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For parents who live and work in Germany, it is crucial to mark school holidays on the calendar to organize the necessary family activities or childcare arrangements. German school has seasonal holidays, including a long summer break, plus holidays for Christmas and Easter.
Planning ahead also means preparing financially for these holiday periods. Whether you’re organizing a family trip abroad, arranging childcare, or enrolling your children in vacation camps, managing your finances efficiently is crucial. For expat families who frequently travel between countries or maintain ties to their home country, services like Wise can help manage multiple currencies and international payments without the hidden fees that banks can often charge.
To plan your upcoming vacation, learn more about the following topics:
International School on the Rhine
The International School on the Rhine is located in the Düsseldorf – Neuss – Cologne region. It offers an excellent international education through full-day schooling in a multilingual environment. ISR offers an outstanding academic program, individual support for students, and several extra-curricular activities through a non-selective, college-preparatory education system.
An overview of German school holidays
School holidays in Germany are set at the regional level by each federal state. Each state will have holidays for the following times of the year:
- Autumn holiday (Herbstferien)
- Christmas (Weihnachtsferien)
- Easter (Osterferien)
- Summer (Sommerferien)
Schools in most states also have a winter break (Winterferien) around February. Additionally, a few states have a holiday of about one to two weeks for Pentecost (Pfingstferien) in May/June. There are also days off throughout the year, which varies between states.
Each state sets the exact dates for all German school holidays, although they need to fall within a certain time period.
Holiday dates at private international schools in Germany may be slightly different from public schools’ days off, although they will roughly coincide. Check with your child’s school for details.
When are the German school holidays in 2025–2026?
2025–2026 school holidays in North Germany
| Holiday | Berlin | Brandenburg | Bremen | Hamburg |
| First day of school | 8 September 2025 | 8 September 2025 | 14 August 2025 | 4 September 2025 |
| Autumn holiday | 20-31 October 2025 | 20-31 October 2025 | 13-24 October 2025 | 20-31 October 2025 |
| Christmas holiday | 22 December 2025 – 2 January 2026 | 22 December 2025 – 2 January 2026 | 22 December 2025 – 5 January 2026 | 17 December 2025 – 2 January 2026 |
| Winter holiday | 2-6 February 2026 | 2-6 February 2026 | 2-3 February 2026 | n/a |
| Easter/Spring holiday | 30 March 2026 – 10 April 2027 | 30 March 2026 – 10 April 2027 | 23 March – 7 April 2026 | 2-13 March 2026 |
| Summer holiday | 9 July – 21 August 2026 | 9 July – 21 August 2026 | 2 July – 12 August 2026 | 9 July – 19 August 2026 |
| Lower Saxony | Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | Saxony-Anhalt | Schleswig-Holstein | |
| First day of school | 14 August 2025 | 8 September 2025 | 11 August 2025 | 8 September 2025 |
| Autumn holiday | 13-24 October 2025 | 20-24 October 2025 | 13-24 October 2025 | 20-30 October 2025 |
| Christmas holiday | 22 December 2025 – 5 January 2026 | 22 December 2025 – 5 January 2026 | 22 December 2025 – 5 January 2026 | 19 December 2025 – 6 January 2026 |
| Winter holiday | 2-3 February 2026 | 9-20 February 2026 | 2-6 February 2026 | n/a |
| Easter/Spring holiday | 23 March – 7 April 2026 | 30 March – 8 April 2026 | 30 March – 6 April 2026 | 26 March–10 April 2026 |
| Summer holiday | 2 July – 12 August 2026 | 13 July – 21 August 2026 | 6 July – 14 August 2026 | 6 July – 14 August 2026 |
2025–2026 school holidays in Central Germany
| Holiday | Hesse | North Rhine-Westphalia | Saxony | Thuringia |
| First day of school | 18 August 2025 | 27 August 2025 | 1 August 2025 | 11 August 2025 |
