As we approach the end of 2025 and prepare for 2026, there is a strategy to enjoy 44 days of rest while using only 13 vacation days. The method is outlined below.
The key is to plan vacation days strategically by reviewing the calendar in advance. Here are the important months to consider:
- January: January 1, a Thursday, is a holiday. By taking a vacation day on January 2 (Friday), you can enjoy a four-day weekend.
- February: Carnival falls on Tuesday, February 17. By taking two vacation days on February 13 and 16 (Friday and Monday), you gain five consecutive days of rest.
- April: Good Friday is on April 3, and Easter on the 5th. By taking a vacation day on April 2 (Thursday), you secure four days of rest.
- May: May 1, a holiday, falls on a Friday, automatically giving you a long weekend without any additional vacation days needed.
- June: This month features several holidays, beginning on June 4 (Thursday) and June 10 (Wednesday). By taking vacation days on June 5, 8, and 9, you can create nearly a week-long break.
- October: The holiday on October 5 is a Monday, offering another long weekend without taking vacation days.
- December: December 1 is a Tuesday, so by taking November 30 off as a vacation day, you can enjoy four days of rest. Similarly, with December 8 as another Tuesday, taking December 7 off results in another four-day break. Additionally, to extend the holiday from Christmas to New Year’s, you can take vacation days from December 28 to 31, finally enjoying 10 days off.
In total, you use 13 vacation days to enjoy 44 days of rest.
In 2026, by utilizing 13 vacation days strategically, one can enjoy a total of 44 days of rest. This article explains how to maximize holidays and long weekends for the upcoming year.
Beatriz Vasconcelos | 07:50 – 18/08/2025
Employee Vacation Rights
According to the Autoridade para as Condições do Trabalho (ACT), employees are entitled to a minimum of 22 working days of vacation per year.
“For the purposes of vacation, weekdays from Monday to Friday, excluding holidays, are considered working days. If an employee’s rest days coincide with working days, Saturdays and Sundays that are not holidays are considered for vacation calculation,” states the ACT website.
It is important to note that “there are special rules for exercising this right: in the year of admission, the employee earns two working days of vacation per month of contract duration, up to 20 days, which can be taken after completing six months of the contract.”
“If the year ends without the employee having completed six months, the vacation can be taken until June 30 of the following year. However, no employee can take more than 30 working days of vacation in a year unless collective labor agreements allow it,” further explains the ACT.
