Back to school: All the key dates and holidays you need in Spain
Spanish school children begin going back to school this week. Become a member to find out all the key dates and holidays for each region.
If you've been shopping anywhere in Spain recently, you've probably noticed the vuelta al cole (back to school) promotions all over town. Just like in other countries around the world, the last few weeks of the summer holidays are - for parents, anyway - usually spent organising, worrying about and buying new shoes, books, pencil cases, PE kits, backpacks and all the other things children need to go back to school.
There are over 8 million Spanish school children set to go back to school in September. But when do kids actually go back to class in Spain? Does it vary region by region? School by school?
The Local explains all.
Vuelta al cole
Traditionally in Spain, schoolchildren return to class slightly later than in the UK or US - often it's the second or third week of September after having a much lengthier summer break to avoid the heat.
The different types of schools also sometimes have slightly different start dates.
Key vocabulary
Educación Infantil - Infant school
Primaria - Primary school
Secundaria/instituto - Secondary or high school
Bachillerato - the final two years of high school, comparable to A-levels in the UK
Formación profesional - Vocational training
Back to school dates
Below you'll find all the key back to school dates by region, and broken down by type of school. All dates are inclusive.
Catalonia
Infants and Primary: September 5th.
Secondary, Bachillerato, and vocational training: September 7th.
In Catalonia the Christmas holidays will be from December 22nd to January 8th, 2023 and Easter holidays will be from April 3rd to 10th, 2023.
Madrid
Infants and Primary: September 7th.
Secondary, Bachillerato and vocational training: September 8th.
Madrid's Christmas holidays will be from December 23rd 2022 to January 8, 2023. At Easter, the holidays will be between April 1st to 9th, 2023, inclusive.
In addition to the Christmas and Easter breaks, in Madrid the following days will be days off: October 31st, 2022, December 5th and 7th, 2022, February 24th and 27th, 2023, March 31st, 2023 and April 10th, 2023.
Galicia
In Galicia all schools (Infant, Primary, Secondary, Bachillerato and vocational training centres) will all start on the same day: September 8th.
The Christmas break will be between December 23rd and January 6th, 2023. On February 20th, 21st and 22nd, 2023 there will be a short break for Galicia's carnival, and again for Easter from April 3rd to 10th, 2023.
Andalusia
A slightly later start in Andalusia, with Infant and Primary schools returning on September 12th.
Secondary, Bachillerato and vocational training will go back on September 15th.
Christmas holidays will be from December 23rd and end on January 8th, and Easter between April 3rd and 9th. There are scheduled days off on December 5th, 2022 and February 27th, 2023.
Basque Country
In Basque Country all school centres return on September 8th.
The Christmas and Easter holidays are not yet finalised, but local media is reporting it is likely to be from December 24th, 2022 to January 6th, 2023 for Christmas, and from April 6th to April 10th, 2023 for Easter.
Cantabria
Infant and Primary: September 8th.
Secondary, Bachillerato and vocational centres: September 9th.
School holidays work slightly different in Cabtabria, with five teaching sessions and four holiday breaks. This coming school year, the holidays will be between October 31st and November 4th, December 24th and January 9th for Christmas, the week of February 20th, and then April 10th to 14th for Easter.
Aragon
Infant, Primary, Secondary: September 8th.
Bachillerato: September 12th.
Vocational Training centres: September 14th.
Christmas holidays will be from December 22nd, 2022 to Friday, January 6th, 2023, and Easter holidays between April 3rd and 10th.
Asturias
In Asturias, all schools return on September 12th, the first time the region had coordinated the back to school dates for all teaching centres.
School holidays are scheduled from December 27th, 2022 to January 5th, 2023 and from April 3rd to 11th, 2023.
Valencia
Infant, Primary, Secondary, Bachillerato and Vocational Training all return on September 12th.
Holidays will be from December 23rd, 2022 to January 6th for Christmas, and April 6th to 17th, 2023 for the Easter break.
Extremadura
Infants, Primary, and Secondary: September 12th.
Bachillerato and Vocational Training: September 13th.
