This Thursday, March 19, Father’s Day is celebrated in Spain, in commemoration of Saint Joseph’s Day. For a time, it was part of the calendar of non-working days throughout Spain, but later the holiday was left to the discretion of each autonomous community and city council.
The 5 autonomies where March 19 will be a holiday
In 2026, only five autonomous communities declared March 19 a holiday: Galicia, Murcia, Navarra, the Basque Country, and, of course, the Valencian Community, where the closing of their traditional Fallas is celebrated on the 19th. In fact, the Valencian festival is a classic getaway for these dates, ideal for a March long weekend. Therefore, in these regions, Thursday will be considered a non-working day for work, paid and non-recoverable.
Cities where Saint Joseph’s Day will also be a holiday
In addition to the five communities mentioned, there are Spanish municipalities in which, despite belonging to regions where the date is a working day, Saint Joseph’s Day will be a local holiday.
Here is the complete list:
Andalusia
It will be a holiday in the towns of Abrucena (Almería), Nacimiento (Almería), San José del Valle (Cádiz), Baena (Córdoba), Villaviciosa de Córdoba (Córdoba), Almuñécar (Granada), Benalúa (Granada), Lentegí (Granada), Otívar (Granada), Júzcar (Málaga), Serrato (Málaga) and La Rinconada (Seville).
Aragon
In Aragon it will be a local holiday in Casbas de Huesca (Huesca) and in the Zaragoza towns of Azuara, Cubel, Sádaba and Sofuentes.
Asturias
The towns of Ribadedeva, Llanes and Quirós also include Saint Joseph’s Day as a holiday.
Balearic Islands
It will be a holiday in S’Alqueria Blanca (Mallorca), Porto Petro (Mallorca) and Sant Josep de sa Talaia (Ibiza).
Canary Islands
It will also be a holiday in the towns of Breña Baja (Santa Cruz de Tenerife) and Santa María de Guía (Las Palmas).
Cantabria
El Astillero is the only town in Cantabria that declares Saint Joseph’s Day a holiday.
Castile-La Mancha
In Castilla-La Mancha, April 6 will be a holiday replacing March 19. In 2025, the towns of Alpera (Albacete), Molinicos (Albacete), Ontur (Albacete), Zorita de los Canes (Guadalajara), Gerindote (Toledo) and Sartajada (Toledo) celebrated it on March 19.
Castile and León
Flores de Ávila (Ávila), Villamuñío (León), Miñanes (Palencia), Cuevas de Provanco (Segovia) and San Vitero (Zamora) will have their local holiday on Father’s Day.
Catalonia
Castellar del Vallès (Barcelona) and La Llagosta (Barcelona) are the only Catalan towns that celebrate the local holiday on Father’s Day.
Estremadura
In Extremadura, only some towns in Badajoz set March 19 as a local holiday: Benquerencia de la Serena, Calamonte, El Corte de Peleas, Puebla de la Reina and Talavera la Real.
No local holidays on March 19
In Ceuta and Melilla and in the autonomous communities of Madrid and La Rioja, no locality has March 19 among its local holidays.
