Barcelona - Tourist
Information - Public Holidays
Public
holidays (sometimes callled "Bank Holidays") in Barcelona
are as follows. Banks and official institutions close on these days.
The most important
from a tourist point of view are:
Saint George
(Sant Jordi), patron saint of Catalonia: On 23 April the Catalans
celebrate Saint George's day by offering a rose and/or book, and
the main shopping streets of Barcelona are filled with book stands.
Eve of Saint
John's: On the 23 June, the summer solstice is celebrated with big
bonfires, firecrackers and fireworks, and people eat the traditional
"coca de Sant Joan" (a pastry).
La Mercè
festival: This is the festival for Barcelona's patron saint, held
in the week of the 24 September, the day of La Mercè. All
kinds of activities are organized, for all tastes and all ages.
Of particular interest is the "correfoc" (fire-breathing
dragons from all over Catalonia), and the pyrotechnical music show
(fireworks and classical music next to the Montjuïc fountains).
• 1 January
- New Year's Day
• 6 January - Epiphany
• Variable - Easter
• 23 April - Saint George's Day (Patron Saint of Catalonia)
• 1 May - Labour Day
• Variable - Pentecost
• 24 June - Saint John's day
• 15 August - Assumption
• 11 September - La Diada (National Feast Day of Catalonia)
• 24 September - La Mercè Day
• 12 October - Columbus Day (Spain's National Day)
• 1 November - All Saints' Day
• 6 December - Constitution Day
• 8 December - Immaculate Conception
• 25 December - Christmas
• 26 December - Saint Stephen's Day
