Turkish National Public Holidays 2025
When I come around to writing a new Turkish National Public Holidays guide I take some time to think about what I want to focus on in my writing over the next twelve months. For 2024 I decided I wanted to revamp my website, have more people know about it and my books, as well as get more feature articles published. I completed the first project by February having used a professional website creator for the first time. I’m pretty happy with the results.
Over the year I’ve done a lot of publicity including appearing live on Turkish TV, speaking in Turkish (which was hugely scary but I’m incredibly proud of myself for going for it), been interviewed by Turkish media, was on the panel of Istanbul Dialogues at Atolye, have been on several podcasts and given readings and talks in Istanbul. Getting more features published was harder to achieve, but I was thrilled to be able to write about the history of village my husband’s family comes from, introduce travellers to the wonders of Tarsus and help people understand a little bit more about the very complex history behind attitudes to dogs in Turkey.
Last but by no means least I decided 2025 was the year to hold a writing retreat in Turkey, on a gulet cruising the Mediterranean no less! If you’ve always dreamed of taking your words to the next level, come and join me. You’ll find all the details here.
I hope whatever you decide to do in 2025, you have a happy, healthy and rewarding year. In order to make life easier if you live in or plan to visit Turkey, here’s my updated 2025 guide to Turkish national public holidays, as well as important religious days.
What to know about Turkish National Public Holidays
On Turkish national public holidays, banks, post offices, schools, government departments and many businesses are closed. If the weather’s good it feels like everyone is on the road, headed somewhere, with waterfront walks and breakfast places jampacked with mums, dads and kids plus all their relatives.
During two of the longest breaks Şeker and Kurban Bayram (usually nine days, usually incorporating two weekends), thousands of people visit their families in their home towns or go on holiday. It’s a chaotic time to travel, multiplied by a zillion because the exact length of these two particular holidays often isn’t decided until the week or so before.
Despite bus companies putting on extra services for Turkish national public holidays, every major intercity otogar (bus station) overflows with passengers holding tickets and would-be travellers hoping for a last minute miracle. Although most government and many private museums are shut on public holidays (with government departments, banks – including some private ones – having a half day off the day before), tourist centres such as Istanbul, Antalya, Izmir and Bodrum can be extremely busy. Intercity flights, buses and trains are always heavily booked at these times so it’s a good idea to arrange your transport and accommodation well in advance if you’re planning to travel around Turkey during these periods.
If you’re coming from overseas and need a tourist visa, click here to learn how to get one (my post includes a link to the official Turkish government e-visa website). Do note that you can no longer get a visa at the airport on arrival.
Finally, if you do plan to drive while you’re here, take care, particularly during Turkish national public holidays when roads are busier and drivers crazier than usual. Here are some driving tips you might find useful.
2025 Turkish National Public Holidays and major religious events
1 January: New Year‘s Day
2 January: Regaip Kandili R*
26 January: Miraç Kandili R
13 February: Berat Kandili R
28 February: Ramazan Arefe gunu – public service half day holiday
1 March: Holy month of Ramadan begins
26 March: Kadir Gecesi R
29 March: Şeker Bayram Arife Günü – Religious half day holiday before Şeker Bayramı. This is a gazetted half day off but most employees in private businesses work the full day.
30 March – 1 April: Şeker Bayramı (also known as Ramazan Bayramı) – a feast of chocolates and sweets.
23 April: National Sovereignty and Children’s Day (Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı)
1 May: Labour and Solidarity Day1
19 May: Commemoration of Ataturk, Youth and Sports Day (Atatürk’ü Anma Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı)
5 June: Kurban Bayram Arife Günü – Religious half day holiday before Kurban Bayramı. This is a gazetted half day off but most employees in private businesses work the full day.
6 June – 9 June: Sacrifice (Kurban Bayramı) Feast
5 July: Aşure Günü R
15 July: Democracy and National Solidarity Day2
30 August: Victory Day (Zafer Bayramı)
3 September: Mevlid Kandili R
6 October: Liberation of Istanbul
28 October: Republic Day Arife. Half day holiday before Republic Day. This is a gazetted half day off but most employees in private businesses work the full day.
29 October: Republic Day
I hope you find this guide to Turkish national public holidays helpful. Feel free to print out this list, save it on your computer and share it with your friends on social media.
Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2024
If you’re planning to come to Istanbul or Turkey in 2025 here are my tips
For FLIGHTS I like to use Kiwi.com.
E-SIM are the way to go to stay connected with a local phone number and mobile data on the go. Airalo is easy to use and affordable.
Even if I never claim on it, I always take out TRAVEL INSURANCE. I recommend Visitors Coverage.
If you’re travelling alone, check out this post on useful solo travel tips Turkey for women (and men).
I’m a big advocate of public transport, but know it’s not suitable for everyone all the time. When I need to be picked up from or get to Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gokcen Airport, I use one of these GetYourGuide AIRPORT TRANSFERS.
ACCOMMODATION: When I want to find a place to stay I use Booking.com.
CITY TOURS & DAY TRIPS: Let me guide you around Kadikoy with my audio walking tour Stepping back through Chalcedon or venture further afield with my bespoke guidebook Istanbul 50 Unsung Places. I know you’ll love visiting the lesser-known sites I’ve included. It’s based on using public transport as much as possible so you won’t be adding too much to your carbon footprint. Then read about what you’ve seen and experienced in my three essay collections and memoir
about moving to Istanbul permanently.Browse the GetYourGuide website or Viator to find even more ways to experience Istanbul and Turkey with food tours, visits to the old city, evening Bosphorus cruises and more!
However you travel, stay safe and have fun! Iyi yolculuklar
- Labour and Solidarity Day
In Turkey, Labour and Solidarity Day (Emek ve Dayanışma Günü), internationally known as May Day, is an occasion for people to celebrate improvements in working conditions and to demand better conditions for skilled labourers and union workers. In recent years peaceful demonstrations have turned ugly, and in Istanbul much of the public transport system is shut down to prevent large gatherings. It’s wise to plan your movements accordingly. - Democracy and National Solidarity Day
On July 15, 2016 a failed coup took place which resulted in the deaths of at least 241 people, including seven civilians who were shot dead as they resisted the coup forces near the Akıncı air force base north of Ankara. In the immediate aftermath of the coup, a number of structures and public spaces were renamed, most notably Istanbul’s Bosphorus Bridge, which was renamed the “July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge.”
*dates marked with an R are major religious events and are not official national public holidays. That said, while it’s mostly business as usual on those days, during the holy month of Ramazan it can be difficult to find restaurants open for lunch in smaller towns and villages outside major city centres.
