I expect to be in Spain the first week in May--ooops, I forgot about the travel mess in Italy last year on the same holiday. What can I expect? And will it be really crazy or hard to find lodging? I expect closures on May 1, but will transportation be available? I'm aiming for the Basque region for most of this time April 29-May 5.
Posted by
Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
324 posts
Although Labor Day (May 1st) is a bank holiday, it really shouldn't effect you as a tourist. Restaurants, public transportation and many stores will be open as usual. Were a national strike to be announced, things might change, but in general Spaniards take their vacation days too seriously to muddle them up with politics. (I can't remember any major strike having taken place on May 1st.) On the other hand, if you are in a biggish city it might be fun to participate in a rally -- they are usually accompanied by a concert, picnic, etc. The big union web pages (ugt.es; cnt.es; and ccoo.es) will probably provide information as the date approaches.