Bank Holidays Spain
List of Spanish Bank Holidays
On this page, you’ll find all the main Spanish Bank Holidays and the main Local Holidays. Each area also has its own Ferias (Fairs), so it’s always a good idea to check what’s going on before you book accommodation.
Please note that some religious bank holidays, like Easter, may vary according to the church calendar.
Shopping on Bank Holidays
Traditionally many years ago, everything in Spain used to shut down on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Nowadays, bigger shops and shopping centres on the Costa del Sol have a special tourist license which allows them to open on certain bank Holidays and Sundays… but not all of them! To give you an idea of whether shops are open or not on Bank Holidays, here’s a general timetable for the Miramar Shopping Centre in Fuengirola. Since most other shopping centres on the Costa del Sol will follow the same opening pattern, it will give you a good idea of whether you can go shopping or not.
Spanish Bank Holidays carry over from Sunday, but not Saturday
Note that if a Spanish bank holiday falls on a Saturday, the bank holiday is celebrated on that day. But if the bank holiday falls on a Sunday, it is carried over to the next day, i.e. celebrated on Monday instead. Always check beforehand, as you never know. We have often driven all the way to Fuengirola, only to find Miramar Shopping Centre closed!
Spanish Bank Holidays
| January 1st | New Years Day / Año Nuevo |
|---|---|
| January 6th | 3 Kings Day / Epifanía del Señor This is really Spain’s equivalent of Christmas Day with presents given by the Three Kings. In most towns, there is a procession for children on the eve of the bank holiday, on the 5th, with sweets being thrown off the parade floats. Take a bag with you as you can grab lots of sweets! |
| February 28th | Andalucia Day / Día del Andalucia Most places close today so call beforehand to double check. |
| Easter One week in March or April Bank holidays fall on Thursday and Friday | Easter Holy Week / Semana Santa A very religious week with processions every evening. The exact week Easter falls on is decided according to the church calendar, the same as in most other European countries. However, the bank holidays always fall on the Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Some bigger shopping centres will open on these days. Check beforehand though. |
| May 1st | Labour Day / Día del Trabajo |
| August 15th | Virgin’s Assumption / Asunción Some places are open, some closed, so call beforehand. |
| October 12th | Spain’s National Day / Día de la Hispanidad |
| November 1st | All Saints Day / Todos los Santos |
| December 6th | Spanish Constitution Day / Día de la Constitución |
| December 8th | Immaculate Conception / Immaculada Concepcion Some shopping centres will be open, banks & offices will be closed. |
| December 25th | Christmas Day / Navidad |
Local Holidays in Andalusia
These dates may change very slightly every year, so to keep this page up-to-date as much as possible, click here for a complete List of Ferias around Andalucia. The website is in Spanish only, but you can get Google to translate it for you.
| Alhaurin El Grande | May |
| Alhaurin de la Torre | June |
| Benhavis | October |
| Benalmadena | July |
| Coin | June |
| Estepona | July |
| Fuengirola | October |
| Istan | September |
| Malaga | August |
| Manilva | September |
| Marbella | June/October |
| Mijas | September |
| Nerja | October |
| Torremolinos | September |
More Info about Spanish Bank Holidays
Spain is a large country with 50 different provinces, grouped into 19 Autonomous Communities, each with its own capital. So for example, Andalucia is an Autonomous Community with 8 provinces, and Seville is the capital of Andalucia. After many years of living here, it’s still quite confusing, but you can read all about it here in Wikipedia.
What is a Bank Holiday “Puente”?
Some schools and businesses may take what’s called a bank holiday “puente” which means “bridge” in Spanish. It’s easiest to explain with an example: For instance, if there’s a bank holiday that falls on a Thursday, then many people will take the Friday off too. Or if there are two bank holidays, for example on a Monday and Wednesday, then many people will also take off Tuesday off. Thus, a bank holiday “bridge” is created, covering a longer period by making the business day in the middle a holiday too.
Local bank holidays that affect other areas
Some schools and shops may also close because they have been affected by a local bank holiday in an adjacent area. For example, El Corte Ingles Marbella closes when the San Pedro fair is on because their main depot is there and also because they expect less business on those days.
What Is A Feria In Spain?
The Ferias are great local events that generally run for a week with lots of entertainment for kids and adults. If you happen to be in town when one is on, it’s well worth a visit. During the day there’s lots of drinking, eating and dancing which normally takes place in the town area. Then in the evening, it’s to the “Feria Ground” where you’ll find all the fairground rides along with the Casetas (small bars) with lots of drinking and dancing.
You will find every age here, from newborns to great-grandparents. It’s truly wonderful and it’s one of the things we absolutely love about Spain. A word of advice: the Casetas do get very busy and where there’s drink, there can be trouble. Fortunately, the Ferias are really well-lit and there is always a heavy police presence , so you should be safe – but just be aware of your surroundings.
Marbella Feria
As an example of a Feria, the Marbella Feria during the day takes place in Marbella Centre where the big fountain is near Avenida Del Mar (Google Maps). There are lots of stalls, drinks, food and dancing. Local dance schools will put on shows and there will be lots of other entertainment too.
Once the evening comes, the Feria moves up to where La Cañada shopping centre is (Google Maps). It’s a brilliant Feria, well lit and pretty well organised now. You can park at La Cañada and there is a little train that transports everyone to the Feria Ground. There are often special buses too in the local areas to save people driving. Make sure you find out where your local Feria is.
Malaga Feria
The Malaga Fair is one of the most important Andalucian fairs of the summer. Its origin dates back to the 15th century. The open nature of the people of Malaga makes the Malaga Fair a cosmopolitan party, accessible to all those who want to live a unique experience. No invitation or evening dress is required, just the desire to have fun. The Malaga Feria is a week-long event. It’s divided into two distinct events, in the centre during the day (Feria de Dia – Day fair) and, at night, in the city fairground (Feria de Noche – Night fair). For more info about Malaga Feria visit this page.
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You might also like our guides to the Miramar Shopping Centre in Fuengirola and Plaza Mayor Shopping Centre in Malaga.
Come and Chat With Us
If you have more questions about Malaga bank holidays, come and chat with us in our Facebook Group The Costa Del Sol Travel Forum. We have thousands of members who are always happy to answer queries. Our Facebook page is also regularly updated with news about Malaga Airport and the Costa del Sol.
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