Turkey’s national holidays are a mix of secular celebrations and religious festivals, and they reveal a great deal about the country’s history and identity. The secular holidays mark the founding of the republic and the national struggle that made it, while the religious festivals, the bayrams, follow the Islamic calendar and fill the country with visits, feasting, and charity.
This guide explains Turkey’s main holidays, what happens on each one, and how to plan your travel around them.
How Holidays Work in Turkey
Turkey has two kinds of public holiday. The national holidays, such as Republic Day and Victory Day, are fixed to the calendar and celebrate the founding and the history of the modern republic. The religious holidays, the two bayrams, follow the lunar Islamic calendar and move about eleven days earlier each year.
The national holidays are official days off, with ceremonies, flags, and commemorations, and many Turks spend them with family or on short trips. The bayrams last several days, and the country largely closes down as people travel to their hometowns to visit relatives.
For visitors, the practical rules are simple: expect banks, offices, and many shops to close on the holidays, expect crowds and full transport around the bayrams, and expect the streets to be livelier and more festive than on an ordinary day.
Republic Day: The National Birthday
Republic Day, celebrated on October 29, is the most important national holiday in Turkey. It marks the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, when the new state declared itself a republic under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, ending the Ottoman Empire and beginning modern Turkey.
The day is a national celebration. Flags line the streets, buildings are draped in red, and ceremonies are held at Atatürk’s mausoleum in Ankara and in every city and town. The evening of October 29 sees fireworks, concerts, and crowds filling the squares.
October 29 is the day when the republic’s pride is loudest, and it is a spectacular time to be in Turkey. Cities like Istanbul and Ankara put on their best show, and the festive atmosphere, with its parades and concerts, is one of the highlights of the Turkish year.
National Sovereignty and Children’s Day
April 23 is National Sovereignty and Children’s Day, one of the most distinctive national holidays in the world. It commemorates the opening of the Grand National Assembly in 1920, and it is dedicated to children, because Atatürk entrusted the future of the republic to them.
On April 23, children take center stage. Schools hold ceremonies, children’s orchestras perform, and children symbolically take the seats of government officials for the day. Turkey also invites children from around the world, who join the celebrations with songs, dances, and parades.
The holiday is a joyful, light-hearted day, and its message is serious: the republic belongs to its children. For visitors, it is a charming day to be in Turkey, with children’s events in the parks, schools, and squares of every town.
Atatürk Commemoration, Youth and Sports Day
May 19 is the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day, marking the day in 1919 when Atatürk arrived in the Black Sea city of Samsun to begin the national struggle that led to independence. The date is the symbolic beginning of the War of Independence.
The day is dedicated to youth and sports, reflecting Atatürk’s belief that the young are the future of the nation. Ceremonies commemorate Atatürk, stadiums host sports events, and young people take part in gymnastics, parades, and performances across the country.
At 9:05 in the morning on May 19, the nation observes a moment of silence for Atatürk, and the streets pause. For travelers, the day is quieter than Republic Day, but the ceremonies in Ankara and the commemorations at the mausoleum are moving to witness.
Victory Day
August 30 is Victory Day, Zafer Bayramı, commemorating the decisive battle of the War of Independence in 1922, when Turkish forces defeated the occupying armies and secured the country’s independence. It is a military holiday, and it is celebrated with pride.
The day is marked by military ceremonies, parades, and receptions, with the largest celebrations in Ankara. The victory is remembered as the moment the national struggle was won, leading directly to the founding of the republic the following year.
For visitors, August 30 is a day of flags and ceremonies rather than crowds and festivals. The military displays at the mausoleum in Ankara are the heart of the celebration, and the holiday closes the summer season with a patriotic note.
The Religious Holidays: Ramazan Bayramı
The two religious holidays are called bayrams. The first, Ramazan Bayramı, also known as the Sugar Festival or Eid al-Fitr, comes at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan and lasts three days. It is a festival of joy, forgiveness, and sweets.
The bayram begins with morning prayers in the mosques, followed by the day’s ritual of visits: families call on elders, children kiss the hands of grandparents and receive money and sweets, and neighbors exchange greetings and plates of pastries. The graves of relatives are visited, and the dead are remembered.
