The salt on their skin, the murmur of the waves, and the suitcases packed with the excitement of those eager to make the most of summer are beginning to give way to the city’s usual rhythm. After a few weeks in which the almost absolute priority for the vast majority of workers has been to unwind and travel, the return to the work routine in Barcelona becomes much more bearable when you look at the events on the immediate horizon.
The official calendar holds some pleasant surprises for the coming weeks in the Catalan capital. No sooner have they unpacked their summer vacation belongings than the city’s workers will find a string of days off and local holidays that will allow them to plan long weekends and short breaks before the cold weather sets in for good.
A September with Two Opportunities to Relax
The first respite will come in the middle of the month with Catalonia’s National Day, which this year falls on Friday, September 11. This date, a holiday throughout the autonomous community and typically marked by institutional ceremonies, cultural activities, and commemorative events, will allow people to enjoy a three-day weekend without having to use vacation days.
As if that weren’t enough, those who work in Barcelona will enjoy an additional holiday this same month. Thursday, September 24, marks the feast day of La Mercè, one of the city’s patron saints. For those who can take Friday off, the date offers the chance to string together four days off, coinciding with the grand city festival that, from September 23 to 27, will fill the streets with music, street art, and performances to bid farewell to the warm season.
The final stretch of the year on the calendar
Following the capital’s festive celebrations, fall will kick off with another upcoming break. Monday, October 12—a national holiday throughout the country—will add another long weekend just a few weeks after returning to the usual routine.
The list of non-working days through the end of the school year will be rounded out by Constitution Day on Sunday, December 6; the Feastof the Immaculate Conception on Tuesday, December 8; Christmas Day on Friday, December 25; and the Catalan holiday of Sant Esteve, which this year falls on Saturday, December 26.
