What’s on in Malaga in January 2026

Welcome to the New Year in Malaga and a whole new series of monthly posts on events. This one rounds up what’s on in Malaga in January.

This is traditionally a quiet month for tourism in the city, but there’s still plenty going on including the annual (and highly- acclaimed) Malaga Theatre Festival. Read on for our pick of the best events in Malaga this month.

Note that this post refers to events in 2026. We’ll be updating it for 2027 as soon as we have more information – bookmark the page for future reference and check back regularly. We expect to know more in November.

Public holiday

Tuesday 6 January is a public holiday in Malaga (and Spain), celebrating the Epiphany and the arrival of the Three Kings bringing presents the night before. Shops, banks and businesses are closed, but many restaurants are open.

Looking for inspiration for your visit this month?
Read our list of 10 things to do and see in January in Malaga.

Christmas events in Malaga in January

Christmas Lights

The 1.7 million LED bulbs continue to twinkle away until midnight on Tuesday 6 January. If you haven’t seen the Christmas lights, don’t miss the light and sound show on Calle Larios at 6.30, 8 and 10pm until 4 January (no shows on 5th or 6th).

Three Kings Parade

The Three Kings Parade takes place from 5pm on 5 January when the three kings arrive at the Alcazaba Fortress and walk to City Hall to join the floats and rest of the parade. 

Read about the Three Kings Parade in Malaga

The itinerary runs along the Avenida de Cervantes, Plaza del General Torrijos, Paseo del Parque, Plaza de la Marina, Alameda Principal, Puente de Tetuán, Calle Nazareno del Paso, Calle Hilera, Puente de la Esperanza, Calle Prim, Calle Atarazanas, Puerta del Mar, Alameda Principal, Plaza de la Marina y Cortina del Muelle. From here, the Kings walk up Calle Molina Lario to the main façade of the Cathedral where they make an offering to the Nativity. 

Malaga Theatre Festival

Malaga celebrates the 43rd edition of the Theatre Festival in two ‘acts’: the first in January and February (8 January to 1 February) and the second in April/May (22 April to 30 May). A long list of plays, musicals and dance pieces come to the city at the Cervantes Theatre and Echegaray Theatre with a good dose of very famous Spanish actors. The majority of the works is in Spanish, but you’ll have the chance to see top class theatre and some big names on the stage.

You can see the full programme for the Malaga Theatre Festival here.

Theatre events for children

Peter & Pan

A fun version of the popular children’s story comes to the Cervantes Theatre on Sunday 4 (6pm) and Monday 5 January (noon). Tickets cost just €12. More information and link to book here.

Film in January

The renowned South Korean director and script writer, Pank Chan-Wook, takes centre stage at the Albeniz Cinema in January and February, with a series of his best movies. Under the umbrella of “Revenge and Obsession”, one of his films will be shown weekly on Thursday at 7.30pm in its original version, with Spanish subtitles.

22 January: Oldboy (Oldeuboi), 2003
29 January: Decision to leave (Heojil kyolshim), 2022

Tickets cost €6 and are available from the Albeniz box office, open in the afternoons, 30 minutes before the first film at the cinema (usually from 3.30pm).

January sales 

The beginning of the year always means bargain shopping time and all shops in Malaga start their sales from 26 December onwards. Extra discounts usually appear from 7 January onwards.

See the best places to go shopping in Malaga.

Activities in the Botanics

The lovely Botanical Gardens have several events this month. They include:

Guided tours

90-minute guided tours showcasing the highlights are the garden are available in Spanish on weekend mornings. Each ticket costs €8.05. You can also sign up to private guided tours – minimum 3 people and available in English, French or Spanish. Price on application.

Family fun

Guided visits of the gardens with interactive games, puppet shows and craft workshops take place on Sunday 18 and 25 January between 11am and 2pm. Tickets cost €9 for adults and €6.90 for children up to 16.

For more information and to book any tour, call +34 951 92 61 80 or 639 91 40 55 (WhatsApp available)  or send an email to infojbotanicomalaga@gmail.com

Visit the Nao Santa Maria

This exact replica of one of Christopher Columbus’ three ships in the 1492 voyage to ‘discover’ the Americas docks in Malaga Port from 9 to 25 January. You can go on board and admire 15th-century boat engineering daily from 10am to 6.30pm. Tickets cost €8 for adults, €4 for children and €20 for families.

