Spanish festivals

If you’re weighing up the best place in Spain for New Year’s Eve, picture late dinners, twelve grapes on the Campanadas at midnight, a cava toast and, later, chocolate con churros.

Many bank holidays in Spain can be hard to keep track of, due to variations in holiday calendars across the country. Public holidays in Spain often depend on the region and, in many cases, the city itself.

Halloween in Spain is a two‑speed affair. You have a lively night of costumes and club nights on 31st October, followed by the quiet, reflective rhythm of Todos los Santos on 1st November.

In September, the city of Barcelona throws its biggest party of the year, La Mercè. It’s the local festa major, or main festival, and is essentially a massive, city-wide send-off to summer.

September in Spain has a special feel to it. As the intense heat of summer begins to fade and the crowds start to thin, the country comes alive with some of its most interesting celebrations.

Spain's calendar is peppered with public holidays, known locally as festivos. Many of these days off are rooted in the country's Catholic traditions, often marking feast days for various saints or other important religious events.

Málaga is often seen simply as the gateway to the Costa del Sol, but the city has a character all its own. It's a place with some serious historical weight, where you can trace the steps of Roman and Moorish civilisations through the old town's streets.

Looking for something a little out of the ordinary to pep up your Spanish summer? The Fiesta de Santa Marta de Ribarteme in As Neves is about as left-field as festivals get.

When it comes to festivals, Spain plays in a league of its own. We're talking about some wonderfully wacky traditions, many of which have been celebrated for centuries.

This bonkers festival in Valencia comprises truckloads of tomatoes and people willing to paint the town red. Literally.

Every July, Pamplona in northern Spain bursts to life with the riotous Festival of San Fermín. It's a whirlwind of music, dance, street parties, and something you just don’t see every day: the famous running of the bulls.

As summer approaches, there's a night in Spain that stands out for its sheer energy and sense of togetherness – Noche de San Juan, or Saint John's Eve. It’s the sort of celebration that brings everyone outdoors, ready for a bit of fun and mischief as the days grow warmer.

Barcelona doesn’t do anything by halves, and the San Juan Festival, or Nit de Sant Joan, is a great example of this. This celebration is the city’s answer to the ultimate summer street party.

Alicante comes alive in late June thanks to the San Juan Festival, or Hogueras de San Juan. The event is as much a local rite of passage as it is a visitor spectacle.

Spain’s Pride celebrations are a riot of colour and inclusivity, popping up across the country from May to November (and sometimes beyond). Imagine massive parades in Madrid and Barcelona, plus the unique buzz of smaller, coastal Prides.

Madrid throws one of the biggest, boldest, and most brilliant Pride parties in the world, and 2025 is shaping up to be no different. Think vibrant parades, pumping parties, and a city buzzing with energy.

Corpus Christi is a big deal in Granada, a proper knees-up that blends religious tradition with a lively, colourful street party.

Every year in late June, locals and travellers descend on the small town of Haro, ready to trade in their clean white shirts for a purple-drenched experience.

It's a public holiday in Madrid on 1st and 2nd May, which means a long weekend of festivities and events. 1st May is Labour Day, like in much of the world, while 2nd May is a holiday exclusive to Madrid, celebrating the Fiestas del 2 de Mayo.

The Patios de Cordoba, or Cordoba's Courtyards Festival, is a colourful celebration held during the first and second week of May. During this festival, residents adorn their courtyards with flowers, transforming them into beautiful displays.

Madrid comes alive every year with the celebration of its grandest annual festival on 15th May.

Steeped in centuries of tradition and bursting with Andalusian flair, La Feria de Abril—also known as the Seville Fair—is one of Spain’s most vibrant cultural events.

Semana Santa is upon us again, and the Easter holidays are one of the most important festivals in Spain, celebrated this year from 13th-20th April 2025.

One of Spain's most romantic festivals takes place in Barcelona on 23 April. This special day honours Catalonia's patron saint, Sant Jordi, known to many as Saint George. It also coincides with World Book Day.

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?