Christmas holidays in Extremadura will be from December 23rd, 2022 to January 5th, 2023, and Easter from April 3rd to 10th, 2023.
Castilla-La Mancha
Infant, Primary, and Secondary: September 7th.
Bachillerato and Vocational Training: September 8th.
The Christmas holidays will be from December 23rd, 2022 to January 8th, 2023, and the Easter holidays are set to be between April 3rd and 10th, 2023.
Castille and León
Infant and Primary schools: September 9th.
Secondary, Bachillerato and Vocational Training: September 14th.
Christmas holidays will be from December 22nd, 2022 until January 9th, and Easter between March 29th, 2023 until April 10th.
Balearic Islands
In the Balearic Islands, all Infants, Primary, Secondary and Bachillerto students will return on September 12th.
Vocational Training centres: 23rd September.
The Christmas holidays will be from December 23rd, 2022 to January 5th, 2023 in the Balearics, and the Easter holidays between April 6th and 14th, 2023.
Navarra
In Navarra all schools return on September 7th.
Christmas holidays will be from December 23rd to January 8th, and the Easter break from April 6th to April 16th.
La Rioja
In Rioja all schools (Infant, Primary, Secondary, Bachillerato and Vocational Training) return on September 8th.
Christmas break is slated for December 24th, 2022 until January 8, 2023 and Easter from April 1st to 10th, 2023.
Murcia
Infant and Primary: September 8th.
Secondary, Bachillerato and Vocational Training: September 12th.
Christmas break in Murcia is between December 24th and January 6th; Easter from April 3rd to 7th.
Canary Islands
Infant and Primary: September 9th.
Secondary, Bachillerato and Vocational Training: September 12th.
Christmas holidays will run from December 23rd to January 6th, and the Easter break from April 3rd to 7th.
Ceuta
In Ceuta, all schools go back on September 8th.
The Christmas holidays will be from December 23rd to January 6th. Easter break will be between April 3rd and 7th.
Melilla
In Melilla all schools go back to class on September 6th.
The Christmas holidays are set for December 23rd to January 5th, and the Easter holidays April 3rd to 7th.
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See Also
If you've been shopping anywhere in Spain recently, you've probably noticed the vuelta al cole (back to school) promotions all over town. Just like in other countries around the world, the last few weeks of the summer holidays are - for parents, anyway - usually spent organising, worrying about and buying new shoes, books, pencil cases, PE kits, backpacks and all the other things children need to go back to school.
There are over 8 million Spanish school children set to go back to school in September. But when do kids actually go back to class in Spain? Does it vary region by region? School by school?
The Local explains all.
Vuelta al cole
Traditionally in Spain, schoolchildren return to class slightly later than in the UK or US - often it's the second or third week of September after having a much lengthier summer break to avoid the heat.
The different types of schools also sometimes have slightly different start dates.
Key vocabulary
Educación Infantil - Infant school
Primaria - Primary school
Secundaria/instituto - Secondary or high school
Bachillerato - the final two years of high school, comparable to A-levels in the UK
Formación profesional - Vocational training
Back to school dates
Below you'll find all the key back to school dates by region, and broken down by type of school. All dates are inclusive.
Catalonia
Infants and Primary: September 5th.
Secondary, Bachillerato, and vocational training: September 7th.
In Catalonia the Christmas holidays will be from December 22nd to January 8th, 2023 and Easter holidays will be from April 3rd to 10th, 2023.
Madrid
Infants and Primary: September 7th.
Secondary, Bachillerato and vocational training: September 8th.
Madrid's Christmas holidays will be from December 23rd 2022 to January 8, 2023. At Easter, the holidays will be between April 1st to 9th, 2023, inclusive.
In addition to the Christmas and Easter breaks, in Madrid the following days will be days off: October 31st, 2022, December 5th and 7th, 2022, February 24th and 27th, 2023, March 31st, 2023 and April 10th, 2023.
Galicia
In Galicia all schools (Infant, Primary, Secondary, Bachillerato and vocational training centres) will all start on the same day: September 8th.
