Report by Chris Chaplow on the music festivals Friday night in Cortes de la Frontera. The Pueblos Blancos Music Festival, a grassroots event that takes place in the Serranía de Ronda each year.

As winter evenings draw in, the towns and villages of Andalucía once again burst into colour with the glow of Christmas lights. Across the region, from the snow-capped Sierras to the sun-warmed coast, streets are filled orange-laden trees, festive cheer, music, and the unmistakable scent of roasted chestnuts, straight from the Sierras.

The eighth edition of the Pueblos Blancos Music Festival, a grassroots event took place in the Serranía de Ronda from Thursday, 31 July to Sunday, 3 August 2025.

The Semana Santa (Holy Week) procession Palm Sunday it the first of six different days during Semana Santa in Estepona that have processions.

Every year on 28 February, the region of Andalusia celebrates Día de Andalucía. Andalusia Day is a public holiday throughout the region, one of several festivos during the year, which celebrates the Andalucia’s status as an autonomous community. 

The 14th of February is Valentine's Day, or Dia de los Enamorados (Lovers' Day) in Spain. Many hotels and restaurants around Andalucia will have special offers on, so if you're after a last-minute package, you're sure to be spoiled for choice - themed menus, dishes, suites and rental villas, with that little extra something thrown in to create the right atmosphere for the occasion.

Benalmadma Pueblo is one of the best towns to take part in a Corpus Christi festival on the Costa del Sol. Several of the streets in and around Plaza de España are decorated with a carpet of coloured petals and greenery ahead of a mid-day church procession.

The ninth edition of the Pueblos Blancos Music Festival, the grassroots event, takes place in the Serranía de Ronda from Thursday, 30 July to Sunday, 2 August 2026.

Cascamorras festival in the towns of Guadix and Baza has been declared Festival of International Tourism interest due to its intriguing history. Although the festival is relatively little-known outside Granada province, by latest estimates up to 20,000 people take part, running through the streets and covering each other in black olive oil in Baza and coloured paste in Guadix.

Holy Week, Semana Santa, in Andalucia is an event that literally transforms towns and cities across this region. Processions of elaborately decorated floats with Jesus and Mary statues, groups of pointy-hood wearing Nazarenos (penitents), and shrill brass bands, walk slowly through the streets, from their parish church to the cathedral and back.

Popular festivals in Alhendín are La Candelaria, Fiestas de San Marcos, San José and Fiestas de Agosto.

Popular festivals in Algarinejo are La Candelaria, Romería de San Isidro, Fiestas de San Juan, Fiestas de Santa Ana, Fiestas en honor a San Jerónimo and Fiestas de Doña Juana.

Popular festivals in Agrón are Fiesta de la Virgen de Agosto, Procesión de la Santísima Virgen, Fiestas de la Cruz, La Candelaria and San Marcos among others.

Popular festivals in Vegas del Genil are Fiesta de la Virgen de los Remedios, Fiestas de la Merendica, Fiestas de San Marcos, Día de la Toma and Semana Santa.

Popular festivals in Zagra are Fiestas Patronales de San Lorenzo, Feria Grande, Romería de San Antonio and Semana Santa.

Popular festivals in Zafarraya are Fiestas en Honor al Señor de las Tres Marías y Día de la Cruz, La Candelaria, San Marcos and Feria Grande.

Popular festivals in Polícar are San Antón, San Blas, San Marcos and San Antonio de Padua among others.

Popular festivals in Marchal are Candelaria, Santo Cristo de los Milagros, San Marcos and San Bonifacio.

Popular festivals in Polícar are San Antón, San Blas, San Marcos and San Antonio de Padua among others.