|
National Holidays
in Spain
|
|
|
| |
| Jan 1st
|
Año
Nuevo (New Year's Day) |
| Jan 6th
|
Dia de los
tres Reyes (12th night, when Christmas
presents are given) |
| Mar 19th
|
San Jose (Father's
Day) |
| Variable |
Viernes Santo (Good
Friday) |
| Variable |
Dia de Pascua
(Easter Sunday) |
| May 1st
|
Dia del Trabajo
(Labour Day) |
| Jun 24th
|
San Juan (St.John's
Day) |
| Variable (mid June) |
Corpus Christi
|
| Jun 29th
|
San Pedro y San
Pablo (St.Peter & St.Paul) |
| Jul 25th
|
Santiago (St.James,
patron saint of Spain) |
| Aug 15th
|
Asuncion
(Assumption) |
| Oct 12th
|
Dia de la
Hispanidad (Columbus Day) |
| Nov 1st
|
Todos los Santos
(All Saints Day) |
| Dec 6th |
Dia de la
Constitucion (Constitution Day) |
| Dec 8th
|
Immaculada
Concepcion (Immaculate Conception) |
| Dec 25th
|
Navidad (Christmas
Day) |
|
| |
|
|
|
January
Jan
Feb Mar
Apr May
Jun Jul
Aug Sept
Oct Nov
Dec
|
| Day |
Place |
Event |
| 1st |
National |
New Year's Day |
| 2nd |
Granada |
Reconquest Festival
- celebrating the Christian conquest of the Moors in 1492 |
| 6th |
National |
Epiphany -
Three Kings Day - children receive Christmas presents and
candy. |
| 17th |
Mallorca and
mainland |
San Anton - patron
saint of domestic animals. Bonfires are lit and demon figures are
used. Also celebrated in much of the mainland with bonfires and
mounted processions. In Ciudad Real bread rolls are blessed and
cockerels auctioned off. |
| 17th |
Alicante |
Porrat de San
Anton. A traditional market selling local producs. An animal show
and the blessing of the animals in the bullring. Held in the
quarter of the city named after the saint. |
| 17th |
La Puebla, Majorca
|
St. Anthony -
bonfires, dancing and riotous events |
| 29th |
Zaragoza, Aragon
|
St.Valerus |
| 20th |
national |
San Sebastian
(Saint Stephen) |
|
|
Back to top
|
|
February
Jan
Feb Mar
Apr May
Jun Jul
Aug Sept
Oct Nov
Dec |
| |
| Day |
Place |
Event |
| 28th |
Andalucia |
Dia de Andalucia |
| 2nd-5th |
Bocairente,
Valencia |
Reenactment of
struggle between Christians and Moors - parades and fireworks,
colourful costumes |
| 11th-Mar21st |
Cadiz |
Festival de Cadiz -
Oldest festival in Spain - parades and colourful costumes |
| Various |
Madrid |
Madrid Carnival -
masked ball, fancy dress and the burrial of a sardine followed by
a concert in Plaza Mayor |
| 1st-2nd |
Antequera |
Candelaria (Night)
|
|
|
Back to top
|
|
March
Jan
Feb Mar
Apr May
Jun Jul
Aug Sept
Oct Nov
Dec |
| |
| Day |
Place |
Event |
| 31st |
Pais Vasco (Basque
Country) |
Dia de Patria Vasco |
| 3rd |
Islas Baleares |
Dia de Baleares |
| 12th-19th |
Valencia |
Fallas de Valencia
- fiesta centering around the burning of effigies of winter demons
- bullfights and fireworks |
| 12th |
Gibraltar (UK) |
Commonwealth Day |
|
|
Back to top
|
|
April
Jan
Feb Mar
Apr May
Jun Jul
Aug Sept
Oct Nov
Dec |
| |
| Day |
Place |
Event |
| 9th
- 16th |
National |
Semana Santa |
|
14th |
National |
Good Friday 2006 |
|
17th |
National |
Easter Monday 2006 |
| 27th |
Barcelona |
Virgin of
Montserrat |
| 23rd |
Catalonia |
St.George, patron
saint of Catalonia |
| 25th |
Saucejo, Seville |
St.Barbara,
patroness of miners |
| 25th |
Aragon |
San Jorge
|
| 23rd |
Castilla y Leon |
Fiesta de la
Castilla y Leon |
| 20th-25th |
Seville |
Feria de Sevilla -
