Antequera’s Festival de Luz

Antequera has the largest light show in Southern Europe, a yearly event created to celebrate the declaration of the Antequera Dolmens as UNESCO World Heritage site in 2016.

The Festival de Luz or “Antequera Light Fest” is celebrated every year in mid-July – this year (2023), it was held on the nights of July 14th and 15th.

The festival has different venues in Antequera’s downtown. This year there were 5 venues all with different themes. The official website covers all the details. But the main venue was on Plaza San Sebastian where a light show was projected on Parroquia San Sebastián, the church on the square. This video shows off this beautiful show, filled with music and dance from around the world.

As I mention, there were 4 other venues for light shows: the courtyard at the Ayuntamiento, Plaza Coso Viejo, Plaza de San Luis and the the Santa Clara Cultural Center.

In addition to various light shows, some spots around Antequera are decorated by candles. The steps up to the Alcazaba for example are lite up by hundreds of candles. So was the Iglesia de San Juan de Dios.

Iglesia de San Juan de Dios by candlelight

How it works: Hours are 10 pm to 1 am on the days of the festivals. The venues have repetitive shows which last 15 or 20 minutes. So you go to a venue and see a show, then go to another etc etc. Sometimes you have to wait 10 minutes for the next show to start. But you can easily see all the different light shows during the course of an evening.

It is a very popular event and the streets of Antequera were busy even at 1 am. Restaurants and bars are open and there are many extra tables set up everywhere (especially around Plaza Coso Viejo).

Accommodation: Hotel Manzanito is right across from Parroquia San Sebastián. If you can, get a room facing the church so that you experience the light show from your room.