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Three-day weekend in Barcelona: where Monday 25 May is a public holiday
A three-day weekend is coming to Barcelona for Whit Monday. However, not everywhere can enjoy this holiday. Where will Monday 25 May be a public holiday in Barcelona? Why is Whit Monday celebrated?
Whit Monday is not celebrated on a fixed date, but changes according to Holy Week, which also varies each year. This holiday makes Monday 25 May a public holiday in Barcelona, so many lucky people will be able to enjoy a three-day weekend.
Barcelona has a public holiday because it is considered a local festival by Barcelona City Council, just as 24 September is, when the festival of the city’s patron saint, La Mercè, is celebrated.
Where is 25 May a public holiday in Barcelona
In addition to the city of Barcelona, this holiday is also celebrated in a total of 150 Catalan municipalities. In particular, in the province of Barcelona, 25 May is a non-working day in Badalona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and Sant Adrià de Besòs, among many others that also celebrate Whit Monday.
Municipalities in Barcelona where 25 May is a public holiday
Abrera (Baix Llobregat)
Alella (Maresme)
Badalona (Barcelonès)
Badia del Vallès (Vallès Occidental)
Barberà del Vallès (Vallès Occidental)
Bagà (Berguedà)
Barcelona (Barcelonès)
Borredà (Berguedà)
Cabrera de Mar (Maresme)
Cabrils (Maresme)
Caldes de Montbui (Vallès Oriental)
Calldetenes (Osona)
Cardedeu (Vallès Oriental)
Caresrius de la Rierada (Baix Llobregat)
Castellcir (Moianès)
Cervelló (Baix Llobregat)
Collbató (Baix Llobregat)
Cornellà de Llobregat (Baix Llobregat)
Dosrius (Maresme)
El Masnou (Maresme)
El Papiol (Baix Llobregat)
El Prat de Llobregat (Baix Llobregat)
Esplugues de Llobregat (Baix Llobregat)
Folgueroles (Osona)
Gisclareny (Berguedà)
Gurb (Osona)
L'Ametlla de Merola (Berguedà)
L'Esquirol (Osona)
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelonès)
Lluçà (Lluçanès)
Malla (Osona)
Manlleu (Osona)
Martorell (Baix Llobregat)
Martorelles (Vallès Oriental)
Mataró (Maresme)
Mediona (Alt Penedès)
Molins de Rei (Baix Llobregat)
Montcada i Reixac (Vallès Occidental)
Montesquiu (Osona)
Montgat (Maresme)
Montmeló (Vallès Oriental)
Montseny (Vallès Oriental)
Navarcles (Bages)
Olost (Lluçanès)
Palau-solità i Plegamans (Vallès Occidental)
Pobla de Lillet, la (Berguedà)
Premià de Dalt (Maresme)
Puig-reig (Berguedà)
Ripollet (Vallès Occidental)
Roda de Ter (Osona)
Sant Adrià de Besòs (Barcelonès)
Sant Bartomeu de la Quadra (Baix Llobregat)
Sant Bartomeu del Grau (Osona)
Sant Feliu de Llobregat (Baix Llobregat)
Sant Feliu Sasserra (Bages)
Sant Iscle de Vallalta (Maresme)
Sant Joan Despí (Baix Llobregat)
Sant Julià de Vilatorta (Osona)
Sant Just Desvern (Baix Llobregat)
Sant Martí de Centelles (Osona)
Sant Miquel de Balenyà (Osona)
Sant Pol de Mar (Maresme)
Sant Quirze de Besora (Osona)
Sant Sadurní d'Osormort (Osona)
Sant Vicenç de Montalt (Maresme)
Santa Cecília de Voltregà (Osona)
Santa Coloma de Gramenet (Barcelonès)
Santa Creu de Jotglar (Lluçanès)
Santa Eugènia de Berga (Osona)
Santa Eulàlia de Riuprimer (Osona)
Santa Maria de Besora (Osona)
Seva (Osona)
Sora (Osona)
Teià (Maresme)
Tona (Osona)
Torrelles de Llobregat (Baix Llobregat)
Vallbona d'Anoia (Anoia)
Vallpineda (Baix Llobregat)
Vic (Osona)
Vilanova del Vallès (Vallès Oriental)
Vilassar de Dalt (Maresme)
Whereas other important towns such as Sabadell and Terrassa do not celebrate it because they choose their major or patron-saint festivals as their non-working days.
What is celebrated on Whit Monday?
According to Barcelona City Council, Whit Monday is celebrated unevenly across the country and, although many may not know it, it is religious in nature and goes by several names, such as Pentecost or Pascua Granada. It is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter Sunday.
Whit Monday commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. This is because, 50 days after Christ’s resurrection, the Holy Spirit appeared before his most faithful disciples and the apostles began to travel the world to spread the Christian faith.
The Cors Muts Festival
In Barcelona, the Cors Muts (silent choirs) festival takes place on these days, bringing together choral groups that no longer sing. It is particularly popular in the Barceloneta neighbourhood, where participants take to the streets in groups wearing striking clothing, in a parade.
In 2001, the Cors Muts tradition received recognition from the City Council, which awarded it the Medalla de Honor de Barcelona.
Why is the 25 May public holiday celebrated in Barcelona and Catalonia?
The reason this public holiday exists in Barcelona and in many municipalities in Catalonia has more to do with tradition than with the national calendar. Monday 25 May corresponds to Whit Monday or Pascua Granada, a religious celebration linked to Pentecost, which is commemorated fifty days after Easter.
Although it is not a national public holiday, this date has maintained strong historical roots in Catalonia, especially in Barcelona, where it has survived thanks to popular customs and its incorporation as a local festival in numerous municipalities. Each city council decides its own public holidays, and Barcelona chose to preserve this tradition in its annual calendar.
That is why the unusual May long weekend is not experienced in the same way across Spain: while for many it is just another working Monday, in Barcelona it remains one of those small privileges inherited from history and local traditions.