Planning a call home, a party or a gift? Here are the public holidays in Albania and Kosovo, plus the dates Albanians everywhere mark. Holidays that fall on a weekend usually move to the next working day.
Coming up in 2026
- 22 November: Albanian Alphabet Day
- 28 November: Flag Day and Independence Day
- 29 November: Liberation Day (Albania)
- 8 December: National Youth Day (Albania)
- 25 December: Christmas
Albania: public holidays
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| 1 and 2 January | New Year |
| 14 March | Summer Day (Dita e Verës) |
| 22 March | Nevruz Day |
| Movable | Catholic Easter and Orthodox Easter |
| 1 May | International Workers’ Day |
| Movable | Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha (Kurban Bajrami) |
| 5 September | Mother Teresa Day (Saint Teresa Canonization Day) |
| 22 November | Albanian Alphabet Day (since 2024) |
| 28 November | Flag Day and Independence Day |
| 29 November | Liberation Day |
| 8 December | National Youth Day |
| 25 December | Christmas |
Mother Teresa’s holiday used to be on 19 October; since 2018 it has been on 5 September.
Kosovo: public holidays
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| 1 and 2 January | New Year |
| 7 January | Orthodox Christmas |
| 17 February | Independence Day (2008) |
| 9 April | Constitution Day |
| Movable | Catholic Easter and Orthodox Easter |
| 1 May | International Workers’ Day |
| 9 May | Europe Day |
| Movable | Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha |
| 25 December | Christmas |
28 November is not a statutory holiday in Kosovo, but it is widely celebrated, and the government has sometimes given public institutions the day off.
North Macedonia
22 November, Albanian Alphabet Day, marks the Congress of Manastir (Bitola) in 1908, which agreed the Albanian alphabet. It is a holiday for ethnic Albanians in North Macedonia.
Movable holidays in 2027
| Holiday | Expected date |
|---|---|
| Eid al-Fitr | around 9 March (depends on the moon) |
| Catholic Easter | Sunday 28 March |
| Orthodox Easter | Sunday 2 May |
| Eid al-Adha | around 16 May (depends on the moon) |
Eid dates are provisional until they are officially announced.
Dates the diaspora marks
Wherever we live, 28 November is the big one: flag raisings at city halls, community concerts and family dinners. Kosovo’s 17 February and Dita e Verës on 14 March are close behind. Read how Albanians celebrate Flag Day or find a gift in our gift guide.
Sources: Bank of Albania: 2026 holiday schedule · Wikipedia: Public holidays in Albania · Albanian Prime Minister’s Office: Alphabet Day · Wikipedia: Public holidays in Kosovo · Wikipedia: Public holidays in North Macedonia · Almanac: When is Easter · Khaleej Times: expected 2027 Eid dates