Burns Night

Enjoy a traditional Scottish evening (yes, in Malaga!) on Saturday 24 January at 8pm, at St George’s Church (in the English Cemetery, opposite the Malagueta bullring). Burns Night celebrates Scotland’s national bard, Robert Burns, author of Auld Lang Syne.

Enjoy haggis imported directly from Scotland, with tatties and neeps, Cullen skink, and Cranachan — alongside whisky, poetry, and dancing. Tickets cost €60 and are available online here. Dress code – tartan, a touch or full-blown kilt!

Musical events in Malaga in January 

The Cervantes Theatre celebrates the Theatre Festival this month, so most concerts move to other scenarios. 

FYCMA

Mississippi Gospel Choir

Join this choir on the 18th world tour on 10 January at 5.30pm at FYCMA. Tickets cost from €48 and are available online via El Corte Inglés ticketing here.

OTAKU – anime and videogame soundtracks

The Otaku Symphonic Orchestra plays favourite soundtracks on Sunday 11 January at 8.30pm at FYCMA. Tickets cost from €43 – buys yours here.

Carmina Burana and the Concierto de Aranjuez

The classic Spanish guitar composition needs no introduction nor does Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. Listen to them both in a virtuoso performance from Rodrigo Saad on guitar and the Grand Symphony Orchestra at FYCMA on 24 January at 6pm. More information here.

How to get to FYCMA

FYCMA is Malaga’s Congress and Exhibition Palace and located to the west of the city centre. Get there by taxi or on the 4, 20 or 21 bus from the Alameda Principal (all with a short walk at the end). Allow around 30 minutes for your journey.

Edgar Neville Auditorium

Disney concert

The Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra plays a selection of Disney soundtracks, with singer María Parrado, on Friday 9 January at 5.30 and 7pm. Tickets cost €25 and are available online.

Mythos concert

Abraham Cupeiro brings a collection of extraordinary instruments to the Edgar Neville Auditorium in the Diputación on the western seafront on Friday 23 and Saturday 24 January at 7pm. He plays them and with them, explores music through the ages and culture. More information here.

How to get there

Get to this venue by walking west along the western seafront until you see the modern glass building (just behind the giant Malaga Towers blocks) or get the No 7 bus from the Alameda Principal (south side) and get off at the Santa Paula stop and walk 5 minutes towards the sea front.

Palacio de los Deportes

André Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra perform on Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 January at 8pm. Expect lots of Strauss favourites from Rieu on his Stradivarius violin and his 60-piece orchestra. Tickets from €64 – more information and link to book here.

How to get there

The Palacio de los Deportes is located on the far west side of the city – Google map link here. Get on the metro (line 2, last stop) from the Atarazanas station in the Alameda Principal (allow 15 minutes) or on the No 7 bus from the south side of the Alameda Principal. Get off at the last stop and walk 5 minutes (allow 30-40 minutes for this journey).

Free concerts in January

You can enjoy the following concerts for free this month:

Museum of Malaga

This month’s concert is on Sunday 25 January at noon, with the Municipal Band playing a selection of pieces including works by Schubert, Tchaikovsky and Vives. Free entry but get there early (say 11am) to be sure of a seat.

Acoustic sessions

The 5-star Vincci Posada del Patio Hotel is running free concerts every Thursday in January at 8.30pm in the lovely lobby. Music genres include jazz, blues and rock.

• Thursday 1 January – Toni Caballero
• Thursday 8 January – Lady Sings the Blues
• Thursday 15 January – Black Soul
• Thursday 22 January – Hermanas Sister
• Thursday 29 January – Daphne and Nicky

Free entry. There’s a bar for drinks.

San Miguel Cemetery

One of Malaga’s youth orchestra plays in the chapel in this lovely cemetery (Google map link here) on Friday 23 January at 7pm. The orchestra – violins, flute, clarinet and piano – will perform chamber works by Bach, Spohr, Poulenc and Girtain. Free entry, but get there early (say 6pm) to be sure of a seat. You’ll find the chapel in the centre of the cemetery.

