Public Holidays in Egypt
Statutory public holidays in Egypt, with the dates that give people the day off, how the calendar is set, and what it means for travel, cities and culture.
Egypt at a glance
Egypt’s public holidays follow the Islamic lunar calendar for religious dates, with Revolution Day on 23 January and National Day on 23 July the civic dates. Coptic Christmas on 7 January is also a holiday.
Religious dates move about ten days earlier each Gregorian year, and the weekend runs Friday to Saturday.
Egypt public holidays 2026
Egypt has 16 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Coptic Christmas Day | Jan 7Wed | National |
| January 25th Revolution and National Police Day (observed) | Jan 29Thu | Substitute |
| Eid al-Fitr | Mar 20Fri | National |
| Eid al-Fitr | Mar 21Sat | National |
| Spring Festival | Apr 13Mon | National |
| Sinai Liberation Day | Apr 25Sat | National |
| Labor Day | May 1Fri | National |
| Day of Arafah (estimated) | May 26Tue | National |
| Eid al-Adha (estimated) | May 27Wed | National |
| Eid al-Adha (estimated) | May 28Thu | National |
| Eid al-Adha (estimated) | May 29Fri | National |
| Islamic New Year (observed, estimated) | Jun 18Thu | Substitute |
Showing 12 of 16 public holidays for 2026.
Major cities in Egypt
The urban centres that anchor most trips to Egypt.
Cairo
A vast capital where the pyramids stand at the edge of a city of mosques and markets.
Alexandria
A seaport city of a corniche, a great library and a layered Mediterranean past.
Luxor
A city built over Thebes, with Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and a Nile front.
Aswan
A southern city of granite quarries, Nubian villages and the great dam.
Sharm el-Sheikh
A Sinai resort of reefs, desert mountains and diving fleets.
Hurghada
A long-established Red Sea resort of beaches, reefs and desert trips.
Top attractions in Egypt
The places that draw most visitors to Egypt.
Giza Pyramids & Sphinx
The last surviving wonder of the ancient world on the desert edge.
Valley of the Kings
Rock-cut royal tombs painted with the books of the afterlife.
Abu Simbel
Two colossal rock temples raised above the rising waters of Lake Nasser.
Karnak Temple
A vast temple complex of hypostyle halls and obelisks at Thebes.
Red Sea Reefs
Coral gardens and wrecks of the Red Sea, among the world's best diving.
Islamic Cairo
A dense medieval city of minarets, madrasas and a vast covered bazaar.
Festivals, food and getting around Egypt
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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Coptic Christmas Day
Falls on Jan 7
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Revolution Day January 25
Falls on Jan 25
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Day off for Revolution Day January 25
Falls on Jan 29
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Ramadan Start
Falls on Feb 19
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March Equinox
Falls on Mar 20
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Eid el Fitr
Falls on Mar 21
Food & drink
Getting around
Trains link Cairo, Alexandria and the Nile valley; Nile cruises and domestic flights cover the rest.
Travelling around Egypt’s holidays
What the dates mean once you are there.
Book around the peaks
Transport and hotels in Egypt 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
Egypt'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.
Egypt public holidays: common questions
How many public holidays does Egypt have?
Egypt has 16 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 Egypt is on the year page, with every recorded date in order.
Are Egypt'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, Egypt typically observes it on the nearest weekday. Check the year page for the confirmed arrangement.
Are there regional holidays in Egypt?
Some holidays are observed only in certain regions or by certain communities. The year page lists what applies nationally.
Which years are covered for Egypt?
Calendars are published for 2026, 2025.
School holidays in Egypt
School term dates in Egypt
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.