Spain on a holiday can be a lonely place: shops are close, transportation is almost non-existent, and many of the activities you want to do may be impossible. Spain also likes to make your holidays last with what are called ‘bridges’. See below how these might affect you. Then there are Sundays, Mondays, and afternoons.
Holiday list
- January 1 New Years Day.
- January 6 Epiphany.
- Week before Easter Easter – the later the week comes, the more likely things will close – with Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays being the hardest hit. Easter Monday is not a holiday, except in Catalonia and Valencia.
- May 1 Labor Day.
- August 15 Assumption of the Virgin.
- October 12 National Day.
- November 1 All Saints Day.
- December 6 Constitution Day.
- December 8 Immaculate Conception.
- December 24 Christmas. Christmas Eve (night) is much more important than Christmas day in Spain. Stores may close early on Christmas Eve, although most will be open in the morning.
Regional holidays in Madrid and Barcelona
Each region of Spain has its own holidays. These are the ones that are most likely to affect you in Barcelona and Madrid.
- May 16 San Isidro (Madrid).
- June 23-24 Sant Joan (Barcelona).
- September 11 National Day of Catalonia (Barcelona).
- November 9 Almudena (Madrid).
What is a ‘bridge’?
If a holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, many companies will also take Monday or Friday off. This is known as a ‘bridge’, a ‘bridge’ between the holidays and the weekend. Sometimes, if the vacation falls on a Wednesday, the staff can take Mondays and Tuesdays off.
Sundays and Mondays
Sundays, in general, are also a bad time to do something in Spain. Different autonomous communities have different laws regarding purchases on Sundays; in Madrid, for example, stores open on the first Sunday of a month and the rest of them close. Most regions are more relaxed from opening on Sunday in December.
Large stores like El Corte Inglés and FNAC often open on holidays (although not on Sundays and not on Labor Day – May 1).
Museums and other activities geared towards tourists may have their weekly closed day on Monday. Bars and cafes generally have Sunday or Monday off, but some could take advantage
Summer closing
The month of August, particularly in larger cities, is a popular time for businesses to go on vacation and you will often find shops and restaurants that will be closed for the entire month. Madrid and Seville are especially bad for this. Considering the heat in summer in these cities, it is best to avoid them anyway.
Although the subject of companies is closed, remember the Siesta in Spain, while it still affects the opening hours of stores and companies.
