When the summer crowds have gone, Torremolinos throws its biggest party of the year. Here's the San Miguel fair 2026 — dates, highlights and how to build a stay around it.
Just when you think the Costa del Sol's summer is winding down, Torremolinos cranks it back up. The Feria de San Miguel, the town's fair in honour of its patron saint, is one of the coast's great end-of-season celebrations — a full week of pilgrimage, flamenco, horses, fairground rides and caseta dancing that runs late into warm September nights. If you're looking for a reason to visit at the tail of the season, this is a very good one.
The 2026 dates
For 2026 the fair centres on the last week of September:
- Sunday 21 September — the romería (pilgrimage), a colourful procession from Avenida de los Manantiales up to Los Pinares, with decorated carriages, horses and Andalucian dress.
- Friday 25 September — the official opening, with the inaugural speech and the switching-on of the fairground lights (el alumbrado).
- Saturday 26 to Monday 28 September — the feria in full swing, both the feria de día (daytime fair in the town centre) and the feria de noche (the nighttime fairground), with a horseback parade over the weekend.
- Monday 29 September — the day of San Miguel himself, marked with the solemn procession of the patron saint.
Programmes are firmed up by the town hall closer to the date, so check the final schedule when you book.
Day feria and night feria — know the difference
Spanish ferias have two personalities, and Torremolinos does both well. By day, the action is in the town centre and along the streets: people dressed in traditional traje de flamenca, sherry and rebujito in hand, live music, and an easy, family-friendly atmosphere. By night, everything moves to the fairground — casetas (marquees) with dancing until the early hours, rides and stalls, and the lights and noise of a proper Andalucian fair. Do both if you can; they're two different, equally memorable experiences.
Why it's a great time to come
Late September is one of the sweet spots of the Costa del Sol calendar. The sea is still warm enough to swim, the weather is reliably lovely, and the peak-summer prices and crowds have eased — but there's a real event to build a trip around. Torremolinos itself is one of the coast's most connected towns, right on the C-1 train line between Málaga, the airport and Fuengirola, so getting to and from the fair without a car is simple. For more on why this month works so well, see our guide to the Costa del Sol in September.
A few practical notes
- The fairground gets busy after dark — go earlier in the evening with children, later if you want the full caseta atmosphere.
- Trains run late on the C-1 line, but after a night at the feria a nearby, walkable base is worth its weight in gold.
- Torremolinos has some of the coast's best beaches on its doorstep, so pair fair nights with easy beach days — our round-up of Málaga's best beaches has ideas just up the line.
Where to stay
A fair week means accommodation near Torremolinos moves quickly, even in the shoulder season. Basing yourself in or around the town — or a short train hop away in Benalmádena or Fuengirola — keeps you close to the action while giving you the beach for the daytime.
Tell us your dates and how central you'd like to be, and we'll help you find the right holiday apartment for the fair. Start with our rental search — and get ready to dance until the small hours.
The GR Estates Team
The best experiences on the Costa del Sol
Written with AI assistance and reviewed by the GR Estates team before publication. AI transparency
