One September night in Mojácar that you really shouldn’t miss
If you’ve been to Mojácar on a sunny summer afternoon, you already know the place is special. But seeing it at night, with the whitewashed hillside village lit up by hundreds of candles flickering in the breeze — that’s something else entirely. That’s exactly what happens every year at the Noche de las Velas, and in 2026 it takes place on Friday 19th September.
At ZAR 2010 we’ve been working in this corner of southeast Spain for over thirty years, covering Garrucha, Vera, Mojácar and San Juan de los Terreros. A good half of our clients are British or Irish, and many of them first fell in love with the area at an event like this one. So when we say it’s worth going, we mean it.
This guide covers everything you need to know: what the event actually is, what’s on, how to get there by bus, where to buy your ticket and a few practical tips to make the most of your evening.
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Value my home →What is the Noche de las Velas?
Translated literally, Noche de las Velas means Night of the Candles. It’s an annual evening celebration held in the old village of Mojácar Pueblo — the hilltop cluster of white houses that sits about two kilometres inland and several hundred metres above the coast.
On this night, the narrow streets, staircases, balconies and squares of the village are illuminated almost entirely by candlelight. No harsh floodlights, no fairground glare — just warm, flickering candles placed all around the village, transforming somewhere you might have walked through in daylight into something that feels genuinely magical after dark.
It’s a free event, open to everyone, and it combines the visual spectacle of the candlelit village with live music, performances at various points along the route, local craft stalls and the general atmosphere of a community that clearly enjoys putting on a good show. It’s grown steadily in popularity over recent years, drawing visitors from across Almería province and well beyond.
For British and Irish visitors or residents, it also sits at a convenient time of year — mid-September, when the summer crowds have thinned out, the temperature is still warm but not scorching, and the village feels less hectic than in July or August.
What’s on during the evening
The official programme for 2026 includes performances and activities spread across multiple points throughout the village, so the experience is more of a wander-and-discover than a sit-in-one-place affair. That’s part of what makes it work: you move through the streets at your own pace, stumble across a musician in a doorway, stop for a drink on a terrace, follow the sound of something interesting around a corner.
For the full schedule with precise timings and locations, we’d recommend picking up the official rutero (event map and programme) from the Mojácar Tourist Office, or checking the Ayuntamiento de Mojácar’s website closer to the date. The programme is released by the council and sets out exactly what’s happening where and when.
What we can tell you is that the shuttle buses run from 18:00 until 02:45, which gives you a very comfortable window to arrive early, take your time, and stay as late as you like.
A few tips for making the most of the route
Mojácar Pueblo is built on a hillside. Its streets are steep, cobbled and narrow — which is precisely what gives it its character, but it’s worth knowing before you arrive. Comfortable shoes are non-negotiable. Heels are a bad idea. Trainers or flat sandals are perfect.
Our suggestion: arrive on the earlier side, around 19:00 or 20:00, when you can explore the village at a relaxed pace and catch the first performances without the crowds building. Then stay on for the livelier atmosphere later in the evening. You get the best of both.
Getting there: shuttle buses from the beach and surrounding areas
Parking in Mojácar Pueblo on a normal day is already a challenge. On Noche de las Velas night, with several thousand people heading up the hill, it’s effectively impossible. The good news is that the council lays on a dedicated shuttle bus service for the event, and it’s genuinely the best way to get there.
Take the bus. Leave the car parked on the coast, enjoy a proper evening without worrying about driving back down those hairpin bends in the dark, and use the return service whenever you’re ready to call it a night.
Bus service hours
- First bus: 18:00
- Last bus down: 02:45
Buses run throughout the evening in both directions, so you’re not locked into a fixed timetable. Go up when it suits you, come back when you’re done.
