Tax return deadline, schools break up for summer, increase in electricity and gas prices, changes to asylum rules, new salary transparency law, festivals, protests and more – here’s everything to know about June 2026 in Spain.
Last day to file your tax return online
June 30th is officially the end of the tax campaign for income you earned in 2025.
If you want to pay via direct debit or if you are owed any money back and want to be paid directly into your bank account, you must do this by June 25th.
READ ALSO – Calendar: The tax deadlines in Spain in 2026
Schools break up for summer
June also sees the end of the school year and the start of the official summer season across Spain. Most schools in most regions will have their last day on Friday June 19th, but some may continue on an extra few days or a week, depending on the type of school and area.
It’s always better to check with your local authority for exact term dates.
Pope’s Visit
Pope Leo XIV is to visit Spain this June from the 6th to the 12th. He will be travelling to Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands.
More than 11,000 police officers and 2,200 Civil Guards will be deployed to help manage his trip, as well as further security personnel in Barcelona.
100th anniversary of the death of Antoni Gaudí
This year marks the centenary of the death of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí who designed many buildings across Spain, the most renowned being the Sagrada Familia.
This event is one of the main reasons for the Pope’s visit to Barcelona. The Pope will be presiding over a special mass to commemorate the architect on on June 10. He will also be blessing and inaugurating the basilica’s new tower, which now makes it the tallest church in the world.
READ ALSO: Pope to hold Mass at Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia during Spain visit
Free entry to 15 Madrid museums
A total of 14 museums and cultural institutions in Madrid will be free from the night of Saturday June 6th to Sunday June 7th in conjunction with the Pope’s visit.
Some of the most famous museums that are taking part are the Prado Museum (which will remain open until half past midnight), the Reina Sofía (open until 11:30pm), the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando (until 2am), the Royal Collections Gallery (until 1am) and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum (until midnight).
Number plate changes
From June, the first cars with number plates beginning with NNY will begin circulating. Along with July, June accounts for one of the highest sales of cars in the year, resulting in a significant number of license plates on the road simultaneously.
Looking beyond summer, all indications point to the fact that letter P will be introduced in late 2026 or the first weeks of 2027.
VAT reduction on electricity and gas to expire in June
The reduction of VAT on electricity and natural gas will expire on June 1st, as a result of the moderation of prices published by the Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE).
According to the rule, the measures would be deactivated in June if the April CPI for each category fell by 15 percent compared to the same month of the previous year.
Tax breaks on fuel, however, remain in effect until June 30th.
Madrid to pass urgent housing measures in June
The Governing Council of Madrid recently approved a new housing law, which is expected to come into effect in June.
The new measure is set to accelerate and increase housing construction, specifically social housing.
“To combat and solve the housing problem, there is only one solution, and that is to build housing, build housing, and build housing,” the Madrid Housing and Transport Minister Jorge Rodrigo said.
New EU laws of pay transparency come into force
The European Union’s Pay Transparency Directive is to come into effect on June 7th. This means that companies and organisations will face major changes in how they manage compensation, handle hiring, and organise employee information.
Primarily it includes pay transparency obligations towards applicants and employees.
Málaga to stage housing protest in June
The Andalusian city of Málaga is to once again hold a new demonstration due to the housing crisis.
The march will be held on June 27th starting at 11:30 a.m. from Plaza de la Merced.
Neighbourhood assemblies also called for “a major general strike for housing,” following the example of the one held in Barcelona.
A series of debates on housing will also be held on June 5th and 6th.
Spain to stop granting and renewing residency permits for humanitarian reasons
According to a press release from the Interior Ministry, from June 12th, Spain will stop granting and renewing humanitarian residency permits linked to international protection applications, particularly for Venezuelans.
This is due to the new European Pact on Migration and Asylum (EPAM), created by the EU unify migration and asylum criteria among member states.
Up until now, Spain allowed some people whose asylum application had been rejected to remain legally in the country through a temporary residence permit for humanitarian reasons.
Corpus Christi celebrations take place
The Corpus Christi celebrations across Spain will take place this year around June 4th. The festivities commemorate the body of Christ and occur nine weeks after Easter.
The festival is celebrated very differently across the country, depending on where you are. In the Catalan town of Sitges, Elche de la Sierra in Albacete, and some places in Tenerife, locals make brightly-coloured patterned carpets on the streets, made of either flower petals or sawdust.
In Granada, they have elaborate processions, while in Barcelona they decorate the city’s fountains with flowers and place an egg to ‘dance’ in the water.
Noche de San Juan
June is also the month Spain celebrates the Noche de San Juan or Nit de Sant Joan in Catalonia. Saint John’s Eve occurs on the night of June 23rd and sees people across Spain celebrating with bonfires and fireworks. It marks St John the Baptist’s birth, as well as one of the shortest nights of the year.
Like Corpus Christi, the celebration changes depending on where you are in the country. In Galicia, Pagan traditions of banishing evil mix with religious ones as bonfires are set up on the beaches and people jump over them for good luck.
In Catalonia, places go all out to celebrate Sant Joan with firecrackers, fireworks, and traditional sweet coca bread. And in Alicante Las Hogueras or Les Fogueres take place. This is similar to Valencia’s Las Fallas festival, where large papier-mâché sculptures are set on fire.
READ ALSO: Goats, horses and fire: the weird ways Spain celebrates San Juan
Batalla del Vino
Yet another festival taking place in June is the Batalla del Vino or Wine Battle, held in Riojan town Haro. Here on June 29th locals gather for a giant wine fight.
Everyone meets on a hillside outside the town dressed in white. By the time the battle has ended everyone’s clothes have turned to shades of red and purple grapes.
