02 December, 2011

By VIVA Team

Málaga Christmas lights

Paseo del Parque, Málaga

It doesn’t make any difference how long you’ve lived on the Costa del Sol, Christmas always has an uncanny knack of sneaking up on you right out of nowhere to catch you unawares, mainly because of the clear blue skies and warm sunshine duping us all into thinking it can’t possibly be December yet!

So if, like me, you still can’t quite believe that the festive season is a mere three weeks away…

yep, shopping lists still to be drawn up, the turkey yet to order, the last day for posting overseas Christmas mail bearing down fast, and to date I haven’t even bought a single card – then the perfect way to reset your seasonal body clock is to head into the centre of Málaga for the afternoon, where the city’s fabulous Xmas lights are guaranteed to weave their magic. Well, they work for me every time.

Málaga’s Christmas lights – all 4,189,670 of them – were switched on last Saturday although this year, in an effort to economise, most Costa del Sol towns won’t be following suit for a week or two yet. Not that it can be accused of squandering its money. The €900,000 the Christmas illuminations will cost the city hall is €100,000 less than in 2009, and since 99% of the lights are LEDs, they argue that this year’s electricity bill will be halved while carbon dioxide emissions will also be significantly lower. Then again, as local councillor Teresa Porras points outs, “The lights can’t be considered as a cost but an investment because they also contribute to creating wealth and employment”.

Málaga Christmas lights

Calle Larios, Málaga

Traditionally, you’ll find the capital of the Costa del Sol’s most spectacular Christmas lights on the Paseo del Parque, Alameda Principal, Málaga’s swankiest shopping street Calle Marqués de Larios (aka just plain Calle Larios) and throughout the historic old quarter, particularly landmarks such as Plaza de La Merced, Plaza del Teatro Cervantes, the cathedral and the city hall.

The lights are on from 6.30pm until midnight Sundays to Thursdays, and until 2.30am on Fridays, Saturdays and public holidays.

See the Christmas lights from December 2013 here!