Turkey Public Holidays 2026–2027: Calendar and Leave Planner

Turkpidya · Dates checked 1 October 2026

Turkey’s public holidays can close an office for a full day or begin partway through a workday. This 2026–2027 guide separates the official dates from weekends, religious observances and extra time off, so you can plan a trip, a work break or an important appointment with fewer surprises.

Public holidays, half-days and observances

Turkey has fixed-date national and general holidays, plus two religious festivals whose Gregorian dates move each year. Both Eid festivals are statutory public holidays. Other religious dates, including the start of Ramadan and the Night of Power, are observances rather than additional general days off.

• Full public holidays: New Year’s Day, 23 April, 1 May, 19 May, 15 July, 30 August, 29 October and the full days of the two Eid festivals.
• Half-day eves: the afternoon before each Eid and the afternoon of 28 October. The statutory holiday begins at 13:00, Turkey time; the morning is not automatically free.
• Religious observances: the start of Ramadan and the Night of Power are marked separately in the planner. Ramadan is not a month-long public holiday.
• Weekends, school breaks and extra leave: these are separate from the statutory list. An employer’s extra day off or an administrative-leave announcement does not automatically apply to everyone.

Under Turkey’s public-holiday rules, the Ramadan Feast lasts 3.5 days, the Sacrifice Feast 4.5 days and Republic Day 1.5 days, including their half-day eves. A holiday on a weekend is not deducted again from the weekday time you need to arrange in this planner.

You can also bookmark our English Turkey public-holiday calendar for a separate calendar view. Use the planner above for the working-time assumptions behind your own dates.

Long weekends you can actually calculate

These examples assume a Monday–Friday job, weekends off and no work during statutory holiday periods. Both the first and last dates are included in full. “Extra time” means working time to arrange with your employer, not a guaranteed paid-leave entitlement or the number your HR system must deduct.

Why a nine-day break is not nine statutory holidays

A long break may combine public holidays, two weekends and ordinary workdays in between. The Turkish phrase köprü tatili describes this kind of bridge. An idari izin announcement can grant administrative leave to specified workers, but its dates, eligible staff and exceptions must be checked. A decision for public employees does not itself add a general private-sector public holiday.

In 2026 the unique statutory holiday periods total 15.5 day-equivalents; under a Monday–Friday model, 11.5 fall on weekdays. In 2027 the totals are 14.5 unique day-equivalents and 12 weekday holiday units. The lower overall total in 2027 comes from the two holidays sharing 19 May. Neither number is your annual-leave allowance.

What Turkey’s holidays commemorate

The dates matter for practical planning, but they also explain the flags, family visits and public ceremonies you may see. The national days follow the Gregorian calendar; the two Bayrams follow the Islamic calendar and fall on different Gregorian dates each year.

New Year’s Day: 1 January

Yılbaşı is a one-day public holiday on 1 January. New Year’s Eve, 31 December, is not a general statutory half-day on this list. If a hotel offers a celebration package or a business closes early, that is a separate arrangement. Confirm late-night transport and the next morning’s services rather than treating the whole period as one national closure.

National Sovereignty and Children’s Day: 23 April

Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı links national sovereignty with children. It commemorates the opening of the Grand National Assembly in Ankara on 23 April 1920. School performances and children’s events are part of the day’s character. A school ceremony may still give a family a commitment even when ordinary lessons are not taking place; check the school’s own programme.

Labour and Solidarity Day: 1 May

Emek ve Dayanışma Günü is a full public holiday. For visitors, the key practical issue is the local event programme: gatherings and security arrangements can affect city-centre roads, stations and meeting points. Consult the municipality or transport operator’s announcement for that date instead of assuming normal access to every square.

Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day: 19 May

Atatürk’ü Anma, Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı remembers Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s arrival in Samsun on 19 May 1919, a landmark in the national struggle. Youth and sporting events accompany the commemoration. In 2027 it shares its date with the final day of the Sacrifice Feast: two reasons for the holiday, one calendar day in the calculation.

Democracy and National Unity Day: 15 July

Demokrasi ve Millî Birlik Günü commemorates resistance to the coup attempt of 15 July 2016. It is a full statutory public holiday. Commemorative events can affect particular public spaces and routes; check local arrangements if you have an appointment or a transfer nearby.

Victory Day: 30 August

Zafer Bayramı commemorates the military victory of 30 August 1922 during the War of Independence. Ceremonies are an important part of the day. In 2026 it falls on Sunday, so it adds no weekday relief in a Monday–Friday calculation; in 2027 it falls on Monday. Do not automatically move a weekend holiday to the following Monday in your own plan.

Republic Day: 28 October afternoon and 29 October

Cumhuriyet Bayramı marks the proclamation of the Republic on 29 October 1923. Flags, ceremonies and locally organised celebrations give the day a distinctive atmosphere. The legal holiday begins at 13:00 on 28 October, not at midnight that morning. Events and fireworks are locally scheduled, so check the programme before choosing a viewing spot or a journey through the centre.

