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Cultural

Semana Santa in Spain 2027: dates, Málaga processions and tips

Holy Week 2027 runs from 21 to 28 March. Key dates, public holidays, how the Málaga processions work and tips for watching them.

Jenny Larson

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Updated: October 2026

Semana Santa (Holy Week) is one of the biggest events of the Spanish year, especially in Andalusia. If you have just moved here, it helps to know when it falls, which days are public holidays and how to enjoy the processions without getting stuck in the crowds. This guide covers the 2027 dates, the Málaga processions in detail and the other cities worth knowing about.

Semana Santa 2027 dates

Easter moves every year. In 2027, Easter Sunday is 28 March, so Holy Week runs from Palm Sunday on 21 March to Easter Sunday on 28 March. (For comparison, Easter Sunday in 2026 was 5 April.)

DayDate 2027Holiday status
Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramos)21 MarchSunday
Holy Monday to Wednesday22–24 MarchNormal working days
Maundy Thursday (Jueves Santo)25 MarchPublic holiday in most regions; not usually in Catalonia or the Valencian Community
Good Friday (Viernes Santo)26 MarchNational public holiday
Holy Saturday27 MarchSaturday
Easter Sunday (Domingo de Resurrección)28 MarchSunday
Easter Monday (Lunes de Pascua)29 MarchHoliday only in some regions, such as Catalonia, the Valencian Community, the Basque Country and the Balearic Islands

Andalusia has already approved both Maundy Thursday and Good Friday as holidays for 2027, and the Basque Country has approved Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Monday. Each region publishes its own calendar, so check yours before booking time off. School holidays around Easter are also set regionally.

What happens during Holy Week

The processions are organised by religious brotherhoods called cofradías or hermandades. Each one leaves its church, walks a set route through the streets and returns, sometimes many hours later. Most carry two floats: one with a scene of Christ’s Passion and one with the Virgin Mary under a canopy.

  • Nazarenos: robed penitents, often in pointed hoods, walking ahead of the floats with candles or crosses. The hoods are religious and have nothing to do with their use elsewhere in the world.
  • Pasos and tronos: the floats. In Seville they are carried from underneath by costaleros; in Málaga the bigger tronos are carried on long poles by hombres de trono.
  • Saetas: short, unaccompanied flamenco-style songs sung from a balcony as a float stops. The street goes silent while they are sung.
  • Bands: brass bands and drums play processional marches behind the floats.

Semana Santa in Málaga

Málaga’s Holy Week is declared of international tourist interest and is known for its huge, ornate tronos, some needing well over a hundred bearers. Processions run every day from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, and most pass through the official route (recorrido oficial) in the city centre, including the Alameda Principal, Calle Larios and Plaza de la Constitución, where paid seating is set up.

Highlights not to miss

  • Holy Monday – El Cautivo: the procession from the Trinidad neighbourhood draws some of the biggest crowds of the week and returns home in the early hours.
  • Holy Wednesday – El Rico: by long tradition, this brotherhood asks for the release of a prisoner, who then walks with the procession.
  • Maundy Thursday – the Legion: in the morning, soldiers of the Spanish Legion arrive at the port and carry the Cristo de la Buena Muerte (Mena brotherhood) through the streets, singing their anthem. The evening procession is one of the most watched.
  • Easter Sunday: the week closes with the Resurrection procession, a more joyful end after the solemn Good Friday.

Practical tips for Málaga

  1. Download the daily itineraries and timetables published by the Agrupación de Cofradías and local media before you go out.
  2. Watch a float leave or return to its church in the neighbourhood. It is often more moving, and less crowded, than the official route.
  3. Never cut through a procession. Wait for a gap or use the marked crossing points.
  4. Expect road closures and diverted buses in the centre all week, and book accommodation and restaurants early.
  5. Bring water and comfortable shoes, and agree a meeting point if you are with children.

Other cities with famous processions

  • Seville: dozens of brotherhoods and the famous Madrugá, the night between Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, when La Macarena and Jesús del Gran Poder go out.
  • Granada: processions against the backdrop of the Alhambra, including those climbing through the Albaicín and Sacromonte.
  • Valladolid: known for its life-size polychrome wooden sculptures from the 16th and 17th centuries.
  • Zamora: austere, silent night processions with a medieval feel.
  • Cartagena and Lorca (Murcia): very theatrical processions with biblical costumes, horses and chariots.

