Malaga

Christmas lights switch on:
Date: Friday, November 29th
Time: 18:30
Place: Calle Larios
Daily Light & Sound show at 18:30, 20:00 & 21:30

Christmas Market
Paseo del Parque

Marbella

Christmas lights switch on:
Date: Friday, November 29th
Time: 18:30
Place: Plaza De Los Naranjos – Old Town

Christmas Market
Place: Puerto Deportivo
Time: 12:00 – 18:00 – every Sunday in December

Nativity Scene – Belen
Place. Plaza de Alameda

Torremolinos

Christmas lights switch on:
Date: Friday, November 29th
Time: 18:30
Place: Plaza Costa del Sol

Nativity Scene – Belen
Place: Town Hall

La Cala de Mijas

Christmas Market – International Christmas Fair
Date: November 30th – December 15th
Time: From 18:30
Place: Main Boulevard of La Cala

The market stalls are beautifully designed wooden houses. You can buy crafts, food, hot wines and Christmas sweets. There will also be flamenco and modern dance performances, carol singing, activities for children and a parade. It is rumored that Santa and the Three Wise Men will make an appearance.

Benalmádena

Christmas Market – International Christmas Market
Date: December 7th
Time: 11:00 – 20:00
Place: Plaza de la Mezquita

Stalls from different countries with traditional Christmas products, entertainment and surprises

Fuengirola

Inauguration of the Nativity
Date: Friday, November 29th
Time: 17:45
Place: La Plaza Reyes Católicos

Christmas lights switch on:
Date: Friday, November 29th
Time: 19:30
Place: La Plaza de España

Christmas Market
Date: December 3rd – December 16th
Time: From 18:30
Place: La Plaza Reyes Católicos

San Pedro

Christmas lights switch on:
Date: Friday, November 29th
Time: 18:30
Place: Avda. de la Constitución

Estepona

Christmas Market
Date: Sunday, December 1st
Time: 10:30 – 16:00
Place: Palacio de Congresos

Christmas lights switch on:
Date: Friday, November 22nd
Time: 19:00
Place: La Plaza Antonia Guerrero

Noche de Papá Noel
Date: December 21st
Time: 19:00, 20:00 & 21:00
Place: Plaza Antonia Guerrero
Santa Claus will arrive amid 3 different snowfalls
All children present to see Santa at the first snowfall at 19:00 will be presented with a gift.

There are only a few nights left if you want to catch an act at the Starlite Festival. A magical night under the stars is a reality at this festival.

August 1^st – Tom Jones

August 3^rd – Il Divo

August 4^th – José Luis Perales

August 5^th – El Gusto es Nuestro

August 6^th – The Starlite Gala

August 8^th – Malú

August 9^th – Alejandro Sanz

August 10^th – Bertin Osborne

August 12^th – en Rock

August 14^th – Aihua Cirque des Sens

August 16^th – The Corrs

August 17^th – Estrella Morente & Antonio Canales

August 18^th – Noche Movida

August 19^th – Status Quo

August 20^th – Best of Musicals

Holy Week is a sacred time in the Christian calendar that commemorates and remembers the last week of Jesus´ life on earth. The season of Lent, a time of self-denial, culminates on Easter Sunday with a great feast.

Holy Week is important for all Christians, as it focuses on the events that led up to  the Passion or suffering and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The last three days before Easter are known as the Triduum and are especially important for Catholics.

In churches everywhere on Holy Thursday, the Last Supper is reenacted, the night Jesus was betrayed and arrested. Good Friday, the day of His Crucifixion and death there is the veneration of the Cross. A service is held at 15:00 (the hour He is believed to have died) and another later in the evening. Holy Saturday, the Easter Vigil is held, the day Jesus rested in the tomb. Easter Sunday  is the day where Jesus rose from the dead.

The following is a schedule of processions in Marbella.

