Public holidays in Germany in 2025

When you’re living in Germany, you’ll want to know when the public holidays are. Not only is it important for making special plans, but also because businesses and public institutions will close or have reduced hours on these days.

For travellers and expats, holidays also require some financial planning. Whether you’re budgeting for festival attendance, purchasing gifts, or planning getaways, managing your money across borders can be challenging. Using services like Wise can offer competitive exchange rates and transparent fees for currency conversion.

Jot down these holidays to make sure you don’t miss out on the fun:

An overview of public holidays in Germany

There are nine official national public holidays in Germany each year, alongside local festivities particular to certain states. This means that some states in the country have more vacation days than others.

If the odds are in your favor, you can enjoy up to 13 days off a year, one of the highest public holiday entitlements in Europe. Do note, however, that if the holiday falls on a weekend, it typically does not transfer to a weekday.

Many of the public holidays are religious and date back centuries. Some holidays, however, are more recent, such as the Day of German Unity. Taking place on 3 October every year, it commemorates the anniversary of the country’s reunification in 1990.

If you’re planning to attend these celebrations, it’s worth preparing financially, especially if you’re traveling from abroad. Using the Wise account to convert your currency at the mid-market exchange rate can help you avoid the inflated tourist rates often found at airport kiosks and local exchange offices during busy holiday periods.

Some national holidays also coincide with Germany’s top festivals, which are a great way to experience local culture and sample regional food.

When are Germany’s public holidays in 2025?

These holidays are celebrated nationwide in Germany:

Date	Weekday	National holiday
1 January 2025	Wed	New Year’s Day
18 April 2025	Fri	Good Friday
21 April 2025	Mon	Easter Monday
1 May 2025	Thu	Labor Day / May Day
29 May 2025	Thu	Ascension Day
8 June 2025	Mon	Whit Monday
3 October 2025	Fri	Day of German Unity
25 December 2025	Thu	Christmas Day
26 December 2025	Fri	Boxing Day

Local holidays in 2025

These holidays are only celebrated in certain German regions:

Date	Weekday	Holiday	Where celebrated
6 January 2025	Mon	Epiphany	Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, and Saxony-Anhalt
8 March 2025	Sat	International Women’s Day	Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
20 April 2025	Sun	Easter Sunday	Brandenburg
8 May 2025	Thu	End of World War II	Berlin
8 June 2025	Sun	Whit Sunday	Brandenburg
19 June 2025	Thu	Corpus Christi	Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, and some parts of Saxony and Thuringia
15 August 2025	Fri	Assumption of Mary	Bavaria and Saarland
20 September 2025	Sat	World Children’s Day	Thuringia
31 October 2025	Fri	Reformation Day	Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower-Saxony, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, and Thuringia
1 November 2025	Sat	All Saints’ Day	Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland
19 November 2025	Wed	Repentance Day	Saxony

Other important dates in 2025

Alongside national and local holidays, you’ll want to make note of these other prominent dates in Germany:

Date(s)	Weekday(s)	Occasion
3–5 March 2025	Mon–Wed	Carnival
17 April 2025	Thu	Maundy Thursday
8 May 2025	Wed	End of World War II (in some regions)
11 May 2025	Sun	Mother’s Day
29 May 2025	Thu	Father’s Day
20 September 2025	Sat	Start of Oktoberfest
11 November 2025	Tue	St Martin’s Day – when children typically make lanterns and walk in processions
17 November 2025	Mon	National Day of Mourning
31 December 2025	Wed	New Year’s Eve

When are Germany’s public holidays in 2026?

Date	Weekday	National holiday
1 January 2026	Thu	New Year’s Day
3 April 2026	Fri	Good Friday
6 April 2026	Mon	Easter Monday
1 May 2026	Fri	Labor Day / May Day
14 May 2026	Thu	Ascension Day
25 May 2026	Mon	Whit Monday
3 October 2026	Sat	Day of German Unity
25 December 2026	Fri	Christmas Day
26 December 2026	Sat	Boxing Day

Local holidays in 2026

Date	Weekday	Holiday	Where celebrated
6 January 2026	Tue	Epiphany	Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, and Saxony-Anhalt
8 March 2026	Sun	International Women’s Day	Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
5 April 2026	Sun	Easter Sunday	Brandenburg
24 May 2026	Sun	Whit Sunday	Brandenburg
4 June 2026	Thu	Corpus Christi	Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, and some parts of Saxony and Thuringia
15 August 2026	Sat	Assumption of Mary	Bavaria and Saarland
20 September 2026	Sun	World Children’s Day	Thuringia
31 October 2026	Sat	Reformation Day	Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower-Saxony, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, and Thuringia
1 November 2026	Sun	All Saints’ Day	Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland
18 November 2026	Wed	Repentance Day	Saxony

Other important dates in 2026

Alongside national and local holidays, you’ll want to make note of these other prominent dates in Germany:

Date(s)	Weekday(s)	Occasion
9–11 February 2026	Mon–Wed	Carnival
2 April 2026	Thu	Maundy Thursday
8 May 2026	Thu	End of World War II (in some regions)
10 May 2026	Sun	Mother’s Day
14 May 2026	Thu	Father’s Day
19 September 2026	Sat	Start of Oktoberfest
11 November 2026	Wed	St Martin’s Day – when children typically make lanterns and walk in processions
17 November 2026	Tue	National Day of Mourning
31 December 2026	Thu	New Year’s Eve

When were Germany’s public holidays in 2024?

