We're in the throws of the wonderful summer season, but before we know it, another academic year will begin and we'll be in the autumnal work-craze. So we believe it's time to prepare for the 2024-2025 holiday calendar in Portugal, to start planning your long weekends and getaways. Get your diary out, as we have all the details.
Types of public holidays in Portugal
Much like the folks in it's neigbour Spain, Portugal has two types of holidays: compulsory public holidays, and optional/regional holidays. What does this mean? Some dates are unspecified and it is nationally recognised that the day off is taken on that day (for the majority of workers, as many services continue to operate), take Christmas for instance. On the other hand, optional and regional holidays are dependent on the areas of the country and what local councils decide to do. Take note of the days that are confirmed public holidays across Portugal and those that may become public holidays in 2024-2025:
Compulsory public holidays in 2024-2025 Portugal
2024
- 1st January - Mon - New Year's Day (Ano Novo)
- 29th March - Fri - Good Friday (Sexta Feira Santa)
- 31st March - Sun - Easter Sunday Feast (Domingo de Páscoa)
- 25th April - Thurs - Libertation Day (Dia da Liberdade)
- 1st May - Wed - Labor Day (Dia do Trabalhador)
- 30th May - Thurs - Corpus Christi (Corpo de Deus)
- 10th June - Mon - National Portugal Day, Camões and Portuguese Communities (Dia de Portugal)
Check out our comprehensive list of best places to visit in Portugal in summer.
- 15th August - Thurs - Assumption Day (Assunção de Nossa Senhora)
- 5th October - Sat - Republic Day (Implantação da República)
- 1st November - Fri - All Saints' Day (Todos os Santos)
- 1st December - Sun - Independence Restoration Day (Restauração da Independência)
- 8th December - Sun - Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Imaculada Conceição)
- 25th December - Wed - Christmas Day (Natal) Check out our top five recommended locations this year.
2025
Check especially for differing days of the week!
- 1st January - Wed - New Year's Day (Ano Novo)
- 18th April - Fri - Good Friday (Sexta Feira Santa)
- 20th April - Sun - Easter Sunday (Domingo de Páscoa)
- 25th April - Fri - Libertation Day (Dia da Liberdade)
- 1st May - Thurs - Labor Day (Dia do Trabalhador)
- 19th June - Thurs - Corpus Christi (Corpo de Deus)
- 10th June - Tues - National Portugal Day, Camões and Portuguese Communities (Dia de Portugal)
- 15th August - Fri - Assumption Day (Assunção de Nossa Senhora)
- 5th October - Sun - Republic Day (Implantação da República)
- 1st November - Sat - All Saints' Day (Todos os Santos)
- 1st December - Mon - Independence Restoration Day (Restauração da Independência)
- 8th December - Mon - Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Imaculada Conceição)
- 25th December - Thus - Christmas Day Feast (Natal)
Optional/municipal public holidays in 2024-2025 Portugal
In addition to optional holidays, such as Carnival, there are also municipal holidays, which vary according to the municipality. For example, in Evora, it's a public holiday on Saturday June 29th when Saint Peter's Day is celebrated. The inhabitants of Lisbon are expected to attend work as normal. On the other hand, the public holiday of July Festival ao Largo, is celebrated only in Lisbon, when dancing and theatre takes over the streets.
With this in mind, there are additional dates you should note down in your diary. You can choose to mark municipal holidays in a different colour so that you can distinguish them from national holidays:
2024
- 15th January - Wed - Epiphany (Dia des Reis), Vale de Salgueiro
- 15th January - Mon - Santa Cruz Day
- 22nd January - Mon - Sao Vicente Day
- 13th Feb - Tues - Carnival + Shrove Tuesday
Check out our recommendations for where to go for a holiday in February, March and April in Portugal.
- March (tbd) - Madeira Wine Festival
- March 1st to March 10th - Fantasporto International Film Festival, Porto
- March 1st to March 17th - Óbidos International Chocolate Festival
- 19th March - Tues - Father's Day
- 19th March - Tues - Saint Joseph's Day, Santarem
- 24th March to March 31st - Holy Week, especially in Braga, Óbidos
- 31st March - Sun - start of Daylight Saving Time
- 11th April - Thurs - Lagoa Day
- 23rd April - Tues - Saint George's Day, Velas
- 24th April - Wed- Our Lady of Mercoles, Castelo Branco
- May to September - Sun - Somersby Out Jazz, Lisbon
- 5th May - Sun - Mother's Day
- 9th May - Thurs - Ascension Day, Beja
- 11th May - Sun - St Joana's Day, Aveiro
- May to October - (every day 13th) - Pilgrimage to Fátima (Peregrinação de Fátima)
- 23rd May to June 2nd - Lisbon International Independent Film Festival
- 24th May to May 30th - Queima das Fitas, Coimbra
- 26th May - Sun - Leira Day
- 27th May - Mon - Portalegre Day
- 28th May - Tues - Azores Day
- June - Festas de Lisboa
- 1st June to June 9th - National Agriculture Festival, Santarém
- 6th June to June 8th - Primavera Sound Music Festival, Porto
- 13th June - Thurs - Saint Anthony's Day, Lisbon
- 13th June to June 23th - Festival de Sintra
- 14th June to 22nd June - Arraial Gay Pride, Lisbon
- 16th to 23rd June - Rock in Rio, Lisbon
- 24th June - Mon - Saint John's Day, Almanda, Braga, Figueira da Foz, Porto
- 29th June - Sat - Saint Peter's Day, Evora
- 1st July - Mon- Saint Elisabeth's Day, Coimbra
- 6th July - Sat - AgitÁgueda, Águeda
- 15th July - Mon - Nordeste Day
- 21st July - Sun - Madalena Day + Porto Moniz Day
- 8th August - Thus - Prai da Vitoria Day
- 15th August - Thurs - Our Lady of Sorrows, Viana do Castelo
- 17th August - Sat - Funchal City Day
- 18th August - Sun - Our Lady of Graces, Braganca
- 25th August to September 15th - Madeira Wine Festival
- 1st September - Sun - Povoacao Day
- 4th September- Wed - Faro Day
- 11th September- Wed - Birth of Bocage, Setubal
- 18th September- Wed - Saint Mathew's Day, Elvas, Viceu
- 1st October - Tues - Camara de Lobos Day
- 6th October - Sun - Machico Day
- 27th October - Sun - end of Daylight Saving Time
- 24th November - Sun - Foral of Sancho I, Guarda
- 25th November - Mon - Saint Catherine's Day, Calheta
2025
It may be the case that some dates are still be up in the air.
