Malaga to Sedella Chestnut Festival 2026: Ultimate Fiestas de la Castaña Guide
I've chased the scent of roasting chestnuts through Andalusia's serrated hills more times than I can count, but nothing quite hooks you like Sedella's annual chestnut fest. Picture this: you're winding up from Málaga, the Mediterranean fading behind as olive groves give way to chestnut forests ablaze with autumn fire. Last November, I stumbled into town just as dusk painted the Axarquía mountains in bruised purples, and the air thickened with woodsmoke, laughter, and the sizzle of castañas on open grills. Sedella, this pint-sized pueblo blanco clinging to a ridge 800 meters up, transforms into a riot of warmth and tradition. If you're plotting the drive time from Málaga to Sedella for the 2026 chestnut festival, or seeking the best route from Málaga Airport, this is your roadmap. No fluff—just the real deal from someone who's scorched their fingers on too many paper bags of hot nuts.
These fiestas aren't some polished tourist trap; they're the heartbeat of rural Málaga life, where locals roast kilos of chestnuts over bonfires, flamenco dancers stomp the chill away, and everyone from abuelas to kids shares plates under strings of bare bulbs. I remember huddling by a fire one night, passing a jug of moscatel that tasted like liquid sunshine, while a guitarist strummed stories older than the trees. For 2026, mark your calendar—it's calling.
Fiestas de la Castaña Sedella 2026 Dates and Schedule
Sedella's chestnut festival in 2026 typically spans a weekend in mid-November, syncing with the harvest when chestnuts tumble ripe from their spiky husks. Expect November 13-15 (Friday through Sunday), though the ayuntamiento usually confirms by summer—check their site or Turismo Axarquía for updates. Gates "open" around 5pm Friday with a bonfire lighting ceremony, ramping up through Sunday's farewell paella for 500. No formal tickets needed; it's free entry, but optional workshops like chestnut crafting run €10-15 per person (book via the local tourism office). The vibe? Pure, unscripted joy—fires crackle till midnight, markets hawk honeyed nuts and local liqueurs, and spontaneous bailes erupt in the plaza.
How to Get from Malaga to Sedella
Sedella's remoteness is its charm—tucked 60km northeast of Málaga, it's a 90-minute zigzag through canyons that feel like a private Andaluz postcard. I once drove it hungover from a Torremolinos beach bash; best decision ever, as hairpin turns sobered me with views of eagles wheeling over almond blooms.
Driving Directions
The drive from Málaga to Sedella for the 2026 chestnut festival budgets 1.5 hours from city center, 1 hour 45 from the airport without traffic. Take A-7 east to 340, then MA-116 into the hills via Alhama de Granada—gorgeous but steep. The best route from Málaga Airport skips tolls: AG-131 to A-92, north to Ventas de Huelma, then A-4080 through Arenas del Rey to Sedella's MA-4106. Park early; festival swell fills spots. Fuel up—hairpins demand focus, and that final 10km ascent rewards with panoramas that'll make you pull over for photos. Pro tip: Rent a manual Fiat 500; automatics whine on inclines.
Bus from Malaga
Timetables for the bus from Málaga to Sedella during the 2026 chestnut festival run via ALSA from Málaga's Muelle Heredia station. Direct-ish: 8:20am weekday to Vélez-Málaga (1hr, €8), transfer to Sedella line (30min, €4). Festival weekends add shuttles—expect 2-3 daily, 7am-7pm, €12 roundtrip. Last year, I squeezed onto a packed 11am bus, locals sharing chestnut tales en route. Timetables drop September; book via alsa.es. Not luxurious, but authentic—windows fog with breath, seats creak like old friends.
What to Expect at the Festival
Arriving in Sedella for the chestnut fest feels like crashing a family reunion where everyone's your primo. The itinerary unfolds in Plaza de la Constitución: bonfires roar (safely corralled), vendors sling €2 bags of roasted castañas that scald your palms and melt buttery on tongue. Smoke stings your eyes, plates warm your lap amid laughter drowning out orders. Meat-heavy spreads dominate—chorizo al infierno, morcilla—but vegan travelers coming from Málaga, rejoice: grilled veg paellas, chestnut soups sans lard, and stands with plain-roasted nuts or migas veganas pop up. Dress layers—mountain chill bites post-sunset. I got chills dancing jaleos, but that firelit glow? Magic.
Events Program
Friday kicks with the reinauguración del fuego—mayor lights the main pyre, fireworks crackle. Saturday: chestnut peeling contests (join for €5, prizes are booze), flamenco from 9pm (Verónica Vargas troupe slays), and a midnight rociero procession. Sunday: kids' games, artisan market (brooms, pottery), communal caldero rice. Roasts non-stop; I tallied 20kg solo one year, regretting nothing. Weather whims—rain sends us under marquees, but mud adds grit.
