Festivity calendar

In Spain, there are public holidays that you simply can’t not know about. In addition to Christmas and ‘Semana Santa’ (Easter/Holy Week) celebrations, there’s also the 12th of October (‘Día de la Hispanidad’, Spain’s national day), the 1st of November (All Saints’ Day), the 6th of December (Celebration of the Spanish Constitution) and the 8th of December (Feast of the Immaculate Conception). The 7th of December is usually declared a holiday and we call this collective holiday period the ‘Puente de la Constitución’. 

In terms of Spanish Christmas celebrations, there are several key dates: 

- The eves of the 24th of December (which we call ‘Nochebuena’) and the 31st of December (‘Nochevieja’) are when we celebrate with a large meal with the whole family; for us, these are the two most important nights of the year.

- The 25th of December and the 1st of January are national holidays as in other countries. 

- The celebration of the 6th of January (‘Día de los Reyes Magos’ or ‘Epiphany/Three Kings’ Day) means that the Christmas period is usually extended a week more than in the rest of the world. 

In Madrid proper, in particular, there are two more public holidays: 

San Isidro (15th of May) is the patronal feast in honour of Isidore the Labourer. Festivities include religious pilgrimages, street parties, attractions and a range of traditional performances typical of Madrid culture. Visit the neighbourhood of San Isidro in Carabanchel, with its centre focused around the famous Pradera de San Isidro.

In summer, there’s also the Verbena de la Paloma (15th of August), which features a traditional chotis dance, typical of Madrid, and which is celebrated with popular folklore in Paja square, Toledo street, Visitillas square and in the streets surrounding the parish church of the Virgin of the Paloma. 

- Pride Celebrations (last week of June) take place in the Chueca district and are a major festive occasion for the LGBTI community.

• In Getafe, weeklong local celebrations are held from the 17th of June, focused around the Cerro de los Ángeles (geographical centre of the peninsula); it’s a great place to spend the day. There is a hermitage on the hill from where a pilgrimage is made during Getafe’s festivities. Participants carry a wooden carving depicting the Virgin Mary from the hermitage to the Cathedral in the centre of the city. 
• In Leganés, festivities celebrating San Nicasio and Nuestra Señora de Butarque take place during the second week of August. It’s a great time to visit the town and enjoy concerts, bulls, fun fairs, fireworks, sporting events and an endless array of activities as part of its extensive programme. What’s more, during this week, ‘peñas’ (groups specialised in a particular aspect of festivities) hold their own activities such as musical parades and competitions where participants try to break watermelons with their heads.