For many workers, returning to their routine in January calls for a strategy to manage energy and budget. Thinking now about the month, in 2026, and how to fit in holidays in an intelligent way can transform the year.
National holidays in 2026
The 2026 calendar includes 13 mandatory national holidays spread throughout the year. For those who plan in advance, there are several windows that allow you to multiply days of rest with a contained vacation expense.
Combining Thursday or Tuesday holidays with weekends creates natural bridging opportunities. At various times, just filling in a business day or two can significantly lengthen the break.
June is the “jackpot” of the calendar
In June, Corpo de Deus takes place on Thursday, the 4th, and Portugal Day appears on Wednesday, the 10th. Between the two there are only three working days, which opens the best window of the year.
Anyone booking a vacation from June 1st to 12th spends eight days of the annual balance and gets 16 consecutive days of rest, including two holidays and three weekends. In municipalities where June 29th is a municipal holiday, Monday also adds a three-day weekend at no cost. This is, as , specialized in politics, society and economics, called it, the “jackpot” month of 2026.
In December, the Restoration of Independence (1 December) and the Immaculate Conception (8 December) both fall on a Tuesday. Marking the previous Monday, there are two long weekends with just two days of vacation.
The month also offers Christmas on a Friday, creating an automatic three-day break. For those who define the month of 2026 with a focus on holidays at the end of the year, it is possible to extend it until New Year 2027 with ten consecutive days, marking only the last four working days of December.
Other windows and how to plan
Easter comes early: Good Friday is on the 3rd of April and Easter Sunday on the 5th. With nine working days of holidays, between the last week of March and the first of April, you get a block of 16 days of rest, even before the high season.
There are also breaks that do not consume balance: May 1st falls on a Friday, October 5th on a Monday and December 25th on a Friday. On the contrary, August loses impact with 15 on a Saturday, November is neutral with 1 on a Sunday and March, July and September do not have national holidays.
Municipal holidays can decisively change the equation, especially when they fall in the middle of the week. Carnival (Tuesday, February 17th) depends on company policy; If there is a time allowance, scheduling the previous Monday creates four break days with just one vacation day.
To complete the plan, it is worth following three simple steps: confirm the municipal holiday and the company’s policy during Carnival; identify holidays on Tuesdays and Thursdays to maximize bridges; decide between several short periods or one to two long blocks. With this approach, the same month of 2026 can accommodate vacations evenly distributed throughout the year.
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