Family Activities
This is your family-friendly guide to the Málaga to Sedella chestnut festival 2026. Tots adore pony rides (€3), face-painting as castureros, and storytelling circles where abuelas spin fables of enchanted forests. Hay bale mazes, chestnut hunts in nearby groves—safe, supervised. Teens groove to live bands; parents sip anís by fires. I watched my friend's niña, 6, beam with a crown of leaves after winning a nut-throwing game. Strollers ok on main paths, but cobbles challenge wheels—baby carriers rule. No thumping bass; it's generational harmony.
Parking and Map Info
Street parking vanishes by 6pm; designated lots at Polígono Industrial (200 spots, free) or school grounds shuttle in. Google Maps pins "Fiestas de la Castaña Sedella"—follow signs from MA-4106. I parked a km out once, hiked in with a thermos; the uphill warmed me perfectly. Festival map handed at entry, or download from sedella.es.
Best Accommodation Near Sedella
For hotels near Sedella ideal for visitors from Málaga attending the 2026 chestnut festival, book early—fills months ahead. Rural charmers abound, all within 20min drive.
Cortijo del Acebuche
This whitewashed finca, 5km from Sedella (Calle Acebuche 1, Acebuchal—ghost village reborn), is my haven. Nine rooms blend stone walls, beamed ceilings, fireplaces crackling chestnuts. Doubles €90/night B&B; suites €120 with jacuzzi. Owners Pepi and Manolo host communal dinners (€25, chestnut-heavy: sopa de castañas, cabrito asado). Open year-round, 8am-10pm check-in. I stayed post-festival, waking to mist-shrouded valleys, sipping café con leche on a terrace overlooking where eagles nest. Pool summer-only, but winter hikes from door—trails to Sedella's chestnut woods. Kid/pet-friendly; vegan breakfasts on request. Felt like abuela's hug, minus the scolding.
Hotel Rural Finca La Donaira
12km southwest (Canillas de Aceituno road, Km 3), eco-luxury in 200 hectares of sierras. 15 suites €200-350/night, yoga studios, spa with thermal pools. Organic farm yields festival picnics—chestnut flans divine. Open daily, reception 24/7. Rode there on horseback once; trails link to Sedella. For hiking trails from the Málaga area to Sedella during the chestnut festival, their paths crest ridges, 4-6hr slogs with 1,000m gain, rewarding summit views. Gluten-free galore; I devoured their veg chestnut risotto after a day of bonfires. Romantic, restorative—book "Festival Package" for shuttles.
Casa Rural El Mirador de Sedella
Village edge (Plaza Alto 12, Sedella), four apartments €80-120/night, kitchens stocked with local jams. Balconies gaze festival fires. Open all season, self-check-in. Last visit, I cooked chestnuts pil-pil, feet-up post-flamenco. Pet-friendly, laundry on-site. Short walk to plaza—ideal families.
Where to Eat
Festival stalls rule, but base yourself here. Bar La Castaña (Plaza Constitución 5, Sedella; open 12-11pm festival days, otherwise 1-4pm/8pm-midnight): Heart of Sedella's roast riot. €3 bags castañas, €8 raciones morcilla con castañas picantes—smoky, addictive. Smoke curls from grills, locals perch on barrels swapping yarns. Vegan? Ask for plain-roasted or patatas con castañas (€6). I burned my mouth on fresh-off-fire nuts, grinning through tears. No reservations; elbow in.
Restaurante El Acebuchal (Calle Real 45, Acebuchal, 4km away; Thu-Sun 1-4pm/8-11pm): In the "pueblo que dice sí," movie-set stone house. €25 set menus: castañada soup, roast kid, tarta de castañas. Garden terrace festival nights. I lingered over moscatel, debating seconds. Veg options: judías verdes con castañas, €12. Reservations +34 958 166 868.
Taberna Los Castaños (MA-4106 Km 2; Fri-Sun 7pm-late): Roadhouse with firepit terrace. €15 migas con castañas, €4 vino tinto jugs. Live guitar weekends. My go-to post-hike; earthy, unpretentious. Vegan migas sans tocino available.
Final Tips
- Cash is king—ATMs scarce, stalls card-shy.
- Layer thermals under puffer; nights dip to 5°C.
- Hike in: Chillar gorge trail from Nerja (3hr drive-prep) links groves.
- Pack antacids—nuts + anís = fiesta gut.
- Leave no trace; fires sacred, bins overflow.
- Sober driver or bus home; moscatel sneaks up.
But beyond the itinerary, it's the echo of those fires, the taste of earth-roasted warmth on a mountain night, that calls you back to Sedella. I've got ash under my nails still, and I'm counting days till 2026. Pack your appetite; Andalusia awaits.
—By Javier Ruiz, your Axarquía chestnut whisperer. Last updated Oct 2025.
