Yzabelle Bostyn
WHEN are Spain’s December bank holidays and will any shops open their doors?
December will see Spaniards enjoy two bank holidays, giving you plenty of time to put up the tree, order your presents and get into the Christmas spirit.
Known as the ‘puente de la Constitucion’, the long weekend will kick off on Wednesday December 6.
However, there is also another holiday on Friday, December 8, known as ‘El Dia de la Immaculada Concepcion’.
Most workplaces will also give employees Thursday, December 7 off so that they can enjoy an extra long weekend ahead of the Christmas festivities.
This year, all autonomous communities are adhering to the same dates for the December puente, or ‘bridge’ as it has been deemed a national holiday.
Depending on when the holiday falls, this is not always the case, so next year, some regions may not be so lucky as the holiday falls on Sunday, December 8.
Many shops will remain open for the puente, so you can still get some Christmas shopping done.
These include: El Corte Inglés, Zara, Ikea, Leroy Merlin, Decathlon, Conforama, Worten and Verdecora.
Shopping centres across the Costa del Sol will also stay open, including La Cañada in Marbella, Miramar in Fuengirola, Puerto Marina Shopping in Benalmádena and Rincón de la Victoria.
For emergency supermarket runs, Lidl will remain open throughout the long weekend.
Some branches of Dia, Carrefour and Alcampo will also open, but with reduced hours depending on the region.
However, as the opening times depend on each location and date, shoppers are advised to check the puente opening hours before setting off on their shopping trip.
Naturally, December 25 is also a holiday across the whole of Spain and it’s unlikely that any shops will open on this day.
December 26 is celebrated as St Stephen’s Day in some regions like Catalonia so while many shops will reopen, some may remain closed on Boxing Day.
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