The calendar for 2026 is shaping up to be unusually kind to workers in Czechia.
With several public holidays falling on Mondays and Fridays, the year offers repeated chances to enjoy long weekends without using much vacation time. Easter, May, late summer, and the year-end holidays all align in ways that make planning time off easier than usual.
The year opens with a public holiday on Thursday, January 1, which marks both New Year’s Day and the Day of the Restoration of the Independent Czech State.
Easter once again brings an extended break. In 2026, Good Friday falls on April 3 and Easter Monday on April 6, creating a four-day weekend from Friday to Monday. As in recent years, Easter remains one of the most reliable opportunities for a longer spring break without taking extra leave.
May is particularly generous. Both Labor Day on May 1 and Victory Day on May 8 fall on Fridays, resulting in two separate three-day weekends in a single month. For many employees, May will be the most convenient period of the year for short trips or rest without touching their annual leave balance.
The summer holidays are less evenly spread. The Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius on July 5 falls on a Sunday, while the following day, commemorating the burning of Jan Hus, lands on Monday, July 6. This combination still creates a long weekend, but only one of the two holidays falls on a weekday.
Early autumn brings another welcome break. Czech Statehood Day on September 28 falls on a Monday, offering a straightforward long weekend at the end of September. The remaining autumn holidays are less favorable. The Day of the Establishment of the Independent Czechoslovak State on October 28 comes on a Wednesday, and November 17, marking the Struggle for Freedom and Democracy and International Students’ Day, falls on a Tuesday. Neither date creates a natural long weekend without taking time off.
The end of the year again works in favor of longer rest. Christmas Eve falls on Thursday, December 24, followed by Christmas Day on Friday, December 25, and the second Christmas holiday on Saturday, December 26. With careful planning, it is possible to turn this period into an extended break.
By taking leave from December 28 to 31, employees can connect Christmas with New Year’s Day and enjoy a longer holiday stretch. New Year’s Day 2027 falls on a Friday, guaranteeing at least a long weekend even for those who cannot take additional days off.
Overall, 2026 includes seven long weekends linked to public holidays: Easter, both May holidays, early July, Czech Statehood Day in September, Christmas, and the New Year period.
Beyond official public holidays, several other widely observed days fall throughout the year. International Women’s Day is marked on Sunday, March 8. Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May, which in 2026 is May 10. International Children’s Day falls on Monday, June 1, while Father’s Day is observed on Sunday, June 21. All Souls’ Day comes on Monday, November 2.
From a calendar perspective, 2026 is also unusual because it includes 53 weeks rather than the standard 52. This last occurred in 2020 and will not happen again until later in the decade, as 2027 returns to the usual structure.
Date Day Holiday January 1 Thursday Day of the Restoration of the Independent Czech State April 3 Friday Good Friday April 6 Monday Easter Monday May 1 Friday Labour Day May 8 Friday Victory Day July 5 Sunday Saints Cyril and Methodius Day July 6 Monday Jan Hus Day September 28 Monday Czech Statehood Day October 28 Wednesday Independent Czechoslovak State Day November 17 Tuesday Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day December 24 Thursday Christmas Eve December 25 Friday Christmas Day December 26 Saturday St. Stephen’s DayWould you like us to write about your business? Find out more
The post Seven Long Weekends: How Czech Public Holidays Fall in 2026 appeared first on Prague Morning.
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