When is Moros y Cristianos de Alcoy in 2026?

April 22–24, 2026. The festival is fixed in honour of San Jorge (St George) and always falls around April 23. The three days are: Entrada (parades), Día de San Jorge (mass and battle), and Día del Alardo (mock battle with arquebuses).

Can I book a seat for the parades?

Yes — the town hall sells numbered tribune seats for €15–€40 along the main routes. Book through the municipal website 2–4 weeks ahead. Standing room behind the tribunes is always free.

Are children welcome at the fiestas?

Yes — these are family events and children participate in their own parades. The only consideration is the volume of the mascletà fireworks; for very young children, watch from a few streets away.

Is the Bous a la Mar cruel to the bulls?

It is heavily debated. The bulls are not harmed — there are no spears, no killing — and they swim freely in the harbour before being lifted back out. Animal-welfare groups still oppose it; locals defend it as a centuries-old tradition distinct from bullfighting.

Will I get good photos?

Excellent. Hogueras (June 24 midnight burning), the Palmera fireworks down Mount Benacantil and the Alcoy parades are among Spain's most photogenic events. Bring a fast lens for night shots.

Where do I find smaller, more local fiestas?

Every village has a fiesta mayor (week-long patron-saint celebration). The Alicante provincial tourism site lists them by month; ask at any town hall (ajuntament) for the local calendar.

When is the best time to visit the Costa Blanca?

May, June, September and October.

Recommended for inland trips and beach-hopping.

Is the Costa Blanca family-friendly?

Yes — shallow beaches and family-orientated towns.

Culture

Fiestas of the Costa Blanca — Moros y Cristianos, Hogueras & More

Spain doesn't do festivals like anyone else, and the Costa Blanca is one of its most festive corners. Every village has its patron-saint week; the bigger towns stage events on a UNESCO scale. Three traditions stand above the rest — Moros y Cristianos, Las Hogueras de San Juan and the Misteri d'Elx — and you can build an entire year's calendar around them.

Last updated 1 June 2026

The big four

Festival	When	Town	What happens
Moros y Cristianos de Alcoy	April 22–24	Alcoy	Spain's grandest mock-battle festival, declared National Tourist Interest
Las Hogueras de San Juan	June 20–24	Alicante city	200+ giant satirical sculptures (hogueras) burned at midnight on June 24
Misteri d'Elx	August 14–15	Elche	UNESCO-listed medieval mystery play performed inside the basilica
Bous a la Mar	July (2nd week)	Dénia	Young bulls chase runners into the harbour — bulls swim out and return unharmed

Moros y Cristianos isn't only Alcoy

Over 80 Costa Blanca towns stage Moros y Cristianos between April and October — Villajoyosa (July, on the beach with a fake Moorish landing), Calpe (October), Altea (September) and Orihuela (July) are all spectacular alternatives if you miss Alcoy.

Month-by-month festival calendar

Month	Festival	Where
January	Three Kings (Reyes Magos) parades	Every town, Jan 5 evening
February/March	Carnaval	Águilas, Vinaròs, Alicante
March	Las Fallas	Valencia (90 min north)
March/April	Semana Santa	Orihuela, Crevillent, Murcia
April	Moros y Cristianos	Alcoy
May	Romería de la Santa Faz	Alicante (huge pilgrimage)
June	Las Hogueras	Alicante
June 23	Fogueres de Sant Joan	Every beach — bonfires & midnight swim
July	Bous a la Mar	Dénia
July	Moros y Cristianos	Villajoyosa
August	Misteri d'Elx	Elche
September	Moros y Cristianos	Altea
October	Moros y Cristianos	Calpe
December	Belenes (nativity scenes)	Every village church

How to actually experience a fiesta

✦Arrive early. The big parades start late (often 19:00 or 22:00) but seats and standing space fill up 2–3 hours before.
✦Eat first. Restaurants are mobbed once parades start; book lunch for 14:00 if you want to eat properly that day.
✦Bring earplugs. Mascletà fireworks and the Palmera de Hogueras are genuinely loud (140+ dB).
✦Cash and small water bottle. Bars run out of change; vendors sell €1 water along parade routes.
✦Watch the Plantà and the Cremà. The most magical moments are when sculptures are erected (Plantà) and burned (Cremà) — usually overnight.
✦Respect the costumes. The Moros y Cristianos costumes cost thousands of euros each — never touch, and ask before photographing close-up.

Culture overview

Full cultural cluster.

Historic towns

Alcoy, Elche, Villena, Orihuela.

Day trip — Elche

Visit the Misteri venue.

Day trip — Valencia

Las Fallas in March.

Day trip — Murcia

Holy Week processions.

Food

What to eat at every festival.