Open a story to read our summary. Click “Read more” to read the full story at the source.
Montevideo Insider
Monday, Aug. 24, 2026 · updated 8:10 a.m.
Every closure in 2026, and what each one actually shuts
The Uruguayan year, for people who did not grow up with it
Two things surprise most arrivals. The first is that half the holidays on this list do not close the shops. The second is that the two weeks that genuinely stop the country — Carnival and Semana de Turismo — are not public holidays at all.
2026
2027
Bank-only days
Date
Holiday
Type
What closes
Thu., Jan. 1
Año Nuevo — New Year’s Day
Feriado no laborable
Everything.
Tue., Jan. 6
Día de Reyes — Epiphany
Feriado laborable
Banks and state offices. Shops work.
Mon., Feb. 16
Carnaval
Feriado laborable
On paper, little. In practice, the city.
Tue., Feb. 17
Carnaval
Feriado laborable
On paper, little. In practice, the city.
Thu., April 2
Semana de Turismo — Jueves Santo
Feriado laborable
Banks and offices. The whole week runs thin.
Fri., April 3
Semana de Turismo — Viernes Santo
Feriado laborable
Banks and offices. The coast fills.
Sun., April 19
Desembarco de los 33 Orientales — Landing of the 33
Feriado laborable
Falls on a Sunday this year.
Fri., May 1
Día de los Trabajadores — Labor Day
Feriado no laborable
Everything.
Mon., May 18
Batalla de Las Piedras — Battle of Las Piedras
Feriado laborable
Banks and state offices. Shops work.
Fri., June 19
Natalicio de Artigas — the birthday of Artigas
Feriado laborable
Banks and state offices. Shops work.
Sat., July 18
Jura de la Constitución — Constitution Day
Feriado no laborable
Everything. Falls on a Saturday.
Tue., Aug. 25
Declaratoria de la Independencia
Feriado no laborable
Offices, banks and most businesses.
Wed., Aug. 26
Financial-sector holiday
Banks only
Banks only. Everything else works.
Mon., Oct. 12
Día de la Diversidad Cultural — Cultural Diversity Day
Feriado laborable
Banks and state offices. Shops work.
Mon., Nov. 2
Día de los Difuntos — All Souls Day
Feriado laborable
Banks and state offices. Shops work.
Fri., Dec. 25
Día de la Familia — Family Day
Feriado no laborable
Everything, and the 24th runs short.
Carnival — not a holiday, but plan around it
Carnival Monday and Tuesday are feriados laborables, which on paper means shops work. In practice the two days function as a long weekend, the city fills with tablados, the neighborhood carnival stages, and anything requiring an office is best not attempted. Uruguay runs the longest carnival in the world, and it does not fit in two days.
Semana de Turismo — the week the country leaves
Easter week is officially called Semana de Turismo here, and only the Thursday and Friday carry holiday status. It does not matter: schools close for the week, half of Montevideo goes to the coast, and government offices run on skeleton staff. Do not schedule anything that needs a counter.
Banks keep their own calendar
The financial sector observes days that nobody else does — this Wednesday, 26 August, is one. Banks also close early before Christmas and New Year. If your errand involves a bank counter rather than a screen, check this list and the bank-only days tab before you go, because a day that is working for everyone else may not be working for them.
Next closure
Tuesday Aug. 25
Declaratoria de la Independencia. Offices, banks and most businesses shut. Banks shut again the following day.
In two days.
Advertisement
300 × 250 · medium rectangle
Remaining in 2026
No laborabletwo days
Laborabletwo days
Bank-only1 day
Longest gapAug. 26 - Oct. 12
Two words worth learning
Feriado no laborable — the full stop. Offices, banks and most private business shut.
Feriado laborable — on the calendar, but shops and restaurants generally work. Banks and state offices still close.
Dates follow the official national calendar; movable dates are recalculated each year. Closure behavior is what happens in practice, which is not always what the law says — corrections are welcome and logged on the How we work page. Not employment-law advice.