CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR IN BENIDORM
Christmas and New year are special times here in Benidorm, there is always lots going on for both children and adults.
There is lots of live entertainment in town. To find out who is performing When and Where use the Whats On Guide, which is updated on a daily basis.
Hotels Recommended for Christmas and New Year
Find Special menus for Christmas and New Year HERE
Children can enjoy Christmas Holidays in Benidorm, there are lots of special activities provided, see below.
.Christmas comes to Benidorm, enjoy BeniNadal from Friday, December 6th to January 6th 2025
Main Activities 2024
Friday December 6th
18:00 - Opening of the Christmas House and Visit from Santa Claus. Casa-Museu l'Hort de Colón, C/ Tomás Ortuño, 16
19:00 - Inauguration Show of the Plaza de la Navidad - Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España
Ice Rink, Christmas Square Attractions and Christmas Market - From December 6th to January 6th - Christmas Square, - Pl. de SS. MM. Los Reyes de España
The rink is usually open in the mornings until 14.00 then again in the afternoons from 17.00 until late, mornings are the quieter sessions but its prettier in the evenings with all the lights! Boot Hire is available and included in the price - 9 euros for 45 minutes and gloves are obligatory- you can buy some here for 2 euros. Please wear long trousers or you won't be permitted to skate.
Christmas Porrat (craft market) from December 6th to January 7th - Elche Park
From December 7th to January 6th
Nativity scenes in Benidorm
Monumental Nativity Scene in Plaza SSMM Reyes de España, 1
ACR La Barqueta Nativity Scene in C/ Tomás Ortuño, 62
From January 2nd to 4th Camp of Their Majesties the Three Wise Men from the East - Garden in front of the Town Hall
House of Christmas - Santa Claus visits 'The House of Christmas' in the charming Casa-Museu l'Hort de Colón on the 7th, 8th, 14th, 15th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd, in the morning from 12:00 to 14:00 and in the afternoon from 18:00 to 20:00, on the 18th, 19th and 20th only in the afternoon and on the 24th in the morning.
Royal Postman The Royal Postman of the Three Wise Men will arrive at the Plaza de la Navidad on January 2nd, 3rd and 4th at 6:00 p.m.
Programming day by day
Friday, December 6th
19:00 Inauguration show of the Plaza de la Navidad. Location: Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España.
Saturday, December 7th
18:00 Children's performances. Location: Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España).
Sunday, December 8th
18:00 Children's performances. Location: Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España).
Thursday, December 12th
18:00 Performance by the Dance Conservatory. Location: Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España).
Saturday, December 14th
18:00 Musical show "The Great Christmas Workshop". Location: Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España).
Sunday, December 15th
12:00 Performance by Grupo Tramontana. Location: Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España).
18:00 Children's performances. Location: Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España).
Tuesday, December 17th
18:00 Maria Jose Moya Dance Studio. Location: Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza of Their Majesties the Kings of Spain).
Wednesday, December 18th
18:00 Paqui Mora Dance Studio. Location: Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España).
Thursday, December 19th
18:00 Pilar Segura Dance Studio. Location: Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España).
Friday, December 20th
18:00 Boogie Block Dance Studio. Location: Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España).
Saturday, December 21st
18:00 Children's performances. Location: Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España).
Saturday, December 21st
Hogueras, which literally translates to ‘bonfires. During this celebration, the winter solstice (the shortest day of the year) is celebrated. A typical event which takes place is people jumping over fires to protect themselves from illness in the upcoming year.
Sunday, December 22nd
10:00 San Silvestre 'Christmas Run The race will run entirely along the Paseo de Levante on a five-kilometer route departing from the intersection of Avenida de Europa and Paseo de Levante at ten in the morning.
Registration can be made through the website www.grupobrotons.es in various modalities such as running, walking, Nordic walking and children's races. For those who register online, the organization will give them a bag with gifts that will be available until the 14th at 11:59 p.m.
The organizers also anticipate in-person registration up to 30 minutes before the race.
