No extra day off for the Canaries as Spain’s National Day falls on a Sunday
This year, Spain’s National Day on 12th October falls on a Sunday, and while some regions are turning it into a long weekend, the Canary Islands are not among them. Five regions (Andalucía, Aragón, Asturias, Castilla y León, and Extremadura) have chosen to move the public holiday to Monday, 13th October, giving residents an extra day off.
In these areas, the change has already been made official, so schools, offices, and many businesses will remain closed on the Monday. Here in the Canary Islands, however, the government has decided to keep the normal calendar.
Because the National Day falls on a Sunday, it won’t be replaced with another day off. Instead, the islands will continue to celebrate the Day of the Canary Islands on 30th May as the main regional holiday, keeping the number of annual public holidays balanced.
Under Spanish law, regions can have up to 14 public holidays a year, including national, regional, and local ones. When a national holiday lands on a Sunday, regional governments can choose to move it, but only a few have done so this time, meaning most of Spain, including the Canaries, will have a regular working Monday.
In regions where Monday is now a holiday, a boost in travel and hotel bookings is expected as people take advantage of the three-day weekend.
Across the rest of the country, and in the Canary Islands, Monday will be a normal working day, with schools, shops, and public services operating as usual.
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