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 is a work-in-progress and we’ll be adding to it as soon as we have more information – bookmark the page for future reference and check back regularly.
Christmas events in Malaga in January
Christmas Lights
The 1.7 million LED bulbs continue to twinkle away until midnight on Friday 6 January. If you haven’t seen the Christmas lights, don’t miss the light and sound show on Calle Larios at 7, 8.30 and 10pm.
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 ALL ABOUT THE THREE KINGS PARADE
The itinerary runs along the Avenida Cervantes to Plaza del General Torrijos before returning to the city centre via the Paseo del Parque and Plaza de la Marina. From here, the Kings et al parade along the Alameda Principal, up Puerta del Mar and along Calle Atarazanas to Plaza de Arriola. They then go along Calle Carreteriá and Alamos to finish their route in Plaza de la Merced.
Christmas Garden
The lovely Concepción Botanical Gardens twinkle with millions of little lights from 6.30 to 11pm until 9 January. The light trail runs for 2.2km around the gardens where you’ll also find Christmas bells and a “laser garden”. Tickets cost from €12 per person and there are discounts for families, senior citizens and students. All the information and link to ticket booking here. We visited this just before Christmas and can highly recommend it.
Malaga Theatre Festival
Malaga celebrates the 40th edition of the Theatre Festival in two ‘acts’: the first between 7 January and 5 February and the second from 24 April to 4 May. A long list of plays 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.
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.
Musical events in Malaga in January
The Cervantes Theatre celebrates the Theatre Festival this month, so most concerts move to other scenarios.
Pinocchio, a musical of adventures
One for the younger members of the family, even if you don’t understand Spanish. Prepare for just over an hour of dancing, singing, circus acts and puppets at the Cervantes Theatre on Thursday 5 January at noon and Friday 6 January at 5pm. More information and links to tickets here.
Godspell
You’re just in time to catch the last days of this musical at Antonio Bandera’s theatre. Mr Banderas isn’t performing in this one, although he’s the producer. However, there’s a star-studded and very talented cast: Victor Ullate, one of Spain’s best dancers, takes a lead role as Judas and St John the Baptist, while Pepe Nufrio, trained in NYC and an old hand in Godspell, plays Jesus.
Performances take place until 8 January, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 5.30 and 9pm, and Sundays at 6pm. Tickets cost from €20 and are available via this link. Note that the performance is in Spanish and that the link to book takes you to El Corte Inglés booking platform.
Piano recital
British pianist Philip Lange is flying into Malaga specially for his recital at St George’s Church on Saturday 21 January at 7.30pm. Tickets cost €15 and are available online. You can find St George’s Church in the lovely English Cemetery, diagonally opposite La Malagueta bullring on Calle Pries.
Homage to Walt Disney
Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra pays (and plays) homage to the great film producer with a concert of theme tunes from Walt Disney films. Songs in the programme include tracks from Lion King, Mary Poppins, Narnia, Mulan, Pocahontas and many more. Sunday 8 January at 7pm in FYCMA (Congress and Exhibition Centre). Tickets cost €5 to €10 and are available online here.
Tango music recital
The monthly free concert at the Museum of Malaga takes place on Sunday 22 January at noon and features PIAZZOLAlberdi playing works by Pizzaola and Ginestera on violin, guitar, double-bass and acordeon. Free entry on the door on the day – get there early to be sure of a place.
Record Fair
Visit a world of vinyls, SPs, EPs and LPs on the Roof Terrace at the Hotel Salles (Calle Mármoles 6). Free entry. Date to be confirmed.
Retro Car & Motorbike Fair
The 9th edition of the annual vintage vehicle fair takes place this year from 27 to 29 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. Tickets cost €10 or you can buy a combined ticket for the Car Museum and Fair for €15, available online. Friday 28 January 4 to 9pm, Saturday 29 January 10am to 9pm and Sunday 30 January 10am to 8pm.
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
The museum continues to showcase Spanish art from the 18th and 19th centuries seen in the permanent collection.
You can also see Masterpieces in Belgian Art, an exhibition with the essence of Belgian art from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th. René Magritte is just one of the artists. You can see this exhibition until 5 March.
Open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 8pm, €10 (€6 for entry between 2.30 and 4pm), free on Sundays.
The Carmen Thyssen Museum has a lovely café serving coffee, light snacks and lunch. There’s a daily lunchtime menu, which is excellent value for €11.90 and it includes entry to the museum.
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CAC Malaga
CAC Malaga has 2 exhibitions in January.
- Dominance and Dream – a retrospective of Valencia-born artist Miquel Navarro, showcasing nearly 40 of his works that include sculptures, watercolours and sketches. Until 5 March.
