Are Shops Open on Sunday in Spain? 2026 and 2027 Dates

Are shops open on Sunday in Spain? It depends on the town, the season and the size of the shop. In the Valencian Community, big stores get 11 Sunday and holiday trading days a year, but in Torrevieja, Benidorm and Alicante they may also open every Sunday from 15 June to 5 January. Small local shops choose for themselves.

Are shops open on Sunday in Spain?

There is no single national rule. Spain's shop hours law, Ley 1/2004, sets a minimum of 16 Sunday and holiday trading days, lets each region go down to 10, and leaves the calendar to the regions.

In 2026 the Valencian Community, which covers the Costa Blanca, uses 11. The Region of Murcia (Costa Cálida) and Andalusia (Costa del Sol) each have 16. The Community of Madrid sets no calendar at all. This guide covers the Valencian Community, home to Torrevieja, Alicante, Benidorm and Calpe.

When are the Sunday trading days in 2026 and 2027?

The regional government publishes the list each year in its official journal, the DOGV. On these dates any shop may open and set its own hours:

Five dates are always closed to trade under the regional law: 1 January, 6 January, 1 May, 9 October and 25 December.

A town council can swap up to two of the listed days for local ones. For 2026 the regional government's list of swaps names none for Torrevieja, Alicante, Benidorm or Calpe. Nearby Altea did swap one, moving 13 December to 29 September.

Where can big shops open every Sunday?

This is where tourist zones come in. In a Zona de Gran Afluencia Turística (ZGAT), shops may open on more Sundays and holidays than the regional 11. The Generalitat's list, updated on 12 June 2026, splits the Costa Blanca like this:

So on a November Sunday the shops at Habaneras in Torrevieja open from 10:00 to 22:00, while big shops in Calpe, whose season ended on 15 September, wait for 29 November.

What is open in Torrevieja, Alicante and Calpe until 10 January 2027?

"Yes" means a big shop may open. Whether it does is up to the shop.

Note for British readers: Boxing Day is not a public holiday here. In 2026 it is simply a Saturday.

Shopping centres publish their own calendars. Habaneras in Torrevieja lists every Sunday up to 27 December. Zenia Boulevard at Orihuela Costa opens every Sunday from July to December, though its shops close on 9 October and 25 December. Gran Vía in Alicante opens every Sunday up to 27 December, plus the holiday on Tuesday 8 December.

Supermarkets can surprise you too. Both Lidl stores in Torrevieja list special Sunday openings on 15 and 22 November 2026, at their usual hours.

Why are Sundays quieter in Torrevieja from mid-January to March?

Because the tourist-zone season ends on 5 January. The last winter trading Sunday is 10 January 2027. Then come 9 Sundays, from 17 January to 14 March, when big shops in Torrevieja and Benidorm are, as a rule, closed. Friday 19 March, St Joseph's Day, is a public holiday and closed as well. Trading returns on Palm Sunday, 21 March, and runs through Easter to 4 April.

After that, big shops close on Sundays again until 15 June, apart from 2 May. Calpe's gaps are longer still.

Zenia Boulevard shows the pattern: in 2026 its shops stayed shut on most Sundays from January to June, apart from Holy Week, while restaurants and leisure stayed open. Weekdays are unaffected.

Are supermarkets open on Sunday in Spain?

Some are, even in winter. Whatever the calendar says, these shops are free to choose their days and hours in the Valencian Community:

• shops under 300 m² that do not belong to a large retail group
• bakeries, cake shops, ready-meal shops, newsagents, florists and petrol stations
• convenience stores of up to 500 m² that open at least 18 hours a day
• shops in stations, ports and airports

A small branch of a big chain does not qualify on size alone. Pharmacies work a duty rota (farmacia de guardia).

The law allows opening but does not require it. Every shop must show its days and hours at the entrance. Check the chain's website before you drive anywhere.

How do Spanish Sunday trading laws compare with the UK?

Scotland has no Sunday trading hours limits, according to GOV.UK. For a British buyer, the real change is the run of closed Sundays outside the tourist season.

Which public holidays apply in the Valencia region in 2027?

The regional government has set 12 public holidays for 2027: 1 and 6 January, 19, 26 and 29 March, 1 May, 9 and 12 October, 1 November, 6, 8 and 25 December. Each town adds up to two local holidays of its own.

The 2027 list of local holidays had not appeared in the DOGV by 12 November 2026; we checked every issue from 26 October. Last year it came out on 14 November. In 2026 Torrevieja's local holidays were 13 April and 16 July.

How to plan your week if you winter on the Costa Blanca

• Do the big shop on Saturday, especially from mid-January to March.
• Buy fresh food at the market. Torrevieja's street market is on Fridays, La Mata's on Wednesdays.
• Allow for the midday break. Central Torrevieja's shops typically open 10:00 to 14:00 and 16:30 to 20:30, Monday to Saturday.
• Plan December early. Trading Sundays sit alongside the El Gordo Christmas lottery and other Christmas traditions in Spain.

