Local holidays on the Costa del Sol. See which days are free in 2026

On the Costa del Sol, life moves to the rhythm of festivals and ferias – from state to local, which each municipality celebrates in honour of its patron saint. In Málaga, the Feria de Málaga takes place in August, in Torremolinos San Miguel is celebrated and in Fuengirola, the Feria del Rosario. Knowing these dates not only allows you to plan your holiday better, but also to get to know Andalusia at its most colourful.

By law, everyone in Andalusia has 14 public holidays per year: 9 national holidays valid for the whole of Spain, 2-3 regional holidays – set by the Autonomous Community (e.g. Andalusia Day), and on top of that two local holidays – set by each municipality for a patron saint’s day or feria. When a holiday falls on a weekend, it does not carry over to the following day (except in certain cases – e.g. in 2025. Fiesta Nacional 12 October was moved to 13 October). In 2026, Easter falls on 5-6 April, creating a long Easter weekend. 15 August and 6 December fall on a weekend, but do not necessarily give an extra day off, depending on the region.

National holidays in Spain in 2026

All towns on the Costa del Sol have the same public holidays. This year these are:

Date (day)	Holiday and Spanish name
1 January Thursday)	New Year – Año Nuevo
6 January (Tuesday)	Epiphany – Día de los Reyes Magos
2 April (Thursday)	Maundy Thursday – Jueves Santo
3 April (Friday)	Good Friday – Viernes Santo
1 May (Friday)	Labour Day – Día del Trabajo
15 August (Saturday)	Assumption of Mary – Asunción de la Virgen
12 October (Monday)	Fiesta Nacional de España
1 November (Sunday)	All Saints’ Day – Día de Todos los Santos
6 December (Sunday)	Constitution Day – Día de la Constitución
8 December (Tuesday)	Immaculate Conception – Inmaculada Concepción
25 December (Friday)	Christmas – Navidad

Andalusia Regional Day (28 February)

Andalusia celebrates Andalusia Day (Día de Andalucía) on Saturday 28 February 2026, commemorating the 1980 referendum that gave the region autonomy. Towns are decorated with white and green flags, flamenco concerts are held, tourists and locals can enjoy free entry to museums and tastings of typical regional dishes (such as mollete antequerano with olive oil and ham).

Christmas in Málaga, the capital of the Costa del Sol

• 19 August (Wednesday) – the anniversary of the incorporation of Malaga into the Crown of Castile in 1487. This day marks the most important day of the Malaga holidays.
• 8 September (Tuesday) – the festival of the patron saint, Virgen de la Victoria, which gives residents a four-day weekend.

The Feria de Málaga is always held in the week including 19 August. In 2026, the feria will run from Saturday 15 August to Saturday 22 August. On the Friday evening of 14-15 August, there is a drone and fireworks display over La Malagueta beach to kick off the fun, and the following morning the traditional romería – a pilgrimage of horses and carriages to the sanctuary of La Victoria – sets off.

Long weekends:

• 15-23 August: 15 August is a national holiday – this is when the holiday starts – and 19 August is a local holiday. By taking holidays on 17-18 and 20-21 August, you can gain 9 days off.
• 6-8 September: Tuesday 8 September (Virgen de la Victoria) creates a four-day weekend.

Christmas in Torremolinos – the first resort of the Costa del Sol

• 23 June (Tuesday) – Memorial of St John (San Juan),
• 16 July – The Feria del Carmen is celebrated in Torremolinos, in the fishing district of La Carihuela, with a traditional seafaring procession. Fishermen pay homage to their patron saint, the Virgen del Carmen, whose image is placed on a ship to bless the waters, accompanied by dozens of boats. An amusement park is also set up in the Plaza del Remo, and dance orchestras and choirs perform.
• 29 September (Tuesday) – San Miguel Arcángel – feast of the city’s patron saint.

The heart of Torremolinos comes alive at the end of September during the Feria de San Miguel, which in 2026 will take place from 25-29 September. It is preceded by the romería San Miguel, the second largest pilgrimage in Andalusia. On Sunday, 20 September at 10.30am, thousands of people set off from the city centre on decorated carriages and horses to the Pinares de Los Manantiales, where musical and culinary gatherings are held.

Long weekends:

• 21 September – 1 October: pilgrimage on Sunday (20 September) and a holiday from Friday (25 September) to Monday (29 September – local holiday) – thus taking holidays on 22-24 and 30 September, you can get as many as 11 days off.

Christmas in Benalmádena, or the three faces of one municipality

The municipality consists of the touristic Arroyo de la Miel, the coastal Benalmádena Costa and the traditional Benalmádena Pueblo.

• 24 June (Wednesday) – Solemnity of the Nativity of St John the Baptist,
• 16 July (Thursday) – Fiestas del Carmen is the festival of the patron saint of fishermen, which takes place in many Costa del Sol seaside towns, including Benalmádena Costa – with a maritime procession and firework displays.
• 15 August (Saturday) – Virgen de la Cruz, feast of the patron saint of Benalmáden Pueblo.

The Feria de Benalmádena Pueblo will be held from 13-17 August 2026 in honour of the patron saint Virgen de la Cruz. The feria includes both a day (Plaza de las Tres Culturas) with food tasting and orchestra performances, and a night at the Los Nadales fairgrounds.

