Turkey Public Holidays 2026: What Closes and When Transport Sells Out

Public holidays in Turkey 2026: what closes and when to book

Turkey has two kinds of public holiday, and they behave differently. Fixed national days (like April 23 and October 29) close government offices for a day and change almost nothing else. The two religious holidays, Ramazan Bayramı and Kurban Bayramı, run three to four days each, close banks and offices, and empty Istanbul as millions travel home. In 2026, Ramazan Bayramı falls around March 20-22 and Kurban Bayramı around May 27-30. Those are the dates that reshape your trip.

What is closed during Bayram in Turkey?

During both Bayram holidays, banks, government offices, post offices, and most corporate businesses close for the full three to four days. Public schools and universities close too. What stays open: restaurants, cafes, most museums, pharmacies on a rotation, supermarkets on reduced hours, and public transport. The closures hit paperwork and banking, not daily life or tourism.

The practical read for a visitor is that you can still eat, sightsee, and move around Istanbul during Bayram. What you cannot do is change money at a bank branch, sort a visa or residence matter at a government office, or count on a specific small shop being staffed. Withdraw cash before the holiday starts, because while ATMs work, some run empty over a long weekend when no one refills them. Pharmacies operate a duty rotation called nöbetçi eczane, so there is always one open in each district; the address is posted in the window of every closed pharmacy.

Major state museums generally stay open through Bayram, though the Culture Ministry occasionally adjusts hours on the first morning of the holiday. The Museum Pass and ticketing rules do not change, and the official portal at muze.gov.tr is where the ministry posts any holiday hour changes. The Grand Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı) and the Spice Bazaar are the real exception: both close entirely on the first day of each Bayram, and stallholders often extend that to two or three days. Do not plan bazaar shopping into a Bayram morning.

Will boat tours run in Istanbul during Kurban Bayramı?

Yes. Bosphorus boat tours and the public city ferries run through Kurban Bayramı, and demand climbs because local families take short trips during the holiday. The public ferry timetable often shifts to the Sunday schedule on Bayram days, which means fewer sailings, so check departure times the day before rather than assuming the weekday frequency.

Because locals are out in force, expect the sunset and short Bosphorus cruises to sell their popular slots early over the Kurban Bayramı weekend. If a boat tour matters to you, book it a few days ahead rather than walking up on the day. The public İstanbul Şehir Hatları ferries between Eminönü, Kadıköy, and Üsküdar keep running and stay cheap, so even if a private tour is full, the ferry crossing gives you the same water and the same skyline for the price of a transit tap.

Are restaurants closed on public holidays in Istanbul?

No. Restaurants and cafes in Istanbul stay open throughout every public holiday, including both Bayram periods, and tourist-area kitchens keep near-normal hours. Some small family-run lokantas close for a day or two so staff can travel, but you will never struggle to find a meal in Beyoğlu, Sultanahmet, Kadıköy, or Beşiktaş.

Ramazan Bayramı is also called Şeker Bayramı, the sugar holiday, so bakeries and sweet shops do a roaring trade in the days around it. During Ramadan itself (roughly February 18 to March 19 in 2026), daytime dining is completely normal in tourist neighborhoods, and sunset brings full restaurants as the iftar meal begins. The one timing note: on the eve of a Bayram, some restaurants close early or fill with family bookings, so reserve if you want a specific table that night.

Booking intercity transport around Bayram

This is where planning actually bites. During both Bayram holidays, intercity buses, domestic flights, and trains sell out well ahead as millions leave Istanbul for their home regions. When planning your broader Turkey travel tips, it's essential to understand how the best ways to get around Turkey shift during holiday periods. Book intercity seats two to three weeks before a Bayram, not two days. Bus fares and flight prices also climb sharply in the run-up. The reverse rush, everyone returning to Istanbul on the last holiday day, jams the highways and the bus terminals, so avoid arriving or leaving on the final Bayram evening if you can. Obilet lists intercity bus and some flight schedules in one place, which makes comparing departure times easier when everything is filling up.

If you are staying inside Istanbul the whole time, none of the intercity crush touches you. Traffic inside the city drops during Bayram because so many people have left, which makes it one of the calmer times to see Sultanahmet.

Book any intercity leg the moment your dates are fixed, and keep the final Bayram day clear of long journeys.