By Adam Woodward •
Published: 30 Nov 2024 • 5:24
• 2 minutes read
December is a complicated month with multiple public holidays in the Costa del Sol leading to uncertainty over the opening times of supermarkets, schools, and public services.
Many Andalusian workers plan their holidays and trips according to national and regional holidays, which allow them to have a few extra days to enjoy a getaway. With the exception of one or two local holidays celebrating a town’s patron saint, these will be the last of the so-called ‘puentes’ (bridges) that link weekdays to weekends for a while, so be aware of the upcoming days off.
Upcoming holidays that will leave shops and services closed
The next 2024 long holidays will happen at the beginning of December, as Constitution Day (December 6) falls on Friday, and although the Day of the Immaculate Conception (December 8) is on a Sunday, in Andalusia, the regional government has decided to shift the public holiday to Monday, December 9. In between we have Saturday, December 7, a normal day in that all the shops that normally open on a Saturday will be open, just much busier than normal to make up for the other two holidays.
On the first week of Christmas, Monday, December 23, is technically a normal working day for everyone; however, schools will naturally be closed as well as some private businesses, while all the shops should be open as normal.
Christmas holidays and opening hours in Costa del Sol
Tuesday, December 24, Christmas Eve, is a big deal in Spain when family dinners herald the real opening of the Christmas celebrations. For this reason, almost all shops will be open but will be hoping to close early. In 2023, many of the regular supermarkets closed between 3pm and 5pm throughout the region depending on their location, so factor in any last-minute shopping for the morning. This will also include many bars and restaurants in the evening with their shutters down.
Of course, most businesses will be closed on December 25 and in Andalusia, St. Steven’s Day, or ‘Boxing Day’ in the UK, on Thursday, December 26 is not generally celebrated and therefore should be a relatively normal working day.
Opening hours affected by New Year celebrations
Similar to December 24, expect half-day closing for New Year’s Eve on Tuesday, December 31, as many will be getting in a quick siesta before the night-long celebrations ahead to welcome in 2025. Younger (or at least more energetic) people will be planning on seeing in the new year with family before heading on out for a big party with friends after the fireworks.
Almost everything will be closed on New Year’s Day because there will be another traditional family meal in the middle of the afternoon on Wednesday, January 1. If you were thinking of welcoming in the new year by eating out, make sure you book well in advance, as many of the most popular restaurants will be booked out at lunchtime.
Three Kings celebrations: plan around these holidays
A Spanish Christmas seems to go on for a long time, and the celebrations don’t end with the arrival of the new year. On Sunday, January 5, many bars and restaurants will close early to welcome the arrival of the Three Kings with grand and colourful street parades starting at around 5pm. Then, finally, the last day of Christmas, the Epiphany on Monday, January 6, will be a quiet day with shops and services pretty much all closed, as well as many bars and restaurants.
After the traditional gift-giving and a quick siesta on the sofa, many will be online looking up which diets they can start so to lose those extra kilos they gained over the Christmas period.
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