Get Started

Public Holidays in Portugal: What Closes and When

  • Blog Post
  • Live in Portugal

Public Holidays in Portugal: What Closes and When

Portugal has a generous calendar of public holidays (feriados), and on these days many services, offices and shops close. Knowing the dates helps you plan your paperwork – and your long weekends. Here’s what you need to know.
Explore Resources

📅 National Public Holidays

These holidays apply across mainland Portugal:

  • 1 January — New Year’s Day (Ano Novo)
  • Good Friday — Sexta-feira Santa (moveable)
  • Easter Sunday — Páscoa (moveable)
  • 25 April — Freedom Day (Dia da Liberdade)
  • 1 May — Labour Day (Dia do Trabalhador)
  • Corpus Christi — Corpo de Deus (moveable)
  • 10 June — Portugal Day (Dia de Portugal, de Camões e das Comunidades Portuguesas)
  • 15 August — Assumption Day (Assunção de Nossa Senhora)
  • 5 October — Republic Day (Implantação da República)
  • 1 November — All Saints’ Day (Dia de Todos os Santos)
  • 1 December — Restoration of Independence (Restauração da Independência)
  • 8 December — Immaculate Conception (Imaculada Conceição)
  • 25 December — Christmas Day (Natal)

🗓️ Moveable Holidays in 2027

  • Carnival (optional): 9 February
  • Good Friday: 26 March
  • Easter Sunday: 28 March
  • Corpus Christi: 27 Ma

🎉 Carnival and Municipal Holidays

  • Carnival Tuesday isn’t an official public holiday, but many employers and public services give the day off.
  • Each municipality has its own holiday, usually linked to a local saint. In Lisbon, it’s Santo António (13 June); in Porto, it’s São João (24 June) — both with unforgettable street parties.
  • Madeira and the Azores also have their own regional holidays.

🏪 What Closes?

  • Public services (Finanças, Social Security, AIMA, Lojas do Cidadão) are closed.
  • Banks are closed, but ATMs (Multibanco) work as usual.
  • Shopping centres and supermarkets usually stay open, sometimes with shorter hours.
  • Public transport runs, often on a reduced (Sunday) timetable.

🌉 The Famous Ponte

When a holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, many people take the Monday or Friday off to make a long weekend — a ponte (bridge). Expect some offices to be quieter and roads and trains to be busier.

🚀 Final Considerations

Public holidays are a big part of Portuguese life. Add them to your calendar, plan your bureaucracy around them and enjoy the local festivities — they’re one of the best ways to feel part of your new community.

📢 Expert Advice: Avoid booking important appointments or deadlines right before or after a holiday — services tend to be busier and slower around them.

Planning your move to Portugal? Step Inside Portugal helps with residence visas, NIF and everything you need to start your new life. ✨

This article is for general information. Confirm municipal holidays with your local Câmara Municipal.

Save PDF version for later
Explore Resources
Share it with friends

Want to learn more? Explore our other resources...

Utilities@1x
  • Blog Post
  • Live in Portugal
Setting Up Utilities in Portugal: Electricity, Water, Gas and Internet
You've found a home — now you need the lights on, hot water and Wi-Fi. Setting up utilities in Portugal is usually simple, but it helps to know who to call and what to have ready. Here's a quick guide.
Tell me more
Learning Portuguese@1x
  • Blog Post
  • Live in Portugal
Learning Portuguese: Free Courses and Tips for Newcomers
You can get by in Portugal's big cities with English — but learning Portuguese changes everything. Conversations at the café become easier, bureaucracy becomes less intimidating and you'll feel at home much faster. The good news: there are free options
Tell me more
Public holidays@1x
  • Blog Post
  • Live in Portugal
Public Holidays in Portugal: What Closes and When
Portugal has a generous calendar of public holidays (feriados), and on these days many services, offices and shops close. Knowing the dates helps you plan your paperwork - and your long weekends. Here's what you need to know.
Tell me more
Explore Resources

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

Tagged