We're planning on arriving in Madrid Easter Saturday next year. Question will Madrid be closed down for the holiday, or alternatively will it be fiesta time and all booked out? Will big mueseums such as Prado and similar be closed on the Sun (Easter) and the following Monday ? Is the Monday after Easter a public holiday in Spain

I know it sounds like a long way in advance - but the airfares are likely to rise from New Zealand to Europe in the near future (because of the price of oil) so we are looking at booking soon.

Thanks in advance

I'm not 100% sure but I think shops are closed during Thrusday, Friday and Easter Sunday. But they will open on Easter Saturday.

Many people go on holidays during Easter in Spain so you may have problems finding accommodation (specially if you go to touristic "Semana Santa" places such as Sevilla).

Don't expect to find good deals on air fares during Easter. If you also want to travel around Spain you may want to buy your tickets in advance.

The Monday after Easter is a public holiday but not everywhere is Spain. In Madrid it isn't but it is in Barcelona.

Museums have special schedules for those days. They change every year but in 1999 they were:

PALACIO REAL (Sat: 9 - 18h / Sun: 9:30 - 14:30h)

MUSEO DEL PRADO (Sat: 9 - 19h / Sun: 9 - 14h)

CENTRO DE ARTE REINA SOFIA (Sat: 10 - 21h / Sun: 10 - 14:30h)

MUSEO THYSSEN (Sat and Sun: 10 - 19h)

Regards,

Antonio

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