Food and customs during Holy Week

Many families avoid meat on Good Friday, so you will see salt cod (bacalao) dishes and chickpea stews such as potaje de vigilia. The classic sweet is torrijas, bread soaked in milk or wine, fried and coated with honey or sugar. Shops and offices close on the public holidays, while bars and restaurants on the processional routes stay very busy.

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FAQ: Semana Santa

When is Semana Santa in 2027?

From Palm Sunday 21 March to Easter Sunday 28 March 2027. Good Friday, 26 March, is a national holiday.

Do I have to be religious to watch the processions?

No. Everyone is welcome to watch. Just be respectful: keep quiet during saetas and solemn moments and do not push through the procession.

Are shops open in Málaga during Holy Week?

Most shops open as normal from Monday to Wednesday. On Maundy Thursday and Good Friday many close, though bars, restaurants and some city-centre shops stay open.

What if it rains?

Brotherhoods may delay, shorten or cancel their procession to protect the floats and images. Decisions are often taken at the last minute, so follow local news.

Disclaimer: This article is general information only. Procession times, routes and regional holidays can change – always check the official programme and your regional calendar before you plan.

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Cost of Living

Rebajas: when the sales start in Spain and your rights

When the January and summer sales start in Spain, how discounts must be shown, and your rights on returns and warranties.

NewInSpain

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Shopping bags and a clothes rail in a Spanish fashion shop during the sales

Updated: October 2026

Spain’s sales – las rebajas – are a national event. Shops are packed on the first day, discounts grow week by week, and many people plan big purchases around them. Here is when the sales happen, how they work and what your rights are.

When are the sales in Spain?

Since 2012, shops in Spain have been free to decide when and for how long they hold sales. In practice, most still follow the traditional calendar:

  • Winter sales: start around 7 January, the day after Three Kings (Reyes), and run into February or early March. Some chains start online on 6 January or even earlier.
  • Summer sales: start around 1 July and run through August.
  • Black Friday (the last Friday of November) and Cyber Monday have become big too, often stretched over a whole week.
  • Mid-season sales (mid-season or “segundas rebajas”) with extra discounts come towards the end of each sales period.

Your rights when you buy on sale

  • Real discounts: when a shop shows a price reduction, the “before” price must be the lowest price it charged in the previous 30 days. This rule comes from EU law and stops fake discounts.
  • Same warranty: sale items have the same three-year legal guarantee as full-price items. A shop cannot refuse to deal with a faulty item because it was on sale.
  • Returns: in a physical shop, returning an item you simply do not want is a goodwill policy, and shops may have different rules during sales – ask before paying. Online purchases always have 14 days to withdraw.
  • Card payments: a shop that normally accepts cards must also accept them during sales.
  • Keep the receipt (ticket or factura) – you need it for returns and warranty claims.

If something goes wrong, you can complain with an official complaint form (hoja de reclamaciones), which every shop must have. See also our guide to your rights when buying electronics.

Tips for the rebajas

  • Make a list before you go – the first days are crowded and it is easy to overspend.
  • Check prices a few weeks before so you can spot real bargains.
  • Shop online from the evening before: many retailers open their sales online first. Online shops such as Spartoo (ad) and adidas (ad) run their own sales on shoes, fashion and sportswear.
  • Look at the final weeks for the deepest discounts, if you do not mind smaller choice of sizes.

Not sure what to buy for the season? Read what to wear in Spain, season by season.

FAQ: sales in Spain

When do the January sales start in Spain?

Traditionally on 7 January, right after Three Kings. Shops are free to start earlier, and many begin online a day before.

Can I return sale items?

Faulty items, always. For items you just do not want, it depends on the shop’s policy – ask before you pay. Online purchases have a 14-day withdrawal right.

Are sale prices really lower?

They should be: the reference price shown must be the lowest price of the last 30 days.

Disclaimer: This article is general information, not legal advice. Shop policies vary. Links marked “(ad)” are affiliate links – NewInSpain may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

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Cultural

Christmas gift ideas from Spanish shops, and when to give them

When Spaniards give presents, from Nochebuena to Three Kings, plus gift ideas from Spanish shops and tips for ordering in time.

Jenny Larson

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A family with children opening presents on Three Kings Day morning in a Spanish home

Updated: October 2026

Your first Christmas in Spain comes with a few surprises: the big present day for children is often 6 January, not 25 December, offices hold a Secret Santa called amigo invisible, and a hamper of ham, cheese and turrón is a classic gift. This guide explains when Spaniards give presents and suggests gift ideas from Spanish shops, so your parcels arrive on time and feel local.