| Autumn holiday | 6-17 October 2025 | 13-24 October 2025 | 6-17 October 2025 | 6-17 October 2025 |
| Christmas holiday | 22 December 2025 – 9 January 2026 | 22 December 2025 – 6 January 2026 | 22 December 2025 – 2 January 2026 | 22 December 2025 – 2 January 2026 |
| Winter holiday | n/a | n/a | 9-20 February 2026 | 16-20 February 2026 |
| Easter/Spring holiday | 30 March – 10 April 2026 | 30 March – 10 April 2026 | 3-10 April 2026 | 3-16 April 2026 |
| Summer holiday | 29 June – 7 August 2026 | 20 July – 1 September 2026 | 6 July – 14 August 2026 | 6 July – 14 August 2026 |
2025–2026 school holidays in South Germany
| Holiday | Baden-Württemberg | Bavaria | Rhineland-Palatinate | Saarland |
| First day of school | 15 September 2025 | 16 September 2025 | 18 August 2025 | 15 August 2025 |
| Autumn holiday | 27-31 October 2025 | 3-7 November 2025 | 13-24 October 2025 | 13-24 October 2025 |
| Christmas holiday | 22 December 2025 – 5 January 2026 | 22 December 2025 – 5 January 2026 | 22 December 2025 – 7 January 2026 | 22 December 2025 – 2 January 2026 |
| Winter/Spring holiday | n/a | 16-20 February 2026 | n/a | 16-20 February 2026 |
| Easter holiday | 30 March – 10 April 2026 | 30 March – 10 April 2026 | 30 March – 10 April 2026 | 7-17 April 2026 |
| Summer holiday | 30 July – 11 September 2026 | 3 August – 14 September 2026 | 29 June – 7 August 2026 | 29 June – 7 August 2026 |
Wise account
Are you an expat or thinking of moving to Germany? Managing your money across borders shouldn’t be complicated. With a Wise account, you can hold over 40 currencies and pay with a Wise debit card in more than 150 countries. Whether you need to spend abroad, receive or send money home, Wise can help make international money management simpler.
When are the German school holidays in 2026–2027?
2026–2027 school holidays in North Germany
| Holiday | Berlin | Brandenburg | Bremen | Hamburg |
| First day of school | 24 August 2026 | 24 August 2026 | 13 August 2026 | 20 August 2026 |
| Autumn holiday | 19-30 October 2026 | 19-30 October 2026 | 12–23 October 2026 | 19-30 October 2026 |
| Christmas holiday | 23 December 2026 – 1 January 2027 | 23 December 2026 – 1 January 2027 | 23 December 2026 – 8 January 2027 | 21 December 2026 – 1 January 2027 |
| Winter holiday | 1-5 February 2027 | 1-5 February 2027 | 1-2 February 2027 | n/a |
| Easter/Spring holiday | 22 March – 2 April 2027 | 22 March – 2 April 2027 | 22 March – 2 April 2027 | 1-12 March 2027 |
| Summer holiday | 1 July – 13 August 2027 | 1 July – 13 August 2027 | 8 July – 18 August 2027 | 1 July – 11 August 2027 |
| Lower Saxony | Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | Saxony-Anhalt | Schleswig-Holstein | |
| First day of school | 13 August 2026 | 24 August 2026 | 17 August 2026 | 17 August 2026 |
| Autumn holiday | 12-23 October 2026 | 19-23 October 2026 | 19-30 October 2026 | 12-23 October 2026 |
| Christmas holiday | 23 December 2026 – 8 January 2027 | 21 December 2026 – 1 January 2027 | 21 December 2026 – 1 January 2027 | 21 December 2026 – 6 January 2027 |
| Winter holiday | 1-2 February 2027 | 8-19 February 2027 | 1-5 February 2027 | n/a |
| Easter/Spring holiday | 22 March – 2 April 2027 | 22-31 March 2027 | 22-29 March 2027 | 26 March – 9 April 2027 |
| Summer holiday | 8 July – 18 August 2027 | 5 July – 13 August 2027 | 12 July – 20 August 2027 | 5 July – 13 August 2027 |
2026–2027 school holidays in Central Germany
| Holiday | Hesse | North Rhine-Westphalia | Saxony | Thuringia |
| First day of school | 10 August 2026 | 2 September 2026 | 17 August 2026 | 17 August 2026 |
| Autumn holiday | 5-16 October 2026 | 19-30 October 2026 | 12-23 October 2026 | 12-23 October 2026 |
| Christmas holiday | 23 December 2026 – 12 January 2027 | 23 December 2026 – 6 January 2027 | 23 December 2026 – 1 January 2027 | 23 December 2026 – 1 January 2027 |
| Winter holiday | n/a | n/a | 8-19 February 2027 | 1-5 February 2027 |
| Easter/Spring holiday | 22 March – 2 April 2027 | 22 March – 2 April 2027 | 26 March – 2 April 2027 | 22 March – 2 April 2027 |