all night Flamenco dancing, bullfights, dancing in the streets and
horse riding - the most celebrated event in Spain |
| Varies |
Alcoy, near
Alicante |
Moros y Christians
- battle re-enactment with circus-like atmosphere |
| 28th-April 4th
|
Seville and
National |
Holy week -
processions and floats |
| 26th-29th |
Andujar (Jaen) |
Romeria - the
oldest festival in Spain and of National interest |
| 1st |
Calatayud, Aragon
|
Sunday of San
Lazaro |
| Thursday following
Easter week |
Alicante |
Pilgrimage of the
Holy Visage. A very important and popular event when 200,000
people holding pilgrimage canes walk to the Monastery of Santa Faz
to worship at the shrine. They have picnic lunches and a large
arts and crafts market is held. |
|
|
Back to top
|
|
May
Jan
Feb Mar
Apr May
Jun Jul
Aug Sept
Oct Nov
Dec |
| |
| Day |
Place |
Event |
| 11th |
Barcelona |
Day of Sant Ponc,
patron saint of herbalists |
| 1st |
National |
Labour Day |
| 2nd |
Madrid |
Dia de Comunidad de
Madrid |
| 31st |
Castilla-La-Mancha |
Dia de Comunidad de
Castilla-La-Mancha |
| 30th |
Canarias |
Dia de Canarias |
| First two weeks |
Cordoba |
Festival de los
Patios - residents decorate their patios with cascades of flowers
and visitors wander from patio to patio |
| 12th-21st |
Madrid |
Fiesta de San
Isidro - 10 day celebration of the patron saint - parties,
parades, bullfights and dances |
| 9th-16th |
Jerez de la
Frontera |
Horse Fair -
greatest horses in the world on parade |
| 15th |
Estepona, Malaga |
San Isidro's Day |
| 2nd Sunday |
Antequera |
Romeria day |
| 1-3rd |
Alicante |
May Crosses (Cruces
de Mayo). The Santa Cruz quarter dresses with sweet smelling
crosses made from flowers. The finest win awards and dances and
games are organised. |
|
|
Back to top
|
|
June
Jan
Feb Mar
Apr May
Jun Jul
Aug Sept
Oct Nov
Dec |
| |
| Day |
Place |
Event |
| 24th |
National |
Saint John (San
Juan) see below |
| 23rd |
Catalonia |
Dia de Sant Joan |
| |
Carrion de los
Cespedes, Seville |
Corpus Christi
fiesta |
| 9th |
La Rioja |
Dia de La Rioja |
| 9th |
Murcia |
Dia de la Region |
| All |
Madrid |
Veranos de la Villa
- dancing, music and concerts, often free of charge - all summer
long |
| 6th |
National |
Corpus Christi -
big parades especially in Toledo, Malaga, Granada and Seville |
| 20th |
Alicante |
St.John's Bonfires
- bonfires through the night signal 5 days of festivities -
business in Alicante comes to a standstill |
| 24th |
National |
San Juan -
Celebrated with bonfires on the beach, lasting all night through
the night of the 23rd. At midnight everyone rushes into the sea to
symbloise the baptisms by John the Baptist. The theaory is that
you wash your feet in the sea to clense your sins. There is also
the tradition of jumping the bonfire, to burn away your sins (or
something like that). |
|
|
Back to top
|
|
July
Jan
Feb Mar
Apr May
Jun Jul
Aug Sept
Oct Nov
Dec |
| |
| Day |
Place |
Event |
| 29th |
Los Morales,
Seville |
St.Marta, local
patron saint |
| 28th |
Cantabria |
Dia de Cantabria |
| 25th |
Galicia |
Santiago Apostle |
| First weekend
|
San Lorenzo,
Galicia |
A Rapa das Bestas -
capture and branding of wild horses from the hills attracts
equestrian lovers from all over Europe |
| Early July
|
Pamplona |
Running of the
bulls - most popular event in Spain where bulls are released into
