National and Bank holidays in Spain in 2022

In Spain, each year there are 14 bank holidays (dias festivos), made up of 10 National holidays (of which two can be substituted by the region), 2 regional holidays and 2 local municipal holidays.

2022 will be a good year for long weekends and “puentes” – when a public holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday many people take the Monday or Friday off as well – known as a ‘puente’ (bridge).

Here’s the list of the official Bank Holiday dates for your diary for 2022:

Saturday 1st  January – New Year’s Day
Thursday 6th January – Reyes/Three Kings
Monday 10th January – back to school
Monday 28th February – Dia de Andalucia (and beginning of Semana Blanca, half term)
Thursday 14th April – Easter Thursday (schools off 11th-15th April)
Friday 15th April – Easter Friday
Sunday 1st May – Labour Day – moved to Monday 2nd May
Wednesday 22nd June – school summer holidays start
Monday 15th August – Asuncion
Friday 19th August – Malaga’s holiday and end of Feria
Thursday 8th September – Virgen de Victoria, Malaga
Wednesday 12th October – Dia de Hispanidad
Tuesday 1st November – Todos los Santos 
Tuesday 6th December – Dia de la Constitución 
Thursday 8th December – Immaculate Conception
Sunday 25th December – Christmas Day (Monday 26th will be a national holiday)

If the holiday falls on a Sunday it will (almost certainly) move to the Monday, meaning shops, offices and banks will be closed, except small family run shops, petrol stations and some outlets in towns declared of special tourist importance. All bars, cafes and restaurants will be open and public transport will run a Sunday service. 

Nowhere parties quite like Spain and as well as official holidays, there are week-long fairs (ferias) celebrated across every region of Andalucía, incorporating horse fairs, flower fairs, sherry fairs, wine fairs, fire festivals and full-on carnivals. The Visit Andalucía website has a great summary of all the fun of the fair here.

Check your local council websites and information sources for the dates of your local or municipal ‘ferias’, traditionally held on the days of the patron saints of the town. 

Enjoy!!