Regional and municipal holidays in Portugal in 2026

National holidays are only half the story in Portugal. The real curveballs for work, school and travel plans are often the regional and municipal holidays – the days when one city is completely shut while the next town over is business as usual. If you live here, work remotely for a company abroad, or have kids in Portuguese schools, it helps a lot to know when your area takes its “day off”.

Below is a rundown of the regional and municipal holidays in Portugal in 2026, focusing on the ones that actually change daily life for most internationals.

How regional and municipal holidays work in Portugal

On top of the 13 national public holidays, Portugal layers in:

• Regional holidays – for the autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira, plus a couple of extra regional dates there.
• Municipal and district holidays – local days tied to patron saints or historical events, usually one per municipality.

Schools, town halls and most local services in that area close, many offices shut, and public transport usually runs, but timetables can be different. Shops and restaurants in touristy areas may stay open, especially in summer, even when it is technically a holiday.

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Regional holidays in Portugal in 2026

Azores regional and municipal holidays in 2026

The Azores have a mix of island‑wide regional observances and local municipal holidays. For 2026, the main regional day is:

• Azores Day – 25 May 2026 (Monday)
  Regional holiday across the Azores, usually marked with official ceremonies and local events.

On top of that, there is a long list of municipal holidays throughout the year:

• 11 April – Lagoa
• 23 April – Velas
• 26 May – Ponta Delgada
• 20 June – Corvo
• 24 June – Vila do Porto, Vila Franca do Campo, Horta, Angra do Heroísmo
• 29 June – Lajes do Pico, Ribeira Grande
• 18 July – Nordeste
• 21 July – Lajes das Flores
• 22 July – Madalena
• 11 August – Praia da Vitória
• 16 August – São Roque do Pico
• 25 November – Calheta

Madeira regional and municipal holidays in 2026

Madeira has both region‑wide and municipal holidays: 

• 2 April – Autonomy Day
  New regional public holiday introduced in 2025.
• 1 July – Madeira Region Day
• 26 December – 1st Octave
  Regional holiday on Boxing Day, known locally as the 1.º oitavo.

Then there are a series of municipal holidays in different parts of Madeira:

• 15 January – Santa Cruz
• 22 January – São Vicente
• 8 May – Machico
• 25 May – Santana
• 24 June – Calheta, Porto Santo
• 29 June – Ribeira Brava
• 22 July – Porto Moniz
• 21 August – Funchal
• 8 September – Ponta do Sol
• 4 October – Câmara de Lobos

District and municipal holidays in Portugal in 2026

Almost every municipality in mainland Portugal has its own holiday. The most famous cluster is in June, during the Popular Saints festivals, when Lisbon and Porto in particular go completely over the top.

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Lisbon and the surrounding area

In 2026, Santo António falls on a Saturday, so it is technically less generous as a day off for most standard Monday–Friday workers. 

• 13 June 2026 – Saturday – Saint Anthony’s Day

Other Lisbon‑area municipalities

You also get Saint Peter’s Day affecting nearby municipalities of Póvoa de Varzim, Sintra, Montijo, Seixal and Évora:

• 29 June 2026 – Monday – Saint Peter’s Day

Because it lands on a Monday, it gives residents in those areas a built‑in long weekend in 2026.

Porto and Northern Portugal

São João is the municipal holiday for Porto, Braga, Vila Nova de Gaia, Figueira da Foz, Almada, Tavira, and Castro Marim. The main celebrations happen on the night of 23 June with fireworks, plastic hammers, barbecues on the street and a lot of people on the move until the early hours.

• 24 June 2026 – Wednesday – Saint John’s Day

Stefano Aguiar, CC0 Wikimedia commons

Other northern district holidays

Beyond the Popular Saints, there are other northern municipal or district holidays dotted through the year, such as:

• 19 March – St Joseph’s Day – Santarém
• 4 July – St Elizabeth’s Day – Coimbra
• 22 August – Our Lady of Graces – Bragança

Central Portugal

In central Portugal, a few municipal and district holidays stand out, particularly in regional capitals and coastal towns with expat communities:

• 22 May – Leiria Day  (Friday) – district holiday for Leiria.
• 23 May – Portalegre Day   (Saturday) – district holiday.
• 12 May –  St Joana’s Day (Tuesday) – Aveiro – local closure with a more religious feel.

Algarve

In the Algarve, municipal holidays can be quite noticeable because they often coincide with local festivals:

• 7 September – Faro Day (Monday) – municipal holiday for Faro.
• 24 June – São João in coastal towns like Tavira and Castro Marim (shared with the Popular Saints dates above).

Alentejo and other regions

Alentejo and other less touristy regions also have their share of local holidays:

• 29 June – Saint Peter’s Day – Évora (Monday)
• 20 August – Our Lady of Sorrows – Viana do Castelo (Thursday)

Pexels

Calendar of key regional and municipal holidays in Portugal in 2026