Mama MálagaPostsSeasons & MonthsFebruary in the Costa del Sol

February in the Costa del Sol

January 15, 2024

Last modified on: October 23, 2024

Table of Contents

February in the Costa del Sol is a lovely time with pleasant weather, Valentines Day, the Day of Andalucía on the 28th, and fun and colorful Carnival festivities. Malaga’s Carnival is particularly known for its big parade and the traditional funeral of the Boquerón. Benalmadena doesn’t stay behind in the celebration, which ends with the lizard funeral. There seems to be a pattern here, right? Check the origins of that tradition below, as well as many activities and events that will also happen this February.

Questions and answers

There seem to be two general kinds of questions in the heads of people considering visiting the Costa del Sol in February: one has to do with the weather; the other, with things to do in the Costa around this time of the year. So, I collected some of these questions and give my two cents here.

Is Costa del Sol nice in February?

Yes, the Costa del Sol is nice in February, and actually, it is nice all year long. 🙂 There are plenty of flowers blooming at this time of the year – look for the very orange Flamevine (Pyrostegia venusta), that blossoms in profusion during the winter (and that appears on the first image of this post).

The temperature in February is warm during the day and a bit chilly during the night; it is not so warm that you could lay on the beach, in my opinion, but it is perfect to walk around and discover the beauty of the white villages and towns in and around the Costa del Sol. For a more specific answer about the weather, see the next question.

How is the weather in February in Malaga?

In February, daytime temperatures can reach more than 20°C. The average high is around 16°C to 18°C, and the lowest, during nighttime, averages between 8°C to 12°C.The warmest hours happen between noon and 16:00. February marks a transition towards spring, with more frequent sunny days; occasional rainfall may still occur.

February in the Costa del Sol — Accuweather graphic for the temperatures in Malaga on February 2023.

Weather-related data for February in Malaga (data from Weather2travel):
🏊 sea temperature: +15^oC
🌅 Sunrise times: 08:20 (Feb 1) – 07:49 (Feb 29)
🌙 Sunset times: 18:43 (Feb 1) – 19:11 (Feb 29)
🌼 Average number of daylight hours: 11
☀️ Average number of sunshine hours per day: 6

Is Fuengirola warm in February?

In terms of weather, Fuengirola is similar to Malaga, (see above) as both cities are geographically close. As a matter of fact, the data shown above, for Malaga, is valid for all the Costa del Sol, as the towns are too close to have meaningful weather variation.

What is Benalmadena like in February?

In terms of activities, Benalmadena is quite fun in February! There is Carnival and the Drag Queen Gala; there are also lots of restaurants and pubs, spas, hotels… like in January, even if some may be closed for one or two weeks for vacations. The business in general keep working through the winter, even if sometimes for a smaller number of hours per day, compared to summer. A good tip on this matter is to check the door of establishments that seem closed, as they often have their opening hours displayed there. They may well be set to open in a few hours.

Is it worth going to the Costa del Sol in February?

Yes, it is worth going to the Costa del Sol in February if the goal is to escape the much harsher winter of northern countries, enjoy the snow-free landscape, some 20^oC at times, as well as the long day hours and light (compared with other countries in the north). This is also a great time to explore the beauty of the land and of the white-washed pueblos, as with this temperature, it is pleasing to walk around. But if the goal is to get a tan, then I’d say it is not warm enough yet.

But, hey, maybe I’d be wrong. For some people it is already enough!

What to pack for February in the Costa del Sol?

Over the years I’ve been living in the Costa del Sol, I’ve taken a lot of pictures. In many of them – as you would expect – there are people around. Here are a few of those pictures, each and every one taken on February of previous years, where you can see what people are wearing. The goal is to give you a good idea of what to pack to feel cozy on February in the Costa del Sol! You can click on each image to enlarge it. 😉

Remarkable dates in the Costa del Sol in February

Carnival is celebrated in Spain, but not necessarily in the same dates as the calendar says is carnival. Different places set their own carnival dates, and in the Costa del Sol they can cover pretty much the whole month! Each town chooses when their carnival is going to be, and it varies from about 4 to 10 days per town. Some town release a full carnival program, others don’t, but we can count on Malaga and Benalmadena doing a lot of carnival related celebrations.

