As towns and villages across Malaga province begin to put up their annual Yuletide decorations, the Costa del Sol starts to twinkle and sparkle with hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights going up.
Most places lit up their festive lights last week, when colourful lighting displays were switched on in streets all along the Costa del Sol.
At Malaga's city centre shoppers and sightseers were being entertained with an inspired new light show, the first of its kind in Spain. The region's capital once again chose Calle Larios, Malaga's most important pedestrian area, as the focus for its Christmas illuminations. The innovative new sound and light show will be staged twice every night at 6.30pm and 9.00pm, including snippets of pop songs such as “The Show Must Go On” by British band Queen. The twice-nightly show will run until 6th January 2017. According to a statement made by City Hall councillors, the show could be rolled out in other parts of Malaga next year, if this year's spectacular proves popular.
In total, more than 1.7 million LED light bulbs are illuminating Calle Lorios and adjacent streets and boulevards. Popular tourist attraction, the Giant Ferris Wheel, is also turning once again in the port located opposite Plaza de la Marina, now that its operators have received another 12-month licence.
What's happening elsewhere at the Costa del Santa?
Estepona:
Estepona's fairy lights lit up last Friday, with an enhanced sparkle of 15%, thanks to more lights than ever being lit. A new illuminated tree made from steel rather than the more traditional wood and irritating pine needles stands on the Unión Europea roundabout in the Estepona town centre as a reminder that there's no escape from “ho,ho,ho and a Merry Christmas to you, too” anywhere at the Costa del Santa. Avenida Puerta del Mar has also been given the illuminated festive treatment and tourists keen to see traditional nativity scenes should head to Parque Botánico, where Estepona's official nativity scene is on display.
Fuengirola:
Fuengirola's festive lights – more than 500,000 of them - were switched on last Thursday, which was also the official opening day of the town's beautiful nativity scene. Other traditional nativity scenes are on display at the local museum as part of an exhibition on the subject. At the Miramar shopping centre shoppers can marvel at the Christmas illuminations while skating on the ice rink that has opened up again for this year's celebrations.
Marbella and San Pedro:
In Marbella and neighbouring San Pedro festivities kicked off last Thursday with Christmas lights going up one hour apart in each resort. Thanks to major improvements made in Marbella town centre earlier this year, the Christmas tree now stands proud and tall, twinkling merrily with a profusion of fairy lights, in Avenida Nabeul. In San Pedro key roundabouts at the edge of town have received the “Santa treatment” for the first time, now boasting seasonal sparkle thanks to hundreds of LED light bulbs. In the town centre Plaza de la Iglesia has become the focus for festive decorations this year.