the streets - also features other events - known as Fiesta de
San Fermin |
| 22nd-25th |
Antequera |
Feria de Santiago |
| |
Benidorm |
Song Festival
|
| 13th-22nd |
LaLinea |
Annual feria week
based on Virgen del Carmen. Town's anniversary on the 20th. |
| 16th |
Estepona |
Virgen del Carmen:
Annual feast of the fishermen when the waters are blessed and the
Virgen is carried to sea in a procession. See more about it
here. |
| 14th Aprox |
Sotogrande |
Polo season begins. |
| 3rd-8th |
Estepona |
Annual feria with
large fun fair. See more about it
here. |
| 13th |
Fuengirola |
Annual feria at the
Sohail Castle. |
| 16th |
Alicante |
Virgen del Carmen:
Annual celebration when the fishing port comes alive to mark their
patron saint. Events spread to the Island of Tabarca. |
|
|
Back to top
|
|
August
Jan
Feb Mar
Apr May
Jun Jul
Aug Sept
Oct Nov
Dec |
| |
| Day |
Place |
Event |
| 15th |
National |
Assumption of the
Blessed Virgin Mary |
| Middle |
Malaga, Andalucia
|
Feria de Malaga -
10 day long fair - fireworks, horses and gallons of wine |
| Last Wednesday |
Bunol, Valencia |
La Tomatina (Battle
of the Tomatoes). Tons of fruit thrown between warring towns and
villages - followed by music and dancing |
| 18-25th
|
Antequera,
Andalucia |
Fiesta de la
Recoleccion - bullfights, shows, parties and cattle market |
| 11-15th |
Benahavis,
Andalucia |
Virgen del Rosario
- Sevillian mass and procession |
| 4-5th |
Benalauria |
Moors and
Christians - Bonfires are lit and a castle is built |
| All |
Ojen, Andalucia
|
Festival of
Flamenco singing |
| July & August |
Antequera,
Andalucia |
Flamenco |
| 16th |
Calatayud, Aragon |
San Roque |
| 27th |
Tarazona |
San Atilano |
|
|
Back to top
|
|
September
Jan
Feb Mar
Apr May
Jun Jul
Aug Sept
Oct Nov
Dec |
| |
| Day |
Place |
Event |
| 17th |
Melilla |
Dia de Malilla |
| 2nd |
Ceuta |
Dia de Ceuta |
| 11th |
Catalonia |
Dia Nacional de
Cataluna - flagwaving and demonstrations celebrating the region's
independence |
| 3rd |
Navarra |
Dia de Navarra |
| 8th |
Asturias |
Dia de Asturias |
| 8th |
Extremadura |
Dia de Extremadura |
| 24th |
Barcelona |
Festival Setmana
Cran - patron saint's day - evening mass followed by a procession
to the cathedral then finishing at the harbour |
| 8th |
Antequera |
Feria de la Patrona
Ntra.Sra. de las Virtudes |
| 5-8th |
Alicante |
Virgen del Socorro.
The Ravel quarter organises a feast in honour of its patron saint.
The fiesta includes cooking competitions, a procession, games and
dances. |
|
|
Back to top
|
|
October
Jan
Feb Mar
Apr May
Jun Jul
Aug Sept
Oct Nov
Dec |
| |
| Day |
Place |
Event |
| 9th |
Valencia |
Dia de Comunidad
Valenciana |
| 12th |
Zaragoza |
Day of El Pilar,
procession of giant figures |
| |
Zaragoza |
Samples fair |
|
|
Back to top
|
|
November
Jan
Feb Mar
Apr May
Jun Jul
Aug Sept
Oct Nov
Dec |
| |
| Day |
Place |
Event |
| 1st |
National |
All Saints Day -
relatives lay flowers on graves of the dead |
|
|
Back to top
|
|
December
Jan
Feb Mar
Apr May
Jun Jul
Aug Sept
Oct Nov
Dec |
| |
| Day |
Place |
Event |
| 25th |
National |
Christmas Day
|
| 26th |
National |
Saint Stephen
|
| 6th |
National |
Constitution Day |
| 8th |
National |
Immaculate
Conception |
| 28th |
National |
Dia de los Santos
Inocentes - similar to Fools Day which is just an excuse to
do silly things |
|