Guide to Opening times, hour, highlight for Spain Christmas Market dates in big cities: Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville and more than…
🎵…Christmas, Christmas, sweet Christmas…🎵
The streets of cities and towns throughout Spain are decked out in their finest designs during this special time of year, filling every corner with colorful lights, Christmas fairs, the smell of roasted chestnuts, polvorones, turrones, mulled wine, and more.
But one of the main attractions of Christmas, which many people look forward to all year round, are the Christmas markets in Spain. When do the Christmas markets start?
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Madrid Christmas Market dates
Plaza Mayor Christmas Market
One of Spain’s most renowned and traditional Christmas markets, specialising in festive decorations, joke items, religious figurines, and regional delicacies.
- Map: Plaza Mayor
- Dates: 25 November–31st December (typically from the last Friday in November until New Year’s Eve)
- Operating Hours: 10:00–22:00/23:00 (subject to local announcements; closes earlier on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve)
The Plaza Mayor Market in Madrid is one of the best Christmas markets in Spain, as well as being one of the oldest in the city. in fact, every year it has more than a hundred stalls. It is located in the most beautiful square in the capital, and among its aisles you can browse and buy any traditional Christmas product, such as nativity scene figurines, Christmas trees, tree baubles, etc.
Every year, more than a million people are expected to visit the Madrid market 😨, which is why it is one of the most famous in the whole country 👀.
El Corte Inglés Castellana
- Map: El Corte Inglés Preciados-Callao
- Dates: From November 14 to January 5
In recent years, El Corte Inglés Castellana has hosted a Christmas market that has already become a tradition. It’s a place where you can find the perfect gift and sample some wonderful food. Numerous stalls set up in the parking lot offer decorations, gifts, crafts, and traditional sweets. And delicious snacks are available from food trucks such as La Cocreta, La Romana, Rodilla, and San Gines, among others.
Barcelona Christmas Market dates
Barcelona’s oldest market, renowned for selling Christmas trees, Santa Claus figures, Three Kings ornaments, and the Catalan decorative tradition of “Cagallons”.
- Map: Capella de Santa Llúcia
- Dates: Late November to around 23rd December
- Operating hours: 10:30–20:30/21:30 (Subject to local announcements)
Barcelona in Christmas with its main streets decorated and filled with lights, fairs and activities, and, of course, the Fira de Santa Llúcia. This is Barcelona’s oldest and most traditional Christmas market, which has been held since 1786.
This celebration takes place in front of the Cathedral of Santa Llúcia, and Catalans attend every year to buy everything they need for the holidays. In the surrounding area, you can find exhibitions of traditional nativity scenes, and the atmosphere that is created makes it worth dodging all the tourists and visiting this magical corner of Barcelona.
Valencia Christmas Market dates
- Map: Central Market Street
- Dates: November 28, – January 6
In Valencia, Christmas is celebrated with great intensity, and street markets take over the city’s main squares to offer visitors the best handicrafts, toys, figurines, Christmas trees, decorative items, etc. ⭐
One of the most interesting is the Central Market, as it specializes in Christmas sweets, roasted chestnuts, gingerbread, and other delicacies that are only available at this time of year.
Seville Christmas Market dates
- Map: Plaza Nueva
- Dates: 16 December to 5 January
- Operating Hours: 11:00–21:00/22:00
The people of Seville do everything with passion, and you’ll notice that at their Christmas Craft Market 🎄. If you want to experience the Christmas atmosphere to the fullest and the excitement of these beloved holidays on the banks of the Guadalquivir River 🌊, this may be the best decision you make for the December long weekend 🎯.
You can visit the market in Plaza Nueva, which has 80 traditional wooden stalls, activities, workshops for the little ones, and more. Its main attraction is that each artisan only displays pieces that they have made with their own hands 😱
Granada Christmas Market dates
- Map: Plaza Bib-Rambla
- Dates: November 17 to January 5
- Operating hours: 11:00–14:30, 16:30–21:00
The Granada Christmas Market is another must-see on this list of the best Christmas markets in Spain. It takes place in Plaza Bib-Rambla and has around 70 stalls where you can find a wide variety of Christmas-related products, such as Christmas decorations, toys, nativity scenes, crafts, leather goods, jewelry, ceramics, and more.
This market joins up with Puerta Real, where the stalls are transformed into a food fair where you can try some of Andalusia’s most typical Christmas dishes.
Bilbao Christmas Market
- Map: Erripa Kaia
- Dates: December 2 to January 5
The Bilbao Christmas Market is another of Spain’s best Christmas markets. It is held every year in honor of Saint Thomas. It is one of the most important festivals in the Basque Country and is characterized by the fact that all those who attend return to country life in Bilbao.
This festival has its origins in the popular market that used to be held in the same place and is mainly known for its top-quality cuisine, where you can taste the best Basque products, such as cider, chorizo, cheese, txakoli, etc. 🍴
Zaragoza Christmas Market
- Map: Plaza del Pilar
- Dates: From December 2 to January 8
The Zaragoza Christmas Market is located in Plaza del Pilar and has a special feature that you won’t find in any other city in Spain: nativity scenes are set up in all public places such as churches, schools, hospitals, public squares, and even residential areas ✨
You can also visit a life-size nativity scene 👫 and take part in original activities such as a maze in the middle of the city. The market includes Christmas decorations and figurines, activities for children, parades, concerts, etc. 🌠
Malaga Christmas Market
- Map: Muelle Uno
- Dates: from December until January 10
Malaga’s market has been gaining prominence in recent years in terms of Christmas celebrations. Its market, located at Muelle Uno, has been ranked among the top 20 best Christmas markets in Europe by European Best Destinations for several years now.
The Christmas lights 💡 transform the famous Calle Larios into a spectacle of lights with lots of Christmas decorations 🎁 such as Christmas trees 🎄, wicker figures, and much more ✨
Vigo Christmas Market
- Dates: From November 16 to January 12
Every year, Vigo dresses up for the festive season, and the Cíes Market is an essential part of the celebrations. The Alameda, Vigo’s first public garden, hosts this famous and spectacular Christmas market among its trees and valuable sculptures. In the stalls in Plaza de Compostela you’ll find sweets, handmade decorations, nativity scene figurines, and Christmas clothing. And, of course, there’s a great atmosphere and wonderful seasonal cuisine.
Other Spain Christmas Market dates
- Christmas Market in Toledo: open from November 24 to January 7
- Santander Christmas Market: open from December 5 to January 7
- Christmas Market in Mallorca: Open from December 14 to January 6
- Salamanca Christmas Market: From November 29 to January 5
Here’s a roundup of the best Christmas markets in Spain! The best time of the year is approaching, and the lights in the streets have already been switched on to kick off a season full of magic, fun, and family time. But why not take advantage of this moment when cities are decked out in their finest to travel a little and learn about the traditions of other places in Spain?
