Below you’ll find a list of the official, national and religious holidays in Turkey for 2009, 2010 and 2011. When you plan a city trip or a cultural excursion, you may want to take a look at these. Museums, monuments and palaces may be closed on official and national holidays, and can have deviating opening hours during religious holidays. Banks don’t even open their doors, no matter the holiday.
Please note: May 1st is from now on an official holiday in Turkey. Every year eventful (often prohibited) demonstrations to celebrate this day take place in and around the Taksim area. These demonstrations often end quite violent in nature, so I advice you either to plan your holiday May 1st excluded, or plan excursions far away from crowded areas (Taksim, Kadıköy, Nişantaşı) and settle for excursions in Sultanahmet or take a Scenic Bosphorus Tour on May 1st.
2009
Thursday, 1 January
New Year’s Day (Yılbaşı) – Official Holiday
Thursday, 23 April
National Sovereignty and Children’s Day (Ulusal Eğemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı) – National Holiday – Anniversary of the establishment of the Turkish Parliament
Tuesday, 19 May
Commemoration of Atatürk and Youth & Sports Day (Atatürk’ü Anma Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı) – National Holiday – The arrival of Atatürk in Samsun, the beginning of the War of Independence
Sunday, 30 August
Victory Day (Zafer Bayramı) – National Holiday – Victory over the allied forces in 1922
Saturday, 19 September
Feast of the Ramadan’s Eve (Ramazan Bayramı Arifesi) – Religious Holiday – ½ day
Sunday, 20 – Tuesday, 22 September
Feast of the Ramadan (Ramazan Bayramı) – Religious Holidays – To celebrate the end of fasting
Thursday, 29 October
Republic Day (Cumhuriyet Bayramı) – National Holiday – Anniversary of the declaration of the Turkish Republic
Thursday, 26 November
Feast of the Sacrifice’s Eve (Kurban Bayramı Arifesi) – Religious Holiday – ½ day
Friday, 27 – Monday, 30 November
Feast of the Sacrifice (Kurban Bayramı) – Religious Holidays – Four-day festival where sheep are sacrificed/slaughtered and their meat is distributed to the poor
2010
Friday, 1 January
New Year’s Day (Yılbaşı) – Official Holiday
Friday, 23 April
National Sovereignty and Children’s Day (Ulusal Eğemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı) – National Holiday – Anniversary of the establishment of the Turkish Parliament
Saturday, 1 May
Labour Day (Emek ve Dayanışma Günü) – National Holiday
Wednesday, 19 May
Commemoration of Atatürk and Youth & Sports Day (Atatürk’ü Anma Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı) – National Holiday – The arrival of Atatürk in Samsun, the beginning of the War of Independence
Monday, 30 August
Victory Day (Zafer Bayramı) – National Holiday – Victory over the allied forces in 1922
Wednesday, 8 September
Feast of the Ramadan’s Eve (Ramazan Bayramı Arifesi) – Religious Holiday – ½ day
Thursday, 9 September – Saturday, 11 September
Feast of the Ramadan (Ramazan Bayramı) – Religious Holidays – To celebrate the end of fasting
Friday, 29 October
Republic Day (Cumhuriyet Bayramı) – National Holiday – Anniversary of the declaration of the Turkish Republic
Monday, 15 November
Feast of the Sacrifice’s Eve (Kurban Bayramı Arifesi) – Religious Holiday – ½ day
Tuesday, 16 – Friday, 19 November
Feast of the Sacrifice (Kurban Bayramı) – Religious Holidays – Four-day festival where sheep are sacrificed/slaughtered and their meat is distributed to the poor
2011
Saturday, 1 January
New Year’s Day (Yılbaşı) – Official Holiday
Saturday, 23 April
National Sovereignty and Children’s Day (Ulusal Eğemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı) – National Holiday – Anniversary of the establishment of the Turkish Parliament
Sunday, 1 May
Labour Day (Emek ve Dayanışma Günü) – National Holiday
Thursday, 19 May
Commemoration of Atatürk and Youth & Sports Day (Atatürk’ü Anma Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı) – National Holiday – The arrival of Atatürk in Samsun, the beginning of the War of Independence
Monday, 29 August
Feast of the Ramadan’s Eve (Ramazan Bayramı Arifesi) – Religious Holiday – ½ day
Tuesday, 30 August
Victory Day (Zafer Bayramı) – National Holiday – Victory over the allied forces in 1922
Tuesday, 30 August – Thursday, 01 September
Feast of the Ramadan (Ramazan Bayramı) – Religious Holidays – To celebrate the end of fasting
Saturday, 29 October
Republic Day (Cumhuriyet Bayramı) – National Holiday – Anniversary of the declaration of the Turkish Republic
Saturday, 5 November
Feast of the Sacrifice’s Eve (Kurban Bayramı Arifesi) – Religious Holiday – ½ day
Sunday, 6 – Wednesday, 9 November
Feast of the Sacrifice (Kurban Bayramı) – Religious Holidays – Four-day festival where sheep are sacrificed/slaughtered and their meat is distributed to the poor
Comments on this entry are closed.