The vacation checker

How to cleverly extend your free time in 2026

From this December to January 2027 - how to get the most out of a few vacation days(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

The early bird catches the worm - even when it comes to securing early booking bonuses or "outdoing" your colleagues when planning your vacation. That's why it's worth taking a look at next year's calendar now. But winter 2025 still has a lot to offer in terms of leisure time.

Winter 2025/26: The Feast of the Assumption falls on a Monday, shortening the 2nd week of December. Christmas and New Year's Day play all the pieces this year: With just eight vacation days, you can take time off - starting on December 20 - until January 7 (see days marked in yellow). This is also because New Year and the Three Wise Men open two additional window days.

Legend: Public holidays are marked in dark, vacation days that can be taken are marked in yellow, Saturdays and Sundays are marked in light(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

Easter: The feast around the resurrection of Christ - and therefore also the Easter vacations - falls relatively early in 2026. Monday is also known to be a public holiday, as this is when two disciples met their Lord.

Legend: The public holidays are marked in dark, the vacation days that can be taken in yellow, Saturdays and Sundays in light(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

National holiday: "Labor Day" - this time a Friday - has been a public holiday since 1919. However, its history goes back to the Middle Ages. At that time, the traditional May Day was still inspired by Christianity. Over the centuries, May Day established itself as a holiday for the working class.

AscensionDay: Ascension Day is celebrated 40 days after Easter and therefore always falls on a Thursday. The period leading up to the festival is accompanied by many Christian customs and processions.

There are no public holidays in February, March, July and September. Assumption Day (August 15) and All Saints' Day (November 1) unfortunately fall on a Sunday in 2026.

Whit Monday and Corpus Christi: Whitsun is 50 days after Easter in the calendar. On those days - at least according to the story of the Apostles - the Holy Spirit descended on the assembled disciples. In conjunction with Corpus Christi (this time on June 4), it creates a remarkable recreational bridge.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

National holiday: On October 26, 1955, the law on Austrian neutrality was passed - a public holiday that conveniently falls on a Monday in the coming year.

Legend: In dark marks the public vacations, in yellow the vacation days that can be taken, light Saturdays and Sundays(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

Mary's Conception falls on a Tuesday in 2026. If you can take time off on December 7, you have an extended weekend to explore one or two Advent markets.

Legend: Dark indicates public holidays, yellow indicates vacation days that can be taken, light Saturdays and Sundays(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

Christmas and the Three Wise Men: Both Christmas Day and New Year's Day extend two weekends at the end of 2026. The Three Wise Men will pass by on a Wednesday in 2027 - two window days!