Spain Public Holidays 2026: National, Regional and Local Dates for Expats

Planning life in Spain gets a lot easier once you know when everything stops. In 2026, Spain’s official work calendar combines nationwide bank holidays, powerful regional fiestas and a handful of local days chosen by each town hall. For expats, that mix affects when you can deal with paperwork, see a doctor on the public system, or simply escape for a long weekend.

This guide walks through the main Spain public holidays in 2026, the biggest long weekends, and the regional dates most likely to impact expats, especially in Madrid and popular coastal regions.

Spain public holidays 2026 at a glance

National public holidays in Spain 2026

The official work calendar sets out a core list of national‑level holidays that apply across Spain, although some can be moved to a Monday or swapped by each region. These are the main dates most expats will notice wherever they live.

• January 1 (Thursday): New Year’s Day (Año Nuevo) – The year starts with a full shutdown: banks, government offices and most shops close, especially outside big cities.
• January 6 (Tuesday): Epiphany (Día de Reyes) – The end of the Christmas season and the main gift‑giving day for Spanish families, after the Three Kings parades on 5 January.
• April 3 (Friday): Good Friday (Viernes Santo) – The central day of Semana Santa, with processions and closures nationwide and very limited public admin services.
• May 1 (Friday): Labour Day (Día del Trabajador) – A classic May bank holiday with demonstrations in larger cities and a guaranteed day off for most employees.
• August 15 (Saturday): Assumption of Mary (Asunción de la Virgen) – Right in the middle of Spain’s traditional summer holiday period; many small businesses close for the whole week.
• November 1 (Sunday): All Saints’ Day (Día de Todos los Santos) – Families visit cemeteries and remember loved ones. In 2026 the paid day off is shifted to Monday 2 November in many regions, creating a long weekend.
• December 8 (Tuesday): Immaculate Conception (Inmaculada Concepción) – A key religious holiday that also kicks off the Christmas run‑up.
• December 25 (Friday): Christmas Day (Navidad) – Family time, religious services and virtually all non‑essential services closed.

On top of these, regions decide how to place some holidays on the calendar (for example, moving All Saints’ or Constitution Day to a Monday), and every municipality adds two local festivos, which is why your exact calendar in Madrid, Málaga or Valencia will never be identical.

Important regional holidays expats notice

Spain’s 17 autonomous communities add their own public holidays to the national base, often tied to regional identity or patron saints. These are some of the most relevant regional holidays in 2026 for expats.

Andalusia, Ceuta and Melilla

• February 28 (Saturday): Andalusia Day (Día de Andalucía) – Celebrates the 1980 autonomy referendum; schools, government offices and many shops close across Andalusia.
• August 5 (Wednesday): Our Lady of Africa (Ceuta) – A major local religious festival; expect closures in Ceuta and associated events.
• September 17 (Thursday): Melilla Day – Civic celebrations and a public holiday in Melilla.

Madrid and central Spain

• May 2 (Saturday): Community of Madrid Day (Fiesta de la Comunidad de Madrid) – Marks the 1808 uprising against Napoleon; in the Madrid region most offices and many shops close, and central areas host official events.
• April 23 (Thursday): Castile and León Day – Regional holiday in Castile and León, often paired with local cultural events.
• May 31 (Sunday): Castile‑La Mancha Day – Public holiday in Castile‑La Mancha, especially relevant for expats around Toledo, Cuenca and Albacete.

Catalonia, Valencia and the east coast

• April 6 (Monday): Easter Monday (Lunes de Pascua) – Public holiday in Catalonia and parts of Valencia, extending the Easter weekend for many families.
• June 24 (Wednesday): Sant Joan / St John’s Day – A public holiday in Catalonia and some other areas, known for bonfires and beach parties the night before.
• September 11 (Friday): National Day of Catalonia (Diada) – A politically symbolic day in Catalonia with demonstrations and closures.
• October 9 (Friday): Day of the Valencian Community – Regional holiday in Valencia, often combined with a long weekend if people take extra time off.

