New records for Malaga’s marathon were set last Sunday, with Ugandan runner Mande Bushendich winning the men’s race in 2:06:07, while Ethiopia’s Misgane Alemayehu claimed the women’s title in 2:24:43, both improving marks set in 2021.

Conditions improved shortly before the 8.30am start as the rain eased and skies cleared over the city. High humidity remained but the absence of wind and recent course changes helped the elite field maintain a strong early pace along the seafront and through central Malaga.

Among the Spanish runners, Olympian Daniel Mateo was the first Spaniard home, finishing seventh overall in 2:13:14, the fastest time by a Spanish athlete in the history of the race.

In the women’s field, Estefanía Unzu, widely known as Verdeliss, was the top Spanish finisher and tenth overall with a time of 2:50:08.

Málaga offers a wealth of events this Christmas season. Markets, live music, audiovisual shows, children’s parties, special lighting, traditional cuisine, nativity scene tours, and traditional Christmas carol singing are just some of the highlights.

November 28th to January 11th : Christmas Market. Muelle Uno, Malaga
December 11-14 : Caritas Christmas Bazaar. Palacio de Congresos, Marbella
December 13 : Christmas carols, ZAMBOMBA HERMANAS ALARCÓN. Plaza de la Merced. 7:00 PM
December 17 : Christmas carols, ZAMBOMBA BLANCA TRILLO. Soho-Calle Tomás Heredia. 7:00 PM
December 31 : NEW YEAR’S BELL SOUNDING. Plaza de la constitucion and Larios Street
December 26, 27, and 28, 2025 and January 2, 3, and 4, 2026. – 12:00 PM : FAMILY THEATRE FESTIVAL AT CHRISTMAS. Venue : Eduardo Ocón Auditorium.
Additionally, a Nativity Scene guide for the 73 locations can be found via the following link: https://belenes.malaga.eu
January 5th : Three Kings Parade. City Hall 5:30 p.m. Arrival of Their Majesties at the City Hall. 6:00 p.m. Official departure of the Three Kings Parade.

The Málaga City Council’s Christmas program includes many free activities, with a cultural and festive offering for all ages that once again showcases Málaga’s artistic talent. For the complete list of activities visit https://mmalaga.es/programa-eventos-navidad-y-reyes-en-malaga/

Malaga is a popular cruise port in December, attracting various lines like Marella, Viking, Celebrity, and Windstar, with ships docking for Mediterranean/Canary Islands cruises or as transatlantic stops, offering festive experiences alongside Malaga’s famous Christmas lights on Calle Larios and Cathedral. You’ll find ships arriving throughout December, including New Year’s Eve, for holiday sailings or seasonal calls.

This December, up to nine large cruises make their stopover in Malaga. More than 22,600 travellers will experience the thrilling sensation of arriving from the sea and enjoy a unique perspective of Malaga, with the Cathedral Tower standing out in its skyline, the Alcazaba and the Gibralfaro Castle dominating the city.

The first thing that you will find when you get off the boat is a modern leisure space created from the old port facilities: Muelle Uno (Pier One). In this walk you will find shops, bars and restaurants making a lively welcome to all cruise passengers.

Spain’s new electronic invoicing system, called Verifactu, has been developed by the national tax office. It requires that invoices issued by companies, SMEs, and self‑employed professionals using certified invoicing software are fully traceable, immutable, and electronically verifiable. For many businesses, including large and small real estate companies, Verifactu represents a significant operational shift, affecting not only accounting processes but also day-to-day administrative procedures.

After complaints by mainly self-employed individuals, the Spanish Government has postponed the mandatory introduction of Verifactu by one year. The revised deadlines are:

– 1 January 2027 for companies subject to Corporate Tax.
– 1 July 2027 for SMEs, self‑employed professionals, and other users of invoicing software.

Businesses using non‑certified software will need to upgrade, which may involve both financial cost and staff training. Small firms with basic or manual billing processes may face operational and administrative hurdles.

As in previous editions, this iconic festive event in Andalucia sees the streets, plazas, and roundabouts in Malaga city as well as its iconic monuments illuminated by more than 2.7 million brilliant LED lights.

The lights are switched on every day at 6.30pm.

As in previous years, they are switched off at midnight on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday, as an energy-saving measure, but remain switched on until 2.00am on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and the eve of holidays. On the 24th and 31st of December, they will be on until 6:00am.

The Malaga Christmas Lights 2025 will last until 5 January 2026.

The Sierra Nevada ski resort opened its 2025/26 season with 7 kilometers of skiable terrain across nine slopes in the Borreguiles area. This represents the best opening day skiing offering in the last four seasons.

With 355 meters of vertical drop, Sierra Nevada operated nine lifts: two gondolas, five chairlifts, and two magic carpets for beginners.

Snow depths range from 20 to 40 centimeters of hard-packed snow. The Sierra Nevada Ski Patrol advises against skiing off the marked and open slopes due to the extreme risk of ice.