Public holidays in Spain
Public holidays celebrated in Spain include a mix of religious (Roman Catholic), national and regional observances. Each municipality is allowed to have a maximum of 14 public holidays per year; a maximum of nine of these are chosen by the national government and at least two are chosen locally, including patronal festivals.
If one of the "national holidays" happens to fall on a Sunday the regional governments — the autonomous communities of Spain — can choose an alternate holiday or they can allow local authorities to choose. In practice, except for holidays falling on a Sunday, the regional governments can choose up to three holidays per year; or they can choose fewer to allow for more options at the local level.
A puente (bridge) is sometimes made between weekends and holidays that fall on Tuesday or Thursday. The puente will then create a long weekend.
Since 2010, Ceuta and Melilla, both autonomous cities of Spain, have declared the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha or Feast of the Sacrifice, as an official public holiday. It was the first time a non-Christian religious festival has been officially celebrated in Spain since the Reconquista.[1][2][3]
Current Spanish holidays[]
The following table is updated to 2021.[4]
Autonomous communities | Autonomous cities | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | English name | Native name | Notes | |||||||||||||||||||
January 1 | New Year's Day | Año Nuevo | ||||||||||||||||||||
January 6 | Epiphany | Día de Reyes / Epifanía del Señor | The military also celebrates the Pascua Militar | |||||||||||||||||||
February 28 | Andalusia Day | Día de Andalucía | Statute-of-Autonomy commemoration | |||||||||||||||||||
March 1 | Day of the Balearic Islands | Dia de les Illes Balears | ||||||||||||||||||||
March 19 | St. Joseph's Day | San José[5] | ||||||||||||||||||||
March or April | Maundy Thursday | Jueves Santo | ||||||||||||||||||||
Good Friday | Viernes Santo | |||||||||||||||||||||
Easter Monday | Lunes de Pascua | |||||||||||||||||||||
April 23 | Day of Aragon | San Jorge o Diya d’Aragón | Patronage festivity | |||||||||||||||||||
Regional Day | Día de Castilla y León | Historical account | ||||||||||||||||||||
May 1 | Labour Day | Día del Trabajador | ||||||||||||||||||||
May 2 | Regional Day | Fiesta de la Comunidad de Madrid | Historical account | |||||||||||||||||||
May 17 | Galician Literature Day | Día das Letras Galegas | ||||||||||||||||||||
May 30 | Day of the Canary Islands | Día de Canarias | Anniversary of the first session of the Parliament of the Canary Islands | |||||||||||||||||||
May 31 | Regional Day | Día de la Región Castilla-La Mancha | Regional constitution commemoration | |||||||||||||||||||
June 9 | Regional Day | Día de la Región de Murcia | Statute-of-Autonomy commemoration | |||||||||||||||||||
Día de La Rioja | ||||||||||||||||||||||
June 13 | St. Anthony's Day | San Antonio | ||||||||||||||||||||
June 24 | John the Baptist | San Juan | ||||||||||||||||||||
July 25 | Galician National Day | Santiago Apóstol o Día da Patria Galega | Patronage festivity | |||||||||||||||||||
August 5 | Santa Maria of Africa | Santa María de África | ||||||||||||||||||||
August 15 | Assumption | Asunción | ||||||||||||||||||||
August 22 | Feast of the Sacrifice or Eid al-Adha | Celebración del Sacrificio | Variable Islamic | |||||||||||||||||||
September 2 | Ceuta Day | Día de Ceuta | ||||||||||||||||||||
September 8 | Regional Day | Día de Asturias | Patronage festivity | |||||||||||||||||||
Día de Extremadura | ||||||||||||||||||||||
September 11 | National Day of Catalonia | Diada Nacional de Catalunya | Historical account | |||||||||||||||||||
September 15 | Regional Day | Día de Cantabria o Día de La Montaña | Customs-and-traditions exaltation | |||||||||||||||||||
September 17 | Municipal Day | Día de Melilla | Historical account | |||||||||||||||||||
October 9 | Day of the Valencian Community | Dia de la Comunitat Valenciana | ||||||||||||||||||||
October 12 | National Day of Spain | Fiesta Nacional de España / Día de la Hispanidad | ||||||||||||||||||||
October 25 | Basque National Day | Euskadi Eguna[6] | Statute-of-Autonomy commemoration | |||||||||||||||||||
November 1 | All Saints' Day | Día de todos los Santos | ||||||||||||||||||||
December 6 | Constitution Day | Día de la Constitución | ||||||||||||||||||||
December 8 | Immaculate Conception | Inmaculada Concepción | ||||||||||||||||||||
December 20 | Aragon Ombudsman Day | Día del Justicia de Aragón[7] | Tribute to the historical figure of Juan de Lanuza y Urrea, who was beheaded for defending the rights and freedoms of the Aragonese people | |||||||||||||||||||
December 25 | Christmas Day | Navidad | ||||||||||||||||||||
December 26 | St. Stephen's Day | Sant Esteve | ||||||||||||||||||||
Total holidays | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 16 | 14 |
References[]
- ^ "Muslim Holiday in Ceuta and Melilla". Spainforvisitors.com. Archived from the original on 2011-09-29. Retrieved 2011-09-03.
- ^ "Public Holidays and Bank Holidays for Spain". Qppstudio.net. Archived from the original on 2011-09-30. Retrieved 2011-09-03.
- ^ Internet, Unidad Editorial. "La fiesta grande de los musulmanes, oficial por primera vez en España - España - elmundo.es". www.elmundo.es.
- ^ CEF, El. "Calendario de fiestas laborales estatal, comunidades autónomas y fiestas locales". www.laboral-social.com/.
- ^ El Mundo. "Este año San José es sólo festivo en la Comunidad Valenciana y Murcia | España". Elmundo.es. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
- ^ Correo, El. "La fiesta del Día de Euskadi nace con división. El Correo". www.elcorreodigital.com.
- ^ Heraldo de Aragón, El. "El Justicia conmemora este jueves el 427 aniversario de la ejecución de Juan de Lanuza V. El Heraldo de Aragón". www.heraldo.es.
External links[]
- Public holidays in Spain
- Lists of public holidays by country
- Lists of events in Spain