Venue
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
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Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival guide
Spain's largest carnival, two weeks later.
In short
Santa Cruz de Tenerife's carnival opens on Friday 22 January 2027, with street carnival from 19 to 28 February, after the city council moved the programme two weeks later than usual. It suits night owls who enjoy fancy dress and murga contests. The Carnival Queen gala is on 17 February, so do not plan on last year's pattern.
Santa Cruz, the capital of Tenerife, stages Spain's largest carnival. For weeks each winter the city runs murga song contests, costume galas and parades, then hands the streets over to fancy-dress parties that go on until dawn. The 2027 programme opens on Friday 22 January, with the street carnival from 19 to 28 February.
Don't book on last year's pattern. The city council moved the 2027 programme about two weeks later than usual, so the main street days fall after Ash Wednesday.
The night most people know from photographs is the Carnival Queen election gala on 17 February, when candidates haul feathered, sequinned costumes several metres wide across the stage. The Coso Apoteosis, the grand parade, follows on 23 February.
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Key Facts & Stats:
Where: Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Venue: Plaza de España and city centre
Held: Every year
Type of event: Party Events, Carnivals, Parade
Currency: Euro (EUR, €)
Time zone: Central European Time, UTC+1 (UTC+2 in summer); Canary Islands UTC+0
Language: Spanish (Castilian); co-official Catalan, Galician, Basque
Map
Getting around
Hotels near the venue fill up around the event dates.
2027 calendar of galas, contests and parades
- 22 January
- inaugural gala.
- 29 and 30 January
- heats of the children's murga contest.
- 1 to 4 February
- adult murga heats, with the final on Saturday 6 February.
- 17 February
- Carnival Queen election gala.
- 19 February
- the announcing parade (cabalgata anunciadora) opens the street carnival.
- 21 February
- Carnaval de Día, the first daytime party.
- 23 February
- Coso Apoteosis.
- 26 February
- late-night dances of the closing weekend.
Times and stages for each event go up on the official carnival website nearer the date.
Murga contests and street celebrations
Murgas are satirical choirs in elaborate costume who pull apart the politicians of the day in song. Their contest is a big ticketed night out for residents. Once the street carnival starts, stages around the centre fill with salsa bands until the early hours.
Families come out for the daytime Carnaval de Día. Bring the kids. The Coso is a long daytime procession of floats with comparsas, the costumed dance troupes, plus the queen and her court.
Dressing up and where the parties happen
- Wear a costume. Nearly everyone in the street does, and a simple one is fine.
- The main party zone covers Plaza de España, Plaza de la Candelaria and the seafront avenues. After midnight it is packed.
- Rooms in Santa Cruz go early. La Laguna, on the tram line, makes a good alternative base.
- February is mild by day, but nights can be cool, so bring a light layer.
- Leave valuables at the hotel and carry little cash.
Airports and buses to Santa Cruz
Tenerife North airport (Los Rodeos) is the closer one, about 10 km from Santa Cruz. Tenerife South handles more international flights. Buses run from both into the city. Spain's festival year carries on long after carnival, all the way to the Els Enfarinats flour battle in December, and anyone thinking of a longer stay can start with our guide to moving to Spain.
Where and how it is celebrated
The main cities where the festival is celebrated.
What happens on the day
- Friday 19 February
Cabalgata Anunciadora
The announcing parade and the Carnaval de Noche open the street carnival, with the float and decorated car contest.
- Saturday 20 February
Ritmo y Armonía
The contest of the comparsas' drummers and dancers.
- Sunday 21 February
Carnaval de Día
The first daytime carnival, the best day for families.
- Tuesday 23 February
Coso Apoteósico
Floats and comparsas fill the streets in daylight, with the queen and her court.
- Wednesday 24 February
Entierro de la Sardina
The mock funeral of the sardine.
- Friday 26 February
Coso Infantil
The children's parade.
- Saturday 27 February
Second Carnaval de Día
Another daytime party in the centre.
- Sunday 28 February
Closing day
The last day of the street carnival.
Costumes and the main street party area
Bring or put together a costume, since nearly everyone on the street dresses up and simple outfits are fine.
The main party area, around the seafront avenues, Plaza de España and Plaza de la Candelaria, gets very crowded after midnight, so keep cash to a minimum and leave valuables in your room.
Murgas, comparsas and the carnival's reputation
No carnival in Spain is larger, and few in Europe are better known. Its murgas, satirical choirs in elaborate costumes, sing about local and national politics, and residents buy tickets in large numbers for their contest. The queen election gala is the famous image. Candidates wear feathered, sequinned costumes that can measure several metres across.
Once the street carnival begins, salsa and Latin bands play stages in the centre.
