Main summer ‘Operación Salida‘ to take place

Spain’s grand summer exodus from the cities towards the beaches and the countryside is known as ‘Operación Salida’ and takes place mostly during July and August. Spain’s General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) is expecting 94 million long-distance journeys to be made by road this summer alone.

The busiest time will be between Wednesday July 28th and Thursday August 1st, however, there will be a second exodus in the middle of August between Wednesday the 14th and Sunday the 18th. The DGT has warned people to try and avoid these busy times if possible.

The roads will again be busy with people returning to the cities from the coasts, particularly the weekend of August 30th to September 1st.

A time for fiestas

Just because the country is on holiday doesn’t mean that the festivities stop during August. There are lots to look forward to this month. Málaga, Bilbao and San Sebastián all celebrate their most important events this month.

Málaga’s annual feria takes place this year from August 17th to 24th, while Bilbao’s Aste Nagusia or Semana Grande, held in honour of the Virgen de Begoña, will be held from August 17th to 25th.

San Sebastián also has its own Semana Grande with lots of fireworks, traditional games, sports and music. It takes place just before Bilbao’s from August 10th to 17th.

The famed Tomatina tomato fight in Buñol also takes place on the last Wednesday in August – this year August 28th.

Public Holidays

The whole of August may seem like one month-long public holiday in Spain, but there is actually only one public holiday for the whole country, which takes place on August 15th. This means that anyone not already on holiday will be able to take one on this day. It celebrates the Day of the Assumption of the Virgen, which according to Christians, commemorates the day the Virgin Mary entered heaven.

Intense heatwaves

The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has forecast three consecutive weeks of intense heat for most of the country during August.  “The most adverse situation will be in the east of the peninsula, where we could reach 44C,” warns AEMET.  

Minimum temperatures will also be high and will exceed 24-26C in the Mediterranean area and in the Guadalquivir basin around Seville and Córdoba. According to weather site Meteored the amount of rain in some parts of the country will also be more than normal. The average accumulated precipitation in August will just over 20 l/m², particularly in the Pyrenees, Teruel and the central coast of Catalonia.

Olympics taking place

Spain will be participating in the Paris 2024 Olympics and will be going into it will particularly high hopes for its football team, which just won the Euros, and tennis star Carlos Alcaraz, who recent won Wimbledon.

TV coverage of the Olympics will be extensive in Spain. Public broadcaster RTVE will offer 400 hours of live broadcasting of the Paris Olympics completely for free.

This will be available on their channels La 1, La 2 and Teledeporte, all standard terrestrial TV channels in Spain. 

If you don’t have a television you will also be able to stream the Olympics on your phone, laptop or table by accessing RTVE’s online platform RTVE Play, which is also free.

READ ALSO – LISTED: Spain’s medal hopes at the Paris 2024 Olympics

What’s open/closed in August?

August is the month that seemingly the whole of Spain goes on holiday, with businesses closing across the country, from small cafes to larger construction companies for example.

Around 18 percent of businesses in Spain close during August according to Madrid-based business management consultant Grant Thornton. That means that almost one in five businesses shut their doors and shut up for the month or at least part of the month.

Generally speaking, larger business and chains or franchises will stay open, while smaller independent ones may close. Businesses in in-land towns and cities are also more likely to close than ones on the coast that generally experience busy Augusts.

READ ALSO: What’s closed and what stays open during August in Spain?

Canaries braces for mass arrival of migrants

The president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, has asked the PP party to support a decree law that regulates the reception of immigrant minors since “hundreds will arrive in August”.  

The rule plans to facilitate moving just over 2,500 unaccompanied migrant minors from the Canary Islands to the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. There are currently more than 5,500 on Canary Islands, but many more are expected to arrive this month.  Government of the Canary Islands told newspaper El Mundo that at the end of summer the number of unaccompanied migrant minors is likely to multiply from the current number to “almost 20,000.” 

READ MORE: Why a row is brewing over the care of migrant minors in Spain

No driving exams for half of August in most of Spain

If you’re looking to take your driving test next month, then you may have to wait until September, as many centres across the country will be closing in August. The different provincial delegations of the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) have a different calendars, but most centres close during the second half of August. A handful of them will also not be conducting any exams throughout the month of August. Place that will not be carrying out any driving tests during the second half of August include Almería, Alicante and Barcelona.

Possible new president for Catalonia

Spain’s Socialists may soon be able to get Salvador Illa in power in Catalonia two months after regional elections there.

No party secured an absolute majority in Catalonia’s 135-seat parliament in a May 12th regional vote in the wealthy northeastern region, which saw separatist parties lose their governing majority in the body they had dominated for the past decade.

The local branch of Spain’s ruling Socialists – PSC – led by Salvador Illa, won the biggest share of the vote giving it 42 seats, while hardline separatist party JxCat – headed by exiled former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont – finished second with 35 seats.

Neither Illa nor Puigdemont decided to present themselves to an investiture vote in the assembly as they had not secured enough backing from other parties to be successful and preferred to keep negotiating.

However, several reports in the Spanish press now say PSC and Catalonia’s other separatist party – ERC – are preparing an investiture for Illa in early August, based on the outcome of favourable negotiations for the ERC, with the primary intention of keeping exiled Puigdemont out of power.

Postal strike in Cádiz

The postal walkout organised by the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) calls upon workers to strike between August 1st and September 30th. It will affect all the workers and their different shifts at the Sociedad Estado de Correos y Telégrafos S.A, in the province of Cádiz.

Ambulance strike in Murcia

Ambulance drivers in the region of Murcia were due to strike at the end of July, but this has now been postponed to begin in August. The works council estimates that the stoppage will be called again for August 5th.  

No new laws as Congress closes in August

No new laws will be passed in the Spanish Parliament during August as they too will be on holiday for most of the month.