Just as the lighting of the Rockefeller Centre tree marks the start of Christmas in the United States, the signal for the start of the festive season in Málaga is when all the Christmas lights are switched on in the capital of the Costa del Sol.
The spectacular display is well-known throughout the rest of Spain. In fact, different national surveys recommend Málaga as the best Spanish destination to visit at Christmas. A stroll around the capital will really amaze visitors, especially Málaga's most emblematic street, Calle Larios, in the centre of the city's Old Quarter. The Christmas lights are renewed every year, and this time thousands of stars have landed in the capital of the Costa del Sol for Christmas.
Malaga has won first place in the Best Sunny Christmas Markets in Europe ranking of the European Best Destinations (EBD) organization, which presented Malaga as the ideal urban destination to celebrate a sunny Christmas. That organization described the capital as "one of the fashion destinations in Europe, a bright and surprising city that is a mixture of everything you love: sun, beach, culture, authenticity, tradition and shopping."
Calle Larios
The design of the lights of Calle Larios this year, is entitled "The Christmas Forest". It will be a forest of light composed of 22 arches painted with gold spray of almost 13 meters high with 1000 LED strings, 342 aluminum and methacrylate sheets, suns, angels and leaves. A game of lights, colors and textures, which will be a spectacle both day and night.
To this light show, you will join as always a wonderful musical show, with movements of lights to the beat of the music. The selected songs will be, All I want for Christmas is you, by Mariah Carey, Jingle Bell Rock by Hillary Duff and En Navidad, performed by singers of Operation Triunfo.
The assembly of Calle Larios can be enjoyed until January 5 in three daily passes, at 6:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., in which the exhibition of lights and music will take place.
The rest of the city has also been decorated for the occasion. Another of this year's novelties is located in Plaza de Torrijos, where the walnut trees are illuminated using the very latest technology. In Plaza de la Constitución, where traditionally there are public performances throughout the festive season, an 18-metre tall tree with an aluminium structure has been erected. Málaga Park has also entered into the Christmas spirit, and the street market that is located there, a typical feature of the festive season, is also illuminated.
Altogether a wonderful spectacle that makes a Christmas visit a must. We recommend accompanying your stroll around the capital with an afternoon snack and an evening meal in some of the bars or restaurants of the old quarter in order to sample Malaga's cuisine. Whoever wants to do some Christmas shopping will find a wide range of goods to choose from.
Other towns in the province of Málaga
However, not only the capital city is decorated for the Christmas period. All the towns and cities in the province of Málaga are adorned with Christmas cheer to herald the arrival of this so very special time of the year.
