Christmas in Madrid 2026: Lights, Plaza Mayor Market and Free Events
The lights switch on at Cibeles on Nov. 21 and the Plaza Mayor market runs to Dec. 31. Here are the dates, hours and free events for the 2026 season.
Madrid’s Christmas lights switch on on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026, with an opening show in Plaza de Cibeles, and stay on until Jan. 6, 2027. The Plaza Mayor Christmas market runs from late November to Dec. 31, and most of the big seasonal sights, from the lights to Cortylandia, are free.
When do the Christmas lights go on in Madrid?
The Ayuntamiento (city council) has set the switch-on for Nov. 21, 2026, with a show in Plaza de Cibeles. As of mid-November the exact start time of the show had not been published. In 2025 the lights went on at 19:30, so plan to arrive well before that if you want a spot near the Palacio de Cibeles.
The lighting covers more than 250 locations in all 21 districts, not just the center. Gran Vía, the Gran Vía and Alcalá junction, Plaza Mayor, Plaza de Colón, Plaza de España and Cibeles are the classic places to see it. This year the streets leading into Plaza Mayor also carry designs drawn by primary school pupils, alongside the children’s designs from 2024 and 2025.
The official timetable published on esMadrid, the city’s tourism site, is as follows (as of November 2026):
| Days | Lights on |
|---|---|
| Sunday to Thursday | 18:00 to 00:00 |
| Friday and Saturday | 18:00 to 01:00 |
| Dec. 7 (eve of a holiday) | 18:00 to 01:00 |
| Dec. 24 and Jan. 5 | 18:00 to 03:00 |
| Dec. 31 | 18:00 to 06:00 |
The lights stay up until Jan. 6, the day of the Three Kings.
Is the Naviluz bus running in 2026?
Naviluz is the open-top double-decker that tours the main streets of lights in about 50 minutes. The city runs it each season with a private bus operator that sells the tickets. In the 2025 season it started a few days after the switch-on, adults paid €15 and young children rode free. As of mid-November 2026 the dates, price and departure point for this season had not been announced. Expect the details shortly after the switch-on, and book early for weekends and the week before Christmas.
A cheaper option is a regular EMT bus. Several daytime routes cross Gran Vía, Alcalá and Cibeles, and the fare is the same as any other ride.
When is the Plaza Mayor Christmas market open?
The Mercado de Navidad de la Plaza Mayor runs from late November to Dec. 31, 2026, with 104 stalls in the square. Entry is free. Hours, as of November 2026:
- Sunday to Thursday: 10:00 to 21:00
- Friday, Saturday and the eve of public holidays: 10:00 to 22:00, with no midday break
Most stalls sell nativity figures (figuras de belén), decorations, moss and cork for building a nativity scene, plus wigs, fake noses and joke items. Those jokes are for Dec. 28, the Día de los Santos Inocentes, Spain’s version of April Fools’ Day. The square gets very crowded on weekend evenings; a weekday morning is calmer.
Where can you see the big nativity scene?
The regional government sets up a large nativity scene (belén) inside the Real Casa de Correos in Puerta del Sol, the building with the famous clock. Entry is free. The 2026 dates and hours had not been published as of mid-November; in the 2025 season it was open from Nov. 28 to Jan. 6, and it closes on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Check the Comunidad de Madrid’s Navidad en Sol page before you go, and expect a queue on weekends.
Many churches, district cultural centers and city buildings also set up belenes. The city publishes a district-by-district list in its Christmas program, which esMadrid says will appear at the end of November.
What is Cortylandia and when are the shows?
Cortylandia is the animated musical set on the facade of the El Corte Inglés department store on Calle Maestro Victoria, near Sol. It has run every Christmas for decades and is free. The 2026 edition runs from late November to Jan. 5, 2027. Last season the short shows ran at 12:00, 13:00 and 14:00 and then every hour from 17:00 to 21:00, with only morning shows on Dec. 24, Dec. 31 and Jan. 5 and none on Dec. 25 or Jan. 1. The 2026 timetable may differ, so check before taking children. The street is narrow, so arrive a few minutes early.
What other free things are there to do?
- Ice rinks. In 2025 the city had rinks at CentroCentro in Cibeles, Matadero, Plaza de España and Plaza de Colón. Skating is usually paid; the 2026 locations come with the official program.
- Concerts and choirs. The municipal program lists free concerts, carols and street shows across the districts.
- El Gordo draw. The Christmas lottery draw on Dec. 22 is broadcast live all morning. See our guide to El Gordo, the Christmas lottery if you want to buy a share.
- San Silvestre Vallecana. The big Dec. 31 road race in Vallecas closes streets in the afternoon.
The season ends with two big public events: New Year’s Eve at Puerta del Sol and the Three Kings parade on Jan. 5.
How do you get around by Metro at Christmas?
For Sol, Plaza Mayor and Cortylandia, use Sol (lines 1, 2 and 3), Ópera or Callao. For the switch-on at Cibeles, Banco de España (line 2) is closest. On the busiest days, police sometimes close station exits or ask people to use nearby stations, so allow extra time. The regional transport consortium usually announces reinforced services and any closures a few days ahead. Opening hours and night buses are explained in our guide to Metro hours and night buses.
Bottom line
Do the lights on a weekday evening from about 18:30, starting at Plaza de Colón and walking down Recoletos, Cibeles, Alcalá and Gran Vía to Callao. You cover most of the main displays in about an hour, then finish at the Plaza Mayor market before it closes at 21:00.
FAQ
How long do the Madrid Christmas lights stay up?
From the switch-on on Nov. 21, 2026 until Jan. 6, 2027. They are on every evening from 18:00, with later hours on weekends, Dec. 24, Dec. 31 and Jan. 5.
Is the Plaza Mayor market open on Christmas Day?
The market runs until Dec. 31, but individual stall hours on Dec. 24 and Dec. 25 vary. Plan your shopping for earlier in December, when the choice of figures and decorations is also bigger.
Do shops close in Madrid at Christmas?
Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 are public holidays. Many shops close early on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31, and most stay shut on Christmas Day, though some supermarkets and convenience stores open.
Are the Christmas events in Madrid free?
The lights, the Plaza Mayor market, the Real Casa de Correos nativity scene and Cortylandia are free. Naviluz and the ice rinks are paid.