When people give presents in Spain

  • Nochebuena and Christmas Day (24–25 December): more and more families give presents now, often brought by Papá Noel.
  • Three Kings’ Day (6 January): the traditional day for children’s presents. The Kings arrive with parades (cabalgatas) on the evening of 5 January, and children wake up to gifts the next morning.
  • Amigo invisible: the Spanish Secret Santa, common at work and among friends, usually with a price limit.
  • Cesta de Navidad: many employers still give staff a Christmas hamper with wine, ham, cheese and sweets.

Read more about El Gordo, the Three Kings and other customs in our guide to Christmas in Spain.

Gift ideas from Spanish shops

Experiences instead of things. Gift boxes with a spa visit, a dinner, a wine tasting or an adventure activity are popular in Spain and easy to send by email. Disfrutabox (ad) has boxes for couples, families and friends, which also work well as a last-minute present.

Spanish wine. A bottle from Rioja, Ribera del Duero or a smaller region is a safe gift for hosts and colleagues. Online wine shops such as Petit Celler (ad) deliver mixed cases and gift packs across Spain.

Personalised gifts. Handmade items with a name or date feel personal and are good for grandparents and godchildren. Ohana Details (ad) is a Spanish brand making personalised, handmade gifts.

For the new home. If friends have just moved, quality bed linen, towels or a throw are always useful. La Mallorquina (ad), a Barcelona home textile company founded in 1947, sells linen and textiles online.

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Shoes and clothes. Winter boots, slippers and trainers are classic Three Kings presents. Spartoo (ad) has a large range of shoes and fashion brands with delivery in Spain.

For the sporty ones. A new padel racket, balls or a court booking makes a great gift in Spain. See our padel guide for beginners for what to choose, and compare rackets at Padel ProShop (ad).

Ordering in time

  • Order early in December. Couriers in Spain are very busy between Black Friday and Three Kings, and delivery times grow.
  • For presents for 6 January, aim to order by mid-December. Many shops publish last order dates for Reyes.
  • Check whether the shop delivers to the Canary Islands, Ceuta or Melilla if you are sending gifts there – extra customs paperwork and costs can apply.
  • Keep receipts: when you buy online from a shop in the EU, you normally have 14 days to withdraw from the purchase, and many shops extend returns over Christmas.

FAQ: Christmas gifts in Spain

When do children get presents in Spain?

Traditionally on 6 January, Three Kings’ Day. Many families now also give some presents on 24 or 25 December.

What is amigo invisible?

The Spanish version of Secret Santa. Each person draws a name and buys one present for that person, usually within a set budget.

What is a typical gift for a host in Spain?

A good bottle of wine, cava, turrón or a box of pastries from a local bakery is always welcome.

Can I return presents bought online?

When you buy online from a shop in the EU, you normally have 14 days from delivery to withdraw from the purchase. Check each shop’s Christmas returns policy, as many give longer.

Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links marked (ad). If you buy through them, NewInSpain may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, ranges and delivery times are set by each shop.

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Cultural

All Saints’ Day (Todos los Santos) in Spain: traditions and what to expect

What happens on Todos los Santos in Spain: cemetery visits, chestnuts and sweets, regional customs, and which regions have Monday 2 November 2026 off.

Asvini

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Three generations of a Spanish family placing chrysanthemums on a cemetery niche in an Andalusian village on a sunny morning

Updated: October 2026

On 1 November Spain celebrates Todos los Santos, All Saints’ Day. For many Spanish families it is a quiet, important day for remembering relatives who have died, rather than a party. This guide explains what happens, the food and regional customs you will notice, and how the holiday works in 2026, when 1 November falls on a Sunday.

What All Saints’ Day means in Spain

All Saints’ Day is a Catholic feast honouring all saints, and the next day, 2 November, is All Souls’ Day (Día de los Difuntos), dedicated to the dead. In everyday Spanish life the two have merged into one tradition: in the days around 1 November, families visit the cemetery to clean and decorate the graves of their loved ones.

Even people who are not religious often take part, because it is as much about family as faith. Relatives travel back to their home town, meet at the cemetery, then share a meal. If you have Spanish neighbours, friends or a partner, you may be invited along. It is a respectful occasion, so dress neatly and follow their lead.

Is it a public holiday in 2026?

Yes. 1 November is a national public holiday every year. In 2026 it falls on a Sunday, so each region could choose whether to move the day off to Monday 2 November. According to the official 2026 holiday calendar published in the BOE, nine regions did so:

  • Monday 2 November is a holiday in: Andalusia, Aragón, Asturias, the Canary Islands, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Extremadura, Madrid and Navarra.
  • Normal working day in: the other regions, including Catalonia, the Valencian Community, the Balearic Islands, Galicia, Murcia and the Basque Country, which used that holiday elsewhere in their calendar.