Long weekends:

• 13-17 August: 15 August is a national and also local holiday in Benalmadena, so it is a natural long weekend.

Feria del Rosario in Fuengirola

Fuengirola has two local festivals: on 16 July (Thursday) in honour of the Virgen del Carmen – the patron saint of fishermen – and on 7 October (Wednesday), the feast of the Virgen del Rosario Coronada, the town’s patron saint. The most important event is the Feria del Rosario.

In 2026. Feria del Rosario will begin on Tuesday 6 October and the party will last until 12 October. The daytime festivities are organised in casetas – traditional tents where you can dance flamenco and taste the Andalusian drink rebujito.

The most important day is 7 October – with a mass and procession of the patron saint, Virgen del Rosario. At night, the feria moves to the grounds of the Palacio de la Paz, where there are concerts, equestrian shows and children’s games.

Long weekends:

• 5-13 October: 7 October is a local holiday and 12 October (Monday) is a national holiday, so by taking holidays on 5-6 and 8-9 October you can gain up to nine days off.

Mijas – three ferias in one municipality

The municipality of Mijas comprises three main areas: Mijas Pueblo (the white town in the mountains), Las Lagunas (the modern centre) and La Cala de Mijas (the coastal part). The local council has approved two local festivals: 8 September (feast of the patron saint Virgen de la Peña) and 15 October (commemoration of St Teresa).

Mijas Pueblo celebrates its festival for a fortnight in early September, during the Feria de Mijas Pueblo – Virgen de la Peña. The day of 8 September commemorates the patron saint and is a day off. Residents then participate in processions and fairs, taste local food and enjoy flamenco music.

In La Cala de Mijas, the celebrations take place in the last week of July – during the Feria de La Cala de Mijas – SantiagoApóstol. In 2026, the feria will run from 22 to 27 July, honouring the patron saint of Santiago Apóstol. It will begin with a street parade at 7.30pm, after which the mayor and seniors will light the illuminations, followed by a dinner for 300 seniors. The following day (23 July) the fairground opens at 7pm – with concerts, children’s competitions and a youth gala, s between 7pm and 9pm the noise level is lowered to allow those on the autism spectrum to participate.

The Fiestas de Santa Teresa in La Cala commemorates Santa Teresa de Ávila, the patron saint of La Cala de Mijas, and the local festival falls on 15 October. The programme includes processions, verbena-style games and free paella served during the romería – a pilgrimage from the church to Los Olivos park.

Long weekends:

• 5-8 September: 8 September (Tuesday) is a local festival in Mijas,
• 15-18 October: 15 October (Thursday) is the feast day of Santa Teresa.

Christmas in Marbella, or luxury and tradition

• 11 June (Thursday) – Feast of San Bernabé, patron saint of the city,
• 18 October (Sunday) – feast in honour of St Peter (San Pedro de Alcántara) in the district of San Pedro.

At the beginning of June, Marbella celebrates the Feria de San Bernabé. The festival commemorates the capture of the city by the Catholic Kings on 11 June 1485 and is the most important event in the city’s calendar. The feria usually lasts a week, starting on the Sunday before 11 June.

Long weekends:

• 11-14 June: 11 June is a local holiday, so by taking a holiday on 12 June you can have 4 days off.

Christmas in Estepona – a rural atmosphere on the coast

• 15 May (Friday) – Feast of San Isidro Labrador, patron saint of farmers and the city of Estepona.
• 16 July (Wednesday) – a unique procession of Virgen del Carmen, the patron saint of fishermen.

Estepona celebrates its patron saint in mid-May, during the Feria de San Isidro Labrador with a distinctly rural character. On the patron saint’s day (15 May), a procession of decorated farm carts sets off from the church of San José, with tractors decorated with flowers, leaves and crops competing for the prize for the most beautiful vehicle. Participants march for about two and a half hours – then move to the feria area with carousels, competitions, horse shows and folk music concerts. One of the specialities is sopa campera – tomato soup with bread, peas and peppers.

On 16 July, however, Estepona celebrates the Virgen del Carmen – on this day the statue of the Virgin is taken to the boat, where a unique sea procession takes place.

Long weekends:

• 15-17 May: San Isidro falls on a Friday, allowing for a three-day weekend.

Practical tips and planning for days off in Spain

During the local holidays on the Costa del Sol, city life changes its rhythm. Most offices and shops remain closed as locals celebrate and many people take holidays. Instead, restaurants and bars often extend their opening hours to cater for both local visitors and tourists attending the celebrations.

Public transport during this period operates according to special timetables – cities run extra bus routes, and in larger centres – such as Malaga and Marbella, – there are also night courses that take residents to and from the holiday area.

At the heart of every fiesta are the casetas – large, colourful tents where dances, concerts and social gatherings take place. Although many of them belong to private associations and are only open to members, each town also has a section of casetas open to everyone. Admission is usually free, and charges apply only for food and drinks, which are served late into the night.

When planning trips, it is important to take into account that during the holiday season, Semana Santa or Christmas, popular tourist destinations are very busy – so accommodation, flights and restaurants are best booked in advance. It’s a good idea to combine days off with weekends to extend your rest and make the most of the time for excursions. Holidays in Spain are also an opportunity to enjoy local attractions – such as processions, fairs, concerts and fiestas that allow you to experience the country’s culture and traditions.