It´s New Year weekend and a lot of attention will turn to Madrid for the chimes at midnight, but wherever we are in Spain, a fairly recent tradition is swallowing 12 grapes, one with each chime, and sipping Cava to welcome in the New Year.
Saturday 30 December 2023
The artificial ice rink is open in La Mata until Saturday. Not forgetting, the nativity scene is still open in the main square in Torrevieja.
At 11:30 a.m., the San Silvestre Infantil race* will depart from Plaza Encarnación Puchol in La Mata. And, in the afternoon, at 7:30 p.m., the San Silvestre for the adult modality will take place from the urban centre of Torrevieja.
At 10:00 p.m., Lemon Tree concert on the Plaza de la Constitución stage.
On the Orihuela Costa, Winter Beach (surfing, paddle surfing and yoga) continues from 09:00 a.m. until noon, and from 1000 to 11:00 there is Surfing Cala Cerrada, from 11:00 to noon Paddleboard Playa de la Caleta, and from noon until 1:00 p.m. Pilates at Playa de la Caleta.
San Silvestre
*The Carrera San Silvestre race or San Silvestre is the name of a popular athletic race held annually on December 31 (Saint Sylvester ‘s Day according to Catholic saints) in different places around the world. Occasionally, some of these races are held in the days leading up to December 31.
In Spain, more than 200 San Silvestre races are held every year. The first to be held was the Galdácano New Year’s Eve Circuit in 1961. This race, however, did not continue until 1973. In 1964, the Galician sports promoter Antonio Sabugueiro created the San Silvestre Vallecana in Madrid—originally called the Vallecas Grand Prix—, which has become the largest of all the New Year’s Eve races held in Spain, with 40,000 participants.
Amongst other local races, the San Silvestre takes place in Alicante on Friday, on Saturday in Callosa, San Vicente, and Denia, and on Sunday in Santa Pola, Crevillente and Pilar de la Horadada.
Sunday 31 December 2023
In Torrevieja, at 12:00 p.m., in the Plaza de la Constitución, the Children’s New Year’s Eve party will begin. And at night, at 00:00 we all eat the grapes together with the New Year’s Eve celebration.
On the Orihuela Costa, Childrens New Year Party from 11:00 a.m. until noon on the Explanada de Playa Flamenca.
Many bigger shops are open today, but they will close early, so be prepared. They will not open on Monday, New Year’s Day.
