Mexico rewrote its holiday calendar in 2006, moving three national holidays to the nearest Monday so everyone gets a guaranteed three-day weekend — known locally as a 'puente' (bridge). If you're planning a trip, knowing these dates matters: buses, highways and beaches get seriously busy.

The three movable holidays are fixed by law. February 5, marking the 1917 Constitution, now falls on the first Monday of February — often the day after the US Super Bowl, a happy coincidence in a country with plenty of American football fans. The third Monday of March honours Benito Juárez, the 19th-century president born on March 21. And the third Monday of November commemorates the start of the 1910 Revolution, originally marked on November 20.

Two big dates were deliberately left alone: Labour Day on May 1, observed internationally, and Independence Day on September 16, which was never a candidate for moving.

The Monday system has changed how Mexicans travel. Before 2006, people improvised 'puentes' by bridging a midweek holiday to the nearest weekend, but employers grew reluctant to grant the extra days. Now the three fixed long weekends reliably boost domestic tourism. Towns within easy driving distance of Mexico City are the clear winners — residents (chilangos) escape the capital for colonial streets, country cooking and a change of air, while hotels and Airbnb hosts enjoy a predictable uptick in bookings.

The November long weekend has a second identity: since 2011 it coincides with El Buen Fin, Mexico's answer to Black Friday. The official event runs Friday to Monday, though many retailers start promotions in early November, straight after Day of the Dead. Don't expect US-style slashed prices — many deals come as interest-free instalments through Mexican credit cards — but it's a genuine window for discounts on furniture, appliances and other big-ticket items.

For travellers, the takeaway is simple. These long weekends are a great window into Mexican leisure culture, and the November one can pair sightseeing with bargain hunting. But plan well ahead: bus terminals and airports fill up, the best accommodation in popular spots sells out early, and roads demand extra patience as half the country heads somewhere scenic at once. If you'd rather have the places to yourself, travel the week before or after instead.