Until January 5 Christmas, New Year and Three Kings in Caravaca de la Cruz 2025-26
Concerts, shows, Santa, New Year and of course the Three Kings parade in Caravaca
The Christmas celebrations in Caravaca de la Cruz, the capital of the north-west of the Region of Murcia, are something of a nostalgic throwback to the “true” Christmases of days gone by in Spain, relatively untouched by the mass tourism and development which has influenced Mediterranean and Mar Menor coastal areas.
The municipal nativity scene will be on display at the former church of the Compañía de Jesús until 5th January between 11.00 and 13.30 and from 17.30 to 20.30 (closed during the afternoon on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve and all day on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day), and throughout the festive season you can choose from a Christmas market, various musical events, the Garden of Dreams and various other activities.
The schedule for the 2025-26 festive season includes the following:
Thursday December 4
18.00: The municipal nativity scene is presented at the former church of the Compañía de Jesús.
Friday December 5
17.00: Caperucita Roja, Little Red Riding Hood in Spanish in the Salón Social in Archivel.
17.00: The annual medieval market of Caravaca de la Cruz opens in the historic city centre. Open until 8th December. Click here for further details.
Friday December 12
20.00: A gala show to welcome Christmas at the Templete. Among those taking part are singer María Parrado, who lent her voice to Vaiana in the Spanish version of the Disney film and also won the first edition of the La Voz Kids talent show. There is also a show called “La Musa de los Globos”, which was first seen in the Three Kings parade in Madrid.
December 13, 14, 20 and 21
Bouncy castles all day in Ciudad Jardín.
Saturday December 13
17.00 to 19.00: Living nativity scene at the Nuestra Señora de la Consolación primary school.
19.00: Flamenco Zambomba musician Jesús Quiles returns to Caravaca, this time to the village of Barranda, to provide entertainment.
19.30: Baldosas, a comedy drama set in the world of estate agents at the Casa de la Cultura.
Sunday December 14
18.00: Caperucita, Little Red Riding Hood at the Casa de la Cultura.
18.30: More zambomba music in the Plaza San Juan de la Cruz.
Monday December 15
16.00: Live music at the Conservatorio Leandro Martínez Romero.
Tuesday December 17
16.00: Carols sung by schoolchildren at the parish church of El Salvador.
18.15: More Christmas music in the Plaza del Arco.
Wednesday December 18
20.30: The orchestra of the Conservatorio perform in the church of La Comcepción.
December 19 to 22
Father Christmas sets up home in La Corredera to welcome children and receive their requests for presents.
December 19 to January 5
The Christmas market takes place in La Corredera.
December 20 and 23, January 3
The festive elves populate the shops and stores in the centre of Caravaca.
Sunday December 21
12.00: Puppeteer Mario Enzo offers his show Las Aventuras de Manolo Bolaños at Salones Castillo.
Tuesday December 23
18.30: Santa takes to the streets in a grand parade before spending the night slipping down people’s chimneys to leave gifts”! Route: Plaza del Arco, Gran Vía, Maruja Garrido, La Corredera.
Wednesday December 24
Midnight Mass is held at the Basílica Santuario de la Vera Cruz and in other churches throughout the municipality.
Midnight: Christmas party at Salones Castillo.
Thursday December 25
12.00: Christmas Mass at the Basílica Santuario de la Vera Cruz and in other churches throughout the municipality.
Friday December 26
19.00: Christmas concert by the Cofradía de la Santísima y Vera Cruz in the Basílica Santuario de la Vera Cruz.
20.00: Christmas concert by the Coro Arsis choir in the former church of the Compañía de Jesús.
December 26 to January 4
15.00 to 21.00: The “Garden of Dreams” opens in Parque Pedro Garcia Esteller. After its great success last year this Will again be the central hub of children’s activities, with more than 20 events planned including magic shows, story-telling, creative workshops, dance and fireworks.
Saturday December 27
The Day of the Innocents, traditionally a day of jokes and pranks throughout Spain!
- An excursion out into nature to meet the sheep at Caserío La Vidriera (El Moral).
