Portuguese public holidays in 2026
Travel
Lisbon

Portuguese public holidays in 2026

lisbonlife
Lisbon, Portugal September 14, 2026 10 min read 3

When you live in Portugal, you’ll want to know when Portuguese public holidays (feriado publico) are.

Not only are they great for immersing yourself in local culture, but you can also use the time off to visit family and friends.

For travelers and expats, holidays also require some financial planning. Whether you’re budgeting for festival attendance, purchasing gifts, or planning getaways, managing your money across borders can be challenging. Using services like These services can offer competitive exchange rates and transparent fees for currency conversion.

Here’s what you need to know:

  • Overview of Portuguese public holidays
  • When are the Portuguese public holidays in 2025?Local holidays in 2025Local (municipal) holidays in 2025Other important dates in 2025
  • Local holidays in 2025
  • Local (municipal) holidays in 2025
  • Other important dates in 2025
  • When are the Portuguese public holidays in 2026?Local holidays in 2026Local (municipal) holidays in 2026Other important dates in 2026
  • Local holidays in 2026
  • Local (municipal) holidays in 2026
  • Other important dates in 2026
  • When were the Portuguese public holidays in 2024?Local holidays in 2024Local (municipal) holidays in 2024Other important dates in 2024
  • Local holidays in 2024
  • Local (municipal) holidays in 2024
  • Other important dates in 2024
  • When are the school holidays in Portugal?
  • Practical tips for Portuguese holiday travel
  • Conclusion

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Overview of Portuguese public holidays

As a Catholic country, most public holidays in Portugal are religious. Many include festivals and parades honoring a saint or a bible story, while others include Christian celebrations, such as Christmas.

Most stores close for the whole day on public holidays, even in big cities. Also, public transport and other services reduce their schedules.

Many of the public holidays are national, although some are only celebrated in certain regions. If you’re planning to attend these celebrations, it’s worth preparing financially, especially if you’re traveling from abroad. Using the multi-currency account to convert your currency at the mid-market exchange rate can help you avoid the inflated tourist rates often found at airport kiosks and local exchange offices during busy holiday periods.

Unfortunately, each holiday is celebrated on the day itself. So, if it takes place on a Sunday, then the next Monday is not a day off.

The best festivals in Portugal

When are the Portuguese public holidays in 2025?

Portugal celebrates these holidays nationwide:

Date

Weekday

Holiday

1 January 2025

Tue

New Year’s Day

18 April 2025

Fri

Good Friday

20 April 2025

Sun

Easter Sunday

25 April 2025

Fri

Liberty Day

1 May 2025

Thu

Labor Day

10 June 2025

Tue

Portugal Day

19 June 2025

Thu

Corpus Christi

15 August 2025

Fri

Assumption of Mary

5 October 2025

Sun

Republic Day

1 November 2025

Sat

All Saints’ Day

1 December 2025

Mon

Restoration of Independence

8 December 2025

Mon

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

25 December 2025

Thu

Christmas Day

Local holidays in 2025

These holidays are only observed in certain Portuguese regions:

Date

Weekday

Holiday

Where celebrated

2 April 2025

Wed

Madeira’s Autonomy Day

Madeira

20 May 2025

Tue

Azores Day

Azores

1 July 2025

Tue

Madeira Day

Madeira

26 December 2025

Fri

Boxing Day

Madeira

Local (municipal) holidays in 2025

Often, Portuguese municipalities have a local holiday (Feriado Municipal or Dia do Concelho) that they celebrate. These frequently relate to patron saints or important historical dates.

The list below includes many of these local holidays, but not all (Portugal has 308 municipalities). It’s recommended you check with your municipality to find out any concrete dates.

Date

Weekday

Holiday

Where celebrated

19 March 2025

Wed

Saint Joseph’s Day

Santarém

6 May 2025(annually on the third Tuesday after Easter)

Tue

Start of the pilgrimage of Our Lady of Mércoles

Castelo Branco

12 May 2025

Mon

Saint Joana’s Day

Aveiro

26 May 2025(annually on the Monday after the fifth Sunday after Easter)

Mon

Day of the Patron Saint

Ponta Delgada

15 May 2025

Thu

Day the town was established

Caldas da Rainha

22 May 2025

Thu

Leiria Day

Leiria

13 June 2025

Fri

Saint Anthony’s Day

Lisbon and Vila Real

24 June 2025

Tue

Saint John’s Day

Braga, Guimarães, and Porto

29 June 2025

Sun

Saint Peter’s Day

Évora

4 July 2025

Fri

Saint Elizabeth’s Day

Coimbra

20 August 2025

Wed

Festival of Our Lady in Sorrow

Viana do Castelo

21 August 2025

Thu

Funchal City Day

Funchal

7 September 2025

Sun

Faro Day

Faro

11 November 2025

Tue

Saint Martin’s Day

Penafiel

Other important dates in 2025

Alongside national and local holidays, you may want to make note of these other prominent dates in Portugal:

Date

Weekday

Occasion

4 March 2025

Tue

Carnival Tuesday

19 March 2025

Wed

Father’s Day

4 May 2025

Sun

Mother’s Day

31 December 2025

Wed

New Year’s Eve

When are the Portuguese public holidays in 2026?

Date

Weekday

Holiday

1 January 2026

Thu

New Year’s Day

3 April 2026

Fri

Good Friday

5 April 2026

Sun

Easter Sunday

25 April 2026

Sat

Liberty Day

1 May 2026

Fri

Labor Day

4 June 2026

Thu

Corpus Christi

10 June 2026

Wed

Portugal Day

15 August 2026

Sat

Assumption of Mary

5 October 2026

Mon

Republic Day

1 November 2026

Sun

All Saints’ Day

1 December 2026

Tue

Restoration of Independence

8 December 2026

Tue

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

25 December 2026

Fri

Christmas Day

Local holidays in 2026

These holidays are only celebrated in certain Portuguese regions:

Date

Weekday

Holiday

Where celebrated

2 April 2026

Thu

Madeira’s Autonomy Day

Madeira

20 May 2026

Wed

Azores Day

Azores

1 July 2026

Wed

Madeira Day

Madeira

26 December 2026

Sat

Boxing Day

Madeira

Local (municipal) holidays in 2026

Date

Weekday

Holiday

Where celebrated

19 March 2026

Thu

Saint Joseph’s Day

Santarém

21 April 2026(annually on the third Tuesday after Easter)

Tue

Start of the pilgrimage of Our Lady of Mércoles

Castelo Branco

11 May 2026(annually on the Monday after the fifth Sunday after Easter)

Mon

Day of the Patron Saint

Ponta Delgada

12 May 2026

Tue

Saint Joana’s Day

Aveiro

15 May 2026

Fri

Day the town was established

Caldas da Rainha

22 May 2026

Fri

Leiria Day

Leiria

13 June 2026

Sat

Saint Anthony’s Day

Lisbon and Vila Real

24 June 2026

Wed

Saint John’s Day

Braga, Guimarães, and Porto

29 June 2026

Mon

Saint Peter’s Day

Évora

4 July 2026

Sat

Saint Elizabeth’s Day

Coimbra

20 August 2026

Thu

Festival of Our Lady in Sorrow

Viana do Castelo

21 August 2026

Fri

Funchal City Day

Funchal

7 September 2026

Mon

Faro Day

Faro

11 November 2026

Wed

Saint Martin’s Day

Penafiel

Other important dates in 2026

Alongside national and local holidays, you may want to make note of these other prominent dates in Portugal:

Date

Weekday

Occasion

17 February 2026

Tue

Carnival Tuesday

19 March 2026

Thu

Father’s Day

3 May 2026

Sun

Mother’s Day

31 December 2026

Thu

New Year’s Eve

When were the Portuguese public holidays in 2024?