Flamenco in January

This month, Malaga has a few flamenco events. They include the following:

Farruquito & Quinteto Flamenco

The first concert in the Soho Theatre Flamenco Festival 2026 features renowed dancer Farruquito, accompanied by musicians and singers. This promises to be one of the best flamenco concerts this year in Malaga. 16 January at 8pm. More information and link to buy tickets here.

Retro Car & Motorbike Fair 

The 13th edition of the annual vintage vehicle fair takes place this year from 23 to 25 January at the Malaga Congress Palace (FYCMA). See classic cars and motorcycles, visit the second-hand accessories and parts stalls and maybe buy a car or bike to take home. You can also visit the vintage car carpark where local aficionados show their models.

Tickets cost €10 or you can buy a combined ticket for the Car Museum and Fair for €15, available via this link. Friday 24 January 4 to 8pm, Saturday 25 January 10am to 9pm and Sunday 26 January 10am to 7pm. 

What’s on in Malaga in January – Art exhibitions

As always, events in Malaga in January include lots of great art (whatever your favourite genre):

Carmen Thyssen Museum

Carmen Thyssen Museum

The museum continues to showcase Spanish art from the 18th and 19th centuries seen in the permanent collection.

The museum also has the following temporary exhibitions:

Telluric and Primitive

Practially everyone who’s anyone in modern Spanish painting has something on display in this exhibition, showcasing the nation’s artistic obsession with primitive art and essential earthy elements. This leitmotif of art in the 20th century created its own avant garde movement, resulting in the masterpieces on show. Signatures on the works include Barceló, Chillida, Miró, Picasso, Saura and Tapiès.

Until 1 March.

Rembrandt the Engraver

Most of us think Rembrandt’s legacy are his great paintings, but as this exhibition shows, the Dutch artist was also a magnificent engraver. This collection of 35 works showcases his skill in this genre, with the engravings focusing on portraits (including self portraits) and religious themes. Until 18 January.

Open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 8pm. Entry costs €12 (€8 if you’re resident in Malaga province). Free entry on Sundays after 4pm.

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La Térmica

This cultural centre on the western seafront is showing Entelequia by Cuban artist, Diana Fonseca. The small exhibition explores entelechy (the state of perfection with its own purpose) and consist of paintings, sculpture, video and installations. Until 15 February.

Free entry. Open Monday to Friday 11am to 2pm and 5 to 8.30pm, and Saturday 11am to 2pm.

Get to La Térmica Cultural Centre by walking along the western seafront or on the No 7 bus from the south side of the Alameda Principal (get off at the Santa Paula stop).

Jorge Rando Museum

As well as the permanent exhibitions, you can see one combining the work of Pablo Picasso and Jorge Rando. Their shared theme is bullfighting and you can see engravings by Picasso made between 1929 and 1960 and paintings by Rando from the 70s.

Open Monday to Friday 10am to 2pm and 4 to 8pm, Saturday 10am to 2pm. Free entry. The museum is on Calle Cruz del Molinillo 12, on the northern edge of the old quarter. Don’t miss the Mercado de Salamanca market opposite.

We’ve included this art museum in our latest walking tour, North of Malaga old quarter.

Bishop’s Palace

This lovely space opposite the Cathedral has the exhibition, Casa de Alba Patronage and Collecting (Mecenazgo y coleccionismo en la Casa de Alba), which showcases 250 pieces (paintings, sculptures, decorative art and documents) from the house of Alba.

The collection, from the Alba’s three palaces in Spain, is one of the largest and most significant in Europe. Top treasures include a portrait by Goya, drawings by Rembrandt, letters from Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria, and works by Gainsborough and Reynolds.

Free guided tours available in English on Fridays at 5.30pm and Saturdays at noon. Book your place ahead by emailing mediacionculturalmalaga@fundacionunicaja.com or calling +34 952 624 862.

Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 2pm and 4 to 7pm, Sunday 10am to 2pm. €3 Until 11 January.

Picasso Museum

Note that the Picasso Museum is super busy this year, so we’d recommend getting a ticket in advance to avoid long queues.

The most-visited museum in southern Spain opened a new permanent collection last year. The Picasso: Structures of Invention exhibition shows the 20th century’s greatest artist’s creative process through 150 works. You can also see 22 works from his La Californie sketchbook, which he drew in Cannes in 1956.