North and islands

• March 1 (Sunday): Balearic Islands Day – Public holiday in the Balearic Islands, relevant if you live in Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza or Formentera.
• May 30 (Saturday): Canary Islands Day – Big public holiday in the Canary Islands, with events, parades and closures.
• July 25 (Saturday): St James’ Day (Santiago Apóstol) – Patron of Galicia and important in other northern regions, with particular impact around Santiago de Compostela.
• September 8 (Tuesday): Day of Asturias & Day of Extremadura – Both regions celebrate on the same day, closing regional public offices and many local businesses.

Non‑working days in Madrid 2026

If you live in the Madrid region, you need to factor in both the national calendar and Madrid‑specific holidays when planning residency paperwork, driving licence exchanges or tax appointments.

• 2 May (Saturday): Community of Madrid Day – Regional public holiday; most regional government offices and many shops close, especially in the centre.
• Holy Week in Madrid: Good Friday is always a public holiday, and many people take extra days off around it even though Maundy Thursday is not a holiday everywhere.
• December puente: Madrid usually observes both the December Constitution and Immaculate Conception holidays, so early December is a bad time to schedule urgent admin.

For exact non‑working days in Madrid city (including the two local festivos set by the ayuntamiento), always check the official 2026 calendar before booking important appointments.

2026 long weekends and “puentes” to plan around

Because many 2026 holidays fall on Thursdays, Fridays or Mondays, there are several natural opportunities to create long weekends. Spaniards call these puentes, and they have a big impact on travel prices and how easy it is to get admin done.

• New Year: With New Year’s Day on Thursday 1 January, some people will take Friday off to create a four‑day weekend from Thursday to Sunday.
• Semana Santa (Holy Week): In many regions, Maundy Thursday on 2 April plus Good Friday on 3 April creates a four‑day break from Thursday to Sunday.
• May 1–3: Labour Day on Friday delivers a straightforward three‑day weekend nationwide.
• October 10–12: With National Day on Monday 12 October (in regions that treat it as a day off), many workers will bridge from Saturday through Monday.
• All Saints’: Where the day off is moved to Monday 2 November, All Saints’ turns into another three‑day weekend.
• Early December: In regions that observe Constitution Day on Monday 7 December and Immaculate Conception on Tuesday 8 December, taking an extra day can create a four‑ or five‑day break.
• Christmas: Christmas Day on Friday 25 December gives another simple three‑day weekend from Friday to Sunday.

Flights, trains and hotels tend to be more expensive and busier around these dates, while immigration offices, traffic authorities (DGT), town halls and health centres often run reduced hours or close entirely.

What Spain’s 2026 holidays mean for expats

For expats living in Spain, the 2026 holiday calendar is about more than when the shops shut. It affects when you can sort visas, residencia, padrón appointments, tax paperwork and even elective medical care.

• Avoid admin near big holidays: Try not to book NIE/TIE, extranjería, DGT, tax or town‑hall appointments on Mondays or Fridays around major holidays; slots are scarcer and queues longer.
• Expect crowds and higher prices: Book trains, flights and hotels early for Easter, May Day, October’s puente and the December bank‑holiday cluster if you plan to travel.
• Check your local festivos: Each town hall sets two additional local holidays, so even when the national calendar looks normal, your local offices or schools may still be closed.

Public vs private healthcare on holidays

During public holidays and long weekends, Spain’s public health system runs on reduced staffing, with many routine services paused. Emergency care remains available, but waiting times can be longer and some clinics close completely on regional and local festivos.

With Sanitas private medical insurance, expats can access a wide network of private hospitals and clinics year‑round, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays, depending on the plan. That can make a real difference if a child falls ill over Easter, you need quick tests during a puente, or you simply want shorter waiting times.

Use Spain’s 2026 holiday calendar to plan your travel, admin and healthcare so life here runs more smoothly.