Participants will be provided with supplies, photographs and massages for a recovery as quickly as possible and a souvenir of their participation. The race aims to combine tourism and sport, combining the traditional Christmas costume contest with an athletic test with different participation formats accessible to everyone.
18:00 Children's performances. Location: Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España).
18:00 Christmas Gala at SM La Nova to benefit Aspanion. Donation: €5 Location: Auditorium of the Cultural Centre.
Tuesday, December 24th
Starting at 11:00 Pre-Buena Festival of the Commission of Festes Majors Patronals 2025. Place: Christmas Square (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España).
14:00ish - Xmas Eve atmosphere with live DJ's with music in the Old Town Square goes on all day until approximately 7/8pm.
Christmas Eve – In Spain, Christmas Eve is called Nochebuena and marks the most important family meeting of the year. People usually spend the late afternoons and early evening with friends for a few drinks and tapas, then head back home to enjoy a nice family dinner. After their evening meal, the whole family will go to church for the traditional midnight Mass or “Misa Del Gallo”, which in a devoutly Roman Catholic country is much more than a ‘Carol Service’ event and holds great significance as an important part of Christmas.
Wednesday, December 25th
18:00 Children's performances. Location: Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España).
Christmas Day is celebrated as a national holiday in Spain, so all the shops are closed. This day is not celebrated as the typical ¨day for presents¨ as that day occurs on the 6th of January when the Three Kings bring the presents for the children, but more of a day to relax and spend time with families. There is typically a big lunchtime meal with the family and friends.
Thursday, December 26th
18:00 Children's performances. Location: Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España).
18:00 Impossible, Magic show, David Climent and Óscar Magmalastruc. Location: Cultural Centre Auditorium.
Friday, December 27th
18:00 Children's performances. Location: Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España).
18:00 The Little Mermaid: A story under the sea, Pikerton. Location: Cultural Centre Auditorium.
Christmas and New Year in Benidorm
Saturday, December 28th
18:00 Children's performances. Location: Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España).
The day of Santos Inocentes (Holy Innocents) is celebrated much like another Western holiday, April Fool’s Day. This holiday finds children and adults playing practical jokes on each other. This is a fun day to run wild and play some pranks on your friends and family.
Sunday, December 29th
18:00 Children's performances. Location: Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España).
Monday, December 30th
18:00 Children's performances. Location: Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España).
Tuesday, December 31st
Daytime - In the Old Town Square there will be live DJ's and a stage in front of Bar69 for daytime partying and then into the beach to see in the New Year. No time has been provided for this event.
CANCELLED Starting at 11:30 - 19:00. New Year's Eve celebrations. Location : Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España). Come and enjoy the New Year's Eve at the Christmas Square! There will be sandwiches and drinks at popular prices. Don't miss it and say goodbye to the year with us in a festive and unforgettable atmosphere! CANCELLED EVENT - Attention! Change of date due to rain forecast The event scheduled for the 31st is moved to Saturday, January 4th. Don't miss it! Despite the change, the bar will remain open.
18:00 - This New Year's Eve once again, we have the end of year party from 18:00 in the afternoon, at the levante beach corner of Bilbao av.
Stage with DJ's until late morning. Ringing of the Bells live on giant screens at midnight and 01:00, fireworks at around 00:15 grapes and party bags provided.
New Year’s Eve is called Noche Vieja (old night). The party stays at home for many until midnight, as it is a tradition to eat 12 grapes, "Las doce uvas de la suerte," or "The twelve grapes of luck,” and each of the 12 grapes represents a month of the new year, eat one at each chime of the clock. Tradition has it that anyone who manages all 12 grapes, without choking will have luck, success, and positive energy in the new year. – it’s not as easy as it sounds, but it’s fun to have a go, some will have them skewered on a stick for easier eating! After the grapes and Cava, the party begins and goes on well into the next morning.
Another other strange tradition in Spain during New Years is to wear red underwear.
