Halloween and All Saints' Day in Valencia

Valencia has two celebrations in a row at the end of October. On the night of the 31st, Halloween brings costumes, haunted houses and parties, especially for young people. November 1 is Todos los Santos, a fixed national holiday: the city half-stops while families visit the cemeteries and bakeries fill with buñuelos, huesos de santo and panellets. Of the two, the second is by far the genuinely Valencian tradition.

Halloween on October 31

Halloween isn't a Valencian festival, but it's been around in the city for more than twenty years, especially in nightlife. The format repeats every year: costume parties in nightclubs and bars, horror mazes in shopping centres and escape rooms, and the occasional horror film screening in venues such as rooftops or open-air spaces. The programme changes from year to year, so check the events calendar in the days before, not months in advance.

For kids, the usual way to do Halloween in the city is at the shopping centers: they go from shop to shop in costume asking for candy on the afternoon of the 31st, and sometimes also on November 1st. It's usually free and there's no need to book, just turn up in costume.

Another regular event each season is guided tours of the historic centre, run by local tour companies, covering the city's legends and darker side. These tours are usually paid, and for large groups it's worth booking ahead; better to check this year's edition in the events calendar than to rely on last year's price or meeting point.

All Saints' Day, November 1

1 November is a national holiday across Spain, always on that date and never moved to a Monday or left to regional decisions. Of the two, in Valencia it's the date that really matters: the day families go to the cemetery with flowers for the dead. In the most traditional households, the custom of the animetes is still preserved: lighting a candle for each deceased family member on the night of 1 November and keeping it burning until noon on 2 November. These days you'll see it more in the villages than in the city, but it explains why this date means more here than the imported Halloween.

Visiting the cemetery

Valencia has seven municipal cemeteries:

• General
• Cabanyal
• Campanar
• Grau
• Benimámet
• Massarrojos
• El Palmar

Around All Saints' Day, the city council extends the usual opening hours, with a continuous schedule from early morning to late afternoon, including weekends. The exact dates and hours are published each year in a municipal decree, so check if you plan to visit outside 1 November itself. The EMT also boosts service on several bus lines to the cemeteries in the days before the holiday, and driving there is quite complicated on the 1st, especially in the morning.

Municipal decrees usually set a deadline for placing floral bouquets and decorations before the tombstone on the morning of November 1, leaving the aisles clear for the rest of the day. Outside that time slot, the atmosphere is calm: families walking among the niches, flower stalls at the entrance, and little else, without the festive tone of the previous night.

Sweets for All Saints' Day

These sweets mark the date in Valencia:

• Buñuelos de viento: fried dough balls, hollow and sprinkled with sugar. The most traditional sweet on these dates in the Comunitat Valenciana.
• Huesos de santo: rolled marzipan filled with egg yolk, shaped like a bone.
• Panellets: small marzipan balls coated with pine nuts or other nuts. Originally Catalan, they've become common in Valencian pastry shops in recent years.
• Castañas asadas: the chestnut sellers with their lit braziers return to the centre on these dates, especially in the afternoons.

They are bought at any neighborhood bakery or pastry shop, which put them on sale from mid-October until November 1st itself; there's no need to look for a specific place. The stalls at the municipal markets usually have more variety and sell by weight.

With Kids, Beyond the Sweets

November 1 is a public holiday, so many families take advantage of it for a relaxed plan with the city emptier than usual. Several municipal museums, including the Museu Faller and the Casa Museo Benlliure, usually open on public holidays with free admission and reduced hours, typically only in the morning; it's worth checking the hours for the specific day before going, as they may change. More options are in the guide to free museums in Valencia and in the one to free activities with kids, and for the rest of the long weekend, in what to do in Valencia with kids.

What's open and closed on 1 November

As it is a national holiday, most small shops and a large part of big stores close. Supermarkets vary each year depending on the chain and even the specific location: some open with reduced hours and others do not open at all, so if the plan depends on buying something it is best to check the day before on the chain's website. Bars and restaurants operate normally. Public transport runs, but with holiday frequencies, reinforced towards cemeteries. Schools also have this day as a non-school day, so if the 1st falls on a weekday many families join it to the nearest weekend to make a short break; this makes the roads out of the city and the inland towns have more traffic than usual the previous afternoon. For the rest of the fixed festivities in the Valencian calendar, they are all listed in the calendar of festivals in Valencia, and the free plans in free plans in Valencia.

Frequently asked questions

Is Halloween the same as All Saints' Day in Valencia?

No. Halloween is an imported festival, celebrated on the night of 31 October with costumes and parties, especially among young people. All Saints' Day, on 1 November, is a Spanish national holiday and the truly Valencian of the two dates, centred on visiting cemeteries and family.

Is 1 November a holiday everywhere in Spain?

Yes, it is a fixed national holiday. It always falls on November 1 and is not moved to another day even if it falls on a weekday.

Which Valencia cemeteries have extended hours on All Saints' Day?

The seven municipal cemeteries are General, Cabanyal, Campanar, Grau, Benimámet, Massarrojos and El Palmar. The extended opening hours are published by the city council in an official notice each year, so check if you're visiting on any day other than the 1st itself.

Where to buy huesos de santo and buñuelos in Valencia

You'll find them in any neighborhood bakery or pastry shop from mid-October, and at the municipal market stalls, where they're usually sold by weight.

Do supermarkets in Valencia open on November 1?

Depends on the chain and changes every year: some open with reduced hours, others close completely. If you’re planning to buy something specific, check the day before.

Are there any Halloween plans for children in Valencia?

Yes, especially in shopping centres, which usually arrange trick-or-treating in the shops on the afternoon of 31 October. It's usually free and doesn't need booking; the specific programme for each year is in the agenda.