The Colombia holiday calendar for 2026 will represent a novelty that will directly impact travel planning and family activities.
For example for the following year: Independence Day is celebrated on a Monday, giving citizens an “extra” festive long weekendbecause it fell on a Sunday in 2025 and therefore this holiday could not be celebrated.
The change, which had not occurred in the previous two years, brings the total number of long holiday weekends in the country to 15.
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In 2026 The country will have 18 public holidays, 11 of which fall on Monday and 4 on Friday, forming the traditional long weekends that make a three-day short vacation easier.
However, in 2026 the number of bridges will increase thanks to the coincidence of July 20thIndependence Day, with the first day of the week. In previous years, this date was celebrated on Saturday (2024) and Sunday (2025), which prevented the rest of the date from being extended.
The 2026 calendar also includes the celebration of Ascension of Jesus on May 18, while the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Saints Peter and Paul are commemorated on June 15 and 29. respectively.
These adjustments to the dates of religious and civil holidays contribute to the design of the bridges, which are highly valued by Colombian families for organizing excursions and leisure activities.
In addition to holiday Mondays The year 2026 will include four holidays that fall on a Friday: April 3, which is Good Friday, May 1, which corresponds to Labor Day, and August 7, the date commemorating the Battle of Boyacá and December 25.
This provision will allow many citizens to take advantage of long weekends to engage in outdoor activities or travel to various tourist destinations and even prepare to spend special dates with their families.
Another relevant fact is this February and September will continue to be the only months of the year without public holidays, as there are no religious or civil celebrations set by the authorities for this data.
The traditional long Epiphany weekend will undergo a change in 2026 in Colombia due to the adjustment by the Emiliani Law, which is responsible for shaping the national holiday calendar.
While Epiphany is usually celebrated on January 6th every year, in 2026 this holiday will be moved to Monday, January 12thas specified in current regulations.
The second article describes the mechanism for the transfer: If these dates do not coincide with a Monday, they must be moved to the following Monday. So if Epiphany falls on a Tuesday, as it will in 2026, the holiday will be adjusted to Monday, January 12th.
“If the public holidays do not correspond to Monday, the respective celebration will be postponed to the following Monday,” the regulation states.
The change represents a relevant change, especially for those who usually plan vacations and activities at the beginning of the year, as it changes the usual rest schedule during this period.
With the continuation of the Emiliani Law as a regulation of the calendar of paid rest days, the upcoming transfer of Epiphany highlights how the law aims to standardize the distribution of holidays in order to facilitate the organization of festive long weekends, with the additional aim of strengthening domestic tourism and providing more rest periods to the Colombian workforce.
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