Public Holidays in Saudi Arabia
Statutory public holidays in Saudi Arabia, with the dates that give people the day off, how the calendar is set, and what it means for travel, cities and culture.
Saudi Arabia at a glance
Saudi Arabia’s public holidays follow the Islamic lunar calendar, with Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha the main breaks. National Day on 23 September and Founding Day on 22 February are the secular dates.
Because the Hijri year is shorter than the solar year, religious dates drift about ten days earlier each Gregorian year, and the weekend runs Friday to Saturday.
Saudi Arabia public holidays 2026
The dates below come from Saudi Arabia’s published calendar for 2026. Open the full year for the complete list.
| Holiday | Date | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Ramadan begins | Feb 18Wed | 2026 |
| Founding Day | Feb 22Sun | 2026 |
| Flag Day | Mar 11Wed | 2026 |
| Eid al-Fitr | Mar 20Fri | 2026 |
| March Equinox | Mar 20Fri | 2026 |
| Eid al-Fitr Holiday | Mar 21Sat | 2026 |
| Eid al-Fitr Holiday | Mar 22Sun | 2026 |
| Arafat Day | May 26Tue | 2026 |
| Eid al-Adha | May 27Wed | 2026 |
| Eid al-Adha Holiday | May 28Thu | 2026 |
| Eid al-Adha Holiday | May 29Fri | 2026 |
| Muharram (Muslim New Year) | Jun 16Tue | 2026 |
Showing 12 of 16 dates recorded for 2026.
Major cities in Saudi Arabia
The urban centres that anchor most trips to Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh
A desert capital of wide highways, modern towers and the historic Diriyah mud-brick district.
Jeddah
The country's commercial gateway, with a coral-stone old town and a corniche.
Mecca
Islam's holiest city, centre of the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.
Medina
The city of the Prophet's Mosque, Islam's second holiest site.
Dammam
A Gulf port city serving the oil industry and the Eastern Province.
Top attractions in Saudi Arabia
The places that draw most visitors to Saudi Arabia.
Diriyah
The mud-brick birthplace of the Saudi state, with restored palaces and lanes.
Al-Ula & Hegra
Nabataean tombs carved into sandstone, Saudi Arabia's first World Heritage site.
Masjid al-Haram
The Great Mosque of Mecca enclosing the Kaaba, the direction of Muslim prayer.
Al-Balad, Jeddah
A coral-stone old town of tower houses and carved wooden screens.
Edge of the World
A sheer escarpment above the desert plain, two hours from Riyadh.
Empty Quarter
The largest continuous sand desert on earth, stretching across the south.
Festivals, food and getting around Saudi Arabia
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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Ramadan begins
Falls on Feb 18
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Founding Day
Falls on Feb 22
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Flag Day
Falls on Mar 11
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🎉
Eid al-Fitr
Falls on Mar 20
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🎉
March Equinox
Falls on Mar 20
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Eid al-Fitr Holiday
Falls on Mar 21
Food & drink
Getting around
High-speed rail links Mecca, Medina and Jeddah; domestic flights cover the vast distances, and a car is essential elsewhere.
Travelling around Saudi Arabia’s holidays
What the dates mean once you are there.
Book around the peaks
Transport and hotels in Saudi Arabia 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
Saudi Arabia'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.
Saudi Arabia public holidays: common questions
How many public holidays does Saudi Arabia have?
Saudi Arabia has 16 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 Saudi Arabia is on the year page, with every recorded date in order.
Are Saudi Arabia'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, Saudi Arabia typically observes it on the nearest weekday. Check the year page for the confirmed arrangement.
Are there regional holidays in Saudi Arabia?
Some holidays are observed only in certain regions or by certain communities. The year page lists what applies nationally.
Which years are covered for Saudi Arabia?
Calendars are published for 2026, 2025.