Public Holidays in Greece
Statutory public holidays in Greece, with the dates that give people the day off, how the calendar is set, and what it means for travel, cities and culture.
Greece at a glance
Greece’s public holidays follow the Orthodox calendar, with Clean Monday, Easter and the Dormition among the most important. Independence Day on 25 March and Ochi Day on 28 October are the national dates.
Orthodox Easter is the biggest celebration of the year, and several holidays around it create a long spring break.
Greece public holidays 2026
The dates below come from Greece’s published calendar for 2026. Open the full year for the complete list.
| Holiday | Date | Year |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Jan 1Thu | 2026 |
| Epiphany | Jan 6Tue | 2026 |
| The Three Holy Hierarchs | Jan 30Fri | 2026 |
| Valentine's Day | Feb 14Sat | 2026 |
| Clean Monday | Feb 23Mon | 2026 |
| March Equinox | Mar 20Fri | 2026 |
| Greek Independence Day | Mar 25Wed | 2026 |
| Annunciation of the Virgin Mary | Mar 25Wed | 2026 |
| Orthodox Good Friday | Apr 10Fri | 2026 |
| Orthodox Easter Sunday | Apr 12Sun | 2026 |
| Orthodox Easter Monday | Apr 13Mon | 2026 |
| Labor Day / May Day | May 1Fri | 2026 |
Showing 12 of 26 dates recorded for 2026.
Major cities in Greece
The urban centres that anchor most trips to Greece.
Athens
A city where the Acropolis rises above dense neoclassical streets and rooftop bars.
Thessaloniki
A waterfront city of Byzantine churches, markets and a famous food scene.
Patras
A port city on the Gulf of Corinth with a vast Carnival and nearby vineyards.
Heraklion
Crete's capital, with Venetian walls and the Minoan palace of Knossos nearby.
Rhodes
A walled medieval city on Rhodes, with a Crusader palace and a harbour of yachts.
Nafplio
A Venetian town of bougainvillea lanes and sea fortresses.
Top attractions in Greece
The places that draw most visitors to Greece.
Acropolis
The citadel of the Parthenon above Athens, the symbol of classical Greece.
Santorini
A caldera rim of white villages above a flooded volcanic crater.
Meteora
Monasteries balanced on sheer sandstone pillars above a plain.
Delphi
The sanctuary of Apollo on a mountainside, once the centre of the ancient world.
Mykonos
Whitewashed lanes, windmills and beaches in the Cyclades.
Samaria Gorge
A 16 km walk through a narrow limestone gorge down to the Libyan Sea.
Festivals, food and getting around Greece
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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Epiphany
Falls on Jan 6
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The Three Holy Hierarchs
Falls on Jan 30
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Valentine's Day
Falls on Feb 14
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Clean Monday
Falls on Feb 23
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March Equinox
Falls on Mar 20
Food & drink
Getting around
Ferries and hydrofoils link the islands; mainland trains and coaches cover the rest, and car hire helps on the larger islands.
Travelling around Greece’s holidays
What the dates mean once you are there.
Book around the peaks
Transport and hotels in Greece 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
Greece'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.
Greece public holidays: common questions
How many public holidays does Greece have?
Greece has 26 dates recorded on its 2026 calendar, ranging from national statutory holidays to widely marked observances that are not days off work.
Where can I find the full 2026 list?
The complete 2026 calendar for Greece is on the year page, with every recorded date in order.
Are Greece'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, Greece typically observes it on the nearest weekday. Check the year page for the confirmed arrangement.
Are there regional holidays in Greece?
Some holidays are observed only in certain regions or by certain communities. The year page lists what applies nationally.
Which years are covered for Greece?
Calendars are published for 2026, 2025.