- You are another me – American born artist Eduardo Sarabia’s first exhibition at a museum in Europe including a giant mural and 30 drawings. Between them, they reflect on how change acts as a source of vital energy and opens the door to the future. Until 12 February 2023.
While you’re at CAC, don’t miss the permanent and Neighbours exhibitions. They’re both packed with interesting and thought-provoking artwork and installations.
Tuesday to Sunday 9am-9.30pm. Free entry.
Picasso Museum
The most-visited museum in southern Spain has a permanent collection, called Conversations with Picasso 2020-2023. The exhibition explores 8 decades of artistic creativity from the 20th century’s greatest artist. The Museum also has a room (Sala XII) showing 19 ceramics and 3 paintings created by Picasso between 1931 and 1962. You can also see 22 works from his La Californie sketchbook, which he drew in Cannes in 1956.
Open daily 11am to 6pm. Tickets €9, free Sundays after 5pm. While you’re there, do visit the Picasso Museum café with its lovely patio.
Russian Museum
It’s been all change at this art museum in Malaga since (understandably) no new artworks from the Russian State Museum have arrived. But the latest exhibitions are excellent and both draw on the alternative collections.
Russian Art Through English Eyes – works by Russian artists such as Venetsianov, Kandinsky and Goncharova from the private collection belonging to Jenny Green. She owns one of the largest collection of paintings and sketches from the 19th and 20th centuries. Until 5 June.
Sputnik: The Odyssey of the Soyuz 2 – the exhibition includes objects, photos and documents that trace the journey of the Soviet astronaut, Ivan Istochnikov and his dog, Kloka, into space in 1968. Both disappeared into space, but until the fall of Communism, the Soviet authorities maintained the rocket was unmanned. Until 23 April 2023.
For Sale – an installation by Ukranian artists Ilya and Emilia Kabakov. Until 5 June.
Absent – a photo exhibition by award-winning Spanish photographer Jose Manuel Ballester whose works reflect on scenes with no people and the absence of Russian art at the museum. Until 5 June.
Shadow Dancers – Mallorcan artist Bernardi Roig has two art works at the Russian Museum this month. Shadow Dancers are four bronze sculptures of ballerinas displayed in a room and his drawing Cap Negre.
Open Tuesday to Sunday 9.30am to 8pm. Permanent exhibition €6, temporary exhibitions €4, €8 combined ticket. Free on Sundays after 5pm.
DISCOVER MORE THINGS TO DO IN MALAGA
Pompidou Centre
The latest exhibition, Our Own Time, is our favourite so far. It’s divided into six sections (Leisure Time, Holiday Time, InnerTime, Interspatial Time, Introspective Time and Confrontation Time) and showcases work by artists from the early 20th century to the present day. Expect to see the usual thought-provoking collection of paintings, sculptures, videos, photos and installations. Artists on show include Accardi, Léger, Matisse, Picasso and Zangewa.
Read our dedicated post about the exhibition at the Pompidou Centre.
You can also see The Laberynth of Light and the Minotaur by Bernardi Roig, an installation made from 25 blocks of polystyrene. Until May.
Open Wednesday to Monday 9.30am to 8pm. €7 for the permanent exhibition, €9 for both. Free Sundays after 5pm.
Top tip – art museums in Malaga have free entry on Sunday afternoons.
La Termica Cultural Centre
La Termica Cultural Centre has two exhibitions this month, both with free entry. Open Tuesday to Sunday 11am to 2pm and 5 to 8.30pm. This is my swim lane
This exhibition showcases work by Slovakian photographer, Maria Svarbova. Half the photos are of her iconic swimming pictures, usually with women swimmers in red or yellow hats, and the other half are contemporary images entitled Retro Future. Until 12 February.
Ozange
The 1st African Photography Bienal arrives on 4 November and celebrates the work of artists from across the continent. Women photographers take centre stage in what promises to be one of the best exhibitions in Malaga this winter. Until 29 January.
Get to La Térmica by walking west along the seafront (the cultural centre is behind the modern glass Diputación building) or on the No 7 bus from the Alameda Principal (south side).
Top tip – art museums in Malaga have free entry on Sundays after.4pm.
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 7 January from 10am to 2pm and in Huelin Park (western seafront) on Saturday 21 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 Sundays in January on Plaza de la Merced from 11am to 8pm. Dates to be confirmed.
Soho Market takes place on Sunday 22 January on Calle Tomás Heredia between 11am and 7pm.
El Paseo Market arts and crafts is on Sundays in January on the Malagueta seafront from 11am to 7pm. Dates to be confirmed.
Heads-up for February
February means Carnival in Malaga – fingers crossed this fun event will be taking place this year. Meanwhile, read all about Malaga Carnival.
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