Also on Bank Holidays UK: Public Holidays in India 2026: Complete Guide for UK Travellers · Public Holidays in Ireland 2026: Complete Guide for UK Travellers · Spring Bank Holiday — Date, History & Pay
Türkiye is one of the UK’s favourite long-haul-feel, short-haul-price destinations, with millions of British visitors heading to Istanbul, the Turquoise Coast and Cappadocia every year. If you are planning a trip in 2026, it pays to know the country’s public holidays in advance. Turkish national days and the two great religious festivals — Ramazan Bayramı and Kurban Bayramı — reshape opening hours, transport timetables and crowd levels across the whole country. This guide lists every public holiday in Turkey for 2026, explains what stays open and what closes, and shows how the Turkish calendar compares with UK bank holidays so you can plan around the busiest dates.
Public Holidays in Turkey 2026 — Full List
Turkey observes nine official public holidays in 2026. Seven are fixed national days set by date, while the two religious festivals — Ramazan Bayramı (Eid al-Fitr) and Kurban Bayramı (Eid al-Adha) — follow the Islamic lunar calendar and move roughly 11 days earlier each year. The two Bayram festivals run over several days and are each preceded by a half-day “Arife” (eve) afternoon when most offices close early.
| Date | Name (Turkish) | Name (English) | Type | Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Yılbaşı | New Year’s Day | National | Thursday |
| 19 March (PM) | Ramazan Bayramı Arifesi | Eid al-Fitr Eve (half-day) | Religious | Thursday |
| 20–22 March | Ramazan Bayramı | Eid al-Fitr (3 days) | Religious | Friday–Sunday |
| 23 April | Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı | National Sovereignty & Children’s Day | National | Thursday |
| 1 May | Emek ve Dayanışma Günü | Labour & Solidarity Day | National | Friday |
| 19 May | Atatürk’ü Anma, Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı | Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth & Sports Day | National | Tuesday |
| 26 May (PM) | Kurban Bayramı Arifesi | Eid al-Adha Eve (half-day) | Religious | Tuesday |
| 27–30 May | Kurban Bayramı | Eid al-Adha (4 days) | Religious | Wednesday–Saturday |
| 15 July | Demokrasi ve Millî Birlik Günü | Democracy & National Unity Day | National | Wednesday |
| 30 August | Zafer Bayramı | Victory Day | National | Sunday |
| 29 October | Cumhuriyet Bayramı | Republic Day | National | Thursday |
Note that the eve (Arife) of Republic Day on the afternoon of 28 October is also widely observed as a half-day. The dates of the two Bayram festivals are confirmed annually by Turkey’s Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı); the 2026 dates above are the figures already published and used across the travel industry.
Long Weekends in Turkey 2026
🗓️ The long breaks worth planning around
Turkey’s Bayram festivals create some of the longest holiday periods in Europe. In 2026 the two big ones are:
Ramazan Bayramı (20–22 March): falling Friday to Sunday, with the half-day eve on Thursday afternoon, this gives most workers a near four-day break from Thursday lunchtime through Sunday.
Kurban Bayramı (27–30 May): the standout of the year. With the half-day eve on Tuesday 26 May and the four festival days running Wednesday to Saturday, many people bridge the Monday and take a full nine-day break from 23 May to 31 May. Expect the heaviest domestic travel of the year.
By comparison, the longest UK bank holiday stretch is the standard three-day weekend. Turkey’s Bayram holidays feel closer to a continental “ponte” on a grand scale — wonderful for atmosphere, challenging for crowds and prices.
What’s Open and Closed on Public Holidays
On Turkey’s national days (New Year’s Day, 23 April, 1 May, 19 May, 15 July, 30 August and Republic Day), banks and government offices close, but most shops, shopping centres, restaurants and tourist attractions in cities such as Istanbul, Antalya and İzmir stay open. Public transport runs to a reduced “Sunday” or holiday timetable, and on some civic days — especially Republic Day — major roads close for parades.
The Bayram festivals are different in scale. During Ramazan Bayramı and Kurban Bayramı, banks, public institutions and many smaller family-run businesses shut for the duration. In tourist resorts, hotels, restaurants and attractions generally remain open and are often at their busiest, but city-centre commercial life in places like Istanbul can feel noticeably quieter as residents travel to see family. Museums and major sites such as the Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace and the Grand Bazaar may operate shortened hours or close on the first day of a Bayram, so always check ahead.
💡 Travel tip
Intercity coaches, domestic flights and ferries sell out weeks ahead of both Bayram festivals, and prices climb sharply. If your trip overlaps Kurban Bayramı (late May), book transport and any popular tours well in advance, and expect motorways and coastal resorts to be packed. Pharmacies operate a rota (nöbetçi eczane) so there is always one open nearby.