For long stays, what is within walking distance matters most on a Sunday. Our guide to wintering in Spain covers the 90-day rule and the weather, and what 200k buys you in Torrevieja shows what budget gets you near the centre. You can also browse homes for sale in Torrevieja and properties in Calpe.

An example from our listings, checked on 12 November 2026: a two-bedroom apartment in central Torrevieja, 82 m², on the third floor with a lift, air conditioning, a parking space and a storage room. The listing puts shops a minute away, Habaneras a 10-minute walk and Acequión beach 1 km away. The asking price is €150,000, plus up to 13 to 14 per cent for tax and fees, as our guide to the costs of buying property in Spain explains.

Frequently asked questions

Are supermarkets open on Sunday in Spain? Some are. Small independent supermarkets under 300 m² and convenience stores can open any day. Large supermarkets in the Valencian Community open only on the 11 regional trading days or during the tourist-zone season. In Torrevieja that season runs from 15 June to 5 January, plus Easter.

Is everything closed on Sunday in Spain? No. Bars, restaurants, bakeries, petrol stations and many small shops open on Sundays. Shopping centre restaurants usually keep going even when the shops are shut: Zenia Boulevard's restaurants and leisure open all year. The places most likely to be closed are big supermarkets and chain stores outside tourist zones.

Are shops open on Easter Sunday in Spain? It depends on the year and the town. Easter Sunday was a regional trading day in 2026. In 2027 it is not, but Torrevieja, Benidorm, Alicante and Calpe are tourist zones for Easter, so big shops there may open from Palm Sunday, 21 March, to 4 April 2027.

Are shops open in Torrevieja on Sunday in winter? Until 5 January, and again on 10 January, big shops may open every Sunday. From 17 January to 14 March 2027 they are, as a rule, closed on Sundays. Small local shops, bakeries and bars can open as they choose, and restaurants carry on as normal.

Do shops open on Sunday in Alicante? Yes, for much of the year. Alicante is a tourist zone, so big shops may open on Sundays from 15 June to 5 January, except 24 June, 9 October, 25 December and 1 January, and over Easter apart from Easter Monday. Outside those periods only the 11 regional days apply.

Which days are big shops always closed in the Valencia region? 1 January, 6 January, 1 May, 9 October and 25 December. No council or tourist zone can open them for trade. Shops with free hours, such as small independents, bakeries and petrol stations, set their own days, so some may still open.

This is general information as of 12 November 2026, not legal or tax advice. Opening days can change locally, so check the shop before you go.

Looking for a home within walking distance of the shops?

Tell us how you plan to use the property, and we will help you find areas where the essentials are close by all year. Tripinvest ES is a licensed agency (RAICV 4221) with offices in Torrevieja and Calpe and a head office in London. Service is in English from first call to the notary. Our clients don't pay us commission.

Or call us on +44 20 3888 0008.

Sources

Last checked: 12 November 2026

1. BOE, Ley 1/2004 de Horarios Comerciales, consolidated text: boe.es (official)
2. BOE, Ley 3/2011 de Comercio de la Comunitat Valenciana, consolidated text, articles 17 to 23: boe.es (official)
3. DOGV no. 10196, 17 September 2025, Sunday and holiday trading days 2026: dogv.gva.es (official)
4. DOGV no. 10420, 3 August 2026, Sunday and holiday trading days 2027: dogv.gva.es (official)
5. Generalitat Valenciana, tourist zones (ZGAT), updated 12 June 2026: cindi.gva.es (official)
6. Generalitat Valenciana, trading days changed by town councils in 2026: cindi.gva.es (official)
7. Generalitat Valenciana, shop opening hours: cindi.gva.es (official)
8. Ministerio de Economía, Comercio y Empresa, Sunday and holiday trading calendar 2026 for all regions: comercio.gob.es (official)
9. BOE, 13 October 2026, public holidays for 2027: boe.es (official)
10. Generalitat Valenciana, Consell note of 20 March 2026, 2027 work calendar: comunica.gva.es (official)
11. DOGV no. 10238, 14 November 2025, local holidays 2026: dogv.gva.es (official)
12. DOGV, issues of 26 October to 12 November 2026, checked for the 2027 local holidays: dogv.gva.es (official)
13. Ayuntamiento de Torrevieja, work calendar 2026: torrevieja.es (official)
14. Turismo de Torrevieja, shopping and markets: turismo.torrevieja.es (official)
15. DOGV, Decreto 187/1997 on pharmacy hours and duty rotas: dogv.gva.es (official)
16. GOV.UK, Trading hours for retailers: the law: gov.uk (official)
17. Centro Comercial Habaneras, opening hours and dates, read 12 November 2026: habaneras.es
18. Zenia Boulevard, schedule and 2026 calendar, read 12 November 2026: zeniaboulevard.es
19. Gran Vía Alicante, opening hours, read 12 November 2026: ccgranvia.com
20. Lidl, Torrevieja stores, read 12 November 2026: Avenida Desiderio Rodríguez and Carretera de Crevillente
21. Tripinvest ES listings, 12 November 2026