Early December can reshape work and travel plans across Spain, with closures and altered schedules felt nationwide for the December bank holiday weekend. The exact shape of the break depends on how the calendar falls and on regional rules, creating one of winter’s most anticipated long weekends.
December puente in Spain: key dates and how it works
Spain’s December puente, or long weekend, centres on two national public holidays. Constitution Day and the Immaculate Conception. When these dates fall close to a weekend, many people take 7th December as a bridging day, creating an extended break. The precise configuration each year depends on how the days fall and the observance set in each autonomous community’s official 2025 working calendar.
Constitution Day
Constitution Day, on 6th December, marks the anniversary of Spain’s 1978 Constitution, approved by referendum during the transition to democracy. The day is anchored by an institutional ceremony at the Congress of Deputies in Madrid, often featuring speeches by state authorities. As a national public holiday, it brings closures across government services and many workplaces.
Immaculate Conception Day
Immaculate Conception Day, on 8th December, is a Catholic solemnity honouring the belief that Mary was conceived without original sin. Across Spain, it is observed with Masses, processions and floral offerings, and in some cities it includes distinct local traditions, such as special choral services and dances in cathedrals. The date often coincides with the launch of Christmas lights, seasonal markets and cultural programming, shaping the holiday atmosphere that frames the December puente.
What opens and closes during the December puente
Banks, government offices and schools close on 6th and 8th December, and many workplaces either reduce hours or close on 7th December, even when it is a working day.
Retail trading rules vary by region, so large stores may close while shops in authorised tourist zones and many supermarkets open with reduced hours. Hospitality tends to operate as normal, though smaller venues may adjust schedules.
Museums and cultural sites often open with special timetables, and some apply a rest day on the following Monday. Public transport runs to holiday or weekend schedules across the puente, with demand peaking on travel days.
Regional variations and planning across Spain
National holidays sit alongside regional and municipal observances, so the length of the break and the pattern of closures can differ between communities such as Madrid, Catalonia, Andalusia, Valencia and the Basque Country.
City-level events, such as Madrid's Día de la Amudena, and local festivos can also shape the early winter period, particularly where November dates like All Saints’ Day and municipal patronal feasts anchor school and work calendars.
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