Costa Rica public holidays 2027: dates and long weekends

Costa Rica has 12 public holidays in 2027, and as of November 2026 none of them moves to a Monday. Semana Santa falls early, with Holy Thursday on 25 March and Good Friday on 26 March. Five of the nine paid holidays land on a Saturday or Sunday, so the year has few long weekends: New Year’s, Holy Week and, for some workers, 2 August. Those are the dates when Costa Ricans fill the beaches, and when you should book first.

What are Costa Rica’s public holidays in 2027?

Article 148 of the Labor Code sets 12 holidays: nine with mandatory pay and three with optional pay, as El Financiero lists them. The Ministry of Labor (MTSS) states that these holidays are enjoyed on their own date and do not move. Here is 2027, as of November 2026:

Date	Weekday	Holiday	Pay
1 January	Friday	New Year’s Day	Mandatory
25 March	Thursday	Holy Thursday	Mandatory
26 March	Friday	Good Friday	Mandatory
11 April	Sunday	Juan Santamaría Day (Battle of Rivas)	Mandatory
1 May	Saturday	Labor Day	Mandatory
25 July	Sunday	Annexation of Nicoya	Mandatory
2 August	Monday	Virgen de los Ángeles	Optional
15 August	Sunday	Mother’s Day	Mandatory
31 August	Tuesday	Day of Black People and Afro-Costa Rican Culture	Optional
15 September	Wednesday	Independence Day	Mandatory
1 December	Wednesday	Abolition of the Army	Optional
25 December	Saturday	Christmas	Mandatory

For a visitor, “mandatory” means the day off is near universal: banks and government offices close, and the MTSS notes that no worker can be forced to work it, while whoever does is paid double. On an “optional” holiday, many businesses simply open.

Do any 2027 holidays move to a Monday?

No, as of November 2026. Ley 9875 moved holidays to Mondays to help domestic tourism, but only for 2020 to 2024, per El Observador. La Nación reported in May 2026 that it expired at the end of 2024 and was not renewed. For 2026, an adviser at BDS Asesores quoted by Delfino said no legal provision allowed holidays to be moved, and the MTSS repeated in March 2026 that “the enjoyment of these holidays is not moved to another date.”

There is a bill. File 25.593, filed on 11 May 2026 by a ruling party deputy, would move 11 April, 25 July, 2 August, 31 August and 1 December to the following Monday, per Delfino. The tourism chamber Canatur backs it, saying bookings and sales can rise up to 40 percent on long weekends. As of 6 November 2026, Delfino’s legislative tracker shows it in the Tourism Committee with no votes. If it passes in time, 2027 changes; until then, plan on the dates above.

When is Semana Santa 2027?

Easter Sunday is 28 March 2027, so Holy Week runs from Palm Sunday, 21 March, to 28 March. The holidays are Holy Thursday, 25 March, and Good Friday, 26 March, both mandatory. That gives most workers Thursday to Sunday off. In 2026 the government gave public employees collective vacation on Monday to Wednesday of Holy Week, per the MTSS. As of November 2026 we found no such directive for 2027, so treat a full week off for government offices as likely but unconfirmed.

Which long weekends does 2027 have?

Fewer than usual. Counting the table, these are the only ones:

• Friday 1 January to Sunday 3 January. Three days. The night before is covered in our New Year’s Eve guide.
• Thursday 25 March to Sunday 28 March. Four days, longer for anyone who takes the week.
• Saturday 31 July to Monday 2 August. Three days, but only for those who get 2 August off, since its pay is optional.

11 April, 25 July and 15 August all fall on a Sunday, 1 May and Christmas on a Saturday, and 15 September, 31 August and 1 December land midweek. For the events of December and early January, from the Festival de la Luz to Palmares, see our holiday festivals guide.

What closes on a public holiday?

Banks and public offices, above all during Holy Week. In 2026, per El Financiero, BCR closed all its offices on Holy Thursday and Good Friday, Banco Nacional and Banco Popular closed from Thursday, and BAC closed its branches from 2 to 6 April, except its Rapibanco at Juan Santamaría airport, open 7:30 to 17:00. Banco Nacional pointed clients to its ATMs and digital channels. Bring some cash for small places on those days.

The old Holy Week “dry law” is no longer national. Under Ley 9047, each municipal council decides whether to restrict alcohol sales; where the council takes no decision, shops sell as usual. In 2026 only Cartago (a ban on Good Friday) and Turrialba (limited hours during the processions) restricted sales, per the national union of local governments cited by Delfino. Each council decides again for 2027.

How busy are the roads and beaches?

Very, on the way out and on the way back. For Holy Week 2026, the Cámara Costarricense de Hoteles projected 75 percent average occupancy, with 91 percent in Guanacaste and 82 percent in Puntarenas. The Tico Times reported thousands of vacationers on the Pacific coast, two-meter waves with rip currents, and 35 serious traffic crashes attended by the Red Cross on the morning of Good Friday alone.

On Easter Sunday 2026, Route 27 ran all its lanes toward San José for about 47 km, from Pozón to the Ciudad Colón toll, from 14:00 to 18:00, and traffic toward the Pacific was suspended from 13:00 to 19:00, per Delfino. The same was done on the two Sundays after the July 2026 school break. If you are driving to the beach on Easter Sunday 2027, check the schedule first or go early.

When are Costa Rican school vacations in 2027?

The Ministry of Education (MEP) announced on 27 October 2026 that classes start on 1 March 2027 and end on 30 November, with the mid-year break from 5 to 16 July, per Delfino and La República. So January and February are still school vacation, July has two busy weeks, and December fills up again. The coverage we found did not list a Holy Week break for schools; we treat it as unconfirmed.

When should you book for each long weekend?

Early for Semana Santa. In the hotel chamber’s 2026 survey of 66 hotels, rooms were already 68 percent booked a week before Holy Week, and mountain hotels expected 84 percent, beach hotels 81 percent and city hotels 53 percent.

• Holy Week, central Pacific: Casa Azul, Punta Leona, about 1.5 hours from SJO without traffic, closer to 2 with it. Our blue family house for up to eight, built around a private pool, 75 meters from the supermarket. From $287 a night.
• Holy Week or New Year’s, Guanacaste: Casa Almendros, Sámara. Our beachfront house with a gate to the sand, three bedrooms with air conditioning for up to six. Two-night minimum, from $303 a night.
• July break or a cooler Easter: Calma Loft, Monteverde. Our container loft for up to three, 15 minutes by car from Santa Elena, facing the sunset over the forest. From $103 a night. See the Monteverde area guide.
• Caribbean: Ewa Boxes, Cahuita. Our two container villas booked together for up to eight, with a plunge pool to yourselves. From $361 a night.
• First or last night, or a quiet city holiday: Alta Pietra, Escazú. Our one-bedroom apartment about 15 minutes from downtown San José, with a rooftop pool and a private hot tub, for up to four. Two-night minimum, from $150 a night.

Prices rise on holidays and long weekends; the Airbnb page shows the total for your dates before you confirm. For weather by month, see our Costa Rica weather by month guide, and for Holy Week dates, message us on WhatsApp.