Living Abroad Life in Spain

Bank and public holidays in Spain: 2017-2018 guide

Wise
23.07.18 (updated more than 1 year ago)
Read time 7 minutes

Keeping track of holidays in Spain can be an undertaking. The country only has a small handful of official, nationwide public holidays, but each region of Spain has its own list of holidays it celebrates. Every city in Spain has a maximum of 13 public holidays each year, nine of which are set by the national government. Then, the city can add in regional holidays, but these tend to change each year as more regional holidays will be added if national holidays fall on the weekends. Needless to say, you’ll have to pay close attention in Spain if you want to celebrate local holidays, or if you’re worried about needing a bank on a day that they’re closed. This guide will get you started, but since there’s so much variance throughout Spain, doing your own research will be key to ensure the country’s constantly changing holiday calendar doesn’t get in the way of your plans.

National holidays in Spain

There are 13 national holidays in each city in Spain each year.

  • Spanish public holidays: 9
  • Spanish bank holidays: Varies

Celebrating Mother’s Day and Father’s Day in Spain

Unlike much of the world, Spain celebrates Mother’s Day on the first Sunday in May, rather than the second. Other than that, though, Spain’s Mother’s Day customs will probably sound familiar. Mothers, aunts, grandmothers and maternal figures are given gifts like chocolates, flowers, jewelry or clothes; young children will make crafts for their mothers. Some families go out for a celebratory meal, while others gather at home over a home-cooked lunch or dinner.

Father’s Day in Spain is celebrated on St. Joseph’s Day, March 19, a Catholic feast day that commemorates Joseph, husband of Mary. Father’s Day was considered a national holiday in Spain until recently. Even though it’s not anymore, it’s still an important holiday that many Spanish people take very seriously. Families give small gifts to their fathers and father figures, and usually celebrate with a large meal together. In Valencia, Father’s Day coincides with a large annual fiesta called Las Fallas, which includes music, dancing, street performances with large puppets and bonfires.

The most important holidays and dates in Spain

Spain’s holiday calendar is heavily influenced by the Catholic Church. Since holidays vary so much by region, the importance of holidays tends to vary as well, depending on what part of the country you’re in. Many cities and regions hold large, grand festivals for their most loved holidays. Across the board, though, you’ll see major celebrations for Easter, which is a huge deal in mostly Catholic Spain. The Assumption of Mary is also widely celebrated with fireworks and parades. Hispanic Day, or the National Day of Spain, is usually celebrated with large parades through Spain’s cities to commemorate the day Christopher Columbus landed in the New World. And Christmas, of course, is a major holiday for families, who spend the day together eating and exchanging gifts and well-wishes for the coming year.

List of public holidays in Spain for 2017

HolidayName of holiday in Spanish2017 DateBank holiday?
New Year’s DayAño Nuevo1 January, 2017Yes
New Year’s holiday (public holiday since New Year’s falls on Sunday)Año Nuevo2 January, 2017Yes
Epiphany Day or Three Kings DayEpifanía del Señor6 January, 2017Yes
Andalucía DayDía de Andalucía28 February, 2017Yes, in Adalucía
Balearic Islands DayDia de les Illes Balears1 March, 2017Yes, in Balearic Islands
St. Joseph’s DaySan José19 March, 2017Yes, in Castilla-La Mancha, Melilla, Murcia, Navarra and Valenciana
St. Joseph’s Day holidaySan José20 March, 2017Yes, in Extremadura and Madrid
Maundy ThursdayJueves Santo13 April, 2017Everywhere except Catalonia
Good FridayViernes Santo14 April, 2017Yes
Easter MondayLunes de Pascua17 April, 2017Yes, in Balearic Islands, Basque Country, Catalonia, La Rioja, Navarra and Valenciana
Castille and León Community DayDía de Castilla y León24 April, 2017Yes, in Castile and León
St. George’s Day holidaySan Jorge (Día de Aragón)24 April, 2017Yes, in Aragon
May Day or Labour DayDía del trabajador1 May, 2017Yes
Community Festival of MadridFiesta de la Comunidad de Madrid2 May, 2017Yes, in Madrid
Feast of St. IsidroSan Isidro15 May, 2017Yes, in Madrid
Galician Literature DayDía das Letras Galegas17 May, 2017Yes, in Galicia
Canary Islands DayDía de Canarias30 May, 2017Yes, in the Canary Islands
Castilla-La Mancha DayDía de la Región de Castilla La Mancha31 May, 2017Yes, in Castilla-La Mancha
La Rioja DayDía de La Rioja9 June, 2017Yes, in La Rioja
Murcia DayDía de la Región de Murcia9 June, 2017Yes, in Murcia
Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi15 June, 2017Yes, in Castilla-La Mancha
Feast of St. John the BaptistSant Joan24 June, 2017Yes, in Catalonia
St. James DaySantiago Apóstol25 July, 2017No
Day of Cantabria InstitutionsDía de las Instituciones28 July, 2017Yes, in Cantabria
The Assumption of MaryLa Asunción de la Virgen15 August, 2017Yes
Aid El KebirAid El Kebir1 September, 2017Yes, in Ceuta and Melilla
Ceuta DayDía de Ceuta2 September, 2017Yes, in Ceuta
National Day of CataloniaDiada Nacional de Catalunya11 September, 2017Yes, in Catalonia
Lady of AparecidaDía de Cantabria15 September, 2017Yes, in Cantabria
Valencian Community DayDia de la Comunitat Valenciana9 October, 2017Yes, in Valenciana
Hispanic DayFiesta Nacional de España12 October, 2017Yes
All Saints DayDía de Todos los Santos1 November, 2017Yes
Our Lady of AlmudenaNuestra Señora de Almudena9 November, 2017Yes, in Madrid
Feast of St. Francis XavierDía de Navarra3 December, 2017Yes, in Navarra
Constitution DayDía de la Constitución Española6 December, 2017Yes
Immaculate Conception DayLa Inmaculada Concepción8 December, 2017Yes
Christmas DayNavidad25 December, 2017Yes
St. Stephen’s DaySant Esteve26 December, 2017Yes, in Catalonia

