Lorraine Williamson
Mercadona is changing its summer opening hours in hundreds of tourist-area supermarkets across Spain, giving residents and holidaymakers more time to shop during the busiest weeks of the season.
The Mercadona summer hours will apply to 320 supermarkets from 22 June to 30 August. In selected stores, opening will run continuously from 9.00 am to 10.00 pm, half an hour later than the chain’s usual closing time. Many of those same shops will also open on Sundays until 3pm.
The change mainly affects coastal towns, islands and high-tourism municipalities where demand rises sharply in July and August. Mercadona says customers should check the official store finder before travelling, because the summer timetable does not apply to every branch.
What readers need to know
The extended summer timetable begins on Monday 22 June and runs until Sunday 30 August.
During that period, selected Mercadona stores in tourist areas will open from 9.00 am to 10.00 pm. Some will also open on Sundays and public holidays until 3.00 pm, depending on the municipality and individual store.
Outside the summer scheme, Mercadona’s usual pattern is Monday-to-Saturday opening, with most shops closing on Sundays and public holidays.
Where the changes will apply
The new timetable is focused on areas with high summer visitor numbers.
Spanish reports list destinations including Ibiza, Marbella, Lloret de Mar, Salou, Benidorm, Dénia, Jávea, Cullera, Peñíscola, Sanxenxo, Torremolinos, Gandía, Águilas and Oropesa del Mar among the places where some stores are expected to follow the summer schedule.
The measure also covers shops in parts of the Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Catalonia, Galicia, Murcia, Andalucia and the Valencian Community. However, not every store in those regions will be included.
Why Mercadona changes hours in summer
Spain’s coastal and island towns can change dramatically during the summer.
Population numbers rise in resort areas, second-home destinations and beach municipalities. Many people also shop later in the day, after returning from the beach, excursions or work.
Extending the closing time to 10.00 pm helps spread demand across a longer period. Sunday morning opening is also useful in tourist areas, where arrivals, apartment stays, and short breaks often create extra demand outside normal weekday shopping patterns.
How to check your nearest store
The safest way to check opening times is to use Mercadona’s official supermarket finder.
The tool allows customers to search by town, postcode or area and check the opening hours for each individual store. This matters because nearby branches can have different timetables, especially in tourist municipalities, shopping centres and coastal areas.
Mercadona’s official store finder covers its supermarket network across Spain. Reports say the company has more than 1,600 stores nationally, so checking locally is better than assuming all shops in a town follow the same pattern.
Why Sunday opening is not guaranteed everywhere
Mercadona is generally known for keeping most stores closed on Sundays and public holidays.
That makes the summer opening plan an exception rather than a year-round rule. It is designed for specific areas where seasonal demand is much higher than usual.
In inland towns, ordinary city neighbourhoods and areas without major summer tourism, normal hours may continue. Even in coastal regions, the Sunday timetable may apply to one branch but not another.
Useful for tourists and residents
For tourists staying in apartments, villas or campsites, the change can make arrival days easier.
Sunday opening is particularly helpful for visitors arriving at weekends, when stocking up on water, food, sun cream, baby products or household basics can otherwise be difficult.
Residents may also benefit, especially in towns where supermarket queues build up during July and August. Even so, the later hours are likely to be busiest in resort areas after beach time and early evening.
What to remember before heading out
The main message is simple: check before you go.
Opening hours in Spain can vary by region, local holiday, store type and tourist classification. A supermarket that opens on one Sunday may not open the next if the timetable changes or if the branch is not part of the summer campaign.
It is also worth checking public holidays separately. Local fiestas and regional holidays can affect supermarket hours, even during the summer season.
A small change that matters in tourist Spain
Mercadona’s summer timetable is not a national change for every customer. It is a targeted response to the busiest weeks of the year in Spain’s visitor hotspots.
For residents, second-home owners and holidaymakers, it could still make a practical difference. From late June, hundreds of stores in tourist areas will open later, and many will open on Sunday mornings.
The important detail is local. Before making a special trip, check your nearest branch on Mercadona’s official store finder and confirm the exact hours for that day.