School holidays in Portugal occur in three distinct periods: Christmas, Easter and Summer, plus a small three-day break at Carnival. Mostly, apart from exam periods at the end of the school year, these holidays are on the same dates for all students, from grade one to 12. Here you can learn all about the details of the school calendar in Portugal and plan your holidays as a family.
School structure in Portugal: the periods
The school year in Portugal is divided into three periods, regardless of the level. Dates vary from year to year and even from school to school, and international schools have different calendars amongst themselves as well, but generally the first period runs from mid-September to mid-December; the second period begins after the New Year, usually on or around the 3rd of January, and runs to around Easter time, which can fall between March 22nd and the 25th of April; finally, the third period begins after the Easter holidays and ends at different times, depending on the level, but generally during the month of June.
School holidays in Portugal: when?
Christmas holidays
The first school holidays in Portugal usually lasts two weeks, one before and one after Christmas, and includes the New Year’s holiday.
Carnival
Students get three days off for Carnival, which usually falls at the end of February or beginning of March.
Easter holidays
This is a two-week period before or after Easter, depending on the date for each year.
Summer holidays
These are the so called “big holidays”. Usually they start in mid-June, but this depends on what grade the student is in. Students in grades 2, 5 and 8 have tests during the months of May and June; students finishing 9th, 11th and 12th grade have national exams and should they need to sit them again, in a second phase, their holiday will only begin in July. Summer holidays finish at the beginning of September.
School holidays in Portugal: what to do?
A classic dilemma for parents: how to keep your kids busy during school holidays? School holidays, especially the Summer ones, which last a few months, are eagerly awaited by children, but can be a source of stress for parents who are not always able to accompany their kids for this long (Portuguese workers are entitled to 22 days of paid holidays).
Grandparents, uncles and aunts and other family members can be tremendous assets at times like these, but sometimes you’ll need to find other solutions. Here are some options you can turn to during the school holidays in Portugal .
Holiday camps
Ideal for longer periods, when adults are unable to take holidays at the same time as their kids. In the summer several organisations organise camps all over the country, concentrating on educational, sports and entertainment activities.
Study centers and occupational workshops
These are ideal for placing children and young kids in for a few hours. The former are an aid to school work and the latter are aimed more at occupying free time with fun activities.
Art schools and holiday courses
Many parents take advantage of the holidays to encourage their children to learn new things, such as music, theatre, singing, dance or sports such as surfing or football.
Kindergartens and primary schools
Public and private schools often maintain activities beyond the end of the school period and can be a good choice to leave your children for some hours during school holidays.
Public entities
Most parish councils, city councils, public libraries and museums organise activities during school holidays in Portugal.
Private organisations
Zoos, amusement parks, petting farms, shopping malls, book stores and other entities, such as parishes and scouts, provide for an endless amount of occupational activities for youngsters and children during the school holidays, which can be perfect for occupying one or two days.
International Schools
International schools provide all sorts of extracurricular activities: sports, music, dance, languages, painting, theatre, etc.. The hardest is to choose! Here is a list of the main international schools in Portugal, with links to the activities they offer, or the school website.
Lisbon region
– Lycée Français Charles Lepierre
– St Julian’s School
– Escola Alemã de Lisboa
– Carlucci American International School of Lisbon
– St Dominic’s International School
– Park International School
– International Christian School of Cascais
– International Preparatory School
– Santo António International School
– Prime School
– St Peter’s International School
Porto region
– Colégio Luso-Francês
– Lycée Français International Porto
– Oporto British School
– Clip – The Oporto International School
– Colégio Alemão do Porto
