We’re almost at the end of the year and you can still take advantage of some holidays and bridges, especially in December, which will have holidays on the 1st and 8th, both on Fridays and, of course, Christmas Day , December 25th, which this year falls on a Monday.
So now you know that you can enjoy your first long weekend at the start of 2024, with the January 1st holiday, which also falls on a Monday.
But let’s take a look at all the options so you can start planning your vacation.
Bridges, long weekends and holidays in Lisbon
Bridges in 2024:
A bridge is when there is a “free” day between a holiday and the weekend, and this year you’ll be able to take advantage of four of these opportunities.
The first opportunity for a bridge is Carnival, although this opportunity is not for everyone, as it is not a compulsory holiday stipulated by law, but requires a decree from the government, municipalities or companies.
In 2024, Santo Entrudo falls on February 13, as always on a Tuesday, and therefore offers the possibility of bridging on Monday, February 12.
The second bridge will take place around the April 25 holiday, which this year falls on a Thursday, allowing you to take Friday, April 26 off.
The third bridge takes place at the end of May, on the 30th, with the religious holiday of Corpus Christi falling on a Thursday, an excellent opportunity to take Friday off and increase your rest days to four, which by now you should be able to enjoy sunbathing and beach days.
The fourth break comes at the height of summer, for those who decide to take August 16 (Friday) off, since on the 15th you have the holiday of the Assumption of Our Lady (Thursday).
In a nutshell:
- 1st bridge: Monday, February 12th (Carnival)
- 2nd bridge: Friday, April 26 (Freedom Day)
- 3rd bridge: Thursday, May 30th (Corpus Christi)
- 4th bridge: Friday, August 16 (Assumption of Our Lady)
Long weekends in 2024:
When a holiday is combined with a weekend, on a Monday or Friday, you have what is commonly known as a long weekend.
And this year there will again be five of these opportunities, just as there were in 2023.
The first long weekend takes place, as we mentioned at the beginning, on the first day of January, which this year falls on a Monday.
The second long weekend will be Easter, which this year is on March 31, so you can take advantage of the Friday before, March 29, which is the Good Friday holiday.
The third long weekend falls on one of our favorite weeks, around the time of the Popular Saints and Portugal Day. This one, June 10, falls on a Monday.
The fourth three-day weekend doesn’t take place until almost the end of the year, on November 1st, the All Saints’ Day holiday.
In a nutshell:
- January 1 (New Year’s Day)
- March 29, Friday (Good Friday)
- June 10, Monday (Portugal Day)
- November 1, Friday (All Saints’ Day)
Holidays and ephemeris in 2024
Finally, in chronological order, here are all the national and municipal holidays you’ll be able to enjoy in Lisbon, 10 of them on working days.
Holidays in 2024:
- January 1, Monday, New Year’s Day
- March 29, Friday, Good Friday
- March 31, Sunday, Easter
- April 25, Thursday, Freedom Day
- May 1, Wednesday,May Day
- May 30, Thursday, Corpus Christi
- June 10, Monday, Portugal Day
- June 13, Thursday, St. Anthony’s Day (Lisbon holiday)
- August 15, Thursday, Assumption of Our Lady
- October 5, Saturday, Implantation of the Republic
- November 1, Friday, All Saints’ Day
- December 1, Sunday, Restoration of Independence
- December 8, Sunday, Immaculate Conception Day
- December 25, Wednesday, Christmas Day
Here’s a list of the main annual holidays which, although not public holidays, are of great importance to most Portuguese people.
Ephemeris in 2024:
- February 10, Chinese New Year (Sunday)
- February 13, Carnival Day (Tuesday)
- February 14, Valentine’s Day (Wednesday)
- March 8, International Women’s Day (Friday)
- March 19, Father’s Day (Tuesday)
- March 20, Spring Equinox (Wednesday)
- March 26, Daylight Saving Time (Tuesday)
- April 1, April Fool’s Day (Monday)
- April 22, World Earth Day (Monday)
- May 5, Mother’s Day (Sunday)
- June 1, World Children’s Day (Saturday)
- June 5, World Environment Day (Wednesday)
- June 20, Summer Solstice (Wednesday)
- September 22, Autumn Equinox (Saturday)
- October 4, World Animal Day (Friday)
- October 31, Halloween (Thursday)
- November 22, Black Friday (Friday)
- November 25, Cyber Monday (Monday)
- December 21, Winter Solstice (Saturday)
- December 31, New Year’s Eve (Tuesday)