Picasso: Memory and Desire

This major exhibition explores how Picasso saw the passing of time and history, and applied his interpretation to his work. This collection takes Study with Plaster Head (Picasso painted it in 1925) as its springboard and juxtapositions his work with other significant 20th century artists.

The exhibition showcases the work of numerous artists, all influenced by some aspect of Picasso’s creativity. The specially curated collection includes paintings, sculptures and installations, carrying the signatures of talents such as Léger, Cocteau, Magritte and Man Ray.

Until 12 March.

Open daily 10am to 6pm. Tickets €13, free Sundays after 4pm.

Buy your Picasso Museum ticket in advance

Top tip

Art museums in Malaga have free entry on Sundays after 4pm.

Russian Museum & MEET

The Russian Museum and MEET (Malaga Espacio Expositivo Tabacalera) has several exhibitions, many of which comes from private collections of art and some have a Russian theme.

Art from the Spanish Golden Age

Some 80 works from Alejandro Sanz Peinado’s private collection are on display. They showcase 16th and 17th masterpieces, with the emphasis on Dutch paintings and Italian works. Signatures on the canvases include Rubens, Tenier, van Dyck, Velázquez and Zubarán. Until 30 September.

Time for Looking (1970-2000)

One of Spain’s most prominent photojournalists, Marisa Flórez, has a retrospective of her award-winning photography. The large photos, mostly black and white, and portraits, illustrate Spanish history, politics, daily life and celebrities from the last 30 years of the 20th century.

Romantic realism by Valery Katsuba

This exhibition celebrates 25 years of photographer and videographer Katsuba, with over 40 works illustrating the artist’s dialogue between the traditional and contemporary. Her key themes include sculpture, dance and architecture, with particular emphasis on capturing light and everyday gestures. Until 30 May.

Anna Pavlova – A life sans frontières

This exhibition pays homage to one of the world’s greatest ballarinas, Anna Pavlova who spread ballet throughout the world in the 1910s and 1920s. Consisting of original photos, programmes and posters plus some audiovisual material, the exhibition tells the story of Pavlova’s extraordinary talent and life. Until May 2026.

Hidden Jungle

Works by Chinese artist, Chen Chumnu (who received a scholarship from the Casa Natal de Picasso), depicting nature and organic forms with dreamlike landscapes.

Buy your ticket for this museum now

Open Tuesday to Sunday 9.30am to 8pm. €4. Free on Sundays after 4pm.

Pompidou Centre

The latest exhibition, To Open Eyes, looks at how artists view their surroundings and interact with those looking at their art. The six sections include a wide range of installations, paintings, sculptures and videos. And as usual, they all provide plenty of food for thought.

Read about the latest collection at the Pompidou Centre

AM CB

This exhibition celebrates the work of Annette Messager and Christian Boltanski, two of the most renowned French artists since the 1970s. Around 30 of their works – photography, paintings and installations – illustrate their styles and how each influenced the other. Until 6 April.

Open Wednesday to Monday 9.30am to 8pm. €7 for the permanent exhibition, €9 for both. Free Sundays after 5pm. 

Casa Natal Picasso

Picasso: Life with Françoise

You can see this exhibition showcasing sketches of Françoise Gilot, one of Picasso’s muses. The works offer a glimpse into their relationship and how she shaped his work. As Gilot herself said, “I was never just his model. I was his companion and much more. I was involved in his life and his art, and in my own way, collaborated with his creative process”.

Open daily 9.30am to 8pm. €3 (€4 combined ticket to visit the house).

Markets in Malaga in January

Monthly markets in January include:

Organic markets selling locally-grown fruit, vegetables, dried fruit and nuts, homemade bread and cakes, and handmade cosmetics take place in La Malagueta (between Paseo de Reding and Calle Cervantes) on Saturday 10 January from 10am to 2pm and in Huelin Park (western seafront) on Saturday 24 January from 10am to 3pm.

El Zoco arts and crafts market takes place every Sunday on Muelle Uno between 11am and 6pm.

Merced Market is on Sunday 4 January on Plaza de la Merced from 11am to 8pm.

Soho Market takes place on Calle Tomás Heredia on Sunday 25 January between 11am and 7pm.

Heads-up for February

February means Carnival in Malaga – read all about Malaga Carnival. 

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