Madrid & Spain Public Holidays
Spain's
national feast days are the same every year, although national public
holidays may change according to whether the feast day falls on a Sunday or not. Also,
each Autonomous Community may also choose either Father's Day (March 19th) or Easter
Thursday as a public holiday, as well as celebrating one "Community Day", which
the Autonomous Community of Madrid celebrates on the 2nd of May.
Furthermore, each town or
city has its own feast days to commemorate its patron Saints. In the city of Madrid these
are 15th May (San Isidro) and 9th November (Almudena), although the holidays may be
changed if these dates fall on a Sunday. Note that Easter is a "movable" feast,
celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the Spring equinox of
March 21st.
Therefore, Spanish public holidays for 2011 in the city of
Madrid are as follows. (Also, see Fiestas)
- January 1 -
New Year's Day (Año
Nuevo, national
holiday)
- January 6 - Epiphany (Epifanía del Señor, national)
- Easter: Easter Thursday (Madrid and others) and Easter Friday (national)
- [for 2011, these Easter holidays are the
21st & 22nd of April]
- May 1 - Labour Day (Fiesta del Trabajo, national. Falls on a Sunday in 2011)
- May 2 - Community Day (Fiesta de la Communidad, Madrid community only)
- May 15 -
San Isidro (Madrid capital only. Falls on a Sunday in 2011)
- June 23 - Corpus Cristi (Madrid community & some others)
- July 25 - Santiago (Madrid community & some others)
- August 15 - Feast of the Assumption (Asunción de la Virgen, national - in Madrid called
Virgen de la
Paloma)
- September 9 - Santa Maria de la Cabeza (Wife of San Isidro, Madrid capital only)
- October 12 - Spain's National Day (Fiesta Nacional de España, national - also called Día de la
Hispanidad)
- November 1 - All Saints Day (national)
- November 9 - Almudena (Madrid's female patron saint - Madrid capital only)
- December 6 - Constitution Day (Día de la Constitución Española
- December 8 - Feast of the Immaculate Conception (La Inmaculada Concepción, national)
- December 25 -
Christmas Day (Natividad del Señor, national)
On public holidays, all shops and banks are
closed. Taxis will add a small surcharge to the fare on these dates. If the public holiday
falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, you will find many Spaniards talking about "doing a
bridge" (haciendo puente). This involves taking the Monday or Friday off as
well in order to enjoy a 4-day long break.
Click here for a fuller list of fiestas, concerts, events and religious processions
Please use the
links to the left to find out all you need to know for your visit to Madrid.
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