Public Holidays & "Pontes"

Portugal has 13 mandatory public holidays. If a holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, it is common practice to take the Monday or Friday off as well. This is called doing a "Ponte" (Bridge).

Important dates include April 25th (Freedom Day) and June 10th (Portugal Day). Lisbon has a specific holiday on June 13th (St. Anthony), while Porto celebrates on June 24th (St. John). Government offices are closed on these days.