Palm Sunday “Domingo de Ramos” – Jesus´ final entry into Jerusalem
Date: March 20th
Begin: 20.00
Location: C / San Juan de Dios, Plaza José Paloma

Holy Monday – “La Columna” – The cleansing of the Temple
Date: March 21st
Begin: 20:30
Location: Capilla Santo Cristo, Plaza Santo Cristo

Holy Tuesday – “Santa Marta” – Sermon on the Mount
Date: March 22nd
Begin: 21:00
Location: Plaza de la Iglesias, C/ Carmen

Spy Wednesday – “Nazareno” – Judas agrees to betray Jesus
Date: March 23rd
Begin: 20:30
Location: Plaza de la Iglesias, C / Salinas

Maundy Thursday – “Calvario” – The Last Supper
Date: March 24th
Begin: 18:00
Location: Plaza de la Ermita, C / Huerta Belón

Holy Thursday – “Cristo del Amor” – Jesus is arrested
Date: March 24th
Begin: 20:00
Location: Plaza de los Naranjos

Good Friday – “Yacente” – Trial, crucifixion and burial of Jesus
Date: March 25th
Begin: 21:00
Location: Plaza Santo Sepulco

Good Friday – “Soledad” 
Date: March 25th
Begin: 21:30
Location: Plaza de la Iglesia

Holy Saturday – Jesus rested in the tomb
Saturday – No Procession
Easter Vigil

Easter Sunday – The Resurrection

Note: The schedule for the Semana Santa / Holy Week processions was correct at the time of publishing, provided by the Marbella Town Hall.

If you are a lover of classical music then you will enjoy the upcoming concerts in Marbella this month.  Vestard Shimkus who is giving a piano recital as the Vasari Centre, has been described by the BBC as “inspired”; the German magazine, Piano News has called him “one of the most remarkable pianists of the young generation”. “Superb” and “a phenomenon” are two more superlatives that have described him.  The list goes on, as does his accomplishments. From winning 1^st prize at one of the most prestigious international piano competitions, Maria Canals Competition in Barcelona in 2009 and taking 1^st prize at the Bad Kissingen Klavierolympiade in 2007 he has been a busy young man enchanting audiences from Europe, U.S.A. and Asia. Vestard has also composed two piano concertos and works for chamber music.

Piano Recital – With Vestard Shimkus

Music by Mozart, Chopin, Scriabin and Shimkus

Date: Saturday, November 14^th

Time: 22.30

Location: Vasari Centre, The Alzambra, Puerto Banus, Marbella

Violoncello Recital – With Tilman Mahrenholz

Mozart and Friends – Teatime Sessions Concert

Date: Saturday, November 28^th

Time:  17:00

Event: Classical concert with works of Mozart

Location: Iglesia de la Virginia, Urb. La Virginia, Marbella

(This Post was written by Susannah Jayes, Picture Editor and writer from London and contributor to my blog.)

Eager to escape the grey and cold London winter, a few days before Christmas 2014, my husband and I headed to Bermuda for a brief holiday in the sun. Our destination was the Cambridge Beaches Resort and Spa (www.cambridgebeaches.com) at the western end of the island, with its private guest villas overlooking the sea. With swimming pools, private beaches and excellent cuisine, the resort was a great base for us to explore the island. 

What struck us most was how welcoming and friendly everyone was – both at the resort and everywhere we went on Bermuda. We were also lucky with the weather and had very warm sun on most days, so if you should get a chance to visit, you will be assured of a very warm reception.

Among our favourite places to visit was the Royal Naval Dockyard – a fort and ship repair yard built by the British in the early 19^th century and in use until 1951. Today, there is a new cruise ship terminal, and many of the original buildings, such as the Clocktower, have been beautifully converted into shops, restaurants and craft centres. We visited the Bermuda Rum Cake Company, which, as its name implies, makes delicious traditional cakes – the rum cake was delicious!

Besides being home to the National Museum, the old stone-built fort at Dockyard is also home to Dolphin Quest Bermuda, where we spent a happy hour or so in the sunshine watching the nine beautiful and happy dolphins splashing about and interacting with their trainers. (Dolphin Quest is an international organization devoted to public education and to the conservation of marine wildlife.)

We took advantage of the excellent local buses to visit many other attractions around Bermuda, including Gibbs Lighthouse, which is one of the world’s oldest cast iron lighthouses, built in 1844. There are 185 steps to the top and I am proud to say that we made it all the way up, where the views were magnificent.

Equally fantastic was Horseshoe Bay, which we visited on New Year’s Day. Among the most famous beaches in Bermuda, we were again lucky with the weather and enjoyed hot sunshine as we paddled in the brilliant blue sea.

The capital of Bermuda is the city and main port of Hamilton. We travelled across to Hamilton by ferry and enjoyed exploring the parks and the Botanical Gardens, as well as the seafront with its many shops and cafes. We also visited the lovely coastal town of St George’s, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is famous for its unfinished church.

All in all, we loved Bermuda for its friendly people, its warm weather and its fascinating history and we would highly recommend a visit.