2023 edition
The Zoco Árabe / Arabian Bazaar in Benalmadena Pueblo will happen this year between 24 and 27 of August. During these 4 fantastic days, the stretch of Benalmadena Pueblo from the Plaza de las 3 Culturas up to the Iglesia (Church) de Santo Domingo de Guzmán will host shows of Middle Eastern dance, music, workshops, crafts, gastronomy and, of course, a large open air street market/bazaar.
The bazaar will have about 40 stalls decorated with arab motifs, lanterns and colorful long scarfs; it will be exuding incense and offering delights such as Moorish teas, falafels and sfihas, as well as typical clothes, ceramics, henna tattoos and more surprises. Maybe a genie coming out of a lamp?
Table of Contents
The location
According to the program, that we’ll see next, the events will happen in the Plaza de las Tres Culturas, Calle Real, Plaza de Andalucia, Plaza de España and in the area around the Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, including the Jardines del Muro. These locations are marked in the picture below, in blue.
The program
The event celebrates the Moorish heritage of Andalucia in Spanish style: with a big, multiple day event filled with joy and memorable moments! To make it easier to enjoy it all, I’ve translated their Program (below) into English. 😉
Above: the original 4 pages of the program of the Zoco Arabe, in Spainsh. Press the arrows to switch pages.
I feel tempted to make a reference to a 1001 nights, but I’ll try my best to avoid the cliché, mostly because the events run from noon to midnight 3 out of 4 of the days. So let’s think of it as 4 Magical Arabian days – it has a good kick to it, right?
Thursday (24/08/23) – Inauguration of the Arabian Bazaar
19:00
Musical parade and dancer perform through the market area.
Show in front of the church
Opening of craft stands
Ecological merry-go-round (meaning it will be spinned by hand!)
Kids playroom, game tables and free photocall with period characters in the jardines del Muro (behind the church)
19:30
Opening of workshops:
pottery, painting, henna and tea 😊 in the flat area in front of the church.
21:30
Musical parade
22:30
Show in the Plaza de Andalucia with the Arabic music group Alhambra
24:00
End of the day parade with music and belly dancer
Closing of the market
Friday (25/08/23), Saturday (26/08/23) and Sunday (27/08/23)
These 3 days have the exact same program:
12:00
Musical parade goes through the market area.
Ecological merry-go-round
Kids playroom, game tables and free photocall with period characters in the jardines del Muro (behind the church)
Workshops: bow and arrow, pottery, Arabic calligraphy, painting and henna.
14:30
Musical parade goes through the market area.
15:00
Market closes (for eating, but really: for siesta!!!! Some Spanish tradition mixing, you see.)
19:00
Musical parade goes through the market area.
Show by the church’s door
Opening of craft stands
19:30
Workshops: pottery, Arabic calligraphy, painting, henna, tea (in front of the church)
21:30
Musical parade goes through the market area.
22:30
Show in the Plaza de Andalucia with the Arabic music group Alhambra
24:00
End of the day parade with music
Music show in front of the church
Closing of the market
At the bottom of the program it reads, enigmatically: the workshops and attractions remain open during all the hours of the market.
Related post:
The Siesta tradition – the cultural icon of Spain that rules street commerce
How to get to the Arabian Bazaar in Benalmadena Pueblo
You can get there by bus, on the lines 112, 121, 126 and 103. The problem is that the buses stop running around or before 22:00, and the market goes on until midnight. During the recent Feria de Benalmádena Pueblo (from August 11 to 15) the buses worked until later than usual; I hope they’ll do the same for the Zoco Árabe, but up to now I didn’t see this information; I’ll update if something comes up. You can’t get there by train. You can get there by car, as there are several parking lots close to the main event location; they will probably get full fast, though.
A bit more of the Arabian Market
You can find more pictures and videos about the Arabian Market on MamaMalaga’s youtube channel and on MamaMalaga’s Facebook page. You are welcome to follow both, and if you want to reshare or use some image, please link to this page or to the homepage. 😉
And don’t forget!
While in Benalmadena Pueblo, please support the local commerce. Look around: there are almost no big chain commerce shops. The businesses are owned by locals and provide local jobs. We can help to keep the lovely, cute Benalmadena Pueblo as it is by boosting its economy while exploring the hidden gems of the Pueblo. And there are great and unique opportunities around!
Check these places, all recommended by a resident of Benalmadena Pueblo so that you can get the best of the area: El Capricho Shop – if you are looking for souvenirs or gourmet foods to take back home, this shop is what you want 😉 there is also the lovely A Sol y Sombra that sells artisan products and El Jardin de Las Naranjas, a herbalist packed with delightful aromas. Look also for a florist called Floristeria Bouquet-Artflor and for a small clothes shop called Carpichos. And if you want a salon, you have two great choices: Divas and The Salon.
I hope you enjoy the Zoco Árabe and bring home great souvenirs, amazing pictures, and unforgettable memories. And maybe some henna!! Don’t forget to scrub a lantern if you see one around that looks like it could have a genie; after all, Benalmadena is known to be a place where dreams come true.
Next: Casa de la cultura de Benalmádena- Roman villas, olive oil and Mare Nostrum
