Costa Blanca Daily

The XXVI Mercado Medieval de Orihuela
2026-01-30 - 2026-02-01 | Orihuela Costa
The XXVI Mercado Mediaeval de Orihuela is one of Spain’s largest and most prestigious mediaeval festivals, with the 2026 edition expected to be no exception.
Stalls are usually open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and again from 4:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. (though food taverns frequently stay open throughout
Location and Layout:
The market spans nearly 5 km of the city’s historic centre with over 300 artisan stalls. It’s organised into three thematic areas.

Christian Zone – Situated between Plaza del Carmen and Calle Colón. It includes military camps, soldier reenactments, and knightly tournaments.
Leisure and Children’s Zone – Stretching from Calle Mayor to Plaza de Santa Lucía. This area is geared towards families and features a “Dragon Village” with traditional wooden games, puppet shows and a petting farm.
Arab Zone – Runs from Plaza Santa Lucia to Santo Domingo. This sector showcases traditional soul, belly dancing, Middle Eastern music, and camel parades.

Key Activities and Entertainment:
Tournaments – Grand Knightly Tournaments are held in the Rincon Hernandiano
Shows – On Friday and Saturday nights, Plaza Villamanuel hosts high-impact street theatre performances featuring fire breathers, jugglers, stilt walkers, and concernts.
Craft workshops feature live demonstrations of ancient trades such as blacksmithing, pottery, stone carving, and falconry displays.
Gastronomy: Numerous mediaeval taverns serving roasted meats, traditional breads, cheeses, and artisanal sweets.
Recommendation: Due to the event’s massive scale, which attracts over thousands of visitors, it is strongly advised to wear comfortable walking shoes and take the official shuttle buses to avoid significant parking difficulties in the city centre.

Roderate at Cuevas del Rodeo
2026-02-01
The Rodearte event at Cuevas del Rodeo on February 1st, 2026, offers a vibrant cultural experience with artisanal markets, workshops, and live performances in the historic cave complex.
This monthly event, organised by the Department of Culture and the Cuevas del Rodeo Artisans association, is free for the public and usually runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Event Highlights and Schedule
The February edition includes a special focus on traditional music and hands-on crafting:
Live music: The traditional music group Os Castros will perform at 12:00pm in the main cave area.
Artisanal Workshops: Starting at 11:30am, visitors can participate in free workshops, including:
Lathe workshop
Goldsmithing, Jewelry making
Recycling Art Workshop
Dance and Popular Music Workshop

Volta la Communicate Valenciana 2026
2026-02-06 13:00 - 21:00 (Europe/Madrid) | Orihuela
The Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2026 is one of the most important professional cycling events in Spain. For this edition, Orihuela is the start city for the third stage.
The Route in Orihuela
Before heading to the coast and mountains, the pelton will make a loop through local districts.

Departure: From parque de la Oscarasa heading toward the district of Los Desamparados
Border Crossing: the race briefly enters the Murcia region.
Return to Orihuela: The cyclists enter the municipality through Arneva and Hurchillo.
Vega Baja Loop: They will then travel through Bigastro before continuing on to the coast, passing through Guardamar, Santa Pola, and Alicante.

The 2026 edition is expected to showcase a world-class peloton. The most notable name confirmed is Belgian superstar Remco Evenepoel, the current time trial world champion. Other riders on the provisional entry list include Mads Pedersen and Joao Almeida.
Practical Information for Residents
Road Closures: Expect significant traffic disruptions in the city centre from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on February 6th.
The fan zone includes the team buses and the “signature podium.” will be set up near Oscarasa Park beginning about two hours before the race starts.

Benidorm Fest 2026
2026-02-10 - 2026-02-15 | Benidorm
Benidorm Fest is Spain’s high-profile modern music festival, as well as the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. The 2026 edition promises to be a major winter event on the Costa Blanca, with some notable changes.
The festival spans a week and culminates in a three-night competition in February.

Semi-Final 1: Tuesday, February 10th, 2026
Semi-Final 2: Thursday, February 12th, 2026
Grand Final: Saturday, February 14th, 2026
Venue: Palau Municipal d’Esports I’illa de Benidorm

The winner of the Grand Final will have the opportunity to represent Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna, Austria.
