How do public holidays and school holidays work?

Portugal has 13 compulsory national public holidays, set by the Labour Code. On top of those, most towns have a municipal holiday, Madeira has two regional days, and many employers give Carnival Tuesday off.

How the calendar is set

The Labour Code (Código do Trabalho) lists 13 compulsory holidays: 1 January, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, 25 April, 1 May, Corpus Christi, 10 June, 15 August, 5 October, 1 November, and 1, 8 and 25 December. Good Friday can be kept on another locally significant day around Easter, and some holidays can be moved to the following Monday only by specific legislation.

Carnival Tuesday and your town’s municipal holiday are optional: you get them if your collective agreement or contract says so. You and your employer can agree to swap them for another day. For pay if you work on a holiday, see What are my rights at work?

National holidays 2026 and 2027

In 2027, 25 April, 1 May, 15 August and Christmas fall at a weekend. Taking Friday off after Corpus Christi (27 May) or Portugal Day (10 June) gives a four-day weekend, and so does taking the Monday before Carnival Tuesday if your employer gives that day.

Municipal and regional holidays

In late 2024 a proposal was put forward to add 2 April as Madeira’s Autonomy Day. Check your câmara municipal and, in Madeira, the regional government

Santos Populares

June is festival month. In Lisbon, the Marchas Populares parade down the Avenida da Liberdade on the evening of 12 June, the eve of Santo António, and neighbourhoods hold street parties (arraiais) with grilled sardines; the avenue closes to traffic from early evening. In Porto, the night of 23 to 24 June is São João: people tap each other on the head with plastic hammers, a tradition since 1963, eat sardines, and watch fireworks at midnight. Braga celebrates São João too. Expect crowds, noise and late nights in the old quarters.

School calendar 2026–2027

The mainland dates come from the multi-year Despacho, as changed by Despacho 10430/2026; Madeira sets its own by regional Despacho 198/2026. Schools can move up to 2 days of the Easter break to make another break, with the council’s agreement. Private and international schools set their own terms. See schools.