Malaga Radio Weekly Diary Episode 29
Carmen & Baptiste
Bring their breakfast show zest to our weekly Diary
🎡 Special Spotlight: Nothing Moves in August – Except the Nights
📅 Week of July 28–August 3, 2025
“In Andalucía, the heat doesn’t stop life — it reshapes it.”
This week’s diary shines a light on an August truth: the Costa del Sol doesn’t slow down — it transforms.
🌞 Mornings are sacred, siestas are strategic, and by nightfall, the region comes alive in a rhythm shaped by centuries of summer wisdom. Families from Madrid and Córdoba arrive en masse to rest, reset, and reconnect — often for the entire month. Their cars stay parked. Their chairs, towels, and children move between the beach, the chiringuito, and the plaza.
From long lunches in the shade to air-conditioned escapes in cinemas and malls, the days are lived slowly, with intention. Then, as the sun dips, everything changes.
🌙 In August, Andalucía belongs to the night — where street parties, flamenco, watersports, and open-air dining flow until 2 or 3am. It’s not time off. It’s time reimagined.
This week, we explore that nightly transformation — in ferias, flamenco, parasailing, paddleboarding, concerts, moonlight hikes and tapas that taste better under the stars.
✨ Scroll down for the top events, insider picks, and a Travel Tip that takes you into the sky.
🎉 Festivals & Traditions
This week: inland villages light up after dark.
August means feria season across Andalucía — and while the big city ferias are still to come, this week is all about intimate, late-night village celebrations where locals take over the streets.
From live music in whitewashed plazas to night parades, firework finales, and family tents serving up rebujito and grilled sardines, these are the kind of events that define summer here — and they’re made for those who stay out late.
Here are this week’s inland highlights:
Feria de Coín – Nighttime Casetas & Local Charm
Expect folk dancing, food stalls, concerts, and candlelit streets every evening this week as Coín celebrates with its signature nighttime flair.
👉 ayto-coin.esFeria de Sayalonga – The Classic Mountain Summer Fair
A small village fair with traditional music, dress, and food — the kind of celebration that draws families from across the Axarquía.
👉 sayalonga.esFeria de Ojén – Music in the Hills
This mountain town near Marbella offers a magical feria atmosphere, with open-air stages, flamenco, and candle processions winding through cobbled streets.
👉 ayto-ojen.es
💡 Local tip: Most inland ferias run from about 9pm to 3am, with food trucks, live bands, and DJs taking over small-town squares. Dress for the heat, but bring a light layer — it does cool down up in the hills.
🖼️ Culture & Exhibitions
🍷 Food & Hospitality
🎶 Music & Nightlife
After-dark art, flamenco in the caves, and starlit experiences across the coast.
When the heat is high, culture shifts later — and this week, the Costa del Sol delivers some extraordinary nighttime experiences. Whether it’s a rooftop flamenco, moonlit castle concert, or a cool escape into a museum, the region’s cultural calendar doesn’t slow down in August… it just glows after sunset.
Here’s what’s on:
Festival de la Luna Mora – Carratraca
A magical blend of music, storytelling, and candlelight in this mountain town, where streets are lit by thousands of candles and the past feels present.
👉 malagaradio.net/listing/festival-luna-moraNerja Caves Flamenco Experience – Nerja (🎟️ Travel Pick)
Flamenco under stalactites? Yes please. This tour combines tapas, local wine, and a powerful flamenco performance inside the iconic Nerja caves.
👉 malagaradiotravel.com/tour/nerja-daytripArte en la Calle – Málaga City
Late-night gallery openings, projection art on historic buildings, and poetry in the plazas — Málaga’s streets become a living museum after dark.
👉 malaga.es/culturaRooftop Recital – Castillo de Gibralfaro, Málaga
Classical guitar under the stars with panoramic city views — a one-night-only concert in one of the city’s most iconic open-air settings.
👉 malagaturismo.com
💡 Carmen’s tip: Many venues now offer late-night Friday or Saturday openings in August — with discounted entry after 9pm and fewer crowds. Perfect post-dinner plan.
Chilled wine, grilled fish, and long dinners that stretch into the night.
In August, the Costa del Sol’s food scene slows down — in the best possible way. It’s not about rushing through meals; it’s about staying out late, dining beachside, and tasting Andalucía one bite at a time.
Here’s what’s delicious this week:
Chiringuito Picks – Carmen & Baptiste’s Summer Favourites
This week we’re back out at our beach bar tips — this time with grilled skewers, chilled rosé, and sunset views that make you stay just one more round.
👉 malagaradio.net/chiringuitosTapas, Wine & Flamenco Premium Tour – Málaga (🎟️ Travel Pick)
Sample 3 different taverns in one night — each paired with local wines, vermouth, and finally a front-row seat to Málaga’s most intimate flamenco show.
