As 2025 begins, it’s time to ask what the public holidays in Egypt are this year, as this can affect aspects as diverse as museum closures, availability of flights and hotels, or the very rhythm of local daily life. That’s why in this post we tell you about the dates that the Ministry of Presidency has established for this year.
How Many Public Holidays Are There in Egypt
At the national level and regardless of the holidays that may be established in different regions, the State, through the Ministry of Presidency, selects 13 days as public holidays per year. In 2025, they are the following, ordered chronologically following the Western calendar model:
- January 7: Coptic Christmas
- January 25: Revolution and Police Day
- March 30 – April 1: Eid Al-Fitr
- April 21: Sham El-Nessim
- April 25: Sinai Liberation Day
- May 1: Labor Day
- June 5: Arafat Day
- June 6-9: Eid Al-Adha
- June 26: Islamic New Year
- June 30: Revolution Day
- July 23: July 23 Revolution Day
- September 4: Mawlid Al-Nabi
- October 6: Armed Forces Day
In addition to all this, you should keep in mind that the “official” rest day in Egypt is Friday, when government offices and businesses usually close. It is also common to choose a second day of rest, which is usually Saturday, thus forming the “Egyptian weekend”, although in some cases Sunday is preferred, especially by those who follow a Christian pattern, such as the Copts.
Some Considerations About These Days
These 13 days are of special significance for all citizens of the country, but whether they are holidays or not depends on each year, according to the day of the week they fall on. Therefore, for 2026 and subsequent years, some of these days may celebrate their corresponding commemorations but remain as working days. And along the same lines, other representative events could be chosen to be converted into holidays to reach the aforementioned quota of 13 days.
In addition, it is worth noting another important detail: the Egyptian religious calendar, which is Islamic, is not solar but lunar, with months of 28 days and therefore does not correspond exactly to the Christian-Western (Gregorian) calendar. That is, some of the dates indicated above remain invariable each year, but other dates move to a new day the following year.
Specifically, the Egyptian holidays that have to do with Muslim religious celebrations are guided by the Islamic lunar calendar, and are common to other countries in the region. In the case of those mentioned above, these are Eid Al-Fitr, Sham El-Nessim, Arafat Day, Eid Al-Adha, Islamic New Year, and Mawlid Al-Nabi.
However, in the case of holidays that have to do with a political event, the date that is maintained is that of the Western calendar, as this puts it in relation to the international context, which largely gives it meaning. This is the case with Sinai Liberation Day (recovered from Israel and occurring on April 25, 1982), Labor Day (which is celebrated equally in most countries around the world) or July 23 Revolution Day (for the movement of that day in 1952, which led to liberation from the British Empire and the end of the Egyptian monarchy).
In this group of dates is also included Coptic Christmas, which occurs every January 7 and is a recognition of the weight that this community and this religion have had in shaping what Egypt is today.
