Traditional holidays in Spain

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

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.

Early December can reshape work and travel plans across Spain, with closures and altered schedules felt nationwide for the December bank holiday weekend.

Spain’s festive travel season is shaping up to be busy again, led by short city breaks, family visits, and a strong winter-sun pull to the Canary Islands. Jetcost survey data suggests 71% of Spaniards plan at least one Christmas-season trip, with an average spend of around €803 per person.

Halloween in Spain has become increasingly popular over the years, evolving from a largely imported holiday into a celebration with its own unique Spanish twist. From traditional Celtic-inspired rituals to modern urban festivities, Halloween in Spain now combines history, culture, and fun.

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.

Valencia is preparing for 9th October, the region’s annual day that reshapes streets and squares with ceremony and celebration. What is 9th October, Valencia DayIs 9th October a holiday in Spain? Traditions on 9th October: the Senyera and La Mocadorà9th October Valencia Day 2025 programme

October turns Madrid into a vibrant stage where culture, leisure and food converge to create unique experiences. As autumn begins, the city comes alive with events ranging from music and art festivals to food tours and outdoor activities – perfect for enjoying the cooler days and lively nights.

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.

As the 2025–2026 school year approaches, some regions in Spain have already started confirming their term dates.