May in the Costa del Sol

Mama MálagaPostsSeasons & MonthsMay in the Costa del Sol

April 19, 2024

Last modified on: October 30, 2024

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May in the Costa del Sol is filled with great events, interesting activities, blooming flowers and lots of sun. As usual, the Costa del Sol never stops providing entertainment of all types for all groups. What a fantastic place to be! May is one of the best months to come to the Costa del Sol; the weather is hot enough (but not too much) and you certainly can sunbathe. Actually, bring some strong sunscreen with you!

Weather in May in the Costa del Sol

The weather in May is ideal. Not as hot as in the summer months, that can be a bit (a lot) much, just the right amount of heat to enjoy the beach and the surroundings, with the plus of seeing flowers brightening the space with a burst of strong colors. If I were to recommend a month to come to the Costa del Sol, I’d choose May.

In May, the average high temperatures in the Costa del Sol range from 22^oC to 26^oC, and happen between 14:00h and 16:00h; the average lows are around 12^oC and 16^oC, in the early morning, around 7:00h. The weather is starting to heat up fast! There is little chance of rain, but it is still possible; in 2023, we actually had a week of it (the colder days on the graph, around 18/05 and 25/05), though this much rain is uncommon for the month.

Accuweather graphic for the actual temperatures in Malaga in May 2023.

Weather-related data for May in Malaga (data from Weather2travel):
🏊 sea temperature: +17^oC
🌅 Sunrise times: 07:23 (May 1) – 07:01 (May 31)
🌙 Sunset times: 21:07 (May 1) – 21:31 (May 31)
🌼 Average number of daylight hours: 14
☀️ Average number of sunshine hours per day: 9

The weather information above is for Malaga (city), but as the towns are so close together, you can extend this information to the surrounding areas as well. Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Fuengirola, Mijas, Marbella and Estepona, as well as Rincón de la Victoria, Torrox and Nerja, should not differ much.

What to pack for May 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 in May 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 in May in the Costa del Sol! You can click on each image to enlarge it.

Remarkable dates in May

May 1st – worker’s day – is an international holiday observed in Spain. May also brings Mother’s Day, which is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month in Spain. Other than that, there are two towns in the Costa del Sol with local holidays on May 15: Estepona and Nerja. Hint: these are good times to visit both cities! 😉

May 15 is the day of the Patron Saint of Estepona, San Isidro Labrador, which is also the patron saint of the farmers. Estepona has a long agricultural tradition and celebrates both the saint and its own heritage in a large festival that lasts for days. See more about this tradition in the events section. 😉

Nerja also celebrates San Isidro, with festivities starting in Nerja’s caves. The next day there is a mass celebrated in Nerja’s Balcon de Europa, followed by a procession and a party, which starts with traditional music and progress to modern styles. For more about Nerja’s San Isidro celebration, check this page on Explore Nerja.

Corpus Christi, that sometimes falls in May, is not a holiday, but it is a day observed in the religious calendar. Benalmadena Pueblo has a beautiful Corpus Christi celebration every year, when the floor is covered in flower petals.

Events in May in the Costa del Sol

Feria Internacional de los Países in Fuengirola (FIP)

The Feria Internacional de los países (International fair of the countries) happens every year in Fuengirola, in the end of April or beginning of May. In this Feria, which opens the Costa del Sol’s calendar of Ferias, several countries (33 in 2024) occupy, each, a booth in the Recinto Ferial de Fuengirola (Fuengirola fairgrounds), where they share their culture, music, dances and gastronomy. It is a great opportunity to travel without leaving the Costa del Sol! A remarkable event by all means. Don’t miss it!

The Brazilian (❤️) booth in the FIP 2024.

For those of us who live abroad, the FIP is a way to feel a bit close to home and to eat some of our favorite foods!

Cruces de Mayo (May crosses)

May is known as the month of the crosses in Spain. Every year, in the beginning of May, cities and towns in Spain decorate crosses with flowers. Some of the localities make a contest out of it, and those who want to participate in the competition can display their creations according to each locality’s rules.

Festival of San Isidro Labrador in Estepona

San Isidro Labrador is the Patron Saint of Estepona and of the farmers. Given the town’s agricultural origin, the town celebrates both the saint and its heritage in a large festival declared of tourist interest in Andalucia since 2009. During the festival, locals dress like farmers and follow the Saint’s parade through the main streets of the town, which get decorated for the occasion. At the same time, Estepona hosts several events related to the country life: there can be workshops, horse riding exhibitions, tasting of traditional country soups, shooting contests and so on – all related to rural jobs and skills.

