In Spain, preparations for the winter holidays begin well before December. One of the main symbols of the approaching Christmas season is the bright lights that decorate city streets and squares. In 2025, the tradition of switching on festive illuminations started especially early: in some places, the lights were already shining in the first half of November.
Earliest Launches: Who Was First to Switch On the Lights
This season, Galicia once again claimed the lead: in Vigo, the festive lighting appeared on November 15. However, a few days earlier, on November 7, the streets of Estepa in Andalusia lit up, officially opening the season for the whole country. Other cities soon followed, starting their own preparations for the holidays.
Calendar for Lighting Ceremonies by Region in Spain
In Andalusia, most cities—including Sevilla, Málaga, Granada, and Cádiz—plan to turn on their illuminations in the last days of November. In Córdoba, the exact date varies, but it’s usually at the end of the month or the beginning of December.
In Catalonia, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca in the Balearic Islands are traditionally lit up as early as November 22. In Girona and Tarragona, the lights come on slightly later—at the end of the month.
In the Valencian Community, Valencia and Alicante begin their celebrations on November 21, while in Elche, the lights are switched on closer to December 8.
Festive Mood in the Capital and Beyond
In Madrid and Murcia, the festive lights are switched on November 22. In Asturias, Oviedo and Gijón start the illumination on November 28. In Galicia, aside from Vigo, A Coruña and Santiago de Compostela light up on November 28.
In Castilla y León, several cities—Valladolid, León, and Salamanca—begin sparkling on November 27, while in Segovia, the celebration starts on December 4. In Castilla-La Mancha, Toledo and Ciudad Real mark the occasion on November 21, and Albacete follows on November 29.
In the Basque Country, Bilbao welcomes the festivities on November 27, while Vitoria-Gasteiz and San Sebastián light up on November 28. In La Rioja, Logroño traditionally decorates its streets at the end of November.
Islands and other regions: when to expect the lights
In the Canary Islands, streetlights in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria are gradually switched on from November 26 to December 4, while in Santa Cruz de Tenerife the illumination begins as early as November 20.
In Navarra, Pamplona lights up on November 29. In Extremadura, Badajoz and Cáceres begin celebrating on November 28. In Murcia, Cartagena welcomes the holiday season at the start of December.
Thus, in most Spanish cities, festive illuminations are switched on during the final week of November. However, in some places, the lights appear as early as mid-month, creating a sense of anticipation long before the official start of winter.
