Setahun pesta di Granada dan di pesisir

Granada and its coast have fiestas all year: religious processions in spring, beach bonfires and boat parades in summer, and a fruit fair in autumn. Here are the main dates, month by month, and what to expect.

The year at a glance

1. January

   2 January: Día de la Toma

   A local holiday in Granada that marks the day in 1492 when the city was handed to the Catholic Monarchs. There is an official procession from the town hall to the Capilla Real. The day is controversial, and some people want it to celebrate living together instead.

2. February or early March

   Carnival

   Carnival is in the week before Lent, so the date moves with Easter. Almuñécar and La Herradura both hold one. Check the town hall listings nearer the time.

3. March or April

   Semana Santa in Granada

   Holy Week is the week before Easter, so it also moves. Religious groups carry large statues through the centre in the evenings, and the days around Good Friday are the busiest. Book your hotel early.

4. 3 May

   Día de la Cruz

   Around 3 May, the Albaicín, the Realejo and Sacromonte decorate crosses with flowers in squares, patios and shop windows. It is free, and walking from cross to cross is a good way to see the old quarters. Some years the programme moves to the first weekend of May, so check.

5. June

   Corpus Christi and the feria

   Corpus Christi is a Thursday sixty days after Easter; in 2026 it was 4 June, a local holiday in Granada. There is a procession through the centre, and the city's fair runs at the same time.

6. 23 June

   Noche de San Juan on the beaches

   On Midsummer night, people build bonfires on the beaches of Almuñécar and La Herradura, grill fish on the sand, and many go into the sea at midnight. In Motril the town bonfire is lit on Playa del Cable around midnight. Come for dinner and walk along the beach afterwards.

7. June to July

   Granada International Festival of Music and Dance

   A month of concerts in historic places, including the Alhambra. In 2026 it ran from 11 June to 12 July. Dates change every year, so check the festival programme.

8. 16 July

   Virgen del Carmen sea processions

   Fishing towns honour the Virgen del Carmen, patron of the sea, by taking her statue out on a boat. In Almuñécar, after Mass on San Cristóbal beach, the statue goes out to sea in the evening with a fleet of small boats. In Motril a fishing boat carries it from the port to Playa Granada. La Herradura's fiestas run from about 16 to 19 July, with boats and fireworks.

9. Late September

   San Miguel in Almuñécar

   The fiestas of the San Miguel neighbourhood, in the old town near the castle, run from 25 to 29 September. The 29th is the main day, with bars, a street band and an art exhibition in the square.

10. October

    Fiesta de la Chirimoya in Torrecuevas

    Torrecuevas, a part of Almuñécar near the Roman aqueduct, celebrates the chirimoya (custard apple) harvest over a long weekend. In 2026 it ran from Friday 9 to Monday 12 October, with a Mass, a procession and fireworks on the Monday.

11. December

    Christmas

    Christmas on the coast is quiet and mostly about family meals. For children the big day is Reyes (Three Kings) on 6 January.

The coast after dark

In June and July the fiestas move to the sea, with San Juan bonfires and the boat parade for the Virgen del Carmen. Both are busier than you might expect, so plan dinner and parking early. Our Almuñécar guide has more on the town.

Autumn is harvest time

In October, Torrecuevas celebrates the chirimoya, the custard apple you see on market stalls in autumn. Our tropical fruit calendar covers the rest of the year. San Miguel, at the end of September, is a smaller neighbourhood party in the old town.

Planning around the moving dates

Carnival, Holy Week and Corpus Christi depend on Easter, so their dates change every year. Granada also has its own local holidays, so check the city's list before you book. For a first visit, June and July are good months on the coast, with a day trip to the city and the Alhambra.