Ramadan Feast: Ramazan Bayramı

The Ramadan Feast, also called Eid al-Fitr or Şeker Bayramı (Sugar Feast), marks the end of the fasting month. Family visits and sharing sweets are associated with the celebration. The statutory break includes the preceding afternoon and three full days: 19 March from 13:00, then 20–22 March in 2026; 8 March from 13:00, then 9–11 March in 2027.

People travelling to see relatives can add to intercity demand. Check your outward and return journey, luggage arrangements and accommodation check-in together. Individual businesses may change their hours, especially at the start of the feast, so ask the place you actually need rather than relying on a countrywide opening-hours claim.

Sacrifice Feast: Kurban Bayramı

The Sacrifice Feast, or Eid al-Adha, is associated with sacrifice, sharing and visits to relatives. It is the longer of the two religious public-holiday periods: the preceding afternoon plus four full days. In 2026 that means 26 May from 13:00 and 27–30 May. In 2027 it means 15 May from 13:00 and 16–19 May.

If you are running a business, the impact may extend beyond the dates when your own office closes: a supplier, warehouse, carrier and bank can have different processing schedules. Agree the last order, dispatch and collection dates in advance. For household shopping, check the branch’s posted hours; there is no basis for assuming every shop closes or every shelf will be empty.

What closes, and what you should check

Use the official calendar to identify the holiday period, then check the organisation you need. A working website, available appointment page or ticket listing does not by itself confirm that a counter, warehouse or attraction is operating normally.

If a document must pass through several offices, leave room for each stage. For example, legalising foreign documents in Turkey can involve more than one institution; finishing one step just before a holiday does not guarantee the next can start that day.

Work, annual leave and school are separate calendars

Agree your time off before committing to travel

The planner’s 0.5-day unit represents the working morning before a 13:00 holiday. It does not decide whether your employer grants a half-day of annual leave, how your contract treats holiday work or how payroll records it. Shift work, a working Saturday or a continuous-service role can produce a different personal schedule.

The Ministry of Labour’s guidance on holiday work and annual leave explains the role of employment agreements, worker consent and applicable leave rules. Ask HR which rules apply to your contract and how the absence will be recorded. Confirm the dates and any holiday shifts before paying for non-refundable travel.

School breaks in the 2026/27 year

The Ministry of Education’s 2026/27 school calendar sets the following dates:

• 14 September 2026: start of the school year.
• 16–20 November 2026: autumn mid-term break.
• 25 January–5 February 2027: semester break; the second semester begins on 8 February.
• 8–12 March 2027: spring mid-term break.
• 25 June 2027: end of the school year.

The March 2027 school break overlaps the Ramadan Feast, but Monday morning 8 March and Friday 12 March do not become general public holidays because schools are off. Check adults’ and children’s schedules separately. Universities, international schools, examinations and school ceremonies may require institution-specific checks. School breaks are not deducted as worker holidays in this calculator.

Travel planning around Bayrams and national days

Plan the whole journey, including the return

Family visits make the Bayrams important travel periods. Compare ticket availability, arrival time, onward transport and cancellation terms together. If your timetable is flexible, look at neighbouring departure dates rather than relying on a fixed rule such as “book exactly a month ahead”. Demand and prices depend on the route and service.

Allow a sensible connection buffer and check traffic or transport notices closer to departure. A city-centre celebration can affect the final stretch to a hotel even if your intercity journey is on time. Confirm where a driver or tour will pick you up if the usual street is closed.

Ramadan is not a month of public holidays

According to the official religious calendars, Ramadan starts on 19 February 2026 and 8 February 2027; the Night of Power, Kadir Gecesi, falls on 16 March 2026 and 5 March 2027. These observances do not create an additional general day off. The public-holiday period is the Ramadan Feast listed above.

Restaurant hours and demand around the evening fast-breaking meal can vary. Check with your chosen venue, particularly if travelling outside its usual service times; iftar time depends on the city and date. The planner marks the observances so you can see them without treating them as leave.

A short checklist before the break

1. Mark the real start and end. Include the 13:00 boundary on holiday eves.
2. Confirm work and school plans. Agree the extra weekdays, half-days and any required shifts.
3. Finish time-sensitive tasks. Check the processing deadline for a payment, document, appointment or shipment.
4. Recheck travel and opening hours. Look at the specific operator, property, attraction and branch.
5. Keep a backup plan. Save contact details, an alternative route and the relevant duty-service information.

Public-holiday dates: official 2026 calendar and official 2027 calendar. Observances: 2026 religious dates and 2027 religious dates. Calculations include only the listed statutory periods and Saturday/Sunday weekends, with no assumed future administrative bridge days. Recheck local service announcements near your visit.