Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Malaga
Around 16 July the seafaring neighbourhoods take Our Lady of Mount Carmel in procession by land and sea, carried on board among jábega boats.
When
Next: Friday, July 16, 2027.
On 16 July, the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and the days around it: each neighbourhood and brotherhood sets the date of its procession, often on the nearest weekend.
Last time: July 16 to 19, 2026.
What it is
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the patron saint of sailors, and her feast day, 16 July, is one of the most cherished in Malaga's coastal neighbourhoods. Around that date the city holds a series of processions on land and at sea.
The best known are the land-and-sea processions: the image leaves its parish church, goes through the streets of the neighbourhood and is taken on board for a stretch at sea accompanied by decorated boats, before returning to land and to its church.
El Palo, Pedregalejo, Huelin and El Perchel, with the Crowned Virgen del Carmen, keep these processions going, and other inland neighbourhoods also hold their own.
Where
In El Palo the image leaves the parish church of Nuestra Señora de las Angustias, goes through the neighbourhood and along the seafront and is taken on board opposite the SAFA-ICET school. In Huelin it leaves the parish church of San Patricio and boards on the Antonio Machado promenade. The Crowned Virgen del Carmen of El Perchel boards at the Port of Malaga and, on its return procession, passes through the centre.
In Pedregalejo the procession goes through the streets of the neighbourhood. There are also land processions in districts such as La Luz and Colonia de Santa Inés.
Customs and traditions
The image sails accompanied by decorated traditional boats, and residents and visitors watch the embarkation and landing from the shore and the promenades.
In El Palo the procession coincides with the neighbourhood fair, with marquees, music and activities in Plaza del Padre Ciganda over several days. In Huelin the Veladilla del Carmen is held on Calle Mendoza.
FAQ
When is the Virgen del Carmen procession in El Palo?
El Palo's traditional land-and-sea procession is held on 16 July, the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Where does the Virgen del Carmen of Huelin go on board?
On the Antonio Machado promenade, after leaving the parish church of San Patricio.
What is a land-and-sea procession?
A procession in which the image goes through the streets of the neighbourhood and is then taken on board to cover part of the route at sea before returning to its church.