Ramadan and holidays 2027 in Turkey: calendar and tips

In Turkey, the dates of religious holidays are set in advance by the Diyanet (Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı), the Presidency of Religious Affairs, which publishes a calculated calendar each year. For 2027, they therefore do not depend on sighting the crescent moon.

The 2027 religious calendar

National public holidays

Law No. 2429 of 17 March 1981 on national holidays and public holidays also sets fixed-date civil holidays: 1 January, New Year's Day; 23 April, National Sovereignty and Children's Day; 1 May, Labour and Solidarity Day; 19 May, Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day, which in 2027 falls on the last day of the Feast of the Sacrifice; 15 July, Democracy and National Unity Day; 30 August, Victory Day; and 29 October, Republic Day, which begins on the afternoon of 28 October. On 29 October, private businesses must close.

On public holidays, government offices and banks close; check the opening hours of sites, museums and shops before each visit.

What changes during Ramadan

Turkey is a secular state, and life goes on during Ramadan in the cities and tourist areas. Foreign ministries give these pointers:

• In public, eating, drinking, smoking or chewing gum during the day, including in your car, may cause offence, especially outside the big cities and resorts.
• Dress: modest dress is expected in mosques and shrines, and clothing seen as inappropriate causes more offence during Ramadan.
• On the road, driving can become erratic at sunset, when the fast is broken.
• In the evening, iftar, the meal that breaks the fast, brings families together and livens up the neighbourhoods.

Travelling during the holidays

The two main festivals are holidays for Turks, who travel in large numbers. Sabaro advises booking domestic flights and hotels early for 9 to 11 March and 15 to 19 May 2027.

The seasons differ greatly between the two:

• In February and March, during Ramadan and the end-of-Ramadan holiday, daytime highs are 10 to 12 °C in Istanbul and 6 to 11 °C in Cappadocia, where nights are below freezing. It is the season for Istanbul and for Cappadocia under snow; in Antalya, highs are 16 to 19 °C.
• In mid-May, during the Feast of the Sacrifice, the season is ideal: 22 °C by day in Istanbul, 21 °C in Cappadocia, 26 °C in Antalya, with the sea at 21 °C.

Ramadan 2027, the end-of-Ramadan holiday and the Feast of the Sacrifice each have their own page.