Malaga’s mild climate allows you to stroll through its streets after sunset, and enjoy the Christmas lights in the historic centre. The Christmas lights in the central Larios street in Malaga are some of the most beautiful in Europe.
Everything you need to know about their inauguration, the daily sound and light shows, parallel activities and tips in this blog!
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Inauguration of the Christmas Lights in Larios Street
On 29 November, Malaga once again becomes a Christmas show of light, colour and music for 40 nights in its central streets.
This saturday evening will take place the grand opening party of the Christmas lights in Larios Street.
We are looking forward what surprise will await us this year, surely it will be spectacular!
The inauguration will take place on Friday, 29 November at 7 pm. From then on, there will be light and sound shows with Christmas songs every day until 5 January.
Regarding the light show in Calle Larios there will be three shows every day, at 6.30 pm, 8:30 pm and 10 pm, except on 24 and 31 December.
The lights will be switched on between 6:30 pm and 00 am, on weekends and the eve of public holidays until 2 am. On the 24th and 31st they will be on until 6 am.
In total, more than 80 streets, squares and roundabouts will be decorated with Christmas lights throughout the centre of Malaga.
Lighting in Calle Larios
In the photo you can see this year’s proposal, huge celestial angels in gold and white, with gold sequins and crystals, which will be placed on two large columns.
As always, Christmas lighting is not without its share of amusing controversy on the internet.
Some people think the only thing missing is the flaming sword to herald the day of reckoning. What do you think?
Sound and light show in Larios Street
Every day except 24th and 31st December there will be 3 sound and light shows in Calle Larios.
The shows will take place at 6.30 pm, 8 pm and 10 pm.
Parallel activities in the centre of Malaga
In addition to the illumination and shows in Calle Larios, there will also be more activities. Traditional verdiales music will take centre stage for several days in December, with live performances in the main streets of the city.
Video Mapping at the Cathedral
A video mapping with Christmas scenes will be projected on the walls of the cathedral.
This year’s screening is entitled ‘Mantle of Stars’ and will tell a Christmas story with Malaga’s protagonists. The projection can be seen every day from 1 December in three screenings: at 7, 8:30 and 10 pm.
New this year is a video mapping on the façade of Malaga Town Hall, which will be played continuously.
In the photo: video mapping in 2020 on the walls of the Alcazaba.
Lights in the Old Town
More than 500 streets are decorated throughout the city, 86 of which are in the Old Town.
The Alameda Principal will “light up” the trees to simulate an enchanted forest.
In Calle San Juan we can enjoy three different luminous spaces. One of them the “magic cave”, which imitates a cavern of lights with stalactites along 300 metres of hanging garlands. The second area becomes a baroque ‘Chandelier Room’. And finally we can walk under a ‘Thai Sky’, with handmade Thai lanterns, illuminated by rustic Edison bulbs.
The eleven streets adjoining Calle Larios will be illuminated with chandeliers, as well as other Christmas elements such as illuminated trees and other surprises.
Enjoy this “enchanted” walk through the historic centre of Malaga!
Practical tips for enjoying the lights
Whether you’re going downtown for the lights opening or any other evening, get ready for a real crowd of people.
Especially at the inauguration the place is packed (last year there were some 30,000 people in Larios Street). But also on Friday and Saturday evenings the streets, cafés and bars are full and it can be very overwhelming.
As personal advice, don´t bring baby strollers to the opening because you literally can’t move. And also please leave your dog at home, you’ll do it a favour!
If you are not fond of crowds, but you’d like to see the light show, we recommend to wait for the last show.
And if you simply want to enjoy the many beautiful lights without further ado, we recommend a stroll through the nocturnal streets from 10 pm when the shops are closed.
Enjoy a delicious dinner or Tapas in one of the many bars in the centre!
How to get to the centre?
By public transport
Public transport is especially interesting if you come from those municipalities along the Costa del Sol that have a connection with Malaga through the suburban train Cercanias C1 (Fuengirola, Benalmadena, Torremolinos).
The last stop of the Cercanias C1 (Malaga Centro Alameda) is 600 m from Calle Larios. And you don’t have any stress with traffic jams, looking for parking etc. You only have to bear in mind that the last train to Fuengirola leaves from Malaga Centro Alameda at 11:30 pm.
By car
If you prefer to go by car or come from farther away: An interesting option may also be to park in the car park of the Plaza Mayor shopping centre and take the Cercanias C1 from there.
If you decide to travel to the centre of Malaga by car: It would be best to park in one of the central car parks.
We hope you enjoy your Christmas walk in a beautiful and illuminated Malaga!
Christmas lights switch-on in the province 2024
It is not only in the capital of the province that we can enjoy the Christmas lights. Although it is true that there is only one Calle Larios, nevertheless: In other coastal municipalities the Christmas lights are no less beautiful.
As in Malaga, many cities take advantage of Black Friday at the end of November to inaugurate their Christmas lights, while others postpone it to the beginning of December.
You can find the dates for this year and more information in our November events calendar and December events calendar.
Other lighting events in Malaga
If you love Christmas lights, this year in Malaga there are two very nice alternatives to the typical crowds in the historic centre.
Unlike the Christmas lights in the streets and squares of the city, these events are not free of charge.
One of them is already back for its fourth edition, the Christmas Garden in the Botanical Garden La Concepción. The second event is new this year, the Lantern Festival which will take place in the Parque del Oeste. We present you both proposals below.
Christmas Garden
Located in the wonderful historic botanical garden La Concepción, a concept has been imported for this Christmas season that has already worked with great success in other European cities:
Turning a natural area into an enchanted Christmas forest where you can stroll and let yourself be immersed in the magic created by lights, sounds and nature.
Very different from the bustling streets of the city centre, The Christmas Garden takes you on an immersive experience along a circular route of just over 2 kilometres through some of the most beautiful corners of the botanical garden.
- In our article Christmas Garden 2024 you will find all the information you need to know, opening hours, how to get there and lots of practical tips!
Lantern Festival
On the same day as the traditional switching on of the Christmas lights in Malaga, another event full of lights and magic will take place in the Parque del Oeste.
The ‘Lantern Festival’ is a cultural and artistic event full of lights and colours, which will recreate the traditional Chinese Lantern Festival.
The festival of lights will run until 12 February 2025. The event also features various traditional Chinese activities such as a grand Chinese New Year parade, a wishing mural, workshops on lantern making, calligraphy and banners, and traditional theatre, music and dance performances.
- Tickets
- When: 30 November to 12 February 2025. Shows at 6 pm, 7.15 pm, 8.30 pm and 9.45 pm.
- Where: Parque del Oeste, Malaga
- How to get there
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A historic walk along Calle Larios at Christmas time;)
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