The Christmas break will be between December 23rd and January 6th, 2023. On February 20th, 21st and 22nd, 2023 there will be a short break for Galicia's carnival, and again for Easter from April 3rd to 10th, 2023.
Andalusia
A slightly later start in Andalusia, with Infant and Primary schools returning on September 12th.
Secondary, Bachillerato and vocational training will go back on September 15th.
Christmas holidays will be from December 23rd and end on January 8th, and Easter between April 3rd and 9th. There are scheduled days off on December 5th, 2022 and February 27th, 2023.
Basque Country
In Basque Country all school centres return on September 8th.
The Christmas and Easter holidays are not yet finalised, but local media is reporting it is likely to be from December 24th, 2022 to January 6th, 2023 for Christmas, and from April 6th to April 10th, 2023 for Easter.
Cantabria
Infant and Primary: September 8th.
Secondary, Bachillerato and vocational centres: September 9th.
School holidays work slightly different in Cabtabria, with five teaching sessions and four holiday breaks. This coming school year, the holidays will be between October 31st and November 4th, December 24th and January 9th for Christmas, the week of February 20th, and then April 10th to 14th for Easter.
Aragon
Infant, Primary, Secondary: September 8th.
Bachillerato: September 12th.
Vocational Training centres: September 14th.
Christmas holidays will be from December 22nd, 2022 to Friday, January 6th, 2023, and Easter holidays between April 3rd and 10th.
Asturias
In Asturias, all schools return on September 12th, the first time the region had coordinated the back to school dates for all teaching centres.
School holidays are scheduled from December 27th, 2022 to January 5th, 2023 and from April 3rd to 11th, 2023.
Valencia
Infant, Primary, Secondary, Bachillerato and Vocational Training all return on September 12th.
Holidays will be from December 23rd, 2022 to January 6th for Christmas, and April 6th to 17th, 2023 for the Easter break.
Extremadura
Infants, Primary, and Secondary: September 12th.
Bachillerato and Vocational Training: September 13th.
Christmas holidays in Extremadura will be from December 23rd, 2022 to January 5th, 2023, and Easter from April 3rd to 10th, 2023.
Castilla-La Mancha
Infant, Primary, and Secondary: September 7th.
Bachillerato and Vocational Training: September 8th.
The Christmas holidays will be from December 23rd, 2022 to January 8th, 2023, and the Easter holidays are set to be between April 3rd and 10th, 2023.
Castille and León
Infant and Primary schools: September 9th.
Secondary, Bachillerato and Vocational Training: September 14th.
Christmas holidays will be from December 22nd, 2022 until January 9th, and Easter between March 29th, 2023 until April 10th.
Balearic Islands
In the Balearic Islands, all Infants, Primary, Secondary and Bachillerto students will return on September 12th.
Vocational Training centres: 23rd September.
The Christmas holidays will be from December 23rd, 2022 to January 5th, 2023 in the Balearics, and the Easter holidays between April 6th and 14th, 2023.
Navarra
In Navarra all schools return on September 7th.
Christmas holidays will be from December 23rd to January 8th, and the Easter break from April 6th to April 16th.
La Rioja
In Rioja all schools (Infant, Primary, Secondary, Bachillerato and Vocational Training) return on September 8th.
Christmas break is slated for December 24th, 2022 until January 8, 2023 and Easter from April 1st to 10th, 2023.
Murcia
Infant and Primary: September 8th.
Secondary, Bachillerato and Vocational Training: September 12th.
Christmas break in Murcia is between December 24th and January 6th; Easter from April 3rd to 7th.
Canary Islands
Infant and Primary: September 9th.
Secondary, Bachillerato and Vocational Training: September 12th.
Christmas holidays will run from December 23rd to January 6th, and the Easter break from April 3rd to 7th.
Ceuta
In Ceuta, all schools go back on September 8th.
The Christmas holidays will be from December 23rd to January 6th. Easter break will be between April 3rd and 7th.
Melilla
In Melilla all schools go back to class on September 6th.
The Christmas holidays are set for December 23rd to January 5th, and the Easter holidays April 3rd to 7th.
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