Romania, a land rich in history, culture, and traditions, observes numerous public and regional holidays throughout the year. These holidays honor Romania’s Orthodox Christian heritage, national milestones, and local customs. In 2025, the official public holidays, regional observances, and traditional celebrations offer a glimpse into the country’s vibrant identity.

Learn more: Europe Calendar 2025 - List of Public Holidays and Celebration

Public Holidays in Romania
Public Holidays in Romania 2025

List of Public Holidays in Romania 2025: Significance and Celebrations

Romania recognizes 15 national public holidays, during which schools, government offices, and most businesses are closed.

1. New Year’s Day and Day After (Anul Nou)

  • Dates: January 1–2, 2025
  • Type: National Public Holiday
  • Closures: Schools, public offices, and most businesses.
  • Significance:

    Marks the beginning of the calendar year and celebrates new beginnings.

  • Celebrations:

    Families enjoy festive meals featuring traditional dishes like sarmale (cabbage rolls) and cozonac (sweet bread). Fireworks light up cities like Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca.

2. Unification Day (Ziua Unirii Principatelor Române)

  • Date: January 24, 2025
  • Type: National Public Holiday
  • Closures: Schools, public offices, and some businesses.
  • Significance:

    Commemorates the 1859 unification of Moldavia and Wallachia under Alexandru Ioan Cuza, forming the foundation of modern Romania.

  • Celebrations:

    Parades, patriotic speeches, and cultural performances are held in cities like Iași and Bucharest.

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3. Orthodox Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday (Vinerea Mare, Paștele Ortodox, a Doua Zi de Paște)

  • Dates: April 18, 20–21, 2025
  • Type: National Public Holidays
  • Closures: Schools, public offices, and most businesses.
  • Significance:

    Celebrates the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, central to the Orthodox Christian faith.

  • Celebrations:
    • Good Friday is observed with fasting and church services.
    • Families bake pască (sweet bread) and dye eggs, often red.
    • Midnight services and festive meals are held on Easter Sunday and Monday.

4. Labour Day (Ziua Muncii)

  • Date: May 1, 2025
  • Type: National Public Holiday
  • Closures: Schools, public offices, and most businesses.
  • Significance:

    Celebrates workers’ rights and achievements.

  • Celebrations:

    Families enjoy outdoor picnics, often grilling mici (Romanian sausages).

5. Children’s Day (Ziua Copilului)

  • Date: June 1, 2025
  • Type: National Public Holiday
  • Closures: Schools and public offices. Some businesses remain open.
  • Significance:

    Highlights the importance of children and their rights.

  • Celebrations:

    Parents spend time with their children, attending fairs, amusement parks, or cultural events. Gifts and treats are common.

6. Orthodox Pentecost and Monday (Rusalii)

  • Dates: June 8–9, 2025
  • Type: National Public Holidays
  • Closures: Schools, public offices, and most businesses.
  • Significance:

    Celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles.

  • Celebrations:

    Church services are held, and traditional processions take place in rural areas.

7. Dormition of the Mother of God (Adormirea Maicii Domnului)

  • Date: August 15, 2025
  • Type: National Public Holiday
  • Closures: Schools, public offices, and most businesses.
  • Significance:

    Commemorates the Virgin Mary’s assumption into heaven.

  • Celebrations:

    Pilgrimages to Marian shrines, such as Curtea de Argeș, are common.

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8. St. Andrew’s Day (Ziua Sfântului Andrei)

  • Date: November 30, 2025
  • Type: National Public Holiday
  • Closures: Schools, public offices, and most businesses.
  • Significance:

    Honors St. Andrew, the patron saint of Romania.

  • Celebrations:

    Folk traditions to ward off evil include placing garlic at doorways. Pilgrimages to St. Andrew’s Cave in Dobrogea are popular.

9. National Day (Ziua Națională)

  • Date: December 1, 2025
  • Type: National Public Holiday
  • Closures: Schools, public offices, and most businesses.
  • Significance:

    Commemorates the unification of Transylvania, Banat, Crișana, and Maramureș with Romania in 1918.

  • Celebrations:

    Military parades, cultural events, and flag-raising ceremonies are held in Bucharest and Alba Iulia.

10. Christmas Eve, Day, and St. Stephen’s Day (Ajunul Crăciunului, Crăciunul, Sfântul Ștefan)

  • Dates: December 24–26, 2025
  • Type: National Public Holidays
  • Closures: Schools, public offices, and most businesses.
  • Significance:

    Celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ and the feast of St. Stephen.

  • Celebrations:

    Families exchange gifts and prepare festive meals featuring roast pork, cabbage rolls, and cozonac. Caroling is a cherished tradition.

Europe Calendar 2025 - List of Public Holidays and Celebration Europe Calendar 2025 - List of Public Holidays and Celebration

Regional and Observed Holidays in Romania 2025

1. Dragobete (Romanian Valentine’s Day)

  • Date: February 24, 2025
  • Observed In: Nationwide, but particularly celebrated in rural areas.
  • Significance:

    Dragobete, known as the Romanian Valentine’s Day, marks the beginning of spring and celebrates love and fertility. The holiday has deep roots in ancient Dacian traditions.

  • Celebrations:
    • Young couples exchange flowers and tokens of affection.
    • In rural areas, young men and women dress in traditional costumes, gather in nature, and perform symbolic rituals to ensure good luck in love.