San Isidro’s throne. Image from Turismo Estepona

Museum day in Malaga

Most museums in Malaga – and there are many – offer free entrance on Museum Day (May 18). These museums are concentrated in the city center, so it is easy to go from one to the next; you can have an idea of this area in our post about the Train stations in Malaga, particularly the part about Malaga Centro Alameda.

The Picasso Museum, that showcases the works of the iconic artist born in Malaga, the Centre Pompidou Malaga and the Carmen Thyssen Museum are amazing options, featuring exhibitions by both local and international artists. Visitors can spend hours admiring diverse collections of paintings, sculptures, and artifacts. Check the page of your favorite and enjoy.

Fulanita Fest in Fuengirola

The traditional Fulanita Fest is a music festival that promotes the work of female artists. It happens on Fuengirola’s Marenostrum, which is a stage for large shows built by the beach, close to the Castillo Sohail. You can buy tickets and know more about the festival here.

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

Corpus Christi in Benalmadena Pueblo

Corpus Christi falls more often in June than in May, but regardless of the month, the celebration in Benalmadena Pueblo is beautiful and unique: citizens and the Town hall create several carpets made of flower petals, side by side and colorful, that cover the path where the Corpus Christi procession (called La Custodia) will happen. This work takes days to complete and leaves the Calle Real, in the center of the village, literally covered in petal flowers forming beautiful patterns.

Activities

May is a particularly beautiful month in the Costa del Sol, because on top of the almost ever blue sky, we have the flowers blossoming at their peak. Imagine a bright pink bougainvillea against the white walls, with strong blue sky on the back; beautiful, right? That’s why we’ll open the activities suggested for this month with a very special one:

Have a photo session with Penelope Russak

Penelope is an Estonian photographer and photography teacher that lives in Benalmadena. She specializes in portraying people, be it in maternity shots, family pictures or individual portraits. Take a look at her work below and in Penelope’s website, fall in love and take home the best of you in your vacations!

Alcazaba and Roman Theatre Tour in Malaga

If you fancy discovering the Alcazaba and the Roman Theatre in an informative and entertaining tour, this is perfect for you:

The tour lasts for 1.5 hours, includes entry tickets to both buildings and has received excellent reviews. If you like history and beautiful buildings, come visit the quintessential Moorish monument of Malaga. And the view from there is possibly the best in the city!

Above: the meeting point for the Alcazaba and Roman Theatre Tour. You can get there by train; it’s a 16 minutes walk from Malaga Centro-Alameda.

Benalmadena’s Hop-on Hop-off

If it is your first time in Benalmadena, or if you have not yet explored the city beyond the beaches, I’d strongly recommend the Hop-on Hop-off bus. It takes you to the main places of the city in a comfortable way, and you can make as many stops as you fancy on the way. The ticket lasts for 48 hours, which means you can take your time and even use the panoramic bus as your transportation within the city; you can go from the beach to the cable car, climb up Mount Calamorro and continue your hop-on hop-off excursion later and / or on the next day, for instance.

The bus departs from the Marina of Benalmadena, passes around La Paloma Park, then to Arroyo, with one of the stops being close to the train station (fancy taking the opportunity to check Fuengirola or Torremolinos as well?) and the other close to the cable cars / Tivoli area / mercadillo. You check our main post about Benalmadena; it may help you choosing where to stop.

Pro-tip 1: the Hop-on Hop-off buses that reach up to Benalmadena Pueblo are the ones that depart at 12:30 pm and 05:30 pm; the others don’t go all the way up there.
Pro tip 2: if you like mercadillos (street markets), take this bus on a Friday, as the stop number 8 is right next to Benalmadena’s Friday market. 😉

Ceramics in Benalmadena’s Friday Street Market.

Cable Car in Benalmadena

And talking about the cable car… have you ever? It is one of the most beloved attractions of the area and can be coupled very well with the Hop-on Hop-off bus. It takes you to the top of Mount Calamorro, with amazing views.

You can see a lot of Benalmadena from the cable car!

Zoo in Fuengirola

Loved by adults and children alike, Fuengirola’s Bioparc is home to 200 species divided in 4 habitats in the heart of the town, very close to Fuengirola train Station. Come enjoy a great time among nature without leaving the town. 😉

(you didn’t expect the picture above, did you?)

Conclusion

What a lovely month, with so many cool things to do! If you are in the Costa del Sol in May, you are very lucky to have so much to do, to see and to enjoy. You can choose among events and activities of several types: international (FIP); sightseeing (Alcazaba, Cable Car and Hop-on Hop off); traditional (San Isidro and Corpus Christi); cultural (Museum Day); musical (Fulanita Fest); family-oriented (Bioparc)… I bet this trip will be memorable! It’s worth taking great pictures (with Penelope)! Mix and match as you wish; I wish you great days under the sun, fantastic pictures and a lot of fun!