Public holidays offer the perfect chance to extend your time off and plan a longer trip without using up too many leave days. With a bit of smart planning, you can maximise your time away from work. Check out our top tips for optimising your leave days!
| Take Leave | Leave Days | Free Time | Total Days Off | Description / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02.01 & 05.01 | 2 | 01.01 – 06.01 | 6 | New Year + Epiphany (only BW, BY, ST) |
| 30.03 – 02.04 | 4 | 28.03 – 06.04 | 10 | Easter break (Good Friday 03.04, Easter Monday 06.04) |
| 30.03 – 10.04 | 8 | 28.03 – 12.04 | 16 | Extended Easter holiday – excellent value |
| 27.04 – 30.04 | 4 | 25.04 – 03.05 | 9 | Labour Day on Friday (01.05) |
| 04.05 – 15.05 | 9 | 01.05 – 17.05 | 17 | Labour Day + Ascension Day (14.05) |
| 18.05 – 22.05 | 5 | 16.05 – 25.05 | 10 | Whit Monday (25.05) – classic late-spring bridge |
| 05.06 | 1 | 04.06 – 07.06 | 4 | Corpus Christi (04.06 – BW, BY, HE, NW, RP, SL) |
| 21.12 – 24.12 | 4 | 19.12 – 27.12 | 9 | Christmas short break |
| 21.12 – 31.12 | 9 | 19.12 – 03.01.2027 | 16 | Christmas + New Year (realistic version) |
| Federal State | Winter Holidays | Easter Holidays | Pentecost Holidays | Summer Holidays | Autumn Holidays | Christmas Holidays |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baden-Württemberg | – | 30 Mar – 11 Apr | 26 May – 05 Jun | 30 Jul – 12 Sep | 26–30 Oct + 31 Oct | 23 Dec – 09 Jan |
| Bavaria | 16–20 Feb | 30 Mar – 10 Apr | 26 May – 05 Jun | 03 Aug – 14 Sep | 02–06 Nov + 18 Nov | 24 Dec – 08 Jan |
| Berlin | 02–07 Feb | 30 Mar – 10 Apr + 15 May | 26 May | 09 Jul – 22 Aug | 19–31 Oct | 23 Dec – 02 Jan |
| Brandenburg | 02–07 Feb | 30 Mar – 10 Apr + 15 May | 26 May | 09 Jul – 22 Aug | 19–30 Oct | 23 Dec – 02 Jan |
| Bremen | 02–03 Feb | 23 Mar – 07 Apr | 15 May + 26 May | 02 Jul – 12 Aug | 12–24 Oct | 23 Dec – 09 Jan |
| Hamburg | 30 Jan | 02–13 Mar | 11–15 May | 09 Jul – 19 Aug | 19–30 Oct | 21 Dec – 01 Jan |
| Hesse | – | 30 Mar – 10 Apr | – | 29 Jun – 07 Aug | 05–17 Oct | 23 Dec – 12 Jan |
| Lower Saxony | 02–03 Feb | 23 Mar – 07 Apr | 15 May + 26 May | 02 Jul – 12 Aug | 12–24 Oct | 23 Dec – 09 Jan |
| North Rhine-Westphalia | – | 30 Mar – 11 Apr | 26 May | 20 Jul – 01 Sep | 17–31 Oct | 23 Dec – 06 Jan |
| Rhineland-Palatinate | – | 30 Mar – 10 Apr | – | 29 Jun – 07 Aug | 05–16 Oct | 23 Dec – 08 Jan |
| Saarland | 16–20 Feb | 07–17 Apr | – | 29 Jun – 07 Aug | 05–16 Oct | 21–31 Dec |
| Saxony | 09–21 Feb | 03–10 Apr + 15 May | – | 04 Jul – 14 Aug | 12–24 Oct | 23 Dec – 02 Jan |
| Saxony-Anhalt | 31 Jan – 06 Feb | 30 Mar – 04 Apr | 26–29 May | 04 Jul – 14 Aug | 19–30 Oct | 21 Dec – 02 Jan |
| Schleswig-Holstein | 02–03 Feb | 26 Mar – 10 Apr | 15 May | 04 Jul – 15 Aug | 12–24 Oct | 21 Dec – 06 Jan |
| Thuringia | 16–21 Feb | 07–17 Apr | 15 May | 04 Jul – 14 Aug | 12–24 Oct | 23 Dec – 02 Jan |
| Public Holiday | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | 01.01 – Thursday | 01.01 – Friday |
| Epiphany (BW, BY, ST) | 06.01 – Tuesday | 06.01 – Wednesday |
| International Women’s Day (BE, MV) | 08.03 – Sunday | 08.03 – Monday |
| Good Friday | 03.04 – Friday | 26.03 – Friday |
| Easter Monday | 06.04 – Monday | 29.03 – Monday |
| Labour Day | 01.05 – Friday | 01.05 – Saturday |
| Ascension Day | 14.05 – Thursday | 06.05 – Thursday |
| Whit Monday (Pentecost) | 25.05 – Monday | 17.05 – Monday |
| Corpus Christi (BW, BY, HE, NW, RP, SL, SN, TH) | 04.06 – Thursday | 27.05 – Thursday |
| Assumption Day (BY, SL) | 15.08 – Saturday | 15.08 – Sunday |
| German Unity Day | 03.10 – Saturday | 03.10 – Sunday |
| Reformation Day (BB, MV, SN, ST, TH, SH, HB, HH, NI) | 31.10 – Saturday | 31.10 – Sunday |
| All Saints’ Day (BW, BY, NW, RP, SL) | 01.11 – Sunday | 01.11 – Monday |
| Day of Repentance and Prayer (SN) | 18.11 – Wednesday | 17.11 – Wednesday |
| Christmas Day | 25.12 – Friday | 25.12 – Saturday |
| St Stephen’s Day | 26.12 – Saturday | 26.12 – Sunday |
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