- 15th January - Wed - Epiphany (Dia des Reis), Vale de Salgueiro
- 15th January - Wed - Santa Cruz Day
- 22nd January - Wed - Sao Vicente Day
- 28th February to March 9th - Fantasporto International Film Festival, Porto
- 4th March - Tues - Carnival + Shrove Tuesday, optional holiday
Check out our comprehensive list of best places to celebrate Carnaval in Portugal.
- March 9th to March 25th - Óbidos International Chocolate Festival
- 19th March - Wed - Father's Day
- 19th March - Wed - Saint Joseph's Day, Santarem
- 30th March - Sun - start of Daylight Saving Time
- 11th April - Fri - Lagoa Day
- 13th April to April 20th - Holy Week, Braga, Óbidos
- 23rd April - Wed - Saint George's Day, Velas + Our Lady of Mercoles, Castelo Branco
- 30th April to May 4th - National Agriculture Festival, Santarém
- May to September - Sun - Somersby Out Jazz, Lisbon
- 4th May - Sun - Mother's Day
- 11th May - Sun - St Joana's Day, Aveiro
- May to October - (every day 13th) - Pilgrimage to Fátima (Peregrinação de Fátima)
- 22nd May to June 1st - Lisbon International Independent Film Festival
- 23rd May to May 30th - Queima das Fitas, Coimbra
- 25th May - Sun - Leira Day
- 26th May - Mon - Portalegre Day
- 27th May - Tues - Azores Day
- 29th May - Thurs - Saint Anthony's Day, Lisbon
- June - Festas de Lisboa
- 12th June to June 14th - Primavera Sound Music Festival, Porto
- 13th June to June 23th (tbd) - Festival de Sintra
- 16th to 23rd June (tbd) - Rock in Rio, Lisbon
- 22nd June - Arraial Gay Pride, Lisbon
- 24th June - Tues - Saint John's Day, Almanda, Braga, Figueira da Foz, Porto
- 29th June - Sun - Saint Peter's Day, Evora, Sintra
- 1st July - Tues - Saint Elisabeth's Day, Coimbra
- 5th July - Sat - AgitÁgueda, Águeda
- 14th July - Mon - Nordeste Day
- 20th July - Sun - Madalena Day + Porto Moniz Day
- 7th August - Thus - Prai da Vitoria Day
- 15th August - Fri - Our Lady of Sorrows, Viana do Castelo
- 17th August - Sun - Funchal City Day + Our Lady of Graces, Braganca
- 25th August to September 15th (tbd) - Madeira Wine Festival
- 31st August - Sun - Povoacao Day
- 3rd September- Wed - Faro Day
- 10th September- Wed - Birth of Bocage, Setubal
- 17th September- Wed - Saint Mathew's Day, Elvas, Viceu
- 1st October - Wed - Camara de Lobos Day
- 5th October - Sun - Machico Day
- 26th October - Sun - end of Daylight Saving Time
- 23rd November - Sun - Foral of Sancho I, Guarda
- 24th November - Mon - Saint Catherine's Day, Calheta
How many public holidays in 2024-2025 in Portugal fall on working days?
Of the 13 national public holidays in Portugal, there are 10 compulsory public holidays on working days. This means that you'll be able to take several holidays where you don't have to use up your annual leave, and that you can also organise some three-day getaways to rest or even head out for a weekend.
| 2024 | Day | 2025 | Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st January | Monday | 1st January | Wednesday |
| 29th March | Friday | 18th April | Friday |
| 25th April | Thursday | 25th April | Friday |
| 1st May | Wednesday | 1st May | Thursday |
| 30th May | Thursday | 19th June | Thursday |
| 10th June | Monday | 10th June | Tuesday |
| 15th August | Thursday | 15th August | Friday |
| 1st November | Friday | 1st December | Monday |
| 25th December | Wednesday | 8th December | Monday |
| 25th December | Thursday |
If you're thinking of staying in the country, check out our Holiday Rentals in Portugal. If you end up loving the mountains, villages or beaches like most of us do, if you decide to stay, here's where you can search for your permanent residence.
If you want to organise a holiday with someone in school, take a look also at our 2024-2025 School Portugal Calendar.
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