Date	Weekday	National holiday
1 January 2026	Mon	New Year’s Day
29 March 2026	Fri	Good Friday
1 April 2026	Mon	Easter Monday
1 May 2026	Wed	Labor Day / May Day
9 May 2026	Thu	Ascension Day
20 May 2026	Mon	Whit Monday
3 October 2026	Thu	Day of German Unity
25 December 2026	Wed	Christmas Day
26 December 2026	Thu	Boxing Day

Local holidays in 2024

These holidays are only celebrated in certain German regions:

Date	Weekday	Holiday	Where celebrated
6 January 2024	Sat	Epiphany	Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, and Saxony-Anhalt
8 March 2024	Fri	International Women’s Day	Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
31 March 2024	Sun	Easter Sunday	Brandenburg
19 May 2024	Sun	Whit Sunday	Brandenburg
30 May 2024	Thu	Corpus Christi	Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, and some parts of Saxony and Thuringia
15 August 2024	Thu	Assumption of Mary	Bavaria and Saarland
20 September 2024	Fri	World Children’s Day	Thuringia
31 October 2024	Thu	Reformation Day	Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower-Saxony, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, and Thuringia
1 November 2024	Fri	All Saints’ Day	Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland
20 November 2024	Wed	Repentance Day	Saxony

Other important dates in 2024

Date(s)	Weekday(s)	Occasion
12–14 February 2024	Mon–Wed	Carnival
28 March 2024	Thu	Maundy Thursday
8 May 2024	Wed	End of World War II (in some regions)
9 May 2024	Thu	Father’s Day
12 May 2024	Sun	Mother’s Day
21 September 2024	Sat	Start of Oktoberfest
9 November 2024	Sat	35-year anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall
11 November 2024	Mon	St Martin’s Day – when children typically make lanterns and walk in processions
17 November 2024	Sun	National Day of Mourning
31 December 2024	Tue	New Year’s Eve

When are the school holidays in Germany?

Many public holidays coincide with school vacations in German schools. Wondering when your children will be free? Read more about school holidays in Germany.

Practical tips for German holiday travel

Managing your money

Proper financial planning ensures a trip without stress. Avoid the expensive currency exchange counters at airports and tourist areas that offer unfavourable exchange rates. With Wise, you can hold and convert money in multiple currencies, spend abroad with the Wise card, and enjoy lower fees when compared to banks. For example, when transferring 5,000 USD to EUR, you could save 86 EUR for using Wise compared to using a bank transfer*, helping your holiday budget go further.

^{*The calculation is from the comparison tool from the Wise website on the 9th of Sept of 2025 that compares USD transfers to EUR via Wise, multiple international money transfer providers and banks in the US.}

Cultural considerations

Germans value punctuality highly, so arrive on time for reservations, tours, and appointments, and appreciate directness in communication rather than excessive small talk. Business hours are generally respected, with most shops closing by 8 PM on weekdays and 6 PM on Saturdays, and nearly everything closes on Sundays except restaurants and tourist attractions. Learning basic German phrases like “Guten Tag,” “Bitte,” and “Danke” shows respect and is appreciated, though English is widely spoken, especially among younger Germans and in tourist areas.

Food and drink

German cuisine extends far beyond stereotypes, offering regional specialties that reflect the country’s diverse geography and cultural influences, paired with one of the world’s great beer traditions. Don’t miss traditional experiences like visiting beer gardens with their communal tables and relaxed atmosphere, exploring local markets for fresh regional produce, and trying seasonal specialties like asparagus in spring or game in autumn. Make reservations at popular restaurants, especially for weekend dinners, and embrace the German approach to dining that values hearty portions, quality ingredients, and social meals that can extend for hours with good conversation and multiple beer tastings.

Conclusion

German holidays offer a rich opportunity to experience the country’s culture and traditions. By planning ahead—knowing both national and local holiday dates, understanding transportation, and preparing financially—you can fully immerse yourself in these special celebrations.

For international visitors and expats, smart money management is a key part of holiday planning. Setting up a Wise account before traveling to Germany can give you access to competitive currency exchange rates, and a debit card to spend like a local. This financial preparation allows you to focus on what really matters—enjoying Germany’s vibrant holiday traditions and creating lasting memories.