Trick or Treating in Marbella - Q & A

by Karmen
(Seattle, WA, USA)

QUESTION:

I will be in Marbella or Ronda on Halloween night with my 1 year old and 3 year old. I am wondering if there is anywhere to go trick-or-treating.

Thanks so much! Karmen


ANSWER:
This is always a tricky one as Spaniards don't celebrate Halloween and neither are they accustomed to strangers knocking on their door begging for candy. So, don't even try. There are, however, some enclaves where foreigners live and congregate to trick or treat.

My kids and I are true Americans when it comes to Halloween. We decorate the house, bake pumpkin cupcakes and all my kids want to do is trick or treat. Most foreigners here organize parties of their own. So every year we are challenged with where we can trick or treat.

You might want to first try the Halloween Fair at the Marbella Golf and Country Club. We just posted information on this fair and they promise a "Trick or Treat Adventure for Kids" among lots of other entertainment and surprises. I´m sure it´s good enough for your little ones as they are probably not sure what to expect. Mine, on the other hand, are a bit more tricky to convince if it´s not "authentic". Although, I hear that the owners (or maybe managers?) of the Marbella Golf and Country Club are Americans, so there is a good chance that they´ll get into the spirit.

Sometimes we go to Sotogrande where our friends live and join them in their trick or treating. There are a lot of foreigners here who get organized and open their doors for a few hours once the sun goes down to the kids in the neighborhood. However, you must be ready for a 40 minute drive from Marbella.

If you are staying with friends or in a complex where there are some foreigners you should ask around if their neighbourhood or community organizes some kind of trick or treating. The first year I lived here I knew a girl who knew a handful of elderly people in her community who would be willing to open their doors to our kids. So we bought lots of candy and gave it to them to pass out to the kids. There were only 3 or 4 doors, but it was enough to satisfy them. Actually, they were thrilled.

You may also want to try the Kidz Kingdom Halloween Party. This is an indoor playground, so they won´t offer trick or treating, but your kids will have a chance to dress up and feel the Halloween ambiance. It´s a nice chance to mingle with other kids and parents in case you don´t know anyone out here.

If you're really desperate, then you can always try Gibraltar. I hear that Halloween is celebrated all throughout the city and you can just jump into any old neighbourhood and start trick or treating. Gibraltar is a very small place, so you can´t really get lost. I haven´t tried this out myself, so don´t quote me on any of this. It would be a good idea to check out any websites on Gibraltar to see if the city is planning any events in case the trick or treating falls through.

Good luck and have a very Happy Halloween!