Spain publishes official list of 2016 public holidays

Spain enjoys more public holidays than many other European nations, and they certainly make the most of them.

The Spanish government may currently be embroiled in tense discussions about how best to proceed following the most fragmented election in the country’s post-Franco history, but that hasn’t stopped officials from publishing the list of 2016’s official holidays.

Nationwide there will be eight public holidays, while each region will enjoy four additional holidays and two local ones. People living in Andalucía, therefore, can look forward to up to 13 days off this year, and maybe a few extra in the form of the famous “puentes”…

These “bridge” days – taken as holiday between a public holiday and the weekend – are a much-cherished tradition in Spain, ensuring a litany of long weekends to enjoy all throughout the year.

When Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy was elected to power in 2011 he vowed to do away with midweek public holidays, moving them all to a Monday – as in the UK – in an effort to end the “puente” practice in the vain hope that this would aid Spain’s economic recovery.

Fortunately for Spaniards and those lucky enough to live and work in Spain, this plan never came to pass, so – for 2016 at least – everybody can now look forward to planning out their “puente” days for the next 12 months.

Here are the official holiday dates and days for Spain and Andalucía in 2016:

Nationwide

January 1st: New Year’s Day (Friday)

January 6th: Dia de los Reyes Magos, Three Kings Day, Epiphany. (Wednesday)

March 25th: Good Friday

August 15th: Assumption of Mary, (Monday)

October 12th:  Spanish National Day, (Wednesday)

November 1st: All Saints’ Day (Monday)

December 6th: Constitution Day (Tuesday)

December 8th: Immaculate Conception, (Thursday).

Andalucía

February 29th: Andalucia Day (Monday)

March 24th: Maundy Thursday

May 2nd: Workers’ Day (Monday after May 1)

December 26th: St Stephen’s Day (Monday)