Public Holidays in Brazil
Statutory public holidays in Brazil, with the dates that give people the day off, how the calendar is set, and what it means for travel, cities and culture.
Brazil at a glance
Brazil’s public holidays are set at federal, state and municipal levels, so the calendar varies by city. Independence Day on 7 September is nationwide.
Several dates move with Easter, and Carnival, although not a public holiday, effectively closes the country for a week.
Brazil public holidays 2026
Brazil has 10 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Universal Fraternization Day | Jan 1Thu | National |
| Good Friday | Apr 3Fri | National |
| Tiradentes' Day | Apr 21Tue | National |
| Worker's Day | May 1Fri | National |
| Independence Day | Sep 7Mon | National |
| Our Lady of Aparecida | Oct 12Mon | National |
| All Souls' Day | Nov 2Mon | National |
| Republic Proclamation Day | Nov 15Sun | National |
| National Day of Zumbi and Black Awareness | Nov 20Fri | National |
| Christmas Day | Dec 25Fri | National |
Showing 10 of 10 public holidays for 2026.
Major cities in Brazil
The urban centres that anchor most trips to Brazil.
Brasilia
A planned capital of monumental modernist architecture on the central plateau.
Sao Paulo
A vast city of business, gastronomy and a famously dense skyline.
Rio de Janeiro
A city of beaches beneath granite peaks, with a harbour and samba.
Salvador
A city of a UNESCO pelourinho, Afro-Brazilian culture and a bay.
Belo Horizonte
A planned city ringed by mountains, known for bars and the Serra do Cipo.
Manaus
A city on the Rio Negro, the gateway to the Amazon rainforest.
Top attractions in Brazil
The places that draw most visitors to Brazil.
Christ the Redeemer
An Art Deco statue of Christ on a peak above Rio.
Iguazu Falls
One of the largest waterfall systems on earth, on the Argentine border.
Amazon Rainforest
The largest rainforest on earth, navigated from Manaus.
Lençóis Maranhenses
White dune fields holding rainwater lagoons between the sands.
Salvador Historic Centre
A colonial centre of pastel houses, churches and capoeira.
Pantanal Wetlands
The world's largest tropical wetland, the best place in South America to see jaguar.
Festivals, food and getting around Brazil
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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🎉
Carnival Friday
Falls on Feb 13
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🎉
Carnival Saturday
Falls on Feb 14
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🎉
Carnival Sunday
Falls on Feb 15
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🎉
Carnival Monday
Falls on Feb 16
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🎉
Carnival Tuesday
Falls on Feb 17
Food & drink
Getting around
Domestic flights cover the huge distances; long-distance buses are comfortable and the overnight services are popular.
Travelling around Brazil’s holidays
What the dates mean once you are there.
Book around the peaks
Transport and hotels in Brazil 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
Brazil'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.
Brazil public holidays: common questions
How many public holidays does Brazil have?
Brazil has 10 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 Brazil is on the year page, with every recorded date in order.
Are Brazil'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, Brazil typically observes it on the nearest weekday. Check the year page for the confirmed arrangement.
Are there regional holidays in Brazil?
Some holidays are observed only in certain regions or by certain communities. The year page lists what applies nationally.
Which years are covered for Brazil?
Calendars are published for 2027, 2026, 2025.
School holidays in Brazil
The Ministry of Education sets only minimum instruction days; states and networks publish their own calendars. Below is the Sao Paulo state network for 2026. The 2027 state calendar had not been published at the time of checking. We could not open the official Sao Paulo gazette resolution directly, so all rows are unconfirmed.
2026
| Region | Holiday | Starts | Ends | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sao Paulo | Mid-year recessUnconfirmedUnconfirmed - official gazette document could not be opened directly. | 7 Jul 2026 | 23 Jul 2026 | official page |
| Sao Paulo | End-of-year recessUnconfirmedUnconfirmed; last day reported as 18 December 2026. | 19 Dec 2026 | not published | official page |
Official sources: Secretaria da Educacao do Estado de Sao Paulo (network calendar) (checked 10 Sep 2026)
School term dates in Brazil
Term dates below are the periods when classes are in session.
2026
| Region | Term | Starts | Ends | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sao Paulo | First semesterUnconfirmedUnconfirmed. | 2 Feb 2026 | 6 Jul 2026 | official page |
| Sao Paulo | Second semesterUnconfirmedUnconfirmed. | 24 Jul 2026 | 18 Dec 2026 | official page |
Official sources: Secretaria da Educacao do Estado de Sao Paulo (network calendar) (checked 10 Sep 2026)
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.