From Monday, 15 September, most shops and shopping centres across Barcelona will once again observe Sunday closures, marking the end of the extended summer trading period. The Maremagnum shopping centre remains the exception — its seaside location allows it to stay open 365 days a year.
This change ends a special agreement introduced in 2022, which allowed large retail outlets within designated tourist zones (ZGAT/PEUAT areas) to open every Sunday and public holiday between 15 May and 15 September. The intent was to support the city’s retail recovery post-pandemic. Although the agreement was set to run through December 2025, discussions are already underway among retailers and unions (CCOO and UGT) to extend it into 2026 and beyond.
Affected areas include tourist-heavy neighbourhoods such as the Gothic Quarter, Barceloneta, the Eixample, Sarrià, Sants, and Gràcia. Some major malls outside these zones, like Westfield La Maquinista, were never part of the agreement and continue regular Sunday closures.
It’s worth noting that even outside the summer window, retailers may open on select public holidays and specific Sundays, including 1 November, 30 November, and the weekend around 6–8 December, as well as every Sunday in December.
