A warm Christmas in Marbella
The most wonderful time of the year is coming up again: Christmas time. But how would Christmas go in Marbella? Well, it won’t be a white Christmas. On the contrary, the average temperature in December is around 16℃ in Marbella. If the sun is shining, it is lovely to be outside even in December! However, this certainly doesn’t mean that you can’t soak up the spirit of Christmas in Marbella. During the holidays, the village is beautifully decorated, with nice Christmas lights and Christmas cribs. On the larger squares, these cribs are life-sized and there are entertaining shows performed by actors.
The old town of Marbella is one of the most visited places in Andalusia. This is not much of a surprise as the charm of the village is well preserved here. You can stroll through the charming narrow streets, across the cosy squares and pass by the shops that are colourfully decorated. One of the most famous squares is ‘Plaza de los Naranjos’. The name comes from the many orange trees that grow around it. During the festive months, this square comes alive with beautiful Christmas decorations. Moreover, this is the only period when you see the oranges growing on the trees.
Plaza de los Naranjos during the Christmas period
In Spain, Christmas is mainly celebrated on Christmas Eve and less often on Christmas Day (even though there is also plenty to do then). The whole family comes together for a delicious Christmas meal, after which many villancicos ( Christmas songs) are sung. The most famous Spanish Christmas song is undoubtedly ‘Feliz Navidad’. With a delicious drink or mulled wine, it will certainly be an evening to remember!
Cozy dining
If you don’t feel like spending hours hanging around the stove at Christmas, you have plenty of alternative options in Marbella. Many restaurants offer special Christmas menus.. For example, the restaurant La Sala in Puerto Banus has a large selection of Christmas menus and, in addition, this winter you can enjoy the snow in the ski lodge on the outside terrace. Moreover, there is live music, so that it really will be a Christmas for the books! Do you prefer Scandinavian, Spanish and other Mediterranean alternatives? Then we recommend Magna Cafe, where you can enjoy a delicious meal with a beautiful panoramic view. Of course, there are many other nice restaurants in and around Marbella where you can enjoy a delicious meal with the cosy Christmas atmosphere.
A typical Spanish dish
Of course, the dishes in Spain differ from what you can get at home. For example, at Christmas time they traditionally serve ‘pavo asado’, which is Spanish for roast turkey. And ‘mariscos’, which means seafood, is also a must. All this deliciousness is followed by a coffee with sweets such as dulces navideños as turrón (nougat made of honey and almonds). Add a delicious Spanish wine and the evening is complete!
Events
During the Christmas period, Marbella has a lot to offer, with great concerts and Christmas markets. Marbella has an extensive annual calendar of events for all ages. If you are in Marbella with children, a trip to the La Cañada shopping centre during the Christmas period is highly recommended. Here they can visit Santa Claus, who sits next to a wonderful Christmas tree.
Christmas market
There is nothing like a nice Christmas market to get fully into the Christmas spirit. The combination of mulled wine, home-made chocolate milk and fresh mountain air is the perfect way to kick off the festive season. At Cascada there will be such a Christmas market this year, where you can support Marbella’s best local artists and craftsmen. Of course, there will also be many colourful stands with a large selection of great Christmas gifts. The Christmas market will take place on 9 December at Cascada Cocina & Bar in Marbella.
Christmas Lottery
El Gordo, a special annual Christmas lottery in Spain, takes place on 22 December. The name refers to the exceptionally large jackpot of two billion euros. The lottery starts at 8am, with the balls being drawn under the watchful eye of everyone present. The draw is done by two children, one announcing the winning ticket and the other the amount. This is usually €1000, but sometimes there is a ball with a much larger amount. This is broadcasted all day on Spanish TV, where the winners are also interviewed. This lottery is very popular in Spain and many Spaniards take part in it.
Christmas Eve
On Christmas Eve, Marbella celebrates throughout the city; at Plaza de Los Naranjos, but also the local restaurants organise special events to eat, drink and dance. For example, you can go to the Breathe restaurant, where you can expect a sparkling evening of celebration, delicious food and great beats from the DJ.
Christmas Day
Also on Christmas Day there are many festivities in Marbella, it’s just a matter of where you want to go!For example, you can go to the popular brunch at The Farm restaurant with delicious Christmas meals with beer, wine and cava included! Alternatively, the Alberts offers a traditional Christmas lunch with entertainment from Peet Rothwell who performs all the Michael Buble classics!
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