List of public holidays in Spain for 2018

HolidayName of holiday in Spanish2018 DateBank holiday?
New Year’s DayAño Nuevo1 January, 2018Yes
Epiphany Day or Three Kings DayEpifanía del Señor6 January, 2018Yes
Andalucía DayDía de Andalucía28 February, 2018Yes, in Adalucía
Balearic Islands DayDia de les Illes Balears1 March, 2018Yes, in Balearic Islands
St. Joseph’s DaySan José19 March, 2018Yes, in Castilla-La Mancha, Melilla, Murcia, Navarra and Valenciana
St. Joseph’s Day holidaySan José20 March, 2018Yes, in Extremadura and Madrid
Holy ThursdayJueves Santo29 March, 2018Yes, except in the Canary Islands, Cantabria, Catalonia and Valenciana
Good FridayViernes Santo30 March, 2018Yes
Easter MondayLunes de Pascua2 April, 2018Yes, in Balearic Islands, Basque Country, Catalonia, Navarra and Valenciana
Castille and León Community DayDía de Castilla y León23 April, 2018Yes, in Castile and León
St. George’s DaySan Jorge (Día de Aragón)23 April, 2018Yes, in Aragon
May Day or Labour DayDía del trabajador1 May, 2018Yes
Community Festival of MadridFiesta de la Comunidad de Madrid2 May, 2018Yes, in Madrid
Feast of St. IsidroSan Isidro15 May, 2018Yes, in Madrid
Galician Literature DayDía das Letras Galegas17 May, 2018Yes, in Galicia
Canary Islands DayDía de Canarias30 May, 2018Yes, in the Canary Islands
Castilla-La Mancha DayDía de la Región de Castilla La Mancha31 May, 2018Yes, in Castilla-La Mancha
La Rioja DayDía de La Rioja9 June, 2018Yes, in La Rioja
Murcia DayDía de la Región de Murcia9 June, 2018Yes, in Murcia
Feast of St. AnthonyFiesta de San Anthony13 June, 2018Yes, in Ceuta
St. James DaySantiago Apóstol25 July, 2018No
Day of Cantabria InstitutionsDía de las Instituciones28 July, 2018Yes, in Cantabria
Our Lady of AfricaDía de Nuestra Señora de África or Fiestas Patronales6 August, 2018Yes, in Ceuta
The Assumption of MaryLa Asunción de la Virgen15 August, 2018Yes
Aid El KebirAid El Kebir22 August, 2018Yes, in Ceuta and Melilla
Ceuta DayDía de Ceuta2 September, 2018Yes, in Ceuta
National Day of CataloniaDiada Nacional de Catalunya11 September, 2018Yes, in Catalonia
Lady of AparecidaDía de Cantabria15 September, 2018Yes, in Cantabria
Day of MelillaDía de Melilla17 September, 2018Yes, in Melilla
Valencian Community DayDia de la Comunitat Valenciana9 October, 2018Yes, in Valenciana
Hispanic DayFiesta Nacional de España12 October, 2018Yes
All Saints DayDía de Todos los Santos1 November, 2018Yes
Our Lady of AlmudenaNuestra Señora de Almudena9 November, 2018Yes, in Madrid
Feast of St. Francis XavierDía de Navarra3 December, 2018Yes, in Navarra
Constitution DayDía de la Constitución Española6 December, 2018Yes
Immaculate Conception DayLa Inmaculada Concepción8 December, 2018Yes
Christmas DayNavidad25 December, 2018Yes