Bus stop locations
There are four stops where you can board the shuttle:
- Stop opposite Pueblo Indalo
- Stop next to Correos (the post office, in front of the Montemar shopping centre)
- Stop at Marina de la Torre
- Stop on Calle Glorieta (Mojácar Pueblo itself)
These stops are spread along the coast road and up into the village, so wherever you’re based or wherever you park, one of them should be within easy reach.
Ticket price
A return ticket costs 3 euros. That’s it. There’s really no reason not to use the bus.
Where to buy your ticket
You have two options: buy in advance or buy on the day.
Advance tickets — on sale from 14th September at:
- Mojácar Tourist Office
- MOeve service station
- The superstore at the Parque Comercial shopping park
On the night — ticket booths will be set up at each of the four bus stops:
- Booth at the stop opposite Pueblo Indalo
- Booth at the stop next to Correos / Montemar
- Booth at the stop at Marina de la Torre
- Booth at the stop on Calle Glorieta
If you know you’re going — and you should — it’s worth picking up your ticket in advance from 14th September. It saves you queuing at the stop on the night and means one less thing to think about. Five days’ notice is all you get before advance sales open, so don’t leave it sitting on your to-do list.
Practical information for the evening
What to bring
September in this part of Almería is still warm, often very warm. But Mojácar Pueblo sits at altitude, and once the sun goes down the air cools noticeably — more so than on the coast. A light layer is worth tucking into your bag. Comfortable footwear, as mentioned. Your phone for photos, though honestly the best moments are the ones you just stop and look at rather than photograph.
Food and drink
Mojácar Pueblo has a decent selection of bars, restaurants and tapas spots concentrated in and around the main square and the streets leading off it. On a night like this they fill up quickly, particularly the terraces with views out over the coast. If you want a proper sit-down dinner, book a table in advance or arrive early and eat before the evening really gets going. Otherwise, grazing on tapas as you wander is perfectly do-able and very much in keeping with the spirit of the night.
Accessibility
The old village has uneven surfaces, steep gradients and steps throughout much of the route. A significant part of the event is accessible, but some areas will be difficult for wheelchair users or anyone with limited mobility. If this is a concern, we’d recommend contacting the Mojácar Tourist Office directly — they’ll be able to advise on which sections of the route work best.
The event map
The council publishes an official route map — the rutero — showing the stop locations, performance points and general layout of the evening. It’s well worth downloading or picking up before you head out. You’ll find it at the Tourist Office and on the Ayuntamiento de Mojácar’s website as the date approaches.
Why this matters beyond one good night out
Events like the Noche de las Velas are one of the reasons this stretch of coast holds its appeal across the whole year, not just in high summer. The Levante Almeriense — Mojácar, Vera, Garrucha, San Juan de los Terreros — has a cultural calendar, a community feel and a way of life that doesn’t pack up and leave in September.
For anyone who’s considering buying property in the area, that matters. It’s one thing to love a place in August when the beach is full and everything is buzzing. It’s another to find a community that organises events like this in mid-September, that keeps its village centre alive through autumn and winter, and that gives you genuine reasons to be here all year round.
We see this with our clients all the time: people who came for a holiday, ended up at something like the Noche de las Velas, and went home thinking seriously about making it more permanent.
Quick reference: Noche de las Velas 2026
- Date: Friday 19th September 2026
- Location: Mojácar Pueblo (old village)
- Shuttle buses: running from 18:00 to 02:45
- Bus stops: Pueblo Indalo, Correos/Montemar, Marina de la Torre, Calle Glorieta
- Return ticket: 3 euros
- Advance tickets from 14th September: Mojácar Tourist Office, MOeve service station, Parque Comercial superstore
- Tickets on the night: at booths at each bus stop
Thinking about making this area home?
If a night like this makes you wonder what it would be like to have your own place here, we’d be happy to have that conversation. ZAR 2010 has been helping British and Irish buyers find property in Garrucha, Mojácar, Vera and San Juan de los Terreros for over thirty years. We know the area, we know the process and we’ll give you straight answers. Get in touch whenever you’re ready.