17.00: Christmas bingo in the Plaza del Arco.
20.00: Symphonía Deitania, a Christmas concert in the church of La Concepción featuring music composed by Beethoven and Mozart. Click here for further details.
Sunday December 28
10.00: Marcha de los Inocentes walk over 14 kilometres to raise funds for charity, starting at the Pabellón Juan Antonio Corbalán. Registration will open at famu.es.
12.00: The Coro Arsis choir perform another concert, this time at the church of San José in Pinilla.
20.00: The “Jóvenes del Mundo” youth choir at the church of La Concepción.
Tuesday December 30
11.00 to 14.00: Children’s New Year party in the Plaza del Arco.
Thursday January 1
00.45: The “Nochevieja Pepinazo” party begins at Salones Castillo.
January 3 and 4
The Royal Pages of the Three Kings visit outlying districts and villages to collect gift requests from children.
Sunday January 4
19.00: A concert of movie soundtracks at Salones Castillo with the Agrupación Caravaca de la Cruz music society.
Monday January 5
The Three Kings arrive in Caravaca!
11.00 to 14.00: Official welcome and greetings from the public in La Corredera.
18.30: The Grand Three Kings parade as Their Majesties officially arrive bearing gifts for those in Caravaca!
For more local events, news and visiting information contact the local tourist office (telephone 968 702424) or go to the home page of Caravaca Today.
Address
Calle De Las Monjas, 19, 30400 CARAVACA DE LA CRUZTel: 968 702424 / 968 701003
Oficina de Turismo de Caravaca de la Cruz
More information about the places of interest which can be visited in the municipality of Caravaca de la Cruz, along with what's on and local news can be found in the Caravaca Today.
Caravaca de la Cruz, in the north-west of the Region of Murcia, is one of only 5 Holy Cities in the Roman Catholic world, a centre of pilgrimage, along with Rome, Jerusalem, Santiago de Compostela and Santo Toribio de Liebana, and is home to the Cross of Caravaca, the Vera Cruz.
The status of Holy City was bestowed by Pope John Paul II in 1998, granting the City a Permanent Jubilee year every 7 years for perpetuity, the first one held in 2003 and the next in 2024.
The strategic and natural advantages of Caravaca de la Cruz have attracted the attention of settlers for more than 800,000 years, the Cueva Negra yielding remains of Homo Heidelbergensis, forbears of the Neanderthals and the municipality also houses important archaeological remains from the Argaric, Iberian and Roman cultures. many of these can be seen in the Municipal Archaeological Museum.
As a border town caught between the Catholic forces of Castille and the last remaining Moorish stronghold in Spain, Granada, Caravaca had a turbulent medieval history, but it was during this period that the legend of the Cross of Caravaca was born, bringing the religious orders which shaped the structure of Caravaca today, with its impressive hilltop castle and eclectic collection of churches and monasteries, religious tourism today being a backbone of the town´s economy.
Caravaca de la Cruz is a municipality with important natural resources, including extensive forests, part of which have protected status due to their wealth of flora and fauna, and due to the abundant water supplies is also a major area for canned fruit production, apricots in particular being an important crop.
Caravaca is renown for its important May Fiestas, held in honour of the Vera Cruz, which also incorporate the Moors and Christians celebrations and the Running of the Wine Horses.
Caravaca de la Cruz is also the home of Europe´s largest collection of ethnic instruments at Barranda, the Museo de Música Étnica Barranda and is the location of the Barranda festival de Cuadrillas, which celebrates the Region's ethnic music traditions.
The municipality is home to around 26,000 inhabitants and shares boundaries with Moratalla, Cehegín, Lorca, Puebla de Don Fadrique in the province of Granada and Vélez-Blanco in the province of Almería.
Opening times:
Weekdays: 10.00 to 14.00 and 16.30 to 19.30
Saturdays: 10.30 to 14.00 and 16.30 to 19.30
Sundays and public holidays: 10.30 to 14.00
Click for map, Caravaca de la Cruz Tourist Office