The red underwear should be given to you and is to be worn on New Year´s Eve; this is to bring good luck for the upcoming 12 months. All over the shopping centres, markets, and stores you will find red underwear being sold before New Year’s. The tradition dates back to the Middle Ages when it was prohibited to wear red as it was associated with witchcraft, the devil and blood. However, the people would instead wear red underwear that couldn’t be seen as they believed that red was a symbol of life especially during the dark winter months.
Christmas and New Year in Benidorm
Wednesday, January 1st
12:00 "White Coast" performance Location: Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España).
19:00 New Year's Concert, Benidorm Musical Union Orchestra. Ticket: €10 (buy online) . Venue: Cultural Centre Auditorium.
BENIDORM´S NEW YEARS DAY - January 1st– This public holiday is generally reserved for recuperating from the festivities from the night before. Most shops are closed, and people tend to stay at home and recover.
4th January (moved from 31st December) Party Starting at 11:30 - 19:00. Location : Plaza de la Navidad (Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España), sandwiches and drinks will be available.
Sunday, January 5th
From 18:00. Grand Three Kings Parade. Every 5th of January, the streets of Benidorm are filled with excitement and due to the arrival of The three “Reyes Magos”, the 3 kings (Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltasar) parade the streets accompained by large floats, dancers, and music, throwing large quantities of sweets to the spectators.
The parade will leave Elche Park and from there will proceed along Avenida de Los Almendros, Calle Marte, Calle Venus, Calle Ruzafa and Calle Herrerías, Plaza de SSMM Reyes de España and Parque de l'Aigüera until reaching the Julio Iglesias auditorium, where "a multimedia show and fireworks display" are planned, this is also where Their Majesties will distribute gifts to the children.
As usual, the Parade will be divided into two parts: the first is a fun part, in which the main characters are the characters from children's films and series; and the second, more traditional part, in which 'The Story of the Three Wise Men from the East' is recreated.
In addition to the people who make up their Majesties' entourage, there are dance and musical groups that form part of the parade.
This parade is a living representation of a tradition that dates back centuries and symbolizes the arrival of the Three “Reyes Magos” at the nativity scene and at the homes of children where they will leave presents.
After all the excitement outdoors, and just before going to bed, children traditionally leave their shoes out (not their stockings here!) so that the Three Kings can leave gifts – just as they did with the infant Jesus.
Fireworks display that can be seen from the auditorium.
January 6th –This date marks the Feast of the Epiphany, which is when the Three Kings arrived in Bethlehem. Much like Christmas Day around the rest of the world, this is the most important day for Spanish children. In the morning, they will awake to find that Los Reyes Magos (The Three Kings) have brought them gifts. Families typically start the day on 6th January with a huge breakfast that includes a large, ring-shaped cake called “Roscon de los Reyes”. The traditional sweet treat comes with dried fruits and two surprises hidden inside – the person who finds the ‘prize’ becomes King or Queen for the day, while whoever finds the unlucky ‘bean’ pays for next year’s cake!
FIND SPECIAL CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR MENUS HERE
THE WEATHER
Please Note all these temperatures are taken in the SHADE as all Spanish weather forecasts are.
WINTER STARTS 21st
Temperature 13°C 55°F
Low Temperature 8°C 46°F
High Temperature 17°C 63°F
Sunshine Hours 7 hrs
Chance of Sunny Day 43 %
Rainfall 29mm
Rainfall days 9 days
Chance of Rain 20 %
Chance of Cloudy Day 15 %
Sea Temperature 16°C 61°F
Chance of Windy Day 17 %
Temperature 12°C 53°F
Low Temperature 7°C 44°
High Temperature 16°C 61°F
Sunshine Hours 7 hrs
Chance of Sunny Day 48%
Rainfall 21mm
Rainfall days 9 days
Chance of Rain 19 %
Chance of Cloudy Day 13 %
Sea Temperature 15°C 59°F
Chance of Windy Day 20 %