Public Holidays in Albania
Statutory public holidays in Albania, with the dates that give people the day off, how the calendar is set, and what it means for travel, cities and culture.
Albania at a glance
Albania’s public holidays combine national commemorations with both Catholic and Orthodox Christian dates, reflecting the country’s religious mix. Summer Day on 14 March is a distinctive pre-Christian spring festival.
Independence Day on 28 November and Liberation Day on 29 November sit close together, and many businesses close across both.
Albania public holidays 2026
Albania has 23 public holidays in 2026 – the statutory days off. The table below lists those public holidays; observances and other non-statutory dates are not part of the total.
| Holiday | Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Jan 1Thu | National |
| New Year's Day | Jan 2Fri | National |
| Summer Day | Mar 14Sat | National |
| Summer Day (observed) | Mar 16Mon | Substitute |
| Eid al-Fitr (estimated) | Mar 20Fri | National |
| Nowruz Day | Mar 22Sun | National |
| Nowruz Day (observed) | Mar 23Mon | Substitute |
| Catholic Easter Sunday | Apr 5Sun | National |
| Catholic Easter Sunday (observed) | Apr 6Mon | Substitute |
| Orthodox Easter Sunday | Apr 12Sun | National |
| Orthodox Easter Sunday (observed) | Apr 13Mon | Substitute |
| International Workers' Day | May 1Fri | National |
Showing 12 of 23 public holidays for 2026.
Major cities in Albania
The urban centres that anchor most trips to Albania.
Tirana
A colourful capital of pastel blocks, cafe terraces and a vast central square.
Durres
The main port, with an ancient Roman amphitheatre inside the modern city.
Shkoder
A city on Lake Shkoder with a fortress and a strong Catholic tradition.
Vlore
Where independence was declared in 1912, with a seafront and mountain backdrop.
Berat
A city of white Ottoman houses stacked up a river gorge beneath a castle.
Sarande
A coastal town on the Ionian, facing Corfu across a narrow strait.
Top attractions in Albania
The places that draw most visitors to Albania.
Butrint
A Greek and Roman city in a lagoon, with a theatre and baptistery mosaics.
Gjirokastra
A stone-roofed Ottoman town on a mountainside, birthplace of Enver Hoxha and Ismail Kadare.
Berat
The city of a thousand windows, with a castle still inhabited inside its walls.
Ksamil Islands
Small islands and clear turquoise water on the Ionian coast.
Rozafa Castle
A hilltop fortress above Shkoder with views over lake and marshland.
Llogara Pass
A road climbing through pine forest to a saddle above the Ionian coast.
Festivals, food and getting around Albania
What the calendar looks like on the ground, and how to move through the country around it.
Festivals behind the holidays
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🎉
New Year's Day
Falls on Jan 1
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🎉
New Year's Day (Day 2)
Falls on Jan 2
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🎉
Valentine's Day
Falls on Feb 14
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🎉
Ramadan Start
Falls on Feb 18
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🎉
Mothers' Day
Falls on Mar 8
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🎉
Summer Day
Falls on Mar 14
Food & drink
Getting around
Furgon minibuses link every town cheaply; the coast road south of Vlore is one of Europe's great drives.
Travelling around Albania’s holidays
What the dates mean once you are there.
Book around the peaks
Transport and hotels in Albania tighten around major holidays; reserve early for the busiest weeks.
Check opening hours
Museums, banks and government offices usually close on statutory holidays, and often on the nearest Monday.
Carry local currency
Small vendors and rural businesses frequently take cash only, especially on holidays when banks are shut.
Expect crowded transport
Long weekends produce the year's heaviest road, rail and air traffic. Build in extra travel time.
Confirm the official list
Albania's holiday dates are confirmed by government announcement; check the year page for the final arrangement.
Plan the long weekends
Pairing a holiday with adjacent weekends gives the longest breaks of the year — and the busiest.
Albania public holidays: common questions
How many public holidays does Albania have?
Albania has 23 public holidays in 2026, counting every date typed National, Substitute or Bank in our calendar. Observances, religious dates and regional holidays are listed separately and left out of the total, because they are not days off across the whole country.
Where can I find the full 2026 list?
The complete 2026 calendar for Albania is on the year page, with every recorded date in order.
Are Albania's public holidays paid?
Statutory national holidays are generally paid leave for employees. Observances and commemorative days are usually not.
Do holidays move if they fall on a weekend?
Where a holiday falls on a weekend, Albania typically observes it on the nearest weekday. Check the year page for the confirmed arrangement.
Are there regional holidays in Albania?
Some holidays are observed only in certain regions or by certain communities. The year page lists what applies nationally.
Which years are covered for Albania?
Calendars are published for 2027, 2026, 2025.
School holidays in Albania
School term dates in Albania
School calendar data last updated 10 Sep 2026. Dates come from education ministries and local education authorities; always re-check with the school before booking travel.