Ready to enjoy Halloween in Spain (and on the Costa del Sol)? What a terrific idea! If you are afraid there are no such celebrations in Spain, you may feel mortified to know that yes, there are, and many! And they are great (I mean, terrible)! Spain celebrates the date in style, with city-wide parties, decorated calabazas (pumpkins), telarañas (spiderwebs), scary ghosts, werewolves, witches, vampires, lost souls, all kinds of spirits, sodas, sweets, and tapas!
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How is Halloween celebrated in Spain?
There is truco o trato (trick or treat) for the kids but, much like in the USA, these happen more often in house neighborhoods – for the kids of the area – than in apartment buildings. Schools usually prepare parties and decorate for the occasion; if so, kids are allowed to go to school wearing costumes on October 31st.
Houses do decorate for Halloween, but shops actually decorate more. Shops also sell monster costumes, candies and themed decorations, like string lights with little ghosts, inflatable monsters, ceramic or plastic pumpkins, among an almost infinite choice of child-friendly ghostly material.
Now, the best part is that the cities (at least on the Costa del Sol) tend to prepare parties where kids and adults alike are welcome to show their scariest costumes and makeup achievements. These parties tend to be huge! Some cities prepare their Halloween party in parks, others on the main square or in the city center, and others use their Recinto Ferial (fairgrounds), a place meant to host each city’s anual Feria (more on that here), for the Halloween activities. Many cities celebrate in more than one place – and during more than one day! These public events tend to be free of charge. 😉
Private pubs and clubs also prepare special events for the occasion. There are paid parties in several cities, specially in Malaga and Marbella, as well as less conventional Halloween celebrations, such as horror themed movies festivals and museums expositions.
A traditional feature of the large-scale Halloween celebration in Spain is the Pasaje del Terror (Terror or horror passage) a corridor or house-wide horror place with decorations, lights and more importantly, actors ready to jump scare the fearless (or wanna be fearless) that dare to enter. Themed escape rooms are also very popular.
Some places have parades, usually with some Halloween related theme, like lost souls, walking deads, etc. There is always music, usually dance, electronic, regatón or 80’s (music genre varies a lot from one party to the other), and events for kids and families, involving makeup and costume workshops and contests.
Keep in mind that the Spanish party like no other. When they decide to make a city-wide celebration, they succeed. I don’t doubt someday Halloween will be a Spanish thing more than anyone else’s – mark my words.
When is Halloween in Spain?
Halloween is celebrated on October 31st. Though, as tradition in Spain has it, there is hardly ever a celebration whose party fits in one day; so there can be events related to Halloween happening from around October 20 to November 5th!
In Spain, October 31st is known as Día de las Brujas (Day of the Witches), November 1st as Día de Todos los Santos (All Saints Day) and November 2nd as Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). November 1st is a national Holiday, so parties can go wild and all night on October 31st.
What foods are eaten on Halloween on the Costa del Sol?
Besides the traditional Spanish foods you can count on all year long, such as tapas and paellas, during Halloween there are special sweet dishes being offered. Two of these traditional dishes are Huesos de Santo and Buñuelos de viento, whose recipes you can find in the links. 😉
Huesos de Santo are made from marzipan paste with yolk filling and are typically served on All Saints’ Day. They are made to look like broken bones. Buñuelos are little balls of fried dough filled with cream. If you want some creative ideas for traditional Halloween foods, check the site Directo ao paladar, that has 83 spooky-looking recipes!
Another seasonal food are the castañas (chestnuts). There is no Halloween connotation associated with them, but since their harvest happens in October, bakeries are filled with fresh chestnut delicacies during the time of Halloween. It is also in this time of the year that we find chestnut stalls throughout the cities. If you are on the Costa del Sol during Halloween times, don’t miss the opportunity to try them out. 🙂
How is Halloween in each of the cities in the Costa del Sol?
I’m glad you asked – it’s a lot of fun! Each city creates different events to celebrate Halloween; the parties tend to happen in the same venues or squares every year, but with some variation of events and themes from one year to the next.
The towns in the Costa del Sol usually release a program containing information on what will happen where, but there is a catch: much like with ferias and other events promoted by the Ayuntamientos, the Halloween programs tend to be released very close to the date of the events, leaving us unable to confirm, up to the last days, the times, locations, and even the events themselves.
Check below an overview of what usually goes on in each city of the Costa del Sol on Halloween and the main post for each place, so you can start to make plans ahead. I’ll go adding the information as they are released by the City Councils. 😉 Choose where you are going to cast your spells; and be ready to have fun and laugh to death at the creativity of our locals and visitors!
Malaga
Malaga celebrates Halloween in several different venues. Many parks across the city have different parties for their own neighborhood or district residents – but these are open and welcome all. On top of these traditional venues, there tends to be events also in the botanical gardens and in the polo digital, plus parties in private clubs. To know more about what is going on this year and how to get there, check our main post on this topic: 7 places to fear – Halloween in Malaga 2023.
Torremolinos
Torremolinos’ Halloween celebrations tend to happen both in the Parque de la Batería and in the Av. Palma de Mallorca, in the city center. They usually include shows, a parade, activities for kids and a horror passage. In 2023, activities will happen in the Recinto Ferial and in the Plaza de Toros, including a escape room!
Benalmadena
Traditionally, the high spots for Halloween in Benalmadena are the Plaza de La Mezquita and Benalmadena Pueblo. The Plaza is a large square in Arroyo de la Miel, where the Town Hall usually builds a house of horrors. This place attracts lots of people dressed for the occasion, kids and adults alike. The plaza is lined up with cafes and pubs, so it’s a great location for people watching on Halloween. Fun guaranteed.
Benalmadena Pueblo tends to have a horror parade and decorations on their main spots, such as the La Niña Square. In Benalmadena Pueblo you also find the Museu de Arte Precolombino Felipe Orlando, which has a special presentation about el dia de los Muertos, or day of the deceased, and tends to host special events for kids at the end of October.
To know more about what is going on this year and how to get there, check our main post on this topic: Halloween in Benalmadena 2023 – movies, ancient cultures, tapas, horror and… fish!
Fuengirola
You can celebrate Halloween in Fuengirola in the Plaza de España (shown below), a square within the Parque de España. This year (2023) is the second time Fuengirola will celebrate Halloween in this Park, but the city has been building a tradition of including Escape rooms in the mix of attractions and, last year, they had a zombie invasion in the city center!! To know more about what is going on this year and how to get there, check our main post on this topic: Halloween in Fuengirola 2023 – can you escape?.
Mijas
Mijas celebrates Halloween with a party in each of its 3 urban cores. In Mijas Pueblo, look for activities in the Plaza Virgen de la Peña; in Las Lagunas, go to the Recinto Ferial, and in La Cala de Mijas, check the Bulevar de La Cala. In the most recent editions, Mijas’ Halloween included, on top of the usual horror passage and musical attractions, inflatables for the kids and also foodtrucks!
Marbella
Halloween in Marbella is celebrated in the Parque de la Represa and in the nearby Avenida Nabeaul, both in the city center.
Estepona
In Estepona, Hallowen is usually celebrated with a party at the Recinto Ferial that distributes prizes for best costumes in several categories. To know more about what is going on this year and how to get there, check our main post on this topic: Halloween in Estepona 2023.
Conclusion
Anywhere you choose to spend Halloween on the Costa del Sol, you are sure to have fun. Now that you know where to find the activities, pick your favourite destination, wear a costume and join the party!
Next: Traveling to the Costa del Sol in the Fall – September, October and November 2023