February 14 is Valentines Day, or Día de San Valentín, also known in Spain as the day of love and friendship. As the name shows, in the Spanish tradition it is not only a romantic day, but also a day to celebrate friends; kids in school are often asked to write a card for their friends in class. Commerce, though, is aware of the higher consumer potential of romance, and so the date is becoming more romantic. Expect heart-themed parties to be more frequent!

There are no national holidays in Spain in February, but there is a local holiday celebrated in the Costa del Sol, the Día de Andalucía (Andalusia Day), on February 28. You can expect banks and some supermarkets to be closed; it is also a school holiday. Some towns celebrate the day with a civic festivity but, surprisingly, this day goes by almost unnoticed.

As a matter of fact, during the whole last week of February kids will be off-school due to the semana blanca (white week). This week is interesting: it is not a celebration per se; it is a compensation for days-off that school kids in some locations have on the Ferias days. To ensure kids all around Spain have the same amount of class days, a few days are subtracted from the school calendar of places where the Ferias are celebrated on summer. In the Costa del Sol, these days are gathered around the days of Andalucia, making a full week off.

Carnival and the funerals of sardines, anchovies and lizards

Tradition has it that carnival is celebrated during a week, starting from a Thursday and finishing on a Wednesday, known as Ash Wednesday, when people repent from their sins and start Lent, the 40 days of purification leading up to the Holy Week. You can see how this would make Ash Wednesday a sad day. People have to bid farewell to Carnival till next year and start a new, clean cycle.

Spain, though, managed to put a spin on this tradition, creating a new one. Legend has it that in 1768, during carnival, a great hunger was going on in Spain. The king, Carlos III ordered a big amount of Sardines to be delivered from Santander to Madrid, to be shared between his court members. It turns out that the delivery got delayed and, by the time it arrived, the fish were rotten. Carlos III, then ordered it to be distributed among the population of Madrid (so noble…).

February in the Costa del Sol - Goya's Entierro de las sardinas — Image: Goya’s 1819 painting named “Entierro de las sardinas”. The painting is in the museum of the Real Academia de Belas Artes de San Fernando, in Madrid. Image from HA!

The population, being gifted loads of rotten fish on Ash Wednesday, decided the only thing that could be done with those sardines was to bury them (some alcohol may have had an influence in that decision) and threw a big party, mix of carnival and protest, of the Entierro de las sardinas (funeral of the Sardines). To this day, the symbolic burial or burning of something sardine-related – such as an allegoric cart in the shape of a sardine – is a tradition that closes the last day of Carnival.

Malaga closes its carnival burning not a sardine, but a Boquerón (anchovy) which is the fish that symbolizes Malaga. In common with the tradition, the Boquerón burning is often associated with a protest about something – in 2023, it was against the high cost of life (see pictures here); in 2022, the poor Boquerón was a victim of Covid (more pictures). Malaga’s carnival also differs from Madrid’s in another way: the last day of Carnival and the Boquerón burning happens on a Sunday, not on Ash Wednesday, probably for practical reasons. In Cádiz, a mackerel allegory is burned, and in Benalmadena, a lizard one.

Benalmadena’s Lil’Lizard’s last minutes…

Events in February in the Costa del Sol

Carnival in the Costa del Sol

The most traditional carnival in the Costa del Sol happens in Malaga, particularly in the city center, but also spread through the many districts of the city. You can count on parades, lots of anchovies and plenty of people in colorful and fun costumes. Benalmadena also hosts a great and long-lasting party, whose highlights are the Gala Drag, the parade in Arroyo de la Miel and the burning of the lizard.

In Torremolinos, Carnival’s main attraction is the Gala Drag, that fills the Auditorium Principe de Asturias, one of the biggest auditoriums of Andalusia. It’s very big. But there is much more going on in Torremolinos in February, because that is also the month of the Rockin’Race jamboree, a 50’s themed party that is so much fun (we’ll talk about it a bit below).