List of public holidays in Spain for 2019

HolidayName of holiday in Spanish2019 DateBank holiday?
New Year’s DayAño Nuevo1 January, 2019Yes
Epiphany Day or Three Kings DayEpifanía del Señor6 January, 2019Yes
Andalucía DayDía de Andalucía28 February, 2019Yes, in Adalucía
Balearic Islands DayDia de les Illes Balears1 March, 2019Yes, in Balearic Islands
St. Joseph’s DaySan José19 March, 2019Yes, in Murcia and Valenciana
Feast of San Vicente FerrerSan Vicente Ferrer4 April, 2019Yes, in Andalucía and Valenciana
Maundy ThursdayJueves Santo18 April, 2019Everywhere except Catalonia
Good FridayViernes Santo14 April, 2019Yes
Easter MondayLunes de Pascua19 April, 2019Yes, in Balearic Islands, Basque Country, Catalonia, La Rioja, Navarra and Valenciana
Castille and León Community DayDía de Castilla y León23 April, 2019Yes, in Castile and León
St. George’s Day holidaySan Jorge (Día de Aragón)23 April, 2019Yes, in Aragon
May Day or Labour DayDía del trabajador1 May, 2019Yes
Community Festival of MadridFiesta de la Comunidad de Madrid2 May, 2019Yes, in Madrid
Feast of St. IsidroSan Isidro15 May, 2019Yes, in Madrid
Galician Literature DayDía das Letras Galegas17 May, 2019Yes, in Galicia
Canary Islands DayDía de Canarias30 May, 2019Yes, in the Canary Islands
Castilla-La Mancha DayDía de la Región de Castilla La Mancha31 May, 2019Yes, in Castilla-La Mancha
La Rioja DayDía de La Rioja9 June, 2019Yes, in La Rioja
Murcia DayDía de la Región de Murcia9 June, 2019Yes, in Murcia
Whit Monday or Pentecost MondayLunes de Pentecostés10 June, 2019Yes, in Catalonia
Feast of St. AnthonyFiesta de San Anthony13 June, 2019Yes, in Ceuta
Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi20 June, 2019Yes, in Castilla-La Mancha
Feast of St. John the BaptistSant Joan24 June, 2019Yes, in Catalonia and Galicia
St. James DaySantiago Apóstol25 July, 2019No
Day of Cantabria InstitutionsDía de las Instituciones28 July, 2019Yes, in Cantabria
Our Lady of AfricaDía de Nuestra Señora de África or Fiestas Patronales5 August, 2019Yes, in Ceuta
Aid El KebirAid El Kebir12 August, 2019Yes, in Ceuta and Melilla
The Assumption of MaryLa Asunción de la Virgen15 August, 2019Yes
Ceuta DayDía de Ceuta2 September, 2019Yes, in Ceuta
National Day of CataloniaDiada Nacional de Catalunya11 September, 2019Yes, in Catalonia
Lady of AparecidaDía de Cantabria15 September, 2019Yes, in Cantabria
Day of MelillaDía de Melilla17 September, 2019Yes, in Melilla
Valencian Community DayDia de la Comunitat Valenciana9 October, 2019Yes, in Valenciana
Hispanic DayFiesta Nacional de España12 October, 2019Yes
All Saints DayDía de Todos los Santos1 November, 2019Yes
Feast of St. Francis XavierDía de Navarra3 December, 2019Yes, in Navarra
Constitution DayDía de la Constitución Española6 December, 2019Yes
Immaculate Conception DayLa Inmaculada Concepción8 December, 2019Yes
Christmas DayNavidad25 December, 2019Yes

Sending money home for the holidays in Spain?

If you’re planning to send money home for the holidays in Spain, skip banks altogether and try Wise, which will allow you to move money as quickly as possible for as little as possible. Wise moves money between local accounts, meaning never crosses borders, and you don’t pay any international or intermediary fees. Wise uses the actual exchange rate, like you’d see on Google, without any hidden fees or markups. All you pay is a small transfer fee that’s spelled out upfront. It’s easy, fast and secure.

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Try Wise today and see how easy sending money internationally can really be.

Keeping track of all of Spain’s regional holidays can be tricky, but hopefully now you’re prepared to navigate one of the fullest holiday calendars there is. Happy holidays!

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