👉 malagaradiotravel.com/tour/premium-tapas-tourFrigiliana Local Tastings & Nerja Tour
Wander olive groves and sip sweet muscatel wines in one of Spain’s prettiest white villages. Perfect for a relaxed day that ends with sea views.
👉 malagaradiotravel.com/tour/frigiliana-nerja-daytripSaturday Tastings – Mercado de Huelin, Málaga
A Saturday favourite with locals: sample Andalusian cheeses, fresh seafood, and ice-cold beer at this casual market meetup.
👉 mercadodehuelin.com
💡 Baptiste’s tip: Reserve dinner late — 9pm is early by local standards. For the most atmosphere, aim for 10pm, especially at seaside spots.
Sunset sets, catamaran DJs, beach club glitz, and inland dance tents — August nights don’t sleep.
This is the time of year when the music doesn’t even think about starting until the sun’s long gone — and this week, the Costa del Sol turns up the volume. From golden-hour rooftop vibes to barefoot dancing in mountain ferias, here’s where the rhythm lives:
Catamaran Sunset or Night DJ Cruise – Málaga Port (🎟️ Travel Pick)
One of our favourite summer splurges. Toast with cava, dance on deck, and catch the last light fading over the water with a live DJ.
👉 malagaradiotravel.com/tour/catamaran-cruiseSunset Sessions – Kokun Club, Torremolinos
House beats, golden-hour cocktails, and sea views from one of the coast’s most stylish beach lounges. Music every night this week.
👉 kokun.esBrisa Festival – Málaga Port
Electro-pop and indie by the Diquesito de Levante — this ticketed portside festival features top DJs, food trucks, and late-summer breezes.
👉 brisafestival.comBombastic Festival – Estepona Fairgrounds
Dance anthems and reggaeton powerhouses light up the fairgrounds in Estepona. Expect big names, big lights, and even bigger energy.
👉 bombasticfestival.comPrivate Marbella Beach Club Tour
Want the VIP scene? This exclusive Sunday tour includes transport, entry, and drinks at some of the coast’s most iconic venues.
👉 malagaradiotravel.com/tour/marbella-club-experience
💡 Baptiste’s tip: If a local bus flashes its lights and zooms past — don’t panic. It means another one’s right behind. August nightlife comes with its own traffic flow.
🏄 Sports & Outdoor Activities
Move when the coast does — early, late, and always with the breeze.
Even in August, Andalucía doesn’t sit still — it just adjusts. Early mornings and twilight hours are prime time for paddling, floating, hiking, and flying. Whether you’re easing into the day or chasing the last light, this week’s lineup proves that staying active in the heat is all about timing.
Here’s what’s on the radar:
Parasailing from Puerto Banús (🎟️ Travel Pick)
Soar 200 metres above the coast for panoramic views of Marbella, the sea, and the surrounding sierra. Smooth winch launch, no splash landings — just pure airborne bliss.
👉 malagaradiotravel.com/tour/parasailing-marbellaSunrise Paddleboarding – Málaga & Nerja
Join a small guided group at dawn — paddle in glassy waters with the cliffs as your backdrop and dolphins often nearby.
👉 malagaradiotravel.com/tour/sunrise-sup
Moonlight Kayak Tour – Maro Cliffs, Nerja
Depart at dusk and glide under the stars along the protected cliffs of Cerro Gordo. Magical and surprisingly peaceful.
👉 malagaradiotravel.com/tour/full-moon-kayakTwilight Hike – Barranco Blanco (Coín)
Cool, shaded, and low elevation — this is the perfect time of year to explore inland rivers and trails just as the day cools.
👉 malagaradio.net/listing/barranco-blanco-hikeBeach Yoga – Marbella & Benalmádena
Drop-in classes at 8am and 8pm — ideal for stretching before breakfast or resetting after a long dinner.
👉 malagaradio.net/yoga-beach
💡 Carmen’s tip: Bring water, shoes you don’t mind getting wet, and always check pickup points — tours can fill quickly in August.
✈️ Travel Tip of the Week
Málaga moves differently in August — and so should you.
Visiting during the Spanish holiday season means embracing the rhythm shift. Locals and inland visitors aren’t in a rush — and if you try to be, you’ll just overheat.
Here’s how to adapt like a pro:
Forget the car. If you’re here for a week or more, park it in long-stay (look for white or blue lines — or even free zones inland) and use local buses or your feet. They’re cooler and often faster in August traffic.
Book evening experiences. From paddleboarding to flamenco, August rewards those who stay up late. Many tours now offer sunset or night-only options.
Respect siesta hours. Many shops close from 2pm–5pm but reopen until 9 or 10pm — perfect for a post-dinner wander or cool indoor escape.
Follow the locals. If you see a queue at the ice cream shop or a crowd around a beach volleyball game at 11pm… join them. This is how August evenings are done.
🌐 Need help planning? Use malagaradio.travel to book trusted local experiences, and check malagaradio.net every morning for what’s happening that night.
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