Marbella releases not one, but two programs of Carnival – one for Marbella in general and another one for San Pedro Alcantara. Two carnivals per year going on at the same time, an overdose of parties! Estepona mixes carnival with market in the plaza del Ajedrez and in Mijas there are celebrations in its 3 districts – La Cala, Las Lagunas and Mijas Pueblo. Check our related posts below to see the latest Carnival of each place.

Rockin’race Jamboree in Torremolinos

Torremolinos hosts in February the traditional Rockin’Race Jamboree, with lots of Rock’n’roll from the 40s to the 80s. In parallel and as part of the main event, there is the Classics on wheels, usually in the Plaza del Remo. For invitations and tickets, check the main page of the event, rockinrace.com, where you can also see videos of past editions and get a bit of a feel of what is coming. Tickets sell fast for the Rockin’Race Jamboree so, if you can’t get yours for this year, keep it in mind for the next.

Though the main events are paid, some shows happen in the Plaza del Remo, and these are free. 😉 Below, a video of the party going on in the Plaza del Remo and in the promenade of Torremolinos during 2024’s Rockin’Race Jamboree:

Fun and good vibes!

Culture and Entertainment guides

The best places to look for cultural events are the official monthly entertainment guides of the Town Halls websites and their Facebook counterparts. Some cities update them more frequently than others, and usually information is posted just a few days before the event itself; despite that, they are the most complete source of information about cultural (and sometimes not so cultural) events in each city. Below, a super useful list:

For Malaga city: Visita Málaga guide and Facebook
For Torremolinos: Torremolinos Cultura guide and Facebook
For Benalmadena: Benalmadena guide and Benalmadena Cultura
For Fuengirola: Fuengirola guide and Agenda Fuengirola
For Mijas: Mijas and Cultura Mijas
For Marbella: Marbella and Cultura Marbella
For Estepona: Cultura Estepona and Facebook

Activities in February in the Costa del Sol

For the romantics

February in the Costa del Sol Hotel la Fonda

Valentines Day is coming, romance is in the air and if you want to make it extra special, I have a few cards up my sleeve that can make you gain some points with your other half. The first one is La Fonda, a boutique hotel in Benalmadena Pueblo, a part of Benalmadena that is already super romantic and filled with flowers. To make it even better, La Fonda has a SPA, that can be booked both by guests or non-guests. It is a favorite among locals!

Outdoor activities

On those days when the weather is just perfect, and you want to enjoy your winter-time summer-break, you can go walking. But Malaga is big and hilly; if you want to see more and still be able to enjoy the night, Malaga Segway tour is a great way to get to know the city and make the most of the day (and of the night).

Segway Tour

Mijas Selfie

Now, Mijas is smaller than Malaga, and Mijas Pueblo, that is even smaller, has its own selfie route, a series of preselected points to get the “bestest ever” possible selfie. If you are traveling with an instagramer, or if you simply want to make fantastic pictures, click on this Mijas selfie route link, that will bring you to a page with a map on pdf that you can download and even print to make following the route easier. And it’s both in English and in Spanish!

Indoor activities

Is it raining? oh my! I got you covered (pun intended). Escape the cold and go straight into tropical weather by visiting a world of botanical marvels at the Orchidarium Estepona. This unique attraction features a mesmerizing collection of orchids from around the globe. Wander through lush gardens and a waterfall, discovering the diverse beauty of these exotic flowers. Estepona’s Orchidarium is the largest Orchidarium in Spain and one of the most important in Europe due to the number of species it houses. And who doesn’t love orchids?

Orchidarium Estepona

February in the Costa del Sol - Victoria Malaga Brewery

Victoria Málaga brewery

Beer is serious stuff, and the fact that it is raining should not be an excuse to skip a visit to the brewery! Check on Victoria Malaga Brewery, a link that you should only access if you are over 18, how to book your ticket 😉 The visit lasts 90 minutes and consists of an explanatory part of the production, packaging and its history process; a ‘how to pour a beer’ workshop and a tasting of products with Sabor a Málaga snacks.

Conclusion

February in the Costa del Sol has it all – romance, carnival, good weather and even fun funerals – and this one was unexpected. I hope now you have a better overview of what to expect of the Costa del Sol in February, and that you have a lot of fun while at it. See you around!