Date

Weekday

Holiday

1 January 2024

Mon

New Year’s Day

29 March 2024

Fri

Good Friday

31 March 2024

Sun

Easter Sunday

25 April 2024

Thu

Liberty Day

1 May 2024

Wed

Labor Day

30 May 2024

Thu

Corpus Christi

10 June 2024

Mon

Portugal Day

15 August 2024

Thu

Assumption of Mary

5 October 2024

Sat

Republic Day

1 November 2024

Fri

All Saints’ Day

1 December 2024

Sun

Restoration of Independence

8 December 2024

Sun

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

25 December 2024

Wed

Christmas Day

The best Christmas markets in Portugal

Local holidays in 2024

Date

Weekday

Holiday

Where celebrated

2 April 2024

Tue

Madeira’s Autonomy Day

Madeira

20 May 2024

Mon

Azores Day

Azores

1 July 2024

Mon

Madeira Day

Madeira

26 December 2024

Thu

Boxing Day

Madeira

Local (municipal) holidays in 2024

Date

Weekday

Holiday

Where celebrated

19 March 2024

Tue

Saint Joseph’s Day

Santarém

16 April 2024(annually on the third Tuesday after Easter)

Tue

Start of the pilgrimage of Our Lady of Mércoles

Castelo Branco

6 May 2024(annually on the Monday after the fifth Sunday after Easter)

Mon

Day of the Patron Saint

Ponta Delgada

12 May 2024

Sun

Saint Joana’s Day

Aveiro

15 May 2024

Wed

Day the town was established

Caldas da Rainha

22 May 2024

Wed

Leiria Day

Leiria

13 June 2024

Thu

Saint Anthony’s Day

Lisbon and Vila Real

24 June 2024

Mon

Saint John’s Day

Braga, Guimarães, and Porto

29 June 2024

Sat

Saint Peter’s Day

Évora

4 July 2024

Thu

Saint Elizabeth’s Day

Coimbra

20 August 2024

Tue

Festival of Our Lady in Sorrow

Viana do Castelo

21 August 2024

Wed

Funchal City Day

Funchal

7 September 2024

Sat

Faro Day

Faro

11 November 2024

Mon

Saint Martin’s Day

Penafiel

Other important dates in 2024

Date

Weekday

Occasion

13 February 2024

Tue

Carnival Tuesday

19 March 2024

Tue

Father’s Day

5 May 2024

Sun

Mother’s Day

31 December 2024

Tue

New Year’s Eve

When are the school holidays in Portugal?

Both Portuguese and international schools in Portugal have their own vacation schedule. Some of these days off overlap with national celebrations. However, this is not always the case.

If you want to know more about school term times, visit our article on school holidays in Portugal.

School holidays in Portugal

Practical tips for Portuguese holiday travel

Transportation During Holidays

Public transportation in Portugal often operates on reduced schedules during holidays. In major cities like Lisbon and Porto, some metro and bus services may run less frequently, while intercity trains might require advance booking. If you’re planning to travel between cities during a holiday period, consider booking tickets several weeks in advance.

Accommodation Considerations

Holiday periods, especially around Christmas, Easter, and summer festivals, are peak tourist seasons in Portugal. Hotels and vacation rentals in popular destinations can fill up quickly and command premium prices. Consider booking accommodations 3-6 months ahead for the best rates and availability.

Managing Your Money

Proper financial planning ensures a Portuguese trip without stress. With the service, you’ll get euros at the mid-market exchange rate, and you can use the multi-currency debit card to spend and make cash withdrawals in Portugal. While it’s wise to have some cash on hand since local vendors often prefer it, you’ll find that card payments are increasingly accepted throughout Portugal.

Conclusion

Portuguese holidays offer a rich opportunity to experience the country’s culture, traditions, and hospitality. By planning ahead, knowing both national and local holiday dates, understanding transportation limitations, and preparing financially, you can fully immerse yourself in these special celebrations.

For international visitors and expats, smart money management is a key part of holiday planning. Setting up a multi-currency account before traveling to Portugal gives you access to competitive currency exchange rates, and a debit card to spend. This financial preparation allows you to focus on what really matters, enjoying Portugal’s vibrant holiday traditions and creating lasting memories.

holidays Portugal

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main public holidays in Portugal in 2025?
Major holidays include New Year's Day (Jan 1), Carnival Tuesday (varies), Good Friday (varies), Liberty Day (Apr 25), Labor Day (May 1), Corpus Christi (varies), National Day (June 10), Assumption of Mary (Aug 15), Republic Day (Oct 5), All Saints' Day (Nov 1), Restoration of Independence (Dec 1), and Christmas (Dec 25).
Are Portuguese public holidays paid days off?
Yes, public holidays are paid non-working days for most employees. If you work on a holiday, you receive holiday pay (usually 1.5-2x normal pay) plus a compensatory day off. Self-employed individuals don't receive holiday pay unless specified in contracts.
What businesses are closed on Portuguese public holidays?
Banks, government offices, and many retail shops close on public holidays. Restaurants, cafes, tourist attractions, and some shops remain open. Some services operate on reduced hours. Planning around holidays is important for official business.
Do regional holidays exist in Portugal?
Yes, many regions have local holidays celebrating patron saints or regional history. These vary by location. Madeira and Azores have additional holidays specific to their regions. When moving to a new location, check local holiday calendars.
Written by:
lisbonlife
Brazil From Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Portugal Living in Lisbon, Portugal

Rio girl living the Lisbon dream. Four years of pastéis de nata, fado nights, and explaining to Brazilians why Portugal isn't as expensive as everyone thinks (okay, it kind of is now). D7 visa survivor. Here to help you make the move.

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