Public holidays
Guinea-Bissau: 11 public holiday dates in 2026 (11 days off) and 11 in 2027 (11 days off), with 252 working days in 2026 and 255 in 2027. National holidays only: regional ones are not included.
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday 1 January 2026 | 2026-W01 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 20 January 2026 | 2026-W04 | National Heroes' Day | Yes |
| Friday 23 January 2026 | 2026-W04 | Day of the Beginning of the Armed Struggle | Yes |
| Sunday 8 March 2026 | 2026-W10 | International Women's Day | Yes |
| Friday 20 March 2026 | 2026-W12 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Sunday 5 April 2026 | 2026-W14 | Easter Sunday | Yes |
| Friday 1 May 2026 | 2026-W18 | Worker's Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 27 May 2026 | 2026-W22 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Monday 3 August 2026 | 2026-W32 | Pidjiguiti Day | Yes |
| Thursday 24 September 2026 | 2026-W39 | Independence Day | Yes |
| Friday 25 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 1 January 2027 | 2026-W53 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 20 January 2027 | 2027-W03 | National Heroes' Day | Yes |
| Saturday 23 January 2027 | 2027-W03 | Day of the Beginning of the Armed Struggle | Yes |
| Monday 8 March 2027 | 2027-W10 | International Women's Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 9 March 2027 | 2027-W10 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Sunday 28 March 2027 | 2027-W12 | Easter Sunday | Yes |
| Saturday 1 May 2027 | 2027-W17 | Worker's Day | Yes |
| Sunday 16 May 2027 | 2027-W19 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Tuesday 3 August 2027 | 2027-W31 | Pidjiguiti Day | Yes |
| Friday 24 September 2027 | 2027-W38 | Independence Day | Yes |
| Saturday 25 December 2027 | 2027-W51 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eid al-Fitr | Friday 20 March 2026 | Tuesday 9 March 2027 | −11 days |
| Eid al-Adha | Wednesday 27 May 2026 | Sunday 16 May 2027 | −11 days |
| Easter Sunday | Sunday 5 April 2026 | Sunday 28 March 2027 | −8 days, changes month |
A shift ignores the year: +19 days means 19 days later in the calendar.
| Month | 2026 | 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| February | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| March | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| April | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| May | 19 | 21 | +2 |
| June | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| July | 23 | 22 | −1 |
| August | 20 | 21 | +1 |
| September | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| October | 22 | 21 | −1 |
| November | 21 | 22 | +1 |
| December | 22 | 23 | +1 |
| Q1 | 60 | 60 | 0 |
| Q2 | 63 | 65 | +2 |
| Q3 | 64 | 64 | 0 |
| Q4 | 65 | 66 | +1 |
| Year | 252 | 255 | +3 |
Weekdays by the local weekend (Sunday and Saturday), minus the public holidays most people have off.
The first day of the calendar year in the Gregorian calendar, 1 January. Cultures and religions that follow a lunisolar or lunar calendar celebrate their New Year at other points of the year. Japan celebrates New Year on 1 January, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, instead of with the Chinese calendar that was in use until 1873.
At work: Fine to mention, and a natural moment to wish colleagues well.
20 January is the anniversary of the death of Amílcar Cabral, the independence leader who was shot dead in 1973, about eight months before Guinea-Bissau's declaration of independence.
At work: Fine to mention with respect. A day off.
23 January marks the beginning of the armed struggle for independence from Portugal.
At work: Fine to mention. A day off.
Celebrated on 8 March, it commemorates women's fight for equality and the women's rights movement, and gives focus to gender equality, reproductive rights and violence against women. It grew out of labour movements in Europe and North America in the early 20th century, and is a public holiday in the countries listed.
At work: Welcome to mention. In several countries it is a day off; the card shows the official days off.
Eid al-Fitr, the "festival of breaking the fast", is the first of the two main festivals in Islam. It falls on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, and marks the end of the month-long, dawn-to-dusk fasting of Ramadan. It begins with a communal prayer and is followed by visits to relatives, giving gifts and sharing meals.
At work: Very welcome to mention. Its date follows the lunar calendar and shifts every year, so keep plans flexible. During Ramadan itself, colleagues who fast may prefer meetings earlier in the day and not over lunch.
Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus and is the most important feast of the Christian year. Families go to church and share a festive meal, and in many places Easter eggs are decorated and broken together as a symbol of the empty tomb. Easter is a moveable feast, with its date set by a lunisolar calendar. Easter Monday, the day after, is a public holiday in more than 50 predominantly Christian countries.
At work: Widely welcome to mention. Colleagues may be away for the whole long weekend.
International Workers' Day, on 1 May, honours workers and the labour movement. The date was chosen to commemorate the 1886 general strike in the United States that culminated in the Haymarket affair, and the day was adopted in support of a "great international demonstration" for the eight-hour day.
At work: Fine to mention the day off. In some countries it has a political side, so keep it about the break.
Eid al-Adha, the "festival of the sacrifice", is the second of the two main festivals in Islam. It falls on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijja, the last month of the Islamic calendar. It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son at God's command. The Eid prayer is held in the morning, followed by the ritual sacrifice of a livestock animal, and celebrations carry on for the three following days.
At work: Very welcome to mention. As with Eid al-Fitr, the date follows the lunar calendar, so keep plans flexible.
3 August remembers the Pidjiguiti massacre of 1959 at the port of Bissau, then in Portuguese Guinea, when dock workers on strike for higher pay were fired on by the PIDE, the Portuguese state police.
At work: A solemn day; mention it only with respect. A day off.
Marks 24 September 1973, when Guinea-Bissau declared independence from Portugal during its war of liberation. Portugal recognised it in September 1974.
At work: Very welcome to mention. A day off.
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on 25 December. Eastern Christian Churches that follow the older Julian calendar celebrate it on 25 December of that calendar, which currently corresponds to 7 January. It is a public holiday in many countries, and many non-Christians celebrate it culturally too.
At work: Widely welcome to mention. Plan important meetings before the break. If you're unsure whether someone celebrates it, "Happy holidays" is a safe choice.
Open Guinea-Bissau in TimeBento, next to the other places you work with.