Setmana Santa 2026 in Barcelona: key dates, public holidays and school holidays

Are you already thinking about planning spring 2026? Setmana Santa will bring two public holidays in Barcelona and a four-day long weekend. Find out when the school holidays fall and which days will be non-working days. Plan your diary in advance.

In Barcelona, the arrival of Setmana Santa 2026 will set the pace for the city and for thousands of families who are already beginning to coordinate their diaries. The public holidays in this period affect not only work, but also school life and commercial activity, altering the Catalan capital’s usual routine.

The Setmana Santa 2026 calendar is now defined: Good Friday will be 3 April, a public holiday throughout Catalonia, followed by Holy Saturday on 4 April and Easter Sunday on 5 April. Monday 6 April, known as Dilluns de Pasqua, will also be a public holiday in Barcelona and throughout Catalan territory. These days will allow those who work Monday to Friday to enjoy a four-day break without work obligations.

For those with school-age children, the Setmana Santa holidays will run from Saturday 28 March to Monday 6 April, both inclusive. Classes will therefore resume on Tuesday 7 April, making it easier to organise family getaways or activities in the city for more than a full week.

The calendar also marks other relevant dates: Diumenge de Rams, which will open the week on 29 March, and the second Pasqua, or Pasqua Granada, which will be celebrated on 25 May, fifty days after Easter Sunday. Although Maundy Thursday, 2 April, will not be an official public holiday in Catalonia, schools will remain closed and some shops may alter their usual hours.

This long Setmana Santa weekend becomes an opportunity to switch off, travel or enjoy the city with less traffic and a cultural agenda that usually intensifies at this time. Planning ahead will be key to making the most of these days, both for those staying in Barcelona and for those looking for a getaway.

Setmana Santa in Barcelona entails not only public holidays, but also a transformation in the urban pulse. Processions, palm markets and food traditions fill the streets with a special atmosphere. In addition, the city usually hosts cultural activities and proposals for all audiences, from concerts to children’s workshops, making these days one of the liveliest periods in the local calendar.

Setmana Santa celebrations in Barcelona have their own character, marked by the coexistence of religious traditions and popular customs. The processions, although less crowded than in other regions, pass through emblematic neighbourhoods and attract both residents and visitors. Palm markets and the sale of Easter monas enliven the squares, while many families take the opportunity to gather and share typical meals. This period also tends to coincide with the start of spring, inviting people to enjoy the public spaces and the cultural offer the city puts on at this time.