Things to do and places to go at Christmas on the Costa del Sol

Christmas is magical on the Costa del Sol with lots of great activities, the towns sparkling with beautiful lights & delicious Christmas treats to enjoy

Christmas is magical on the Costa del Sol with lots of great activities and events, the towns sparkling with beautiful lights, nativity scenes and delicious Christmas treats to enjoy. What makes it even better, is that the sun usually shines and the temperatures rarely dip below 10°C, so you can take a stroll on the beach to walk off that Christmas dinner or head to one of the area’s wonderful golf courses for a round in between the festivities.

To help you enjoy this wonderful time of year to the full, we’ve picked out some of our favourite events and Christmas activities in the different areas near our luxury holiday rentals, but it’s only the tip of the iceberg! If you are holidaying on the Costa del Sol this Christmas, head to your nearest tourist office and ask for their Christmas programme to make sure you don’t miss any local events.

Malaga

As the regional capital, Malaga has the most to offer at Christmas, but it can be very busy, so we recommend leaving the car and jumping on the train from Fuengirola or Torremolinos to remove the stress. Here are our favourite things to do in Malaga at Christmas.

  • See the lights on Calle Larios – Malaga’s lights are always spectacular and this year they are extraordinary, taking the form of a cathedral complete with stained glass windows and an arched ceiling suspended high above this great shopping street. Every day they have a little show where the lights flash in time to three great Christmas songs, so try and time your visit to catch it at 18.30 or 21.30.
  • Check out the Christmas Zone outside El Cort Ingles – This iconic department store has created a wonderful zone outside the shop which includes a carousel, snow city, ice rink, Christmas train, toboggan ride and an adventure circuit. If you want to get a bit of last minute shopping done, you can also drop the kids for an hour at their play area for just 2€.
  • Visit the Malaga Children’s Fair – From the 26th of December to the 4th of January families can head to Malaga’s conference centre for a very special event including more than 60 fun activities for kids from 2 and 12 years old. Activities include rides, ice skating, mini golf, rock climbing, sip line, arts and crafts, bouncy castles, story time, theatre and much, much more. Kids between 4 and 12 years old pay 8€ for the day, adults pay 4€ and under 3s are free. Buy your tickets online for discounts.
  • Tour the Nativity Scenes – You will see beautiful and elaborate nativity scenes (Belenes) in every town and village on the Costa del Sol, and Malaga has an amazing 61 of them! There is a guided walk around them, and touring these lovely scenes is a very festive way to see the city. Look at 2017 guide.
  • Enjoy some music – There are free concerts every evening in Plaza de la Constitucion between 7pm and 10pm and there’s a wonderful Christmas concert at the Malaga Cathedral on the 20th of December at 8pm

Mijas

Mijas is a lovely place for a Christmas getaway, with the large and busy town of Fuengirola, the pretty village of Mijas Pueblo and the seaside town of La Cala on Mijas Costa with its excellent beaches and famous market. It is also well known for its excellent golf courses and so it’s good for an active off peak holiday. Here are our favourite things to do at Christmas in Mijas and you can check out our Mijas Costa vacation rentals on our website to find the perfect base.

 

  • Visit Fuengirola – There are lots of nice events going on in Fuengirola throughout the Christmas period such as the School Choir Contest on the 13th of December at the Palacio de la Paz, and the Christmas Choir concert on the 15th of December at the Casa de Hermandad de Jesus Cautivo. There’s also a Nutcracker Concert on the 16th of December with the Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra amongst many other community events. Check out the full Christmas programme
  • Take a trip to Mijas – The white village of Mijas Pueblo is pretty as a picture all year round, but looks really beautiful at Christmas. Mijas has lots of Christmas activities planned, such as a puppet show on the 13th of December, Christmas Market on the 15th of December, Choir Contest on the 17th and theatre and story telling throughout the month. Find out more

Marbella

Marbella is beautiful over the Christmas period, with the best lights and activities around the atmospheric Old Town. There’s lots going on, as you’ll see below, but as well as this, make sure you tour the nativity scenes, sit in one of the beautiful squares for a drink and enjoy the very special atmosphere while picking up some last minute Christmas gifts. Here are our recommendations on what to do in Marbella this Christmas and you can browse our excellent selection of Marbella vacation rentals on our website.

  1. Join in with one of the Town Hall events – There are lots of lovely free events around Marbella, San Pedro and Nueva Andalucia such as a Children’s Christmas afternoon in Marbella’s Old Town, with workshops, storytelling and a chance to meet some of your favourite characters from 5pm on December 16th. A living nativity scene is taking place at 12.00pm and 4.00pm on December 17th on the Paseo de la Alameda and there’s many more events. Check out the full Marbella Christmas programme in English
  2. Listen to some great music – There are lots of chances to enjoy festive music such as a Christmas carol contest on December 15th in the Plaza de Iglesia in the Old Town.
  3. Take the kids to The Casa del las Golosinas and Kingdom of Ice – Between 27th and 31st of December there will be a special kids’ area with workshops, bouncy castles and games next to the Paseo de la Alameda pavilion and an ice skating rink, bouncy castle and kids’ activities in the Market Square and they are both free.

Estepona

Estepona is a pretty Spanish town, with a lovely vibe and a vibrant Old Town. Its white washed buildings, pretty plazas and pedestrianised streets make for a very special Christmas atmosphere that you will love. We have some really nice Estepona vacation rentals on our website which give easy access to both Estepona Old Town, Marbella and Puerto Banus and make an excellent base for your Christmas holidays.

  • Visit the ice rink and Christmas fun fair – There’s a lovely Christmas village on Avenida Juan Carlos 1 between 11 am and 10pm every day until the 7th of January which is perfect for families to get into the festive mood.
  • Enjoy the music at one of the concerts and performances taking place over the festive period. There is a big Christmas Concert on the 16th of December at the Auditoria Felipe VI at 8pm, a concert by the local schools on the 19th at the Palacio de Congresos, a performance at the Santa Maria church on the 20th and many more throughout the Christmas period.
  • Visit the nativity scenes around the town, or head to the Parque de los Niños above the Port for a living nativity scene on the 17th of December at 7.30pm.

Check out the activity program

Ronda

Between the 22nd of December and the 6th of January there is a little Christmas village in the Alameda del Tajo with an ice rink, bouncy castles, face painting and more from 4.30pm to 8.30pm.

Don’t Miss

A highlight in all towns and villages is the arrival of the Three Kings on the 5th of January which is always celebrated with a big kids’ parade. The floats feature your kids’ favourite characters from films and TV and classic stories, music and lots and lots of sweets being thrown down to waiting families. This takes place everywhere, with the biggest and best in Malaga and some great ones in the major towns of Fuengirola, Marbella and Estepona.

If you are looking for quality vacation rentals along the Costa del Sol to enjoy as your home from home this Christmas, don’t hesitate to contact our helpful team or browse our list of vacation rentals on our website. We can help you prepare for Christmas by stocking your fridge with all your Christmas favourites and decorating the tree for you so you can arrive and start relaxing straight away. Nothing is too much trouble for our valued guests! Please contact us to find out more.

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From Vacation Marbella wants that everyone knows the benefit about staying in Marbella. There are a plenty of activities that you can do with your family, friends or even with you pet. Share the information with everyone and who knows, maybe could join your plans!