Public Holidays in the Czech Republic 2026: Complete Calendar & Travel Tips

Complete 2026 holiday calendar

• 1 January (Thursday): New Year’s Day / Day of the Restoration of the Independent Czech State.
• 3 April (Friday): Good Friday — added as a public holiday in 2016.
• 6 April (Monday): Easter Monday — traditional whip-and-egg “pomlázka” tradition.
• 1 May (Friday): Labour Day.
• 8 May (Friday): Liberation Day — end of WWII in Europe (1945).
• 5 July (Sunday): Saints Cyril and Methodius — the brothers who brought Christianity and the Glagolitic alphabet to Slavic peoples in 863 CE.
• 6 July (Monday): Jan Hus Day — religious reformer burned at the stake in 1415.
• 28 September (Monday): St. Wenceslas Day / Czech Statehood Day — patron saint of Bohemia.
• 28 October (Wednesday): Day of the Independent Czechoslovak State (1918).
• 17 November (Tuesday): Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day — student protest 1939, Velvet Revolution start 1989.
• 24 December (Thursday): Christmas Eve (Štědrý den) — main Christmas celebration in the Czech Republic.
• 25 December (Friday): Christmas Day.
• 26 December (Saturday): St. Stephen’s Day.

Long weekends in 2026

• Easter (3-6 April): Good Friday + Saturday + Easter Sunday + Easter Monday = 4 days off.
• 1 May weekend: Friday + Saturday + Sunday = 3 days.
• 8 May weekend: Friday + Saturday + Sunday = 3 days.
• 5-6 July weekend: Sunday + Monday holidays = effectively 2 days off + most workers take Friday for a 4-day weekend.
• St. Wenceslas (28 September): Monday — workers often take preceding Friday for a 4-day weekend.
• Liberation Day (28 October): Wednesday — split-week, less optimal for long weekends.
• 17 November: Tuesday — workers often take Monday for a 4-day weekend.
• Christmas (24-26 December): Thursday + Friday + Saturday + Sunday = 4-day Christmas weekend.

What’s open and what’s closed

• Closed on holidays: most government offices, banks, post offices, schools, large shops, supermarkets (some chains stay open holiday-friendly), DMV, courts.
• Open on holidays: tourist sites (Prague Castle, Old Town Square, Charles Bridge), restaurants, cafes, bars, museums (most), pharmacies (rotation), gas stations.
• Public transport: reduced schedule (Sunday timetable), but still operational. Metro and trams run.
• Trains: Czech Railways (ČD) run a holiday timetable. International trains continue with possible reductions.
• Christmas Eve (24 Dec): in many ways busier than Christmas Day — most Czechs celebrate this as the main holiday.

Cultural meanings of major holidays

• St. Wenceslas Day (28 September): celebrating Wenceslas, the patron saint of Bohemia, killed by his brother Boleslav in 935. The “Good King Wenceslas” of the Christmas carol.
• 28 October: the founding of independent Czechoslovakia in 1918 after the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
• 17 November: a double anniversary — 1939 (Nazi suppression of student protests, leading to the closure of Czech universities) and 1989 (the Velvet Revolution that ended communism).
• Easter Monday: distinctive Czech tradition — boys whip girls with willow “pomlázka” branches, who give them painted eggs in return. Now mostly symbolic.
• Cyril and Methodius (5 July): the Greek brothers who created the first written Slavic language (Old Church Slavonic) and Glagolitic alphabet — fundamental to Czech identity.

Travel tips for tourists

• Plan accommodation early: long weekends (Easter, 28 September, 17 November) push prices up 30-50% in Prague.
• Book Christmas accommodation by September: the Christmas market period (late November to 6 January) is among the most popular tourist seasons.
• Pharmacies on rotation: for medical needs on holidays, look for “lekárna” with night/holiday signs. Pharmacy rotation is published online by city.
• Cash machines work: ATMs are operational. Banks are closed.
• Restaurants need reservations: popular Prague restaurants (Lokal, U Modré Kachničky, Café Savoy) book up 1-2 weeks ahead during holiday weekends.
• Prague Christmas Market: opens late November, runs until 6 January. The Old Town Square market is the most famous; Wenceslas Square is more local.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many public holidays does the Czech Republic have?

The Czech Republic has 13 official public holidays per year, including 4 religious holidays (Good Friday, Easter Monday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, St. Stephen’s Day) and 9 secular/historical holidays.

Are shops open on public holidays in the Czech Republic?

Most large shops and supermarkets are closed on public holidays. Restaurants, cafes, bars, museums, and tourist sites stay open. Pharmacies operate on a rotation system.

What is celebrated on 28 October?

28 October is the Day of the Independent Czechoslovak State — the foundation of Czechoslovakia in 1918 after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

What is celebrated on 17 November?

17 November is the Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day — commemorating both the 1939 Nazi closure of Czech universities (after a student protest) and the 1989 Velvet Revolution that ended communism.

Is Christmas Eve a public holiday in the Czech Republic?

Yes — 24 December (Christmas Eve, Štědrý den) is a public holiday. In the Czech tradition, this is when Christmas dinner is held with carp and potato salad, and gifts are opened in the evening.

When are the best long weekends to visit Prague in 2026?

Easter (3-6 April), 1-3 May, 5-6 July (with Friday off), 26-28 September, and Christmas (24-27 December). Plan accommodation 1-3 months ahead.

See also

• Drinking age in Austria (Czech)
• Top 20 things to do in Prague at Christmas (German)