| Summer holiday | 28 June – 6 August 2027 | 19 July – 31 August 2027 | 12 July – 20 August 2027 | 12 July – 20 August 2027 |
2026–2027 school holidays in South Germany
| Holiday | Baden-Württemberg | Bavaria | Rhineland-Palatinate | Saarland |
| First day of school | 14 September 2026 | 15 September 2026 | 10 August 2026 | 10 August 2026 |
| Autumn holiday | 26-30 October 2026 | 2-6 November 2026 | 5-16 October 2026 | 5-16 October 2026 |
| Christmas holiday | 23 December 2026 – 8 January 2027 | 24 December 2026 – 8 January 2027 | 23 December 2026 – 8 January 2027 | 21 December 2026 – 1 January 2027 |
| Spring/Carnival holiday | n/a | 8-12 February 2027 | n/a | 8-12 February 2027 |
| Easter holiday | 26 March – 2 April 2027 | 22 March – 2 April 2027 | 22 March – 2 April 2027 | 26 March – 9 April 2027 |
| Summer holiday | 29 July – 10 September 2027 | 2 August – 13 September 2027 | 28 June – 6 August 2027 | 28 June – 6 August 2027 |
When are Germany’s public holidays?
The above dates apply to all schools each year, but there are additional days throughout the year when there may be no school. For example, students have time off for Ascension Day (Himmelfahrt) and Pentecost (Pfingsten).
You can discover more official holidays by reading our article on public holidays in Germany.
Practical tips for expat parents in Germany
Financial planning for school holidays
School holidays often mean additional expenses for families – from travel and accommodation to childcare and activities. For expat parents who may be traveling internationally or paying for services in different currencies, managing these expenses efficiently becomes even more important.
When planning trips abroad during school breaks:
- Create a holiday budget that accounts for currency fluctuations
- Consider the most cost-effective way to spend money abroad
- Plan ahead for international payments for activities or accommodations
Using the Wise account can help you manage your holiday finances. With Wise, you can hold and convert money in multiple currencies and spend abroad with the Wise card.
Childcare during German school holidays
If you are a working parent, you may find yourself in the position of having to find childcare during the holidays if you can’t (or don’t want to) take time off work, and leaving the kids with relatives or friends isn’t an option.
The main options in Germany are:
- Daycare nurseries (horts): Provide out-of-hours school care for primary school children in Germany. This normally takes place after school hours, but many German horts also run holiday provision that includes a range of fun activities. They are primarily for primary school children but, in some cases, will take children up until the age of 14. You can find information about nursery provision in your area from your child’s school or your local authority. You can also search for nurseries through Kita.
- Paying for an individual carer: You could employ a childminder, nanny, babysitter, or au pair. You can find a babysitter in your area on Babysitter.de.
Prices and availability vary, so it’s advisable to book as soon as possible.
10 fun summer camps in Germany
Germany has many fun and educational summer camps for children to learn and play during the school holidays, including:
Conclusion
Understanding the German school holiday calendar is essential for expat families to plan effectively throughout the academic year. With differences between the language communities and a variety of holiday periods spread across the year, advance planning is key to balancing work commitments with childcare needs and family activities.
Whether you’re arranging local childcare, sending your children to vacation camps, or planning family trips abroad during these breaks, having the right financial tools in place can make the process smoother. For expat families in Germany, Wise provides a solution for managing expenses across different currencies without the hidden fees that can be charged by banks.