Getting there
Flying in
Tenerife North (Los Rodeos), about 10 km from Santa Cruz, is the nearest airport; Tenerife South handles more international flights.
Airport buses
TITSA buses link both airports with the city: line 102 from Tenerife North and line 111 from Tenerife South to the Santa Cruz bus station.
Tram
The tram links Santa Cruz with La Laguna, useful if you stay up the hill.
Programme
Exact times and stages are published on the carnival's official website nearer the date.
Where to stay during the festival
Book a room in Santa Cruz early, as the centre fills for the street week. La Laguna, linked by tram, is the usual alternative.
Rooms near Plaza de España are closest to the parties but loudest; a few tram stops away gives quieter nights.
Weather and what to pack
February in Santa Cruz is mild. On AEMET's 1991–2020 provisional normals, February averages highs of 21.3 °C and lows of 15.4 °C, with 33.7 mm of rain over about seven days with any rain.
Days are warm enough for costume in the sun, but nights can turn cool at the late parties.
Worth packing
- A costume, even a simple one
- A light layer for late nights
- Comfortable shoes for long hours standing
- A small bag that closes, with little cash
Car hire in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Airport transfer to Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival
Met at arrivals and driven door to door to Plaza de España and city centre.
Restaurants and food in Spain
Places to eat in Spain before or after the celebrations.
Ganbara
Calle San Jerónimo 21, 20003 Donostia San Sebastián, Spain
Cuisine:BasquePintxos
- Dine-in
- Bar
- Counter seating
El Rinconcillo
Calle Gerona 40, 41003 Seville, Spain
Cuisine:AndalusianTapas
- Dine-in
- Bar
- Counter seating
El Celler de Can Roca
Carrer de Can Sunyer 48, 17007 Girona, Spain
Cuisine:Contemporary CatalanTasting menu
- Dine-in
Sobrino de Botín
Calle de los Cuchilleros 17, 28005 Madrid, Spain
Cuisine:CastilianTraditional Spanish
- Dine-in
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Booking
The street days, the parades and the night parties are free. Tickets are only needed for the indoor galas and contests held before the street week, such as the murga final and the Carnival Queen gala, which take place at the Recinto Ferial. Tickets go on sale through the carnival's official channels and the queen gala sells out fast.
Prices & payment
You won't be turned away without one, but almost everyone wears something, and plain clothes stand out. Simple outfits are fine: a wig, a uniform, an animal suit. Fancy-dress shops in Santa Cruz get busy in the weeks before, so buy early or bring one with you.
General
A murga is a group of singers in costume who perform satirical songs about local politics and the news, backed by drums and whistles. The contest is a highlight of the season for Tenerife locals, though the lyrics are in fast Canarian Spanish full of local references, so non-speakers mainly enjoy the show.
Comparsas are dance troupes that perform Latin rhythms such as samba, with drummers and dancers in feathered costumes. They have their own contest, and they lead much of the rhythm at the big parade. Their influence shows the long links between the Canaries and Latin America.
Very big. Its best-known night came in 1987, when Celia Cruz sang in the Plaza de España to a crowd that sources put at between 200,000 and 250,000 people, and the carnival still cites that night as a record. Expect the night parties on peak evenings to fill the city centre.
The Franco regime banned carnivals across Spain, but Santa Cruz kept its celebration going under the name Fiestas de Invierno, or Winter Festivities. The name changed back after the return of democracy, and the city is proud of having never really stopped.
Food stalls sell arepas, a Venezuelan influence on Canarian food, along with skewers of grilled meat, sandwiches and churros. For a sit-down meal, try papas arrugadas with mojo sauce in a local restaurant away from the party zones. Rum and Canarian beers such as Dorada are the common drinks.
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria holds a large carnival of its own, best known for its drag queen gala. Smaller towns on Tenerife, such as Puerto de la Cruz, hold their own celebrations, often in the weeks after Santa Cruz's. Inter-island ferries and flights make it possible to see more than one.
Health & safety
Generally yes, with a heavy police presence, but the crowds are dense and alcohol flows freely. Glass bottles are usually banned in the party areas, and bag checks are common at the entrances. Keep your phone and money in a closed bag in front of you, and agree on a meeting point with friends.
Families & accessibility
Yes, but go during the day. The Carnaval de Día on the weekend afternoons and the children's parade are made for families, while the night parties are adult-only in practice. Small children should wear an ID wristband with your phone number.
Timing & weather
Mount Teide national park is under two hours from Santa Cruz and makes a good day out after a late night. San Cristóbal de La Laguna, a UNESCO World Heritage city, is a short tram ride away, and the Anaga mountains on the north-east tip offer walks through laurel forest.