Alicante starts Christmas earlier than many Spanish cities. The city council has announced that the Christmas lights will be switched on on Friday 20 November at 19:00. Here is what we already know about the festive season and how not to miss it.
The lights and the big tree
- When: 20 November, 19:00.
- Where: avenida de la Constitución, right in the centre.
- How: the evening starts with the big Christmas tree lighting up, followed by the street lights.
This year the ceremony will take place without political speeches: Spain holds a general election on 29 November and the campaign is in full swing. Neighbouring Elche will switch on its lights a little later, on 28 November.
Saint Nicholas’ house: no booking needed this year
Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of Alicante, and the city’s main church is the Co-Cathedral of Saint Nicholas. That is why here it is Saint Nicholas himself who welcomes children, in his house — Casa de San Nicolás on plaza Séneca.
- Dates: 27 November to 24 December.
- The big news this year: online booking has been dropped and visitors simply queue. Last year some people who booked did not turn up and slots were wasted.
- Hours: on opening day, 27 November, from 18:00 to 21:00. After that, mornings from 10:00 to 14:30 and evenings from about 16:00–17:00 to 21:00. From 19 to 23 December until 21:30; on 24 December until 14:30.
Tip: now that there is no booking, it is best to come on a weekday morning — the queue is likely to be shorter than in the evening or at weekends.
Christmas markets
- Mercat de la Cascarrutja i Porrat — the traditional market on paseo de Federico Soto, from 20 to 24 December.
- The crafts fair on the same boulevard ran until 6 January last year. The official 2026 dates have not been announced yet.
The city council plans to present the full festive programme on 17 November. We will update this article once it is out.
New Year and the Three Kings — how it went last year
The 2026 programme has not been published yet, so here is last season for reference:
- on New Year’s Eve an orchestra played on the Rambla and free grapes were handed out, while the midnight chimes rang out on the town hall square;
- on 5 January the Three Kings arrived at the port and paraded through the centre in the evening.
Combine it with a tour
During the day you can go up to Santa Bárbara Castle and see the Co-Cathedral of Saint Nicholas on our “Alicante and Elche Through the Ages” tour — the same day you will also walk through Elche’s palm grove. Then stay on in the evening to see the lights.
Sources: El Periòdic, DSAlicante, Alicante Plaza. Information as of 13 November 2026; schedules may change.
