Official Vacations 2010

• Friday is the official weekend in Egypt.

• Thursday and Friday is the weekend for the Arabic Language Center.

• Normal bank operating hours for Egyptian banks are generally Sunday to Thursday 8.30am–2pm

Egypt abounds in holidays and festivals of all kinds, both Muslim and Christian, national and local. Coming across a local moulid can be one of the most enjoyable experiences in Egypt, with the chance to witness music, dancing and other entertainments.

Islamic holidays
Most Islamic holidays and festivals follow the Islamic calendar. This is lunar-based, so dates vary each year in relation to the Western calendar. You may find it useful to get hold of an annual prayer calendar from a local Islamic cultural centre in your own country.

The twelve months are Moharrem (30 days), Safar (29 days), Rabi Al-Awwal (30 days), Rabi el-Tani (29 days), Gumad al-Awwal (30 days), Gumad El-Tani (29 days), Ragab (30 days), Sha'ban (29 days), Ramadan (30 days), Shawwal (29 days), Zoul Qiddah (30 days) and Zoul Hagga (29 days – or 30 days in leap years).

Coptic festivals

The dates of Christmas (January 6/7), Epiphany (January 19) and the Annunciation (March 21) are specified in the Julian calendar used by The Orthodox Church, but Easter and its related feast days are viewed according to the solar Coptic calendar, and therefore differ from both the Orthodox and Western dates by up to one month.  A Coptic festival (of Pharaonic Origin) celebrated by all Egyptians is the Sham el-Nessim, a coming-of-spring festival which provides the excuse for mass picnics. Its name literally means "Sniffing the Breeze".