2. Mărțișor (First Day of Spring)

  • Date: March 1, 2025
  • Observed In: Nationwide
  • Significance:

    Mărțișor is a symbolic holiday celebrating the arrival of spring. Its roots date back to ancient Roman and Dacian cultures.

  • Celebrations:
    • People exchange mărțișoare, small trinkets tied with red-and-white string, as a symbol of renewal, love, and good fortune.
    • Many wear the trinkets throughout March to attract health and prosperity.

3. Transylvanian Harvest Festivals (Festivalurile Recoltei din Transilvania)

  • Dates: Vary by region, typically held in September and October.
  • Observed In: Transylvania and surrounding areas.
  • Significance:

    These festivals celebrate the end of the agricultural season and the harvest.

  • Celebrations:
    • Villages host fairs featuring traditional food, crafts, and folk music.
    • Parades with horse-drawn carts and regional costumes highlight agricultural traditions.

4. Feasts of Regional Patron Saints

  • Dates: Vary by region.
  • Observed In: Various cities and regions.
  • Significance:

    Patron saints are honored with religious and cultural events specific to the region.

  • Examples:
    • Sfântul Gheorghe (St. George) – April 23, observed in Brașov and other regions, marking the patron saint of soldiers and farmers.
    • Sfântul Ilie (St. Elijah) – July 20, celebrated in Maramureș with rural fairs and religious ceremonies.

5. Banat and Crișana Regional Day (Ziua Regională a Banatului și Crișanei)

  • Date: February 18, 2025
  • Observed In: Western Romania (Timișoara, Oradea).
  • Significance:

    A day celebrating the rich cultural heritage and historical identity of Banat and Crișana.

  • Celebrations:

    Cultural events, traditional dances, and community gatherings.

6. Grape Harvest Festival (Festivalul Recoltei de Struguri)

  • Dates: Late September to Early October
  • Observed In: Wine-producing regions such as Dealu Mare, Cotnari, and Dobrogea.
  • Significance:

    Marks the harvest season for Romania’s renowned vineyards.

  • Celebrations:
    • Wine tastings, vineyard tours, and festive markets.
    • Traditional dances and music celebrate the importance of viticulture in Romanian culture.

7. Hora de la Prislop (Prislop Dance Festival)

  • Date: Late August 2025
  • Observed In: Maramureș Region
  • Significance:

    Celebrates Maramureș’ rich folk culture and traditions, dating back centuries.

  • Celebrations:
    • Villagers and visitors participate in a massive folk dance called the hora, accompanied by traditional music.
    • Displays of traditional crafts, costumes, and foods.

8. The Shepherd’s Festival (Răvășitul Oilor)

  • Date: September 2025 (Exact dates vary)
  • Observed In: Mountainous regions like Sibiu, Făgăraș, and Rucăr-Bran.
  • Significance:

    Marks the end of the grazing season as sheep are brought back from the mountains.

  • Celebrations:
    • Shepherds showcase their flocks in village fairs.
    • Traditional cheese and sheep products are sold, alongside folk performances.

9. Holy Week Observances (Săptămâna Mare)

  • Date: April 13–20, 2025 (Week before Orthodox Easter)
  • Observed In: Nationwide, particularly in Orthodox communities.
  • Significance:

    The week leading up to Easter is a period of intense religious devotion and preparation.

  • Celebrations:
    • Special church services and fasting.
    • Holy Thursday (Joia Mare) involves the dyeing of eggs and preparing festive meals.

10. Christmas Carols and Winter Festivals (Colindatul și Festivalurile de Iarnă)

  • Dates: December 24–January 6
  • Observed In: Nationwide, particularly in rural areas like Maramureș and Bucovina.
  • Significance:

    A vital part of Romanian winter traditions, Christmas caroling and winter festivals preserve Romania’s unique cultural heritage.

  • Celebrations:
    • Groups of carolers, dressed in traditional costumes, sing colinde (Christmas carols) door to door.
    • Folk plays like the Capra (The Goat) involve humorous performances and dancing.

Conclusion

Romania’s holidays in 2025 offer a blend of cultural, religious, and national celebrations that reflect its rich heritage. The public holidays provide opportunities for reflection, unity, and celebration, while the observed traditions add depth and color to Romanian culture. Whether participating in Easter customs, celebrating National Day, or exchanging mărțișoare, these moments highlight Romania’s spirit and traditions.

Romania’s regional and observed holidays enrich the national calendar with a vibrant blend of local traditions, religious practices, and cultural festivities.

FAQs

  1. What are the most important public holidays in Romania?

    Orthodox Easter, National Day, and Christmas are among Romania’s most significant holidays.

  2. Are shops and businesses open on public holidays?

    Most shops, schools, and offices are closed on public holidays, though tourist-oriented establishments may remain open.

  3. What is the significance of St. Andrew’s Day?

    St. Andrew is the patron saint of Romania, and his day is observed with religious ceremonies and protective folk traditions.

  4. How do Romanians celebrate Dragobete?

    Dragobete is celebrated with dances, songs, and the exchange of flowers or symbolic gifts as tokens of love.

  5. What are some unique Easter traditions in Romania?

    Midnight candlelight services, red-dyed eggs, and traditional foods like cozonac and lamb dishes are central to Easter celebrations.

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