Are the shops open on the public holiday? It is the big question before every long weekend, so I have put everything together here. I update it before every holiday, so it is always current.
The short answer
In Barcelona, shops may open on these Sundays and public holidays in 2026: 4 January, 15 August, 12 October, 29 November and 6, 8, 13, 20 and 27 December. On other Sundays and holidays most shops are closed, except in the tourist zone in summer and the shops that can always open.
The next Sundays and public holidays
| Day | What it is | Are shops open? |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday 1 November | All Saints’ Day | No, most are closed |
| Sunday 29 November | Black Friday Sunday | Yes, authorised opening |
| Sunday 6 December | December long weekend | Yes, authorised opening |
| Tuesday 8 December | Immaculate Conception | Yes in Barcelona, authorised opening |
| Sunday 13 December | Christmas season | Yes, authorised opening |
| Sunday 20 December | Christmas season | Yes, authorised opening |
| Friday 25 December | Christmas Day | No, closed |
| Saturday 26 December | Sant Esteve | No, closed |
| Sunday 27 December | Christmas season | Yes, authorised opening |
| Friday 1 January 2027 | New Year’s Day | No, closed |
| Wednesday 6 January 2027 | Epiphany | No, closed |
An authorised day means shops may open, not that they have to. Big shopping centres usually do; neighbourhood shops often do not.
The full 2026 calendar
The Generalitat authorises eight opening days across Catalonia, and each city council can add or swap some. In Barcelona, the 2026 calendar is:
- Sunday 4 January, for Epiphany shopping.
- Saturday 15 August, the Assumption.
- Monday 12 October, Spain’s National Day.
- Sunday 29 November, the Black Friday Sunday.
- Sunday 6 December.
- Tuesday 8 December, the Immaculate Conception. This one is specific to Barcelona: other towns in Catalonia may not have it.
- Sundays 13, 20 and 27 December, for Christmas.
Some days can never be opening days, even if a council wants: 1 and 6 January, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, 1 May, 24 June, 11 September and 25 and 26 December.
The tourist zone: open on summer Sundays
There is a summer exception. From 15 May to 15 September, shops in the tourist zone can open every Sunday and public holiday, from 12:00 to 20:00. The zone includes Ciutat Vella, the Eixample and several surrounding neighbourhoods; Sant Andreu and Nou Barris are left out.
In 2026 the exception also covered Monday 25 May (Whit Monday) and Wednesday 24 June (Sant Joan), only in that zone.
Outside that period, Sundays in the tourist zone work like the rest of the city.
Which shopping centres open?
- Westfield La Maquinista (Sant Andreu) is outside the tourist zone, so it only opens on authorised Sundays and holidays. On 12 October its shops and Carrefour opened from 9:00 to 21:00. Restaurants and the cinema open every day.
- Westfield Glòries and Diagonal Mar are inside the tourist zone: they open on summer Sundays and authorised days.
- Maremagnum, in Port Vell, usually opens every day from 10:00 to 21:00, Sundays included.
- L’illa Diagonal usually opens on authorised days. For El Corte Inglés and the rest, check their website.
Each centre sets its own hours, so check its website before you go: they usually post holiday hours a few days before.
What is always open, even on holidays
Some shops can open any day of the year, Sundays and holidays included:
- Convenience stores and 24-hour supermarkets.
- Bakeries, pastry shops and ready-meal shops.
- Newsstands and florists.
- Shops inside museums, hotels, stations and the airport.
Municipal markets such as La Boqueria or Sant Antoni, on the other hand, are closed on Sundays and holidays. They are all in the best markets in Barcelona.
And if the shops are closed…
A holiday without shopping has its charm too. Many museums are open, and on the first Sunday of every month lots of them are free: it is all in free museums in Barcelona. For the December long weekend there is the December long weekend in Barcelona, and for any weekend, my Barcelona map.
Was this useful? If you have a question about a specific holiday, message me on Instagram @barcelonainspira.
Frequently asked questions
Are shops open on 1 November 2026 in Barcelona
Mostly not. In 2026, 1 November falls on a Sunday and is not one of the authorised shop opening days, so most shops and shopping centres are closed. Convenience stores, bakeries and pastry shops, florists and newsstands can open any day.
Are shops open on 8 December 2026 in Barcelona
Yes, they may open. Tuesday 8 December is one of the shop opening days in Barcelona City Council’s 2026 calendar. Opening is optional, so each shop and shopping centre sets its own hours.
Which Sundays in December are shops open in Barcelona
All four Sundays in December 2026, the 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th, are authorised opening days across Catalonia. So is Sunday 29 November, the Black Friday weekend. Shops are closed on 25 and 26 December.
Which Sundays and public holidays can shops open in Barcelona in 2026
According to Barcelona City Council’s calendar, 4 January, 15 August, 12 October, 29 November and 6, 8, 13, 20 and 27 December. In addition, in the tourist zone, which includes Ciutat Vella and the Eixample, shops can open every Sunday and public holiday from 15 May to 15 September, from 12:00 to 20:00.
Is La Maquinista open on Sundays
Only on authorised Sunday and holiday opening days, such as 29 November or the Sundays in December. Westfield La Maquinista is in Sant Andreu, outside the tourist zone, so it does not open on summer Sundays like the shopping centres in the city centre.
