Festes

If you’re planning a holiday, short break or business trip to Barcelona this year it could be useful to check your proposed dates against the above list of official public holidays.

You may want to avoid these dates, or, conversely, you may want to coincide your visit with a local holiday.

KEY:

(E) = Official public holidays across Spain.

(A) = Official public holidays in Catalunya.

(L) = Official public holidays local to Barcelona.

GAINS

We’ll get 14 public holidays in 2016. We’ve gained 1 NEW public holiday in Barcelona — Friday, February 12th — Santa Eulàlia.

This new holiday was nominated by the current mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau. Santa Eulàlia is the other patron saint of Barcelona and is celebrated every year with a festival which takes place in Sant Roc, the area of Barri Gotic between the Cathedral and Les Rambles. The focus of the Santa Eulàlia festival is on children as Santa Eulàlia was only 13 years old when martyred by Romans.

Sant Roc also has its own festa major in August (13th—16th) which takes place in and around Plaça Nova in front of the Cathedral.

…& LOSSES

Though we’ve gained one new holiday we’ve lost TWO public holidays this year — May 1st (Workers’ Day) and September 11th (La Diada or National Day), both of which fall on a Sunday this year. Unlike other countries, such as the UK, if a public holiday falls on a weekend it’s too bad — we lose the day — we do not get the following Monday as a holiday.

HIGH DAYS not HOLIDAYS

Other dates that you might want to consider when planning your visit which are NOT listed above include:

• MARCH 3rd, Thursday — Sant Medir.
• APRIL 23rd, Saturday — Sant Jordi (St. George’s Day).

Enjoy your visit to Barcelona