Which dates should visitors and residents note down?

Sunday 15 November 2026 is half marathon day in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, with the start at 09:00. Four days later, on Thursday 19 November, Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez switches on the Christmas lights at 19:30.

The Fiestas de San Andrés y Santa Lucía last from 21 November to 13 December 2026. The Tablas slide follows on 29 November, and the main feast day falls on Monday 30 November.

The city's Christmas festivities run from 1 December 2026 to 6 January 2027, according to the events calendar. No programme has been published so far.

What does the half marathon mean for getting around?

The half marathon, officially the XII Media Maratón Internacional Santa Cruz de Tenerife, starts at 09:00 on 15 November and covers 21.1 kilometres. The 8-kilometre run follows at 09:45.

Anyone driving into the centre on Sunday morning should expect detours, because the city closes the Avenida Marítima and other main roads for the race, according to the information available. We found no word on which other roads close, or until when.

You can sign up at media.maratondetenerife.com, where entry starts at 44 euros for the half marathon and 26 euros for the 8 kilometres. The stated registration deadline was 2 November, so it has passed, and we found no late-entry window.

The course is described as certified by the Spanish athletics federation, entirely urban and almost flat. The XI edition on 16 November 2025 drew about 4,000 entrants, roughly 2,000 each for the 21 and 8 kilometres.

What can you expect at the Christmas lights switch-on on 19 November?

The city's Christmas season begins in the Plaza de La Candelaria at 19:30 on 19 November. Diario de Avisos reports a musical opening, a light show, a concert with guests, carols and magic.

The city has not yet named the guest artists. The source gives no entry price; for a party on a public square it is likely to be free, but that is not confirmed.

More than 600 sites in all five city districts will be decorated, about 200 more than in 2025, Diario de Avisos reports. The Christmas tree in the Plaza de España is due to rise higher than the previous 30 metres.

This year's switch-on comes a day earlier than in 2025, when it took place on 20 November. The city explains that it always celebrates on a Thursday evening.

What happens at the Fiestas de San Andrés, and what does a visit cost?

The events at the Fiestas de San Andrés are free, according to Festivales de España. San Andrés, now a district of Santa Cruz, is a former fishing village at the southern entrance to the Anaga mountains, close to the Playa de las Teresitas.

On 29 November, locals slide down the steep streets on large wooden boards called tablas, and the new wine is announced. The custom goes back to carrying timber from the sawmills to the port, and comes with new wine and roasted chestnuts.

On Monday 30 November, the main feast day, Festivales de España lists a Mass at 12:00, then a procession and folk dancing in the Plaza Isidoro Torres. Fireworks at the harbour (the “muellito”) and verbenas (open-air parties with music) are part of the programme.

To get there, the source names the TF-11 road and TITSA buses (the island's regular buses), which take about 15 minutes to reach central Santa Cruz. The 2026 daily programme with times was not visible on the city's website, so times other than the Mass remain open.

What is known about Christmas and the Three Kings?

The Santa Cruz Christmas festivities run from 1 December 2026 to 6 January 2027, according to the events calendar. Dates and prices for the belén (nativity scene), Christmas market and children's park for 2026/27 are still open.

In 2025, the city presented more than a hundred Christmas events on 18 November, according to RTVC. They included a crafts market in the Plaza de España and a Christmas market in the Alameda del Duque de Santa Elena, but it is not confirmed whether they return in 2026.

The Three Kings arrive at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López, and the cabalgata (parade) follows on 5 January 2027. It traditionally began at 19:00, according to Festivales de España for the 2025/26 edition, and the city also announces “new events”.

Santa Lucía closes the fiestas in San Andrés on Sunday 13 December. The city has not yet said when it will present the 2026 Christmas programme.