Marbella shopping
Sunday Trading in Andalucia
Traditionally very few shops used to open on a Sunday or public holiday in Andalucia. This was due to restrictions on Sunday trading by the Junta de Andalucía (regional government). However, since 2020, the number of Sundays when shopping centres and large supermarkets are permitted to open has increased substantially.
Trading on Sundays and bank holidays for shopping centres and shops whose floor space is more than 300 square metres is decreed by the Junta de Andalucía. Shops that can open on any Sunday or holiday are:
Shops selling cakes and pastries, bread, ready meals, chips (French fries), nuts and sweets, newspapers, flowers and plants; also the preparation and sale of churros.
Shops selling cultural and sporting products located inside museums, and cultural or sporting establishments.
Petrol stations and shops designated as 'convenience stores'.
Shops in train and bus stations, and airports and sea ports.
Larger shops and shopping centres are permitted to open on the following Sundays and holidays throughout Andalucía. Note that this does not imply that all shops in a town or village will be open on a Sunday; it simply means that they are permitted to open. In practice, larger shopping centres and retail parks will definitely be open, while some shops in towns and cities will open. Shops in smaller towns and villages will be closed, apart from small convenience stores and petrol stations.
Permitted Sunday and bank holiday trading days in 2023 - Andalucia-wide
There are 16 permitted Sunday and Bank Holiday trading days in 2023 - Andalucia-wide:
2 and 6 January
(February none)
(March none)
6 (Easter Thursday)and 30 April
2 May (Día del Trabajador)
(June none)
2 and 30 July
15 (Asunción de la Virgen) and 28 August
(September none)
12 October (Día de Colon)
1 November (Día de Todos los Santos) and 26 November
3, 8 (Día de la Concepción Inmaculada), 10, 17, 24 (Christmas Eve), 31 December (New Year's Eve)
Permitted Sunday and bank holiday trading days - Costa del Sol
Any town that the Junta de Andalucia has designated ‘an Area of Great Tourist Influx' can open on additional Sundays. This applies to Sunday and holiday trading in the Costa del Sol towns and cities: Malaga, Marbella, Fuengirola, Estepona, Benalmádena, Torremolinos, Nerja, Rincón de la Victoria, Mijas and Manilva. It also applies to coastal resort towns on the Costa de la Luz and the Costa Almeria.
2 and 8 January (for New Year's Day and Three Kings' Day)
(February none)
(March none)
2 (Palm Sunday) 6 (Easter Thursday) 7 (Good Friday) 9 (Easter Sunday) April
2 May (Día del Trabajador)
June: every Sunday
July: every Sunday
August: every Sunday plus holidays on 15 and 19 August (Asunción de la Virgen and Feria de Málaga)
September: every Sunday
12 October (Día de Colon)
1 (Día de Todos los Santos) and 26 November
3, 8 (Día de la Concepción Inmaculada), 10, 17, 24 (Christmas Eve, the main celebration in Spain), 31 (New Year's Eve) December
Permitted Sunday and Bank Holidays trading days in 2023 - Inland Cities
The historic city centres of Almeria, Granada, Seville, Cordoba and Jerez de la Frontera are also 'Areas of Great Tourist Influx' and also have their additional holiday trading dates from the 'Andalucia-wide' list above. However these are generally related to Sundays and holidays during Easter week.
Opening Hours
Shopping centres are generally open from 10.00 to 22.00 Monday to Saturday. They are also open for the same or slightly reduced trading hours on the Sundays and bank holidays listed above.
