Traditional holidays in Spain

Holy Week in Seville is one of the most powerful cultural events in Spain. Semana Santa here isn’t just a religious celebration; it’s part theatre, part neighbourhood ritual, part endurance test.

In Spain, Easter is one of the most significant events of the year, with the biggest celebrations taking place during Holy Week — known locally as Semana Santa. But what exactly happens during Semana Santa in Spain?

Easter in Madrid 2026 boasts more than 30 official processions moving through the capital. The city’s Semana Santa is noticeably more restrained than in Seville or Málaga.

Easter in Spain isn’t about pastel-coloured eggs and chocolate bunnies.

Every March, Valencia shifts into a different rhythm as Las Fallas takes over the streets with towering sculptures and thunderous fireworks for nearly three weeks.

Las Fallas 2026 in Valencia will once again transform the city into an open‑air museum of fire, art and tradition from 1 to 19 March 2026, with the main events taking place between 15 and 19 March.

Holy Week is one of the most important periods in Spain’s calendar, drawing thousands to its religious processions, public holidays and family gatherings.

Every year on 28th February, Andalusia celebrates its official regional holiday: Andalusia Day, or Día de Andalucía.

Spain is home to countless colourful traditions, but few are as curious—and theatrical—as the Burial of the Sardine.

Love is in the air as 14th February 2026 approaches. But does Spain celebrate Valentine’s Day? The answer is yes!

If winter’s dragging on and you need something colourful to aim for, Las Palmas Carnival 2026 is the big one in the Canary Islands calendar.

If you’ve ever been curious about why people get so misty‑eyed talking about Carnival in Cádiz, 2026 is a good year to understand it properly. This isn’t a glossy parade-first carnival like Tenerife.

Carnival in Spain 2026 promises a spectacular celebration full of colour, music, and festive traditions. Across the country, cities and towns come alive with parades, street parties, and cultural events.

Spain’s public holiday system isn’t just about national dates like Christmas or Constitution Day. Each autonomous community also sets its own regional public holiday, or festivos, and every city chooses two local holidays on top.

Spain’s holidays in 2026 give you plenty of chances to organise your calendar, plan trips and enjoy long weekends.

If there’s one Spanish tradition that gets absolutely everyone talking in December, it’s the Spanish Christmas Lottery, Lotería de Navidad, better known as El Gordo.

How is Christmas celebrated in Spain? Spanish Christmas traditions are full of colour, culture, and quirky customs. From unique decorations to festive foods and New Year rituals, Spain’s celebrations are both traditional and delightfully unusual.

Bérchules, tucked into the Alpujarra, is a Spanish town that celebrates New Year’s Eve in summer.

New Year’s Eve traditions in Spain feel both homely and theatrical, with families glued to the same clock and strangers hugging in the street two minutes later. What is the Spanish tradition for New Year’s Eve?How to eat the 12 grapes at midnightWhy Spain eats 12 grapes on New Year’s EveWhere t

Spain’s festive season doesn’t end on Christmas Day.

Christmas in Spain is a long, food‑centred season running from Nochebuena through Christmas Day to Reyes. Families linger over traditional Christmas food in Spain with long lunches and generous starters, roasts and shellfish.

The Christmas lights in Vigo 2025 are a full‑blown national talking point, the kind people travel for just to see the city glow. A lot of that fame rests on the mayor's showman streak, turning the switch‑on into a headline moment.

Barcelona’s planning a full-on glow this year for its Christmas lights display.

Madrid is going big with its Christmas lights display for 2025.

Spain does the festive season properly, with big city switch‑ons in late November and early December, light‑and‑sound shows on iconic streets, projection mapping on landmark buildings and sweet, low‑key neighbourhood displays. Where to see the best Christmas lights in Spain 2025 Málaga Chr