National and Bank holidays in Spain in 2023

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.

As always in 2023 locals and residents alike will take advantage of long weekends known as “puentes”. This is when a public holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday. Many people like to take the Monday or Friday off as well for this reason its 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 9th January – back to school
Tuesday 28th February – Dia de Andalucia (and beginning of Semana Blanca, half term)
Thursday 6th April – Easter Thursday (schools off 3rd-7th April)
Friday 7th April – Easter Friday
Sunday 1st May – Labour Day 
Wednesday 22nd June – school summer holidays start
Monday 15th August – Asuncion
Saturday 19th August – Malaga’s holiday and end of Feria
Friday 8th September – Virgen de Victoria, Malaga
Thursday 12th October – Dia de Hispanidad
Wednesday 1st November – Todos los Santos 
Wednesday 6th December – Dia de la Constitución 
Friday 8th December – Immaculate Conception
Monday 25th December – Christmas Day 

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 most 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. 

HERE you can find a very useful website where you can check all the local holidays in your area.

Enjoy!!