Why You Can't Get Things Done in Spain

A month by month explanation

Some people have been questioning our decision as a company to go on holiday in August and essentially be mostly closed for the month. Honestly I don’t have to justify myself and my decisions to those who decided for some reason that August would be the best time to come to Valencia looking for property and then get upset when they are told we are on holiday but… what the hey. Let’s just say that August is not the only time it’s difficult to get things done in Spain. Other months are also tricky. In fact…

Let’s start with August and work our way through the year and let’s take into account Valencia as other places have their own particular set of peculiarities, local holidays etc. Why is it difficult to get things done in Valencia in…

August - Everyone and their dog is on holiday. Also, it’s hot

Spetember - Too much catching up to do from stopping for a whole month in August

October - We haven’t had a holiday for a time so the 9th is Valencia’s regional holiday and the 12th is Spain’s national holiday. Specifically timed so that a weekend fits snugly in the middle or if midweek to allow for two long weekends one using a “Puente” or “Bridge Day”. So that’s the 6th to the 15th covered in some cases as being “difficult”. The clocks go back on the 26th October this year too giving us less time to work until spring because yes, that’s a thing. Halloween is also becoming a thing now too but that’s connected to…

November - All Saint’s Day, the 1st of November. Again the Spanish are happiest if it’s a Tuesday because the Puente comes back into view and can coincide with Halloween but if it’s a Thursday then even better because Friday doesn’t then exist. Also days are now officially shorter so there’s less time to work for the whole of this month.

December - Oooo where to start. Days are really short, the 6th and 8th are always national holidays so forget about doing anything that week as everyone who can takes a Puente. Also things slow down for Xmas from this point and the period between Xmas and the New Year is fertile ground for not doing anything too and if Xmas can start on the evening of the 22nd when the Xmas lottery draw takes up the whole of the morning on every TV station in every bar and cafe in Spain then so much the better.

January - It’s still Xmas remember as the Kings arrive on the 5th and kids get their pressies on the 6th. However they do go straight back to school on the 7th… unless it’s a weekend of course. So don’t think of trying to get anything done until the 10th.

February - Shortest month isn’t it. Can’t get anything done when there are so few days in the month and anyway most places are now preparing for Fallas.

March - Fallas. You are trying to get some deep work done and suddenly you are in a war zone with bangs going off everywhere. Between Despertas early morning, Mascletas at midday and late night full on firework displays with roads cut off everywhere how are we supposed to work? Yes I know it’s supposed to be just the 15th to the 19th but it isn’t is it!!

April - Just as Fallas finishes it’s Easter and the kids are off school again… Some places in Spain have the week of Good Friday off some have the week of Easter Monday. Good Friday will be on April 3rd and Easter Monday will be on April 6th next year. Just to be on the safe side many people take the week before and after off. Oh and it’s the Feria de Abril in Sevilla so we have to take some time off to visit that too don’t we?

May - Mayday. 1st of May is international workers day so we can’t get things done there can we! Whisper it but the rest of the month is pretty clear!

June - Longest day innit so San Juan on the 24th is a holiday because we had to do so much work in the previous days as the days were long. It’s also been almost two months since the last holiday by the time we get half way through the month and as it is starting to get hot in June expect “interruptions” to normal service.

July - It’s hot, it’s also summer so some other people who we depend on might be away so we can’t do anything. And the beach bars have opened so there’s that.

August - Everyone and their dog is on holiday. Also, it’s hot….

And the dance continues into the next year and the next and the next…

But that’s why you come here isn’t it? We work to live in Spain not live to work.

So what do you think? Can you supply us with even more excuses we can use? And which months do you think are the most difficult for getting things done in Spain?