The compact grid of streets around Calle Larios, the Cathedral and Plaza de la Constitución is where most of Málaga's big cultural moments happen. Because everything sits within a 10-minute walk, you can build a whole trip around a single festival and still see the museums, tapas bars and the port. Use the calendar below to time your visit, and check the practical notes so you arrive at the right square at the right hour.
Málaga Film Festival (early March)
The Festival de Málaga is Spain's leading showcase for Spanish-language cinema, with red carpets, premieres, industry talks and open-air screenings that take over the old town. The 29th edition runs from 6 to 15 March 2026, preceded by MaF (Málaga de Festival), a wider cultural programme of exhibitions, concerts and film events held from 12 February to 5 March 2026. The heart of the festival is Teatro Cervantes and the nearby Cine Albéniz, both in the historic center.
Holy Week / Semana Santa (late March–early April 2026)
Complete Malaga old town walking tour with admission tickets includedCheck availability →Semana Santa is Málaga's most intense cultural week. Elaborate thrones (some carried by hundreds of bearers) leave from churches across the old town and wind through the center in daily processions. In 2026 it runs from Palm Sunday, 29 March, to Easter Sunday, 5 April. The first procession, La Pollinica, sets out on Palm Sunday from the Church of San Agustín at around 09:50. Emblematic brotherhoods to look for include El Cautivo (Holy Monday), El Rico and La Expiración (Holy Wednesday), and Cristo de Mena and La Esperanza (Holy Thursday).
La Noche en Blanco (Saturday 16 May 2026)
For one night, Málaga's museums and cultural spaces stay open late with free admission and special programming. The 2026 edition falls on Saturday 16 May, running from 20:00 to 01:00 under the theme "El futuro se escribe con música" ("The future is written in music"), with around 150 activities across roughly 98 venues. Free late entry is expected at major institutions including the Picasso Museum, Carmen Thyssen Museum, Centre Pompidou Málaga, the Museo de Málaga and CAC Málaga.