Children's Education

School holidays in Germany: 2023 and 2024

Prepare for the German school holidays in 2023 and 2024 with the dates, as well as information on additional days off and holiday childcare options.

German school holidays
writer

By Gary Buswell

Updated 4-1-2024

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. Both German primary schools and secondary schools have seasonal holiday breaks, including a long summer break, plus holidays for Christmas and Easter.

To plan your upcoming vacation, learn more about the below 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.

School holidays in Germany

School holidays in Germany are set at the regional level by each federal state. Each state will have holidays for the following times of 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 break of about one to two weeks for Pentecost (Pfingstferien) around May/June. There are also days off throughout the year which varies between states.

Child and mother looking at gifts at a Christmas market

Each state sets the exact dates for all school holidays in Germany, 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.

German school holidays are often used as a time for families to get together and celebrate festive holidays such as Easter and Christmas, go away on family vacations or visit some of the best spots in the country. Holidays may also coincide with regional days of celebration or German carnival periods.

German school holiday dates 2022–2023

Below are the school holidays for Germany’s 16 states, split by north and south sections of the country.

North Germany school holiday dates 2022–2023

Autumn BreakChristmas breakWinter breakEaster breakPentecost breakSummer break
Berlin24 October – 4 November 202222 December 2023 – 2 January 202330 January – 3 February 20233–14 April 2023 18–19 May + 29–30 May 202313 July – 25 August 2023
Brandenburg24 October – 4 November 202222 December 2022 – 3 January 202330 January – 3 February 20233 April – 14 April 202318 May – 19 May 202313 July – 25 August
Bremen17–28 October 202223 December 2022 – 6 January 202330–31 January 202327 March – 11 April 202318–19 May 20236 July – 16 August 2023
Hamburg10–21 October 202223 December 2022 – 6 January 2023 27 January 20236–17 March 202315–19 May 202313 July – 23 August 2023
Lower Saxony17–28 October 202223 December 2022 – 6 January 2023 30–31 January 202327 March – 11 April 202329–30 May 20236 July – 16 August 2023
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern10–14 October 202222 December 2022 – 2 January 20236–18 February 20233–12 April 202326–30 May 202317 July – 25 August 2023
North Rhine-Westphalia4–14 October 202223 December 2022 – 6 January 2023No winter break3–14 April 202329–30 May 202322 June – 4 August 2023
Saxony-Anhalt24 October – 4 November 202221 December 2022 – 5 January 20236–10 February 20233–10 April 202315–19 May 20236 July – 16 August 2023
Schleswig-Holstein10–21 October 202223 December 2022 – 6 January 2023No winter break6–21 April 202318–19 May 202317 July – 25 August 2023

South Germany school holiday dates 2022–2023

Autumn BreakChristmas breakWinter breakEaster breakPentecost breakSummer break
Baden-Württemberg2–4 November 202221 December 2022 – 6 January 2023No winter break6–14 April 202329 May – 9 June 202327 July – 8 September 2023
Bavaria31 October – 4 November 202226 December 2022 – 6 January 202320–24 February 20233–14 April 2023 29 May – 9 June 202331 July – 11 September 2023
Hesse24–28 October 202222 December 2022 – 6 January 2023No winter break3–21 April 2023No Pentecost holiday24 July – 1 September 2023
Rhineland-Palatinate17–31 October 202223 December 2022 – 2 January 2023No winter break3–10 April 202329 May – 7 June 202324 July – 1 September 2023
Saarland24 October – 4 November 202222 December 2022 – 4 January 202320–24 February 20233–12 April 202329 May – 2 June 202324 July – 1 September 2023
Saxony17–28 October 202222 December 2022 – 2 January 202313–24 February 20237–14 April 202318–19 May 202310 July – 18 August 2023
Thuringia17–28 October 202222 December 2022 – 3 January 202313–17 February 20233–14 April 202318–19 May 202310 July – 18 August 2023