So on the Costa del Sol and in the rest of Andalusia you get a long weekend from Saturday 31 October to Monday 2 November. Expect public offices, banks and health centres to be closed on the Monday. In Andalusia, larger shops are allowed to open on 2 November, as it is on the regional list of authorised trading days. For the full calendar, see our guide to public holidays in Spain in 2026.

Cemetery visits: what to expect

Cemeteries are at their busiest in the last days of October and on 1 November. In Spain many people are buried in nichos, wall niches stacked several rows high, so you will see families on ladders cleaning marble fronts and placing fresh flowers.

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  • Flowers: chrysanthemums, carnations and gladioli are the classic choices. Florists and market stalls are very busy, so buy a few days before if you can.
  • Opening hours and transport: many town halls extend cemetery hours and add extra buses or traffic controls around the holiday. Check your ayuntamiento website for local arrangements.
  • Behaviour: keep your voice low, do not take photos of other families and keep children close. Some cemeteries also hold Masses on the day.
  • Traffic: roads near cemeteries and to inland villages get congested over the long weekend, so allow extra time.

Food and sweets of the season

Bakeries fill up with seasonal sweets in the weeks before 1 November. Look out for:

  • Huesos de santo: “saints’ bones”, small rolls of marzipan filled with sweet egg yolk cream or other fillings.
  • Buñuelos de viento: light fried dough balls, often filled with cream or chocolate.
  • Roasted chestnuts: street sellers with smoking chestnut carts appear in town centres as the weather cools, often with roasted sweet potatoes too.
  • Panellets: small almond sweets covered in pine nuts, typical in Catalonia.

Regional customs worth knowing

Spain’s regions mark the season in their own ways, and some of these customs are fun for families and newcomers.

  • Catalonia – La Castanyada: on the eve of All Saints, families eat roasted chestnuts, sweet potatoes and panellets, often with sweet wine.
  • Galicia and the north-west – Magosto: an autumn chestnut festival with bonfires, roasted chestnuts and new wine, held in many villages around this time.
  • Cádiz – Tosantos: in the days before 1 November, stalls in the city’s food markets are decorated with comic scenes made from fruit, vegetables, fish and meat, a tradition with a long local history.
  • Cocentaina (Alicante) – All Saints’ Fair: one of Spain’s oldest fairs, dating back to the 14th century, with markets, crafts and livestock. Spain’s official tourism site lists it around 1 November.
  • Don Juan Tenorio: theatres in many cities stage José Zorrilla’s 19th-century play about the legendary seducer around this date, a long-standing tradition.

Halloween on 31 October has become very popular in Spain too, especially with children and young people. You will see costume parties, decorated bars and trick-or-treating in some urban areas, side by side with the traditional cemetery visits. For more autumn events, see our guides to Spanish festivals for expats and events on the Costa del Sol.

Practical tips for newcomers

  1. Check whether Monday 2 November is a holiday in your region and in the town where you work, before booking appointments.
  2. Do your food shopping before the weekend. Smaller supermarkets may close or open shorter hours.
  3. Book travel and hotels early if you plan a trip, as many Spaniards travel home or take a short break.
  4. Keep an eye on the weather. Late autumn can bring heavy rain, so read our guide to DANA storms and weather warnings.
  5. If a colleague or neighbour mentions visiting the cemetery, a simple, kind word is appreciated. It is a day of remembrance, not mourning in public.

Useful links

FAQ: All Saints’ Day in Spain

Is Monday 2 November 2026 a holiday in Málaga?

Yes. Andalusia moved the All Saints’ holiday from Sunday 1 November to Monday 2 November in 2026, so it is a day off across the region.

Is 2 November always a holiday in Spain?

No. All Souls’ Day on 2 November is not a public holiday in its own right. It only becomes one when a region moves the 1 November holiday because it falls on a Sunday, as happens in nine regions in 2026.

Do Spaniards celebrate Halloween?

Increasingly, yes, especially children and young adults in cities. It sits alongside the older tradition of cemetery visits and family meals on 1 November.

What are huesos de santo?

Small marzipan rolls shaped like bones and filled with sweet cream, sold in bakeries around All Saints’ Day.

Disclaimer: This article is general information only. Holiday dates are set by the State, regions and town halls, and local events and opening hours can change – always check the official source for your area before you plan.

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