The Spanish school year calendar and how it differs by region

Terms used

• Fiestas locales — The fiestas locales are two public holidays each town chooses, which are also non-teaching days at local schools.
• Semana Santa — Semana Santa is Holy Week, the week before Easter Sunday, when schools close for the Easter break.
• Infantil — Infantil is early-years schooling before primary, for children up to age six.
• Bachillerato — Bachillerato is the two-year upper secondary stage after compulsory schooling, usually for ages 16 to 18.

Key rules

• Regional calendars: Your region's calendar is the one that counts, so never plan around another region's dates.
• Teaching days: Compulsory stages need at least 175 teaching days, and some regions set a few more.
• Local holidays: Town holidays are non-teaching days and do not reduce the required teaching days.
• Timing: New calendars are usually published in spring or summer, so check for the current year before booking travel.

Each region sets its own calendar

The school year runs from September to June everywhere in Spain, but the exact dates are set region by region. Two families in different regions can have different first days, last days and break dates. Find your region's calendar and use that one, not a national date.

Where to find your region's calendar

Each region's education department publishes its calendar every year. It is usually adopted as an official resolution or order, printed in the regional official gazette, and posted on the regional education website. Ceuta and Melilla are run by the Ministry of Education, which publishes theirs.

Calendars often appear in spring or summer, so look for the one for the school year you are planning. Your child's school will also share it, usually with its own marked days.

Typical dates

These are patterns, not promises. Your region's calendar decides.

• Start: between about 1 and 12 September for infantil and primary. Secondary and bachillerato often start a day or so later, or in the same week.
• End: between about 18 and 23 June.
• Examples: Madrid and Andalucía start in early September (Andalucía around 8-10) and end around 19-23 June. Catalonia starts around 8-12 September and ends around 20-22 June. The Basque Country starts around 1-5 September and ends in mid-to-late June. The Canary Islands and the Balearics start around 8-10 September.

Christmas and Easter breaks

Christmas break usually runs from about 22-23 December to 6-7 January, roughly two weeks.

The Easter (Semana Santa) break is normally one week to nine days around Holy Week. Some regions, such as Catalonia, Valencia, the Basque Country and Navarra, also give Easter Monday. The dates move with Easter. In 2027 Easter Sunday is 28 March.

How many school days there are

Compulsory stages must have at least 175 teaching days a year, and some regions set slightly more. Many regional calendars land between 175 and 178.

Local holidays

Each town picks two local holidays (fiestas locales), which fall on non-teaching days at school. They do not cut the minimum number of teaching days, because the calendar makes those up. Some regions also let town councils propose extra local non-teaching days. These differ by town and year, so check with your town hall and your child's school.

How to plan

Use the timeline and the school-year planner below to note the dates to find and diarise. Book flights and trips only after you have your region's calendar and your school's marked days.

Timeline and deadlines

• Find your region's official calendar: in spring or summer, before the school year starts

• Plan for the first day of class: between about 1 and 12 September, depending on region and stage

• Plan the Christmas break: from about 22-23 December to 6-7 January, roughly 15-17 calendar days

• Plan the Easter break: about one week to nine days around Holy Week, with dates that change each year

• Expect at least 175 teaching days across the year: over the whole school year, with some regions setting slightly more

School-year planner: dates to find and diarise

Where to find the calendar

Your region sets the school calendar. The regional education department publishes it each year, usually in spring or summer, and posts it on its education website. Ceuta and Melilla are run by the Ministry of Education. Search for "calendario escolar" plus your region's name and the school year.

Your school then adds its own dates, so ask it for a copy of its annual plan (programación general anual). Your town hall publishes the local holidays.

Dates to find and put in your diary

Copy this list and fill in each blank for your region and school.

From the regional calendar

• First day of classes for your child's stage: ______. Starts usually fall between about 1 and 12 September.
• Last day of classes: ______. Ends usually fall between about 18 and 23 June.
• Christmas break, from ______ to ______.
• Easter break, from ______ to ______.
• Regional holidays that fall in term time: ______.
• Any extra non-teaching days the region sets: ______.

From the town hall

• Your town's two local holidays (fiestas locales): ______ and ______. Schools close on these days, and they change by town and year.

From the school

• Non-teaching days the school has marked in its annual plan: ______.
• Parent meetings and the dates reports (boletines) go home: ______.
• Dates for enrolment and for any school trips or events: ______.
• Exact times for the school day, including early finish days in September and June: ______.

Keeping the diary up to date

• Enter every date as soon as the regional calendar is published, then add the town and school dates when you get them.
• Check your region's website each spring or summer for the next year's calendar, because the dates change every year.
• Local holidays are the ones families most often miss. Look for them as soon as your town hall publishes them.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I find my region's official school calendar?

Your region's education department publishes the official calendar, usually on its education portal and in the regional official gazette. It is issued every year, often in spring or summer, so look for the current year's version. Ceuta and Melilla publish theirs through the Ministry of Education's provincial offices.

Do local town holidays reduce the number of school days?

No, local holidays do not reduce the minimum number of teaching days, because those days are made up in the calendar. Each town picks two local holidays (fiestas locales), and regional calendars treat them as non-teaching days. Ask your town hall or school for your town's dates.

Do all regions start school on the same day in September?

No, each region sets its own start date, usually between about 1 and 12 September for infantil and primary. For example, the Basque Country starts around 1-5 September, while Catalonia starts around 8-12 September.