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.
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]
When a holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday. some workers take a day off (the Monday or the Friday) to make a four-day long weekend known as a puente ("bridge").
Current Spanish holidays
The following table lists the holidays for the year 2023:[4]
Autonomous communities | Autonomous cities | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | English name | Native name | Notes | |||||||||||||||||||
1 January | New Year's Day | Año Nuevo | It is not a public holiday in 2023 because it is Sunday. | |||||||||||||||||||
2 January | Monday following New Year's Day | Lunes siguiente a Año Nuevo | ||||||||||||||||||||
6 January | Epiphany | Epifanía del Señor | ||||||||||||||||||||
21 February | Shrove Tuesday | Martes de Carnaval | ||||||||||||||||||||
28 February | Andalusia Day | Día de Andalucía | ||||||||||||||||||||
1 March | Day of the Balearic Islands | Dia de las Islas Baleares | ||||||||||||||||||||
20 March | Monday following St. Joseph's Day | Lunes siguiente a San José[5] | ||||||||||||||||||||
6 April | Maundy Thursday | Jueves Santo | ||||||||||||||||||||
7 April | Good Friday | Viernes Santo | ||||||||||||||||||||
10 April | Easter Monday | Lunes de Pascua | ||||||||||||||||||||
21 April | Eid al-Fitr | Ruptura del Ayuno | ||||||||||||||||||||
23 April | Aragon National Day | San Jorge o Diya d’Aragón | Patronage festivity | |||||||||||||||||||
1 May | Labour Day | Día del Trabajador | ||||||||||||||||||||
2 May | Madrid Day | Fiesta de la Comunidad de Madrid | ||||||||||||||||||||
17 May | Galician Literature Day | Día de las Letras Gallegas | ||||||||||||||||||||
30 May | Day of the Canary Islands | Día de Canarias | ||||||||||||||||||||
31 May | Castilla-La Mancha Day | Día de Castilla-La Mancha | ||||||||||||||||||||
8 June | Feast of Corpus Christi | Corpus Christi | ||||||||||||||||||||
9 June | Regional Day | Día de la Región de Murcia | Statute-of-Autonomy commemoration | |||||||||||||||||||
Día de La Rioja | ||||||||||||||||||||||
13 June | St. Anthony's Day | San Antonio | ||||||||||||||||||||
24 June | John the Baptist | San Juan | ||||||||||||||||||||
25 July | Galician National Day | Santiago Apóstol o Día da Patria Galega | Patronage festivity | |||||||||||||||||||
28 July | Cantabria Institutions Day | Día de las Instituciones de Cantabria | ||||||||||||||||||||
5 August | Santa Maria of Africa | Santa María de África | ||||||||||||||||||||
15 August | Assumption | Asunción | ||||||||||||||||||||
22 August | Feast of the Sacrifice or Eid al-Adha | Celebración del Sacrificio | Variable Islamic | |||||||||||||||||||
2 September | Ceuta Day | Día de Ceuta | ||||||||||||||||||||
8 September | Regional Day | Día de Asturias | Patronage festivity | |||||||||||||||||||
Día de Extremadura | ||||||||||||||||||||||
11 September | National Day of Catalonia | Diada Nacional de Catalunya | Historical account | |||||||||||||||||||
15 September | Our Lady of the “Bien Aparecida” | La Bien Aparecida | Customs-and-traditions exaltation | |||||||||||||||||||
17 September | Municipal Day | Día de Melilla | Historical account | |||||||||||||||||||
9 October | Day of the Valencian Community | Dia de la Comunitat Valenciana | ||||||||||||||||||||
12 October | National Day | Fiesta Nacional de España | ||||||||||||||||||||
25 October | Basque National Day | Euskadi Eguna[6] | Statute-of-Autonomy commemoration | |||||||||||||||||||
1 November | All Saints' Day | Día de todos los Santos | ||||||||||||||||||||
6 December | Constitution Day | Dia de la Constitucion Espanola | ||||||||||||||||||||
8 December | Immaculate Conception | Inmaculada Concepción | ||||||||||||||||||||
20 December | 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 | |||||||||||||||||||
25 December | Christmas Day | Navidad | ||||||||||||||||||||
26 December | St. Stephen's Day | Sant Esteve | ||||||||||||||||||||
Total holidays | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 16 | 14 |
References
- ↑ "Muslim Holiday in Ceuta and Melilla". Spainforvisitors.com. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
- ↑ "Public Holidays and Bank Holidays for Spain". Qppstudio.net. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
- ↑ 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 (19 March 2018). "Este año San José es sólo festivo en la Comunidad Valenciana y Murcia | España". Elmundo.es. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
- ↑ Correo, El (5 December 2009). "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.