Extended Sunday Opening for Christmas Trade

Shopping centres and retail hubs in Barcelona will open on Sundays from 29 November until 27 December 2026, following a confirmed agreement between commercial employers' associations, trade unions, and Barcelona City Council. The move supports the Christmas shopping period, beginning the weekend after Black Friday on Friday 27 November. This year’s Black Friday promotions will be followed by six consecutive Sundays of retail openings, along with the public holiday on Tuesday 8 December. The open Sundays are: 29 November, 6 December, 13 December, 20 December, and 27 December.

Operating Hours and Coverage

On these Sundays and holidays, stores will typically operate from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM, consistent with summer trading hours for tourist zones. The arrangement applies to commercial areas designated under the High Influx of Tourists Zone (ZGAT), which includes key districts such as Ciutat Vella, Eixample, Sants, Les Corts, and Sant Martí. Major shopping centres including Westfield Glòries, Diagonal Mar, and Westfield La Maquinista, as well as central retail corridors like Passeig de Gràcia and Portal de l'Àngel, will participate in the extended schedule. The ZGAT designation, approved by the Catalan Government’s Director General of Commerce on 29 April 2022, permits Sunday openings for businesses in high-traffic tourist areas. The summer 2026 period allowed such openings from 15 May to 15 September under the same rules.

Plaça Catalunya Lights Cancelled Amid Protest Camp

Despite the retail push, Barcelona will not install Christmas lights in Plaça Catalunya this year due to an ongoing housing protest encampment. The City Council has confirmed it will not relocate the signature lighting display to another location. Barcelona Oberta, a city commerce association, has called on the council to remove the encampment after the general strike on Monday 9 November, to allow cleaning and installation of the planned lights. In a statement issued on Friday 6 November, the group acknowledged the legitimacy of housing protests but said the continued presence of the camp has diluted the original purpose of the demonstrations.

The Christmas campaign is crucial for annual revenue, and we are preparing for peak footfall, while ensuring staff rights are protected during extended hours.

Sources: Metrópoli, Ajuntament de Barcelona, Ara.