National Holidays in Portugal

Portugal observes a potpourri of religious and secular holidays. Depending on the occasion, local town, city and national offices will be closed, as well as many restaurants and shops outside of the main city centers. In the bigger cities like Braga, Coimbra, Funchal (Madeira), Lisbon and Porto, you’ll find some shops open, but with reduced operating hours.

Museums and monuments will be closed, and public transportation generally runs on a more limited schedule. A list of public holidays in Portugal is provided below.

January 1^stis New Year's Day, a time filled with many traditions meant to bring people good luck for the year to come.

Late February to early March marks Carnival, with festivities leading up to Carnival Tuesday (a public holiday), just before the advent of Lent on Ash Wednesday.

Late March to early April is the time for Easter, and all of Easter’s delights. Roasted meat and Folar da Pascoa (sweet bread), flavored with anise and lemon zest, are some of the foods you’ll want to try if you happen to be in Portugal at this time. Good Friday is a national holiday as well, falling on different dates, depending on the year.

April 25^th is Liberation Day, a secular holiday commemorating the Carnation Revolution, which brought an end to fascist rule in Portugal on April 25^th, 1974. The celebrations usually include fireworks and some big parades.

May 1^st brings Labor Day, usually celebrated with public gatherings and demonstrations. Civic groups, political parties, students and trade unions often take to the streets to give voice to their concerns and demands.

May 21^st to June 24^th is when Corpus Christi falls. Corpus Christi is a Catholic feast celebrated on a Thursday. This holiday pays homage to the Eucharist, or the tradition of Holy Communion, in the Catholic Church.

June 10th is the Dia de Portugal de Camões e das Comunidades Portuguesas, also known as ‘Portugal Day,’ which commemorates the death of the poet and soldier Luís de Camões in 1580.

Camões penned the epic poem ‘Os Lusíadas,’ a masterpiece extolling the achievements of the nation of Portugal.

August 15^th marks the Feast of the Assumption, a religious festival celebrating the Virgin Mary’s reception into heaven. This is a public holiday in Portugal.

October 5^th celebrates the ousting of the Portuguese monarchy, and the establishment of a New Republic in 1910. Governmental offices are closed on Implantação da República, or ‘Republic Day.’

November 1^st is All Saints' Day, a time for feasts in honor of the saints of the Catholic Church. It’s also a day to visit cemeteries and lay down flowers in memory of those who have already passed on.

December 1^st is Independence Day, celebrating the restoration of Portuguese sovereignty from the temporary rule of Spain in 1640.

December 8^th is yet another day for tons of eating, commemorating the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. This public holiday marks the beginning of the Christmas season.

December 25^th is Christmas Day, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. It’s a time for gift giving and family gatherings in Portugal.