Today is a national holiday in Spain, and many shops and businesses will be closed for the day.
The day is officially titled the National Holiday of Spain and marks the day on which Columbus first set foot on the Americas. In the past, it has been referred to as the Day of the Spanish Race, or Hispanic Day.
The day is marked by a military parade in Madrid, attended by the King and leading politicians. This is seen as a patriotic duty, although not all are enthused by it. In 2008, opposition leader Mariano Rajoy was caught complaining that attending the parade was “a pain in the arse.”
On Lanzarote, no special events are planned for the holiday. Larger supermarkets and shopping centres will mostly remain open, as will many businesses in the resorts. However, many businesses in Arrecife and smaller towns are likely to keep the shutters down.
As it is a national holiday, lower electricity tariffs will apply all day.
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