For three days, the country lives on bayram time: offices and schools close, shops shut, and the cities empty as people travel to their hometowns. It is the most family-centered time of the Turkish year, and for visitors it is a window into Turkish hospitality at its warmest.
Kurban Bayramı: The Festival of Sacrifice
The second bayram, Kurban Bayramı, or the Festival of Sacrifice, is the most important holiday in the Islamic calendar. It commemorates the prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, and it lasts four days. The festival is marked by the sacrifice of an animal, whose meat is shared three ways: with family, with neighbors, and with the poor.
The days begin with morning prayer, followed by the sacrifice and the distribution of meat. Families visit each other, the best clothes come out, and the meals are the richest of the year. The holiday’s core meaning is charity: every family that can afford it shares its meat with those who cannot.
Kurban Bayramı moves through the calendar, and during its days the country almost fully closes: banks, offices, and shops shut, transport fills with people traveling to family, and the streets quieten after the morning ceremonies. For travelers, it is a time to plan around, or to embrace as a festival of generosity.
How Bayram Changes Daily Life
During the bayrams, daily life in Turkey follows the festival’s clock. The first morning brings the prayer and the visits, and the following days are a round of family gatherings, long meals, and sweet pastries. Businesses close, and the cities trade their weekday rush for the slow rhythm of hospitality.
For visitors, the changes are practical. Public transport is crowded as the country travels, hotels in the big cities may fill, and many shops and restaurants close for all or part of the festival. At the same time, the hotels that remain open often host festive meals, and the atmosphere is warm and celebratory.
The golden rule is to plan. If you travel during a bayram, book transport and accommodation well ahead, check opening hours, and be ready for crowds at the stations. If you plan around the festival dates, you avoid the rush entirely.
Travel Planning Around Holidays
The national holidays are the easier ones to travel around, because most close for a single day and the tourist infrastructure keeps running. Republic Day and the other national celebrations add atmosphere without stopping the country, and the monuments, museums, and restaurants mostly stay open.
The bayrams are the harder ones, because they last for days and close much of the country. The crowds on the roads, the buses, and the planes are at their annual peak, and hotel rooms in the resort towns and family destinations fill fast.
The strategy is simple: check the current year’s holiday calendar before booking, decide whether you want to experience the festival or avoid the crowds, and plan accordingly. Both choices can make a fine trip, because the bayram spirit is generous, and the food is extraordinary.
Observing the Holidays Respectfully
A few gestures make you a welcome guest during Turkish holidays. On the bayrams, greet people with bayramınız mübarek olsun, may your bayram be blessed, or the simpler iyi bayramlar, and the warmth of your greeting will be returned many times over.
During the religious holidays, dress modestly, especially at the morning prayers and family gatherings, and be aware that alcohol and loud entertainment pause during the festival days. The bayram visits are private family moments, but the hospitality they generate is open to guests.
Above all, share in the spirit. Accept the sweets and the tea you are offered, admire the children in their new clothes, and understand that you are watching the Turkish year at its most generous. The holidays are Turkey at its most itself.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main national holidays in Turkey?
The main national holidays are Republic Day on October 29, National Sovereignty and Children’s Day on April 23, Atatürk Commemoration and Youth and Sports Day on May 19, and Victory Day on August 30. The religious holidays are Ramazan Bayramı and Kurban Bayramı, which follow the lunar calendar and move each year.
What happens on Republic Day?
Republic Day on October 29 celebrates the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923. The day is marked by flags, ceremonies, and commemorations, with the main events in Ankara at Atatürk’s mausoleum. In the evening, Istanbul and other cities hold concerts and fireworks, and the squares fill with crowds.
How do religious holidays affect travel in Turkey?
The bayrams last several days and close much of the country: banks, offices, and many shops shut, while transport fills with people traveling to their hometowns. Hotels and restaurants in tourist areas may stay open, but crowds and prices rise. Booking well ahead, or planning around the festival dates, is the sensible strategy.
All Over Information
The All Over Information editorial team researches and writes practical English-language guides to Turkey. Facts are checked against official and local sources before publication, prices are published as dated ranges rather than quotes, and guides are revised when things change. We accept no sponsored posts, paid placements or paid links.
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