How Turkey’s Public Holidays Compare with UK Bank Holidays
The UK has eight bank holidays in England and Wales, and these are almost all secular and tied to Mondays to create reliable three-day weekends. Turkey’s calendar is built differently: its nine public holidays mix national-historical commemorations with two long religious festivals, and the fixed national days fall on whatever weekday they land on rather than being shifted to a Monday.
| Feature | United Kingdom | Turkey |
|---|---|---|
| Number of public holidays | 8 (England & Wales) | 9 (plus two half-day eves) |
| Longest single break | 3-day weekend | Up to 9 days at Kurban Bayramı |
| Moved to Monday? | Most are | No — fixed dates |
| Religious holidays | Christmas, Good Friday, Easter Monday | Ramazan Bayramı, Kurban Bayramı (lunar, move yearly) |
| “Substitute day” if on weekend | Yes | No substitute day given |
For the full British calendar to plan around, see our guide to the list of UK bank holidays, and if you are mapping out trips around extended breaks, our overview of long weekends in 2026 is a useful companion.
Key Cultural Holidays Explained
Republic Day (Cumhuriyet Bayramı), 29 October marks the proclamation of the Turkish Republic by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in 1923. It is the most important secular national day, celebrated with parades, fireworks over the Bosphorus and a sea of red-and-white flags. The evening before, the half-day eve on 28 October, kicks off the festivities.
National Sovereignty & Children’s Day, 23 April is genuinely unusual: Atatürk dedicated the holiday to the world’s children, and it is celebrated with children’s festivals, with youngsters symbolically taking over state offices for the day. There is no direct UK equivalent.
Kurban Bayramı (Eid al-Adha) is Turkey’s most significant religious festival, commemorating the Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son. Families traditionally share meat with relatives, neighbours and those in need, and the four-day holiday is centred on visiting family and acts of charity.
🔎 Did you know?
Because the Islamic calendar is about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian one, Ramazan Bayramı and Kurban Bayramı creep earlier each year. In 2026 Kurban Bayramı falls in late May; within a few years it will have moved into early spring. This is why the festival dates in this guide are specific to 2026 and should not be assumed for other years.
Planning Your Trip Around Public Holidays
If you want lively, flag-draped streets and a real sense of national celebration, time your visit for Republic Day in late October or the Bayram festivals — just book early and accept higher prices. If you would rather avoid the crowds and the transport crush, steer clear of the Kurban Bayramı week in late May, when domestic tourism peaks and the Turquoise Coast fills with Turkish holidaymakers. The shoulder periods either side of the festivals often bring the best balance of good weather, open attractions and manageable prices. Neighbouring destinations are worth pairing too: if you are island-hopping the Aegean, our guide to public holidays in Greece 2026 covers the calendar just across the water. Whenever you travel, securing accommodation and intercity transport ahead of the Bayram dates will save both money and stress.
FAQ
How many public holidays does Turkey have in 2026?
Turkey has nine official public holidays in 2026, including the two multi-day religious festivals, plus two half-day eves before Ramazan Bayramı and Kurban Bayramı.
When is Ramazan Bayramı (Eid al-Fitr) in Turkey in 2026?
Ramazan Bayramı runs from Friday 20 March to Sunday 22 March 2026, preceded by a half-day eve on the afternoon of Thursday 19 March.
When is Kurban Bayramı (Eid al-Adha) in Turkey in 2026?
Kurban Bayramı runs from Wednesday 27 May to Saturday 30 May 2026, with a half-day eve on Tuesday 26 May. Many workers bridge the days to take a break of up to nine days.
Are shops and restaurants open on Turkish public holidays?
In tourist areas, most shops, restaurants and attractions stay open on national days and during the Bayram festivals, though some may run shortened hours. Banks and government offices close, and city-centre commercial life is quieter during the religious festivals.
Do Turkish public holidays move to a Monday like UK bank holidays?
No. Turkey’s fixed national days are observed on their actual date regardless of the weekday, and there is no substitute day if a holiday falls on a weekend.
Is it a good idea to visit Turkey during a Bayram holiday?
It can be wonderful for atmosphere, but expect heavy domestic travel, sold-out transport and higher prices — especially around Kurban Bayramı in late May. Book well ahead or choose the quieter shoulder dates.
What is the difference between a national and a religious holiday in Turkey?
National holidays such as Republic Day and 23 April commemorate historical events and have fixed Gregorian dates. Religious holidays follow the Islamic lunar calendar and shift about 11 days earlier each year.
Sources & Last Verified
This guide was compiled by cross-checking multiple sources to ensure accuracy:
- Nager.Date public holiday API — date.nager.at (Turkey 2026) (national days)
- python-holidays library (full calendar including religious festivals), cross-referenced with UK travel-industry listings of Ramazan Bayramı and Kurban Bayramı 2026 dates
- Religious festival dates confirmed annually by Turkey’s Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı)
Last verified: 15 June 2026
Author: Bank Holidays UK Editorial Team