funny thing is that you’ll see people opening their umbrellas and using them to get more sweets.
After the cabalgata and before going to sleep, children leave buckets of water for the camels and some nougat and sweets for the Three Kings.
8. Eat Roscón de Reyes
Roscón de Reyes is a traditional Christmas cake filled with whipped cream and topped with dried and candied fruit.
However, this cake has evolved over the years, and you can now find other fillings, such as chocolate truffles.
It also has small surprises inside, so if you decide to try it, be careful when you bite! If you get the figure, it means that you’re lucky. However, if you get the “hard bean”, you’ll have to pay for this cake next year.
If you want to try roscón, make sure to buy it in advance from a bakery or supermarket, as they often sell out quickly, especially on the days leading up to Three Kings’ Day.
Local Tip
El Colmenero de Alhaurín has some of the best Three Kings’ cakes.
Interesting Christmas traditions in Malaga and Spain
Important dates
- 22nd December – La Lotería del Gordo (Spanish Christmas lottery)
- 24th December – Nochebuena (Christmas Eve)
- 25th December – Navidad (Christmas Day)
- 28th December – Día de Los Inocentes (similar to April Fools’ Day)
- 31st December – Nochevieja (New Year’s Eve)
- 1st January – Día de Año Nuevo (New Year’s Day)
- 5th January – La Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos (The Three Kings Parade)
- 6th January – Día de Los Reyes Magos (The Three Kings Day)
Traditions on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Spanish people celebrate Christmas Eve by gathering with family for dinner. You can expect a big dinner with starters, a main course, and a second course and, of course, dessert.
Once dinner is finished, it’s very normal to spend some time watching TV, playing board games, singing villancicos (Spanish Christmas songs), and eating mantecados and other Christmas sweets in between.
Christmas Day celebrations don’t differ much from those in other countries. Many children receive Santa Claus presents, and families have lunch together.
A difference between Spain and countries like the UK is that most Spanish children receive small gifts from Santa, as they’ll receive larger gifts from the Three Kings on January 6th.
Traditions on New Year’s Eve
There are many traditions and superstitions for this day. Here are some of the things you could hear locals talk about:
- You need to wear brand-new red underwear to bring you luck for the following year.
- You need to eat lentils for lunch to bring you luck for next year.
- You need to eat 12 grapes in time to bring you luck for next year.
As you can see, everything is about luck for the upcoming year.
Traditional Christmas food in Malaga
Food plays a significant role in Christmas celebrations in Spain. Locals gather with their families for lunch and dinner, and these gatherings involve plenty of food. Imagine your grandma or mum cooking different meals and homemade desserts all day for the upcoming festive days.
Their meals consist of starters (ham and cheese platter, olives, prawns, etc.), a main (usually a soup), a second (meat or fish) and, obviously, dessert plus nougat and other sweets that will be on the table.
Depending on the Spanish region you visit, the main and second may vary. But in Malaga, it’s very common to have sopa de marisco (seafood soup) or sopa de picadillo (a soup made of chicken stock and topped with breadcrumbs, boiled egg, and ham) as a main, and stuffed pork meat or turkey as a second.
If you have a sweet tooth, don’t forget to try roscón de Reyes and borrachuelos, which consist of pastries filled with pumpkin jam called cabello de ángel.
Best places to stay in Malaga at Christmas
Malaga is home to fantastic hotels that are in the heart of the city, so you can experience Malaga at Christmas at its best.
These are some of the best hotels to spend Christmas in the city:
📍 Gran Hotel Miramar (5-star hotel)
📍 AC Hotel Malaga Palacio (4-star hotel)
📍 Hotel Larios Málaga (4-star hotel) is best for direct views of Malaga Christmas Lights!
Other places to see the Christmas lights near Malaga
If you stay in Malaga longer than a weekend, it’s worth checking out the Christmas lights and nativity scenes in nearby towns across the Costa del Sol. Not only are they less frequented and touristy, but they are beautiful, too.
These are some of the Christmas lights and events you want to add to your list:
➢ Torremolinos. The Christmas Lights are set up in Plaza Costa del Sol, in the heart of the town. It’s a great place to see the colourful and bright lights as well as to do some Christmas shopping.
➢ Alhaurín de la Torre. Located a few minutes from Churriana, this mountainside town is worth visiting for its Christmas decorations. The roundabouts are decorated with lights and inflatable decorations, and the centre of the city features an outdoor nativity scene and beautiful lights as well.
Additionally, if you want to experience a less crowded Three Kings Parade, Alhaurin de la Torre is the ideal destination.
➢ Marbella. The lovely town of Marbella switches on its Christmas lights at the end of November, attracting many locals and travellers. In addition to this, don’t miss the Christmas market that takes place in Plaza Antonio Banderas, near Puerto Banus. I love Marbella during the holidays!
Conclusion: Is Malaga worth visiting at Christmas?
The short answer is yes. Visiting Malaga in December is magical because you can do many of the activities you’d do all year round and experience the atmosphere and traditions that locals celebrate during the festive season.
Malaga gets very crowded during this time of the year. Although you may love the lively atmosphere, it’s also worth exploring other nearby towns that tend to be quieter but have incredible lights and Christmas events.
Enjoy your time in Malaga!
Cristina x
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Top things to do before visiting Malaga
- Book cheap flights to Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport with Skyscanner.
- Are you looking for accommodation in Malaga? Have a look at this guide.
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- Book a free walking tour with GuruWalk.
- Travelling around Malaga and Costa del Sol? Check and compare car rentals with Discover Cars.
- Book travel insurance for your trip; this is a must for any trip!
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