German school holiday dates 2023–2024

North Germany school holiday dates 2023–2024

Autumn breakChristmas breakWinter breakEaster breakPentecost breakSummer break
Berlin2–3 October + 23 October – 3 November 202325 December 2023 – 5 January 20245–9 February 202425 March – 5 April 20249–10 May 202418 July – 30 August 2024
Brandenburg2–3 October + 23 October – 3 November 202325 December 2023 – 5 January 20245–9 February 202425 March – 5 April 20249–10 May 202418 July – 30 August 2024
Bremen2–3 October + 16–30 October 202325 December 2023 – 5 January 20241–2 February 202418 March – 1 April 20249–10 May + 20–21 May 202424 June – 2 August 2024
Hamburg2–3 October + 16–27 October 202322 December – 5 January 20242 February 202418–28 March 20249–10 May + 20–24 May 202418 July – 28 August 2024
Lower Saxony2–3 October + 16–30 October 202325 December 2023 – 5 January 20241–2 February 202418–28 March 20249–10 May + 20–21 May 202424 June – 2 August 2024
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern9–13 October 202321 December 2023 – 3 January 20245–16 February 202425 March – 3 April 202417–21 May 202422 July – 30 August 2024
North Rhine-Westphalia2–13 October 202321 December 2023 – 5 January 2024No winter break25 March – 5 April 202420–21 May 20248 July – 20 August 2024
Saxony-Anhalt2–3 October + 16–30 October 202321 December 2023 – 3 January 20245–9 February 202425–29 March 202420–24 May 202424 June – 2 August 2024
Schleswig-Holstein16–27 October 202325 December 2023 – 5 January 2024No winter break28 March – 19 April 20249–10 May 202422 July – 30 August 2024

South Germany school holiday dates 2023–2024

Autumn breakChristmas breakWinter breakEaster breakPentecost breakSummer break
Baden-Württemberg30 October – 3 November 202325 December 2023 – 5 January 2024No winter break25 March – 5 April 202420–31 May 202425 July – 6 September 2024
Bavaria30 October – 3 November 202325 December 2023 – 5 January 202412–16 February 202425 March – 5 April 202420–31 May 202429 July – 9 September 2024
Hesse23–27 October 202325 December 2023 – 12 January 2024No winter break25 March – 12 April 2024No Pentecost break15 July – 23 August 2024
Rhineland-Palatinate16–27 October 202325 December 2023 – 5 January 2024No winter break25 March – 2 April 202420–29 May 202415 July – 23 August 2024
Saarland23 October – 3 November 202321 December 2023 – 2 January 202412–16 February 202425 March – 5 April 202420–24 May 202415 July – 23 August 2024
Saxony2–13 + 30–31 October 202325 December 2023 – 2 January 202412–23 February 202428 March – 5 April 20249–10 + 20–21 May 202420 June – 2 August 2024
Thuringia2–13 October 202325 December 2023 – 5 January 202412–16 February 202425 March – 5 April 20249–10 May 202420 June – 31 July 2024

All dates are subject to change.

You can find full details of holiday dates for both 2023 and 2024 by checking with your child’s school.

Additional holidays and days off

The above dates are those that generally apply to German schools each year, but there are additional days throughout the year when there may be no school. These could be:

  • Regional public holidays in Germany
  • Religious days where children of certain faiths are granted time off
  • Staff training days or pupil book days (vary depending on the school)
Summer school visit to Hoherodskopf in Germany

For specific dates, check with your local school or have a look on the school website. Many schools have calendars on their websites, which list all dates when there is no school.

Childcare during school holidays in Germany

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.
  • Summer camps: For older children, there are summer camps that run adventure, sports, and language activities. Many of these are popular with expat children in Germany, such as Camp Adventure international summer camp which runs activities for children aged up to 19.
  • 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 for nurseries and summer camps vary so it’s advisable to book at the earliest opportunity.