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Knowing the main bank holidays in Portugal is more than just about becoming aware of when you will possibly have some additional breaks. It is also a great opportunity to get to know the country’s main traditions and cultural festivities and a smart way to make your annual paid holidays stretch a little further.
Public Holidays in Portugal: What There is to Know
Before opening up your calendar to schedule your next trips, or maybe even a short visit back home, there are a few things that are important to know about the public holidays in Portugal. The first one is that, in the country, holidays are celebrated – and observed – always on their official date. That means that, if a holiday falls on the weekend, the time off will not be transferred to any other day.
The other thing to know is that, as a result of Portugal’s strong Catholic roots, there are quite a few holidays that have a religious meaning or background, even if some have outgrown their initial purpose, becoming a part of the country’s broader culture, such as Santos Populares.
Also, it is important to take into account that Portugal has both national days – celebrated in the whole country – and local celebrations, that will vary in each of the . This is especially important to know in case you work in a city and live in another, as companies follow the calendar of where they are located.
Last but not least: Portugal’s law on annual paid holidays says that every year employees have the right to 22 business days. That means that, if you take your time off on a week that has a holiday in it, you will use only 4 days, rather than the typical 5. That is also a major reason why so many people take their annual leaves during the Corpus Christ Holiday, or the Santos Populares week, both during the summer.
