People working in Slovakia in 2026 will see a rather restrained public holiday calendar, with fewer opportunities to turn official days off into extended breaks. While the country will observe 11 non-working public holidays, only seven will fall on weekdays, limiting the number of automatic long weekends.
For foreign residents, the calendar highlights the importance of strategic leave planning, particularly around Easter and Christmas, which remain the most advantageous periods.
How public holidays work in Slovakia
Slovakia distinguishes between public holidays and days off work. While several dates are officially recognised as public holidays, only some of them are non-working days, meaning offices, banks and many businesses may remain open on others.
In 2026, the following dates will be observed as days off work nationwide:
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1 January (Thursday) – establishment of the Slovak Republic
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6 January (Tuesday) – Epiphany
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3 April (Friday) – Good Friday
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6 April (Monday) – Easter Monday
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1 May (Friday) – Labour Day
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24 December (Thursday) – Christmas Eve
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25 December (Friday) – Christmas Day
Other recognised holidays – 5 July, 29 August, 1 November and 26 December – fall on weekends and therefore do not create additional time off.
Easter remains the main spring break
Easter continues to be the most reliable opportunity for a longer pause from work. In 2026, Easter Sunday falls on 5 April, placing Good Friday and Easter Monday neatly around the weekend.
This results in four consecutive days off, a welcome break in an otherwise work-heavy spring calendar.
Christmas works in employees’ favour
The Christmas period offers another relatively generous pause. With Christmas Eve and Christmas Day falling on Thursday and Friday, employees will be able to enjoy four days off in a row without taking leave.
However, the second Christmas holiday on 26 December falls on a Saturday, limiting further extension.
Fewer holidays, more working days
Several traditional holidays that might be expected to provide time off will not be non-working days in 2026. These include:
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Victory over Fascism Day (8 May)
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Our Lady of Sorrows (15 September)
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Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day (17 November)
Although still officially recognised, these dates will follow normal working schedules. This is a result of austerity measures taken by the Robert Fico government in 2025. According to the government, the first two holidays will be working days only in 2026, while 17 November has been permanently removed as a non-working day – a decision that sparked a wave of opposition from citizens, businesses, municipalities, and opposition parties.
1 September, Constitution Day, has not been a non-working day since 2024, but it is still observed as a public holiday. The Fico government introduced this change as part of efforts to improve public finances.
Planning leave will be key
Outside Easter and Christmas, 2026 offers very few natural long weekends. The most practical opportunity to extend time off comes in early January, where taking one or two days of annual leave could create a longer break.
Beyond public holidays, employees in Slovakia are entitled to at least 20 days of paid annual leave under Slovak labour law. Workers aged 33 and over, as well as